DANCING

When Susan was 3 years old, I was driving in Owensboro one day, listening to the radio. I heard an advertisment for Lila Jean School of the Dance. They were having their fall registration that very day. Right that minute I drove to the studio and enrolled Susan. I bought her tights and leotards, tap and ballet shoes. From that day, she had Capizeo dance clothes and shoes. Susan started her classes a couple of weeks and later and from that first class, she could dance. It came natural to her and she loved it. She took a combination class, tap, ballet, tumbling. Her class met once for week for an hour. The year passed quickly and it was time for her first recital. She was in two numbers. The costume for one of her routines was a pink and white bunny outfit, complete with bunny ears. I had no idea how nervous I would be. By the time I got her dressed and left her to go on stage, making my way back to my seat, I was suddenly sick. I rushed to the bathroom and threw up. Then I cried all through her performance, which was flawless. This was to become my dance routine, throwing up and crying with frayed nerves. I don't know why I was so frazzled, she was always on top of the situation and did a great job, whatever dance routine she was performing.
After three years at Lila Jean's, I moved Susan to Joy Johnson's Dance Studio. In no time she was in a performing group, dance classes lasted three and four hours at least one day a week, usually more. We stayed on the road with classes and performances. Not one minute of this time was wasted. I never missed a performance and not many practices.
Susan can always say with meaning that she was a dancer. In her heart, she still is. I guess that makes me a forever stage mom. That's me, still pushing her on, shoveling advice, crying and throwing up. Loving her.