My Tiny Dancer
By David Bowden
12 Jun 2009
At only 9 years old, my daughter has already been dancing for 7 years. In this brief career of dancing, she has had the privilege of being in 8 productions. One of which was to dance with the Moscow Ballet in the Nutcracker. In this shot, she was alone on stage in the limelight for just a few short seconds, just enough time to courtesy and exit stage right. From fluffy tutu to impatiently waiting for point she has grown up so very fast. It amazes me to see how her involvement in dance has made her mature, given her focus and sparked a passion in someone so very young.
At first, we were certain she wouldn't stick with dance. Her attention for it wasn't there, and her progress seemed to be slow. Then one day he poise changed, she was elongated, he stance was spot on, her form improved and she danced as if she had been doing it far more than she ever had. Now, she dances everywhere she goes. She dances in the hall, on the hard wood floor, while she's cleaning her room or walking the dog. Literally everywhere she goes. She told me once she hears the music in her head and can dance to it just like she's in class.
She constantly watches the older dancers and learns both from observation and from class. It's amazing how she is taken by the music and the movements and how well she can convey the subtle elegance or emotion of the music by her dance. It's as if she was made for it. During the nutcracker, the price from the production sought her out to carry her on stage for the curtain call. She was overcome with excitement. At the end of the show the prince took a moment to tell the costume coordinator who spoke English to please tell her mother that she is a fine dancer and hopes that she continues. She has his as well as everyone in the Moscow Ballet company's autograph on a program framed on her wall. His words of encouragement are but one facet of her motivation the other is her love of ballet.
When I look at this picture I don't just see my seven year old daughter, I see a dancer, in perfect form humbly enjoying her very brief moment alone on stage. It's then that I revel in the delight of realizing that she is my daughter and the photograph is a simple reminder of just how proud of her I am.
2 responses
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Catherine Kurvink gave props (12 Jun 2009):
What a charming story, with exquisite images. Bravo!
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Shawna Riley gave props (13 Jun 2009):
That first shot is beautiful!
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