One of the best things about being a mother is seeing your kid/s take a natural interest in the same things you love. In my case, it's DANCE.
The love for dance runs on my maternal side of the family. Lola was doing ballroom dancing until she was in her 70s. Mom started teaching ballet to kids at the age of 16. Meaning, she started dancing wayyyyy before that. If she hadn't married Daddy so early (at 18!), she would've spent a few years dancing and travelling with the Bayanihan Dance Troupe, of which she was a member. Growing up, I spent all my Saturdays at my maternal grandparents' home in QC. Mom's ballet studio, which my Lolo gifted her in her teens, was still there and rented out to ballet instructors Edgar Valdez and later on, Nida Onglengco. I naturally took a liking to ballet as well. I took lessons on weekends for as long as I can remember, maybe 10 years, from 5 to 15.
All this time in high school, I was a member of the Dance Club and performed regularly for the school. I didn't waste my time doing anything else after class. There was no other club for me. Not even if singing was a passion too. Between those two, it was dance that easily took the top spot in my list of extra-curricular activities. In college, I got into classes again with Douglas Nierras. I only really stopped when I started working and then married and had kids.
Today, many years and 2 children later, I'm truly proud to say that Anissa has very much followed in my footsteps, without being forced to do so. I'm a stage Mom but not THAT kind haha! This is what she's been doing most of her school life. Five years as a cheerleader in the school's Pep Squad, with many medals hanging on her wall from the annual competitions they emerged victorious from. And now, she is a full-fledged member of the school's very popular dance crew, Terpsichore. I remember all the tears she shed after having auditioned twice and turned down in the past. I kept reminding her to work hard on her craft because one day the coaches will see her potential. Mother knows best. Those days are gone. She's happily living her dream of being in the Terps and truly loving every moment of it, including the entire team and her coach.
Despite the many late evenings because of intense training sessions, the grouchy tired moments she has at home, the lack of sleep which I keep harping about, the constant reminders thrown her way about not neglecting her academics --- I can't deny that this is also what I really want for her. If she thrives in something other than Math or Science, that's fine. As long as she's happy and still knows the important role that academics plays in her future.
Her world is getting bigger, her circle growing at an unbelievable pace (yes, boys are definitely in the picture now waaaaaahhh!!!!!!)! It's exciting and scary for me. But I can only hope to be the person she continues to run to for advice and guidance, not just about dancing on stage (because believe me, she is 10x better at it than I am!) but more importantly, how to dance to life's little surprises, especially the challenging ones!
Sigh ... just look at her. I need to blink my eyes many times when I do.
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| Taken last night after a successful 2-night run, at the school's annual High School Talent Fest for the Center of the Performing Arts. |
Keep on dancing, my big baby girl!
I'm so so proud of you!
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