As the curtain parted and the lights dimmed, I realized that this one was different. There were no words that came from her or anyone else, I just knew.
An early performance by one of the graduating seniors laid it all on the line -- this is her. Alexis. Not yet, but it will be. There is still time for her to choose a different path and completely change her mind, but right now, at this moment, my bones are telling me this really is Her Thing.
Dance.
I think maybe she's going to stick with it. I think maybe she accidentally/on purpose stumbled on to Her Thing so very early in life.
The evolution of her love for dance was a long one, but there was a turning point. Clearly. She's no longer the kid who seemingly struggles to learn the choreography all year long and then suddenly pulls it out at the end. Now she's the kid who is placed front and center because she can nail that choreography. When I look through the photos from the recital this past weekend, I see the girls flanking Alexis watching her. Impersonating her. Following her.
She just stands there executing choreography and smiling.
We'll see what the future holds for certain, but for now, I'm pretty sure it holds many hours of rehearsals and sequins and tutus and expensive shoes and 4-hour long dance recitals. But, more than anything, it holds smiles.
Because, man, she loves to dance.
