On Thursday, August 15, I had the pleasure of bringing my daughter, Charlotte, to my West Coast Swing night. Although I always thought that my daughter would be a frequent guest at my dance nights, she only gets to come about twice a year. She looks forward to it so much that she specifically requests to wear her white patent leather "dance" shoes.
Charlotte knows many of the members of the dance community because she has met them in class and attended social functions with them, including my holiday party and events at the Levitt Pavilion. Watching her recognize people as they arrive is one of the highlights of the night.
Charlotte has built up a strong level of confidence while dancing, and she even expressed a desire to demonstrate her developing West Coast Swing skills with me in front of the class. She participated in the beginner class, starting with me and then going to the next leader in the rotation. She might be small but she is learning the follower part as any other student would.
During the intermediate class, Charlotte watched from a chair in the front or back of the room. She frequently likes to help me push "play" on my laptop to start the music for the class.
Perhaps, the best part is that I know that Charlotte is getting exposure to partner dancing as a positive social environment. She's also learning about the method in which people learn a new skill. She is also watching me run a small business. I find that these are developmental exposures that are best provided earlier in a child's life. Perhaps, it reminds me of when I watched my father attend rehearsals for his operatic performances and when I visited my mother at her real estate office in New York. All I know is I love when Charlotte dances with me, and she seems to love dancing.
Thank you to all the dancers who have treated her so well on and off the dance floor.
