Recital Dreams
By Nancy Stone

Thoughts on the wonders of dance teaching

I have always felt that putting on a recital was like taking a stress test at your doctor’s office. If you can live to tell the tale, you have passed the test with flying colors. For more than 40 years I had a recurring nightmare that started about two weeks before each year’s show and replayed itself several times until the curtain was ready to rise. The dream was always the same: It was show night—the kids were ready, the programs were printed, and the show was ready to start. But oh no! I had no music! I had forgotten to record my music! I would wake up in a cold sweat and no matter what time it was I would go check out the music for the show.

During the course of those 40 years with a dance studio, I had my share of recital dramas—a fire at the theater that left the auditorium intact but destroyed the curtains and left a strong odor of burned fabric, costumes that didn’t arrive until the day of the show, children who forgot half of their costumes, and the time I broke my foot at a dress rehearsal. But never did I forget to tape my music!

Despite all the stress, I loved and still love recitals. It is always amazing to me that everything comes together and on show night the audience has no idea what the dance teacher has been through for the last few days. What gratification you get when 3-year-old Mary Jane actually gets on the stage. It is OK that she just stands there—the triumph was that she got onstage without her mother and stood there without crying.

I love watching the progress of children as they grow into young adults and young dancers. I’d feel such pride as one group moved to the next plateau and became what I always dreamed they could be. By the time they have almost reached perfection and adulthood, they move on to college and another life, but dance teachers always have another new crop to turn into young adults and wonderful dancers. Oh, the joys of teaching dance. I wouldn’t trade this job for any other profession in the world.

 RE017 ©2006, Rhee Gold Co. All rights reserved.