My Tiny Dancers

There's a huge logistical advantage with all three of my girls enjoying and excelling at dance.  I never have to be in two different places at the same time or choose between events.  I sometimes wonder if the universe is working out a way to make up for all those years of sleep deprivation.  So while that's all awesome, it has become more and more apparent that perhaps participating in the same activity for triplets is not as fabulous from an emotional perspective.



The girls want to be seen as individuals and they don't like being lumped together as one unit or compared against each other.  This is completely understandable and I get it, even though I'm not a multiple myself.  They are all beautiful dancers and people tell me this all the time.  They aren't saying it just being kind; they honestly mean it.



Everyone has their own way of dancing and this holds true with the girls.  You have Allie who is almost theatrical which pairs well with her jazz class.  These past two years, she was the only one of the three who danced jazz and she stood out in that class.  Then there's Anna who amazes everyone with what she can do and how she keeps going even when she's exhausted.  I've told this kid many, many times how she wasn't supposed to be able to walk on her own unassisted.  The doctors' consensus was best case scenario she would have braces on her legs.  She's always walked on her own so she doesn't quite grasp what that means. Last but certainly not least, there's Emily, a graceful little ballerina, who is a quick learner and easily transitions to other forms of dance.





The girls don't want to be told that they are all awesome.  They want to be better.  They want to be the best. I sometimes throw my arms up in defeat because it feels like no matter what I say, they don't want to believe me.







My childhood took place during those years when only winners walked away with the trophy.  The sink or swim mentality was common in my early work experience.  It's completely different from today's working world teeming with life boats, and local little leagues where every team makes it to the playoffs.  I don't often hand out easy passes to my kids.  As a parent, I'm walking that fine line between boosting self-esteem and keeping it real.  I've taught my children not to expect handouts; success comes from hard work.  (With that being said, I have met plenty of people along this road called life who manage to slip and slide their way through, whether it be by cheating on exams or taking short cuts.  It may take years, but they are always found out.  Always.  You do not want to be like them.)





The dance year came to an end this past weekend with the annual recital.  The girls worked so hard this year and I'm extremely proud of each of them for their dedication and spirit.





I took these photos during ten minutes of open time Saturday afternoon before we scrambled out of the house in order to arrive at the dance recital rehearsal on time.  This is what I had wanted to do when the girls had their hair and make-up done for their competition last month but we ran out of time.  I needed to do a test run for something I'm working on, but of course I love these because they are my beautiful little dancers.

More recital photos and commentary to come, including my experience dancing for the first time.