Dance Sparkle, actually most sparkle, has been in short supply this year. Thankfully for this Dance Mum, my dancer’s tank was full before the beginning of the never-ending lockdowns that we have all endured, but the reserves are running low. It got me thinking - where does Dance Sparkle come from?
The Love of Dance
Dancers dance because it’s what they love to do. It’s hard work, there are hours and hours of practice each week. There is choreography to learn, there is technique to perfect, and there are uniforms to care for. For a competitive dancer add another intense level of practice, costumes, journeys, early mornings, late nights, trepidation, adrenaline, disappointment, elation, laughter (and tears). There is mutual respect and camaraderie between competitors and friendships, made in dance, which will last forever. It’s their love of dancing that makes them sparkle from the inside out.
Passionate Teachers
With their passion to inspire, our fabulous dance teachers from DNDance have sparkle at their core and willingly share it. Their smiles, enthusiasm, and endless support suggest that their reserves are endless. Even when everyone (and I do mean everyone) is ‘zoomed-out’ they still give dancers their all each and every session.
Competing
Dance Competitions, so much part of our lives moved online, providing an opportunity for dancers to continue to focus, practice their choreography, keep their technique strong, and maintain their competitive spirit. I do not underestimate the effort that it takes to organise a successful competition under normal circumstances, so hats off to those organisation who did it quickly and did it well.
Re-creating the theatre and drama of real-live performing was never possible, but some managed to create events that kept our dancers going and provided a much-needed boost of sparkle.
As a Dance Mum – there is nothing better than watching your dancer on stage – in solos, duets, trios, in groups doing what they do best with style and passion. Dealing with the dramas of mistakes or the highs of knowing that they performed perfectly, of finding costumes (that cost more than you want to admit) in a crumpled heap on the floor from a quick change, or wondering how you are going to get bright red lipstick out of that pure white costume to reveling in the giddiness of a group of dancers who know that they have sparkled – individually and collectively. I wouldn’t change it for the world… and it’s a world that I want back.
A boost of sparkle...
My own Sparkly Dancer – Rose, had a much-needed boost recently, placing, for the first time, in the City of Glasgow Stage Championships with a contemporary dance, she has never actually had the chance to perform live on stage. Delighted and excited by the result I saw a glimpse of sparkle that, I know as we get back to dancing in the studio and in performing live once more, will grow and bubble over from within – not just in Rose, but in our entire dance family. I can’t wait!
Contemporary Solo by DancerRoseH...
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