First Dance Recital

Since Zac was 2 years old and watching ballet on PBS, he has begged me to let him take dance. During the fall that he turned 3, I enrolled him in a ballet/tap class while we were living in Las Vegas, but we had to take him out when we decided to move only a few short months later. It took 2 more years before I could get him into a class again, but he still had the desire. So this last school year, Zac was outfitted with black ballet shoes, dance pants, a creative and willing teacher, and his own version of cautious enthusiasm for his preschool dance class. Through wind, rain, snow, and sunny afternoons when he would have rather been outside playing, Zac went to every class. His instructor worked up a recital routine that included two cute tunes for the preschoolers, one being a feature for the only boy in the Center Stage Dance company, Mr. Touchdown.

The night of the recital, Zac looked like the all-American boy in his green shirt with rolled-up sleeves and pink tie to match the girls’ dresses. We had talked about and practiced the dance, running with the football, and playing the part of the hero for the girls in his class who were cheering him on. I took him backstage, dressed him, and gave him a good-luck hug and kiss, then I headed off to find the rest of our troupe. As the lights went down and the curtain came up, Nathan sat transfixed by the performances. Bethany danced on her Daddy’s lap, copying the arm and leg movements of the dancers as best she could, and singing her heart out. Then Zac’s class came onstage. Nathan’s eyes sparkled as he pointed and shouted, “There’s Zac,” and Bethany jumped up and down and yelled “Zacky” as loud as her little voice would carry. Alas, it seemed that no amount of pumping Zac up before hand was going to off-set his incredible stage fright. He made it through his first routine with minimal effort, buried in the back row. Then, about a half dozen dances later, the preschoolers were back on stage for Mr. Touchdown. No more hiding in the back row. Zac was to run a pattern through the girls, take his place in the front row, dance his heart out, and then end by running through two lines of cheering girls for his big finish. With a deer-caught in the headlights look, he lumbered through the dance.

Zac showed tremendous courage to get up on that stage and dance for family, friends, and a host of strangers. He also gave Nathan and Bethany a taste of dance and a chance to cheer for their brother. As for me, I experienced a full-circle moment. From the time of my first childhood dance recital to this, I never imagined I’d be the parent in the audience watching and holding my breath as my child performed on stage. Twinkle toes Zac is not right now, but he is our hero, and we are proud of him.