FULL CiRCLE... of PRiDE!

Just when I think my dancing career has come full circle... the circle widens... to become...

                   A BIGGER POLKA- DOT!!!

Me with my daughter, Jana
and my grandaughter, Mariah
on her first day of
the combo class
of TAP and BALLET!
September 2010

a CIRCLE of fun with shoes from a little tap class

Another memory out of Jana's scrapbooks of dances
This is a large tap group called
"LET'S GO FLYING"
in 1995
In this photo...

Some students who have kids dancing, some who have
professional dance careers, and ...
also in this group 4 dancers from Lanigan!

Me in my final year of teaching

Me and my friend Linda this weekend
CHEERS to a friendship made over so many
WONDERFUL DANCE MEMORIES!

This weekend I made a trip out to LANIGAN
to see my very good friend, LINDA!
This was the weekend of their annual dance competition, too which I always enjoy being a part of in some way or other!

Linda and I met years ago when she approached me at a dance competition in
North Battleford to see if I would consider coming to Lanigan to teach a summer school...
and let's just say we have been making
HISTORY ever since!

Linda often had a house and a camper full of out of town kids staying with her during the week of summer schools that I taught in Lanigan,
 over the years. I stayed there for many of those years as well! That is just the kind of warm and generous person she is, and it is no wonder I've grown to like her more and more, with every memory we create together along the way!
She was in the adult TAP group for a few years in Lanigan... but always was a big part of what went on in and around the community and wore the "MRS. DANCE" banner proudly!

I was reminded again how much PRIDE I have in the dancing community in that small town.
 I was going down a little trip of memory lane all weekend, and especially on my way home when I began to sum up how many connections I have with not only the dancers there...
but also in my LIFE!

I taught at least 8, possibly 9 summer schools in Lanigan.  I trained some dancers who went on to become dance teachers in Lanigan...
Jill, Leslie, Vanessa... and currently Ashley!
I taught some choreography for various kids and groups there over the years.
I adjudicated 4 or possibly 5 competitions there.
I even had dancers compete there, too!
And for my first time ever...
I wrote for an adjudicator this weekend there...
(fun experience... just to help out!)

So it is no wonder I have such a special spot in my heart for the dancers and people I've met there over the years through the dancing.

LINDA is the one I have just stayed the most connected with. Her youngest daughter, Teresa and 3 other dancers from Lanigan, Tasha, Jaylene, and Karen travelled into Saskatoon weekly for lessons over a few years.
They dedicated themselves to a long trip in every thursday night to learn from me after meeting me at summer school!

Teresa and Karen now have girls dancing, too!
I watched Karen's little girls perform this weekend in the competition in Lanigan!

I saw other kids I taught... who now have dance students competiting in Lanigan this weekend, too. It always makes me feel so proud to see them go to that next level. I feel blessed that I had any kind of impact on their career!
 Once again bringing me a sense of pride, satisfaction and accomplishment!

So now I have been a spectator, a young dancer, a dance assistant, a dance teacher, a studio owner, a tap director in another dance studio, a teacher of clinics, workshops and summer schools, and adjudicator, and adjudicator's writer, a parent of a dancer, a parent of a dance teacher, a parent of a professional dancer, a grand parent of a dancer, an auntie of a dancer,
...and this coming weekend for my very first time will adjudicate as a team with my daughter, Jana in Kindersley.

And the beat goes on...
and the circle becomes rounder!
It is no wonder I feel such a huge sense of pride when I look back over these
and the very many memories I have.

When I retired from my teaching career in May of 2008, my friend Linda was there cheering me on as I entered the next chapter... and so was my daughter, Jana...along with very many other important people in my dance career.
Jana gave me a nice journal to begin the next phase of my life journey with that
says  this on the cover...

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined.-Thoreau

A SENSE of PRIDE!

Again I was reminded of my sense of pride...While watching some dancing
and through every stride.
I grew up as a learner,  beginning with TAP...
I sat in the audience, and I always would clap.
I moved onto other forms of dance...
I grew to just love it, and not just by chance!
I went on to assist the teachers who taught,
Then I owned my own studio,
and what PRIDE that brought.
I had many students throughout all the years,
All very special... and so many dears!
I watched and taught my daughter dancing, too,
She then was a teacher,
and dance pro straight through.
I have judged many dancers competing, as well.
Experiences that made me feel
honored and swell!
This watching of so many dancers
TAKE FLIGHT...
Just brings me such pride,
and makes me feel bright!
Now I'm a GRAMMiE...
feeling new pride some more,
My grand daughter dances...
and she makes me adore!
I've watched many dancers go on to careers,
Performing as pros...
or teaching dance to more dears!
I feel I have been on all sides of the fence,
Each side is different, but
I LOVE them all, hence...
I'll always feel such a huge sense of PRIDE,
It's there in my heart... and never to hide!
I've met many people along the way...
They all seem like FAMILY to me to this day!
And many have families who are dancers, too,
The circle continues, as we all follow through!
To me it is special how DANCE can appeal...
And bring me such PRIDE in the way that I feel.
Dancing is something where you can express,
All the feelings of LOVE ...
and then enjoy SUCCESS!