Dancing Queen

So I watch this show called Dance Moms and it brings back memories! When I was barely old enough to walk my mother enrolled me at: Barbra Driscoll School for Ballet. I both loved and hated those days. That is where I learned I could fly but I also realized all my shortcomings... It was a mixed bag.

Nevertheless I always figured Rachel would be a dancer. It seemed natural I would enroll her a age two and we would be doing recitals before kindergarten. It was just always part of the picture for me to encourage my daughter. Than last year she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Ballet shoes got replaced with orthotics and dance class was exchanged for hours of physical and occupational therapy. The idea of dancing for her just left my thoughts.


Back to that show Dance Moms. Rachel has always loved anything with pretty girls but Dance Moms fascinates her. She begs to watch it and dances along side the talented girls on the show. It is obvious she loves it. Instead of princesses, this her make believe. She plays pretend all day, dressing in her tutus and dancing to her make believe music.

When this all sort of started, I didn't know what to think of it. I figured it wouldn't be anything that I would encourage. Her social worker Deryl (who is a close family friend and has been working with her since she was in the NICU), told me one morning: knowing Rachel's determination I bet she would become a dancer and would love sticking it to anyone who said she couldn't do it. I realized than that I was closing doors that were not for me to be closing.


I don't know if a child with cerebral palsy has ever become a world famous dancer. I don't know if that is something is something Rachel will ever really want to pursue. What I do realize is that it is not for me to decide. It is up to Rachel and I shouldn't be pushing it on her or taking it away from her!
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