Well a huge hello to everyone,

Today I wanted to share with you all a wonderful moment I witnessed with one of our client’s the other day.

This was a client / teacher in the UK and she was sharing details of her concert with all the parents in her dance school via FaceBook

[ using that new live viewing option]. So she was ” live streaming” I think you call it and chatting to her group of parents as they were sending in questions and interacting live with her. She was talking about things like:

*where to pick up the children after the concert was finished
* where to collect tickets for the show
* what snacks the children would need for concert rehearsal day etc etc

All pretty usual stuff.

And then – as she was speaking – a few tears welled up in her eyes.

And she started to apologise for all the emotion she was feeling as she too prepared for her end of year show. The feelings of absolute pride in all her students have achieved in the year and the excitement of them all preparing to show this off to their loved ones – friends and family. The emotion of the day had overcome her and she was clearly very moved!

Moved to tears!

I remember all these feelings so well.

The stress of putting the final touches on all those routines.

Wondering if all the children will remember to bring their hats for their dance.

Hoping they all enjoy the show and do not get too nervous.

Worrying about the lights, the volume of the music and if all the costumes will turn up in time.

So – today I just wanted to remind you all of the reason we all do this.

The reason we all chose to teach dance.

And the simple reason is that we love it!

We adore our students, and their achievements fill us to the brim with pride and JOY!

And sometimes it is not the most talented student that achieves the most in our eyes – but perhaps the shy little girl who takes her first step onto that stage in her first ever ” end of year or Xmas Concert” and manages to look out and show a little smile.

All your students achieve and grow in different ways – and you are there to watch them, guide them and then share in all these accomplishments. Some of which their parents may not even fully realise.

It is an incredible and special privilege.

When I was younger and in the classroom week after week, year after year – the end of year concert was something that I relished.

The true definition of a ” team effort”!

Parents, students, teachers, friends, volunteers and more.

When it all came together and you knew that no matter what – and no matter the struggle to get there – it WOULD come together.

When I saw the tears of this teacher on Facebook last week – it all came flooding back to me and I thought – the irony is that in all this giving to our students, we actually give a huge gift to ourselves too and the pay off comes in these moments of pride.

Through the exhaustion and the anxious moments – knowing that you……yes – YOU – have been a part of bringing the FREEDOM and JOY of DANCE and SELF EXPRESSION and CREATIVITY to all these little people.

The sense of pride in our students is immense and the feeling of ” family” and ” community” in times like this is especially profound I think.

So today – I just want to say BRAVO to all the dance teachers out there.

You truly make a difference to so many and bring colour and movement and possibility to the lives of your students through the magical art of dance. Whether that be tap, classical ballet, hip hop, contemporary or any other dance genre.

So – stop and breathe in this gift, as you make your way through the ” craziness of the end of year” that all dance teachers experience!

Really stop, take a moment and truly breathe in the gift of you to your students – and revel in their achievements both big and seemingly small.

You deserve it.

For their achievements are your achievements too!

LOVE TAP AND PASS IT ON!

Christine