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Why my 3rd grade teacher helped my daughter become an Irish Dancer
As part of the Private School Expo blog hop we were asked to share one of our fondest school memories. I think the happiest grades for me was when I was in grade three. That year left an indelible impression on me that went on to effect my daughter.
Last Saturday my 16 year old daughter ‘retired’ from Irish Dance. She has competed for the last 11 years and it is with a heavy heart that she gives up a passion that runs deep. The time has come to take on new challenges and make way for traveling adventures.
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When she began dancing at the age of five, many asked me why I, as a native South American, would place my daughter in competitive IRISH dancing. I had two reasons at the time. The first one was that Lauren’s Junior Kindergarten teacher told me that Lauren was always so happy that she just love to hop and skip her way through life and that she excelled at patterns and sequencing in math…well what more is Irish Dance than hopping and skipping in numerical patterns?
The second reason requires a bit more of an explanation. It begins with a little girl who had recently moved to Canada from South America. It was 1972 and we lived in a the very WASPy neighbourhood of Dorval (a suburb of Montreal). I was still pretty new to Canada and I clearly understood that I was just a little bit different – we were the only Hispanic family in the whole school.
Montreal was full of Irish Catholics who religiously celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. So befitting a catholic school, they wanted to present an little Irish Dance number at the school assembly. When the teacher asked if there were any volunteers for the dance presentation, I shot my hand up and hoped (prayed, really) to be included.
Much to my surprise and delight, she picked me. We practiced very hard. I fell in love with the steps. I fell in love with the music. I fell in love with the ‘costume’. My sweet Colombian mom even sewed all our Kelly green skirts. I danced my little heart out. When it was all said and done, I pleaded with my mother to let me take more Irish dance lessons. I mean, I did it in the recital, right? Why couldn’t I do it every week?
My wise mother knew that in the early 70’s neither she nor the Irish were ready for a 7 year-old Colombian immigrant girl to compete in this Celtic tradition. She grudgingly told me, it was not to be.
So decades later, when I saw that little ad for the Matthew’s School of Irish Dance, I signed my daughter up right away. My grade three life-changing event was the second reason my daughter became an Irish Dancer.
This remains one of my fondest elementary school memories. It was the kindness of a teacher to indulge a small child’s fantasy of being ‘just like everyone else’. It is about a school that was proud of its heritage. Ultimately, it is about how one teacher (and a good school) made all the difference in the world to a small child. It is also the why my child became a graceful, beautiful, competitive Irish Dancer.
Disclosure: I’m participating in the Our Kids Private School Expo Blog Hop. Yesterday’s School Memories post can be found at LateNightPlays Tomorrow, the fun is happening at Did You Know Canada.
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Great post margarita! I love your descriptions and what a great dancer your daughter has been for what 11 years? Good for her. I look forward to reading about your travels.