Community Voices for Health

By: Tanya Pimental

When I think back to my earliest happy moments in life, they involve dance.  I took to dance early on in life, when I was just a young child. I focused on ballet in particular, and even now in my adult life, I often long to stand at the barre or to pique turn across the room.

I think that many parents hope our children will embrace the activities we enjoyed as kids. As much as we may try to not live vicariously through them, it’s human nature for us to want for them the things we wanted for ourselves. 

To see my Lucy dance truly makes my heart happy. And to know that she loves doing it as much I love seeing her enjoy it is truly an amazing thing. She put on her first ballet shoes at two years old and in the last five years, I have been amazed with her focus and her drive to become a strong dancer. She enjoys tap and jazz but we have discovered that her true love is classical ballet. A foundation in ballet will truly make her a strong, technical dancer. This is her first year in a full ballet class and it’s true magic to watch her learn.

The dance studio is quickly becoming our home away home. Michelle’s Studio of Dance is an amazing place for young dancers. I am amazed each year at how organized and successful they are at pulling off the year-end recital not once, but three times in one day. They offer classes starting at 2 years of age and offer endless class times. The staff has always been welcoming and kind. From our first day there, it was clear that we would love attending classes at Michelle’s Studio of Dance.

We can now be found at the dance studio four days a week since my soon-to-be two-year-old has started a creative movement class this year. And as a second grader, you are able to join the dance team, an opportunity which really excites Lucy. It’s so great to see the kids build relationships and make a commitment to something. They know they’ll have to work hard so the team gets better and stronger in the years to come. This team experience will teach her life lessons that extend far beyond her dancing abilities.  

Lucy and I talk a lot about her dancing and she is already anxious to get her first pair of point shoes.  I remember turning ten and being ready to finally get en pointe. Thinking about it, I can so vividly remember the endless brands, breaking the shoes in, and then wishing they would stay  broken in enough to last a few extra weeks before you inevitably have to replace them. I imagine the day I teach her how to sew on her ribbons, a lesson my mom taught me. The excitement of finally wearing those shiny pink satin shoes is hard to explain to one who never taped up their toes or popped a blister in between rehearsals. So while she is still several years away from point shoes, it is so magical to think about that future. Having a young dancer is extra special to me.