Recital Time!

It's that time of year again!! Recital day is so extremely stressful! I feel like my dances are never quite where I want them to be, but there's not much I can do about it once recital day is here. Today is the last one for the year and I've already been through 2 others. They both went really well! I'm always so proud of my students and what they have accomplished.

I feel like the recital today is the big kahuna. Probably because it's the most professional and because it is for the studio that I grew up at. I kind of feel like I need to prove myself; that I need to show that I'm not a student anymore, but a teacher. Also, it's very nerve wrecking having all of these other teachers that I respect and admire watching my work. I feel very inadequate at times. However, they are always so complimentary and only have kind things to say about my dances. I'm a nervous wreck for about a week leading up to recital so it's nice to hear those encouraging words every now and then.

Despite all of my stressing about how I look, I care even more about how my students are feeling. If they love their dance and feel good doing it, that's what really matters at the end of the day. I had one mom come up to me during dress rehearsal and thank me for being her daughter's teacher. I just kind of brushed it off, but she was very persistent. She told me that her daughter's self-esteem and confidence had sky rocketed because of my class. She said that her daughter felt like I was more than just her teacher, I was her friend and that meant the world to her. It brings me to tears just thinking about it. This  is why I teach. It's so easy to get caught up in my student's technique and if they are growing as dancers, but what I really want is to influence my student's to become better people. I am so grateful that I was in a position this year to help this sweet young girl feel better about herself. I hope she remembers how special she is to me when tough times come. I truly love all of my students and I want to help them become amazing dancers and incredible people.

So here it comes, the big kahuna! After tonight, I can relax a little bit and gear up for next year's recital season. I know my students are going to perform wonderfully tonight! I am so proud of all of them for the dancers they are becoming and for learning to love themselves and to see themselves as I see them, beautiful children of our Father in Heaven. I love my job and I love my students!