This is my daughter practicing her ballet dance. In my TUMBLING & CHEER gym. I love my job, and I LOVE my daughter (MOST, MOST, MOST!). I have learned this week that...I don't NEED my daughter to LOVE my sport. Really, I don't!
I LOVE TUMBLING. I ALSO LOVE CHEER! I started tumbling when I was 4, and I cheered all through high school. It was my entire LIFE! Back in October 2001, I walked into my old tumbling gym to visit my old tumbling coach after a day of HATING my 8 hours of hair school (blech!) and 6 hours of working at Famous Footwear (double blech!). I was in a bad place when somewhere in the conversation, Kathy asked me if I'd like to come in and train to maybe coach. It was my lifeline! The next night was Wednesday... I came. I trained. And I NEVER missed a night in the gym after that!
I would train with the rec coaches, then I would train with the team coaches, and then I would sit on the desk for HOURS watching Kathy coach. I wanted to do it right. I wanted to be good.... no, I wanted to be GREAT! I learned so much in those hours and days at that gym. Somewhere, deep inside, a fire was growing.
A lot of things have happened since the night I walked into that gym. My whole life, actually. It put me on the path I am on today, a path I LOVE so very much!
When Alyssa was about 2, she wanted to start ballet. She was really young and although she was quite persistent, I put her off. Almost once a week, she would ask me to sign her up for ballet. After a few months, I looked into it and realized ballet classes were a long drive, and I wasn't ready to commit to that for my then almost three year old. I found a little ballet summer camp that was four days long and signed her up... of course she loved it, but that was about the level of my dedication... four days! I then continued to put her off. I told her when she turned 4, I would FOR SURE put her in ballet! I was pretty sure she would find a new love by the time that came around (you know kids, they are flaky like that!).
It was not so!
As her fourth birthday rolled around, she started in again. Nearly everyday now, 'when can I take ballet?' Well, most dance studios shut down for the summer, so I was clear for a few months. As some of you may know, I have some "Type A" personality traits (don't laugh... seriously!), so...
I studied.
I researched.
I looked into TONS of dance studios.
When I coached cheer at Park City high school, I coached with the sweetest woman named Ciara. I didn't know very much about her, she coached the dance team and our paths didn't cross a whole lot, but she was very kind and very helpful. Come to find out (four years later!) she owns a dance studio! A very accredited dance studio, with an amazing ballet program. It also happened to be the same dance studio Alyssa had attended her "ballet camp" at.
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| First day of ballet class with Ms. Trish |
As the Spring Recital ended, and dance for the year was over, Alyssa and I had a conversation about what she wanted to do next year... this is somewhat how the conversation went...
Me: So, what do you want to do next year? Her: Ballet. Me: Do you want do to anything else? Her: Not really, just dance. Me. What if you have to quit cheer? Her: That's Okay. Me: What if you have to quit tumbling? Her: That's Okay too. Me: So do you want to try out for a dance team? Her: YES!! Me: Mylee isn't old enough yet, so you would do it with new friends. Her: That's okay. Me: Ms Trish probably won't be your teacher anymore, it will be someone else. Her: Will I still see her? Me: Probably, she will still be there. Her: Then that's okay, I can have a new teacher. Maybe I can take tap class with Ms. Trish.
So I have thought and thought. My little girls doesn't LOVE tumbling (she will keep doing it because I know the benefits... I don't really need to get into that now! Haha!), she doesn't LOVE cheer. She does them, because it's what I do, and she's in the gym anyways...
but it doesn't make her eyes light up.
It doesn't make her excited... ballet does.
As her mom, I want her to do what she loves, I want her to find that thing, even if it isn't the SAME as my thing! I have a gym FULL of athletes who LOVE TUMBLING, it makes their eyes light up - and I LOVE them so much for it! So it's okay to help Alyssa find HER THING!!
So we went to the parent's meeting. (Alone!)
She went to the clinic. (Alone!)
Eight sets of Jazz (that she has never done before... hello, crash course!), eight sets of ballet (that she LOVED!), and a turn sequence. 24 hours. I hooked her video to the TV, and she practiced. Last night. Today. She told Mylee she couldn't play because she needed to practice!
Tonight she tried out. My teeny tiny four year old in front of 4 judges, 30some girls, and their moms outside of the glass. My little girl danced her Jazz and her Ballet. Watching her was one of the hardest things I have ever done. My heart was beating, I was sweating, and having anxiety attacks you wouldn't believe!
But she skipped out of that room with a smile from ear to ear. So excited! So happy! For today... this is what she LOVES! I am grateful her four year old heart has found it!On a sidenote... I am more grateful than words can say to an AMAZING teacher. We were so very blessed to have a teacher that loved, hugged, smiled, and danced her way into Alyssa's heart. She made the experience so well worth it... thanks, Trish! You are AMAZING!
Love,
Taryn
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