When the Music (and talent) Fades

Me at our 2007 NEXSTAR Dance Competition

This was me back in my competitive dancing years. I like to look back at this picture and remember that I was, at one time, able to do that without pulling a muscle or throwing my back out. Oh, the days of being able to move like that.

I know I talk like I'm 50 years old and that the picture was taken 'such a long time ago,' but if you were ever a competitive dancer for many years, and then you graduated and/or quit, you understand why I would make that sort of statement.

You never realize how in-shape you are, until you stop doing it every day.

I still dance some (kind of have to when you teach), but my pre-schoolers and my mini competition team do not require of me to move like I used to, so my body doesn't respond to jumping like that quite like it did before.

My knees hurt if I jump too much. It doesn't take much anymore for me to become short of breath. My back would prefer to remain upright instead of being contorted in all different ways. And my ankles, my poor ankles, are barely strong enough to keep me walking without rolling one (or both) of them over. 

Oh, but what I would give to be able to walk back on that stage and dance like I never stopped. You don't appreciate a talent that you have until you cannot perform that talent anymore. I'm sure if I worked out and stretched for some time, I would be able to move and dance without feeling like I need to be pushed off the floor in a gurney. 

But not like I used to. 

I could walk onto the dance floor, bust out some second turns (those are consecutive turns with one leg stretch out to the side), finish with a double pirouette, land beautifully, and still be able to walk without the room spinning around. Not sure I can get that back.

If I could give advice to kids and teens about their talents and abilities, it would be this: never take it for granted. Enjoy every second of every minute of every moment you get to share your talent, whether it be a theatrical stage or a baseball diamond. You just never know when the moment will come when you can no longer be the athlete or performer that you are now.

I didn't anticipate the day when I would no longer be able to jump like that, but that day has come. And it is very depressing.

But, on the bright side, I am able to do some mean struts and 'facials' still. I'm not sure that part of me will ever go away.