I'm Gonna Take on the World

This past week i got the lovely opportunity to work a ballet boot camp for the youngest 2 levels at the studio I teach for.  We spend 2 hours on ballet technique, and then for an hour we stretch and work on upbeat jazz so that the students can learn to apply their ballet technique to other forms of dance.  Having these kids be able to correlate ballet with other forms of dance at such an early age is a huge asset for them.  I truly enjoy working it every year, but this year I had a unrelated "moment."

I have the same playlist every day for the jazzy section.  All I do to find music is go into the children's section of iTunes, pick anything from movies, Disney, or Nickelodeon (do they even call it Nickelodeon anymore, or is it just Nick?) and make sure it's uptempo.  I didn't expect the kids to know all the lyrics to all the songs... 

One of the songs I chose was actually a song that I was familiar with.  Recently, the show Girl Meets World made its debut on Disney channel.  It's a show that is supposed to be a continuation of the show Boy Meets World where the 2 main characters have kids, and it highlights the adventures of these kids.  Now, I have been watching the show out of pure nostalgia.  Of course I got hooked because, well, it's me.  I'm the girl that got hooked on Hannah Montana for a while when it came out.  I also like the wholesomeness of it.  It's an opportunity to watch a show that has morals to it, focuses on family values, and has a healthy view on friendships and young relationships.  

Well, the fourth day of camp, the song came on during class.  As I'm leading the students in a stretch I start to hear a chorus of young voices.  The lyrics go like this:

"I've been waitin' 

For a day like this to come

Struck like lightnin'

My heart's beating like a drum

On the edge of something wonderful

Face to face with changes 

What's it all about?

Life is crazy

But I know I can work it out

Cause I got you to live it with me

I feel alright, I'm gonna take on the world

Light up the stars, I've got some pages to turn

I'm singing oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

I've got a ticket to the top of the sky

I'm comin' up, I'm on the ride of my life

I'm singing oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh"

There are more lyrics but these are the important ones that hit me.  It was a moment of hopefulness as I listened to these young girls sing this song.  These kids were singing about taking on the world at a young age, and it hit me that these girls really are the future.  In my class, I could have a future president, a future peacemaker, a future Travis Wall or Mia Michaels, future CEOs, future news reporters, etc.  At that moment, it was a beautiful moment of being able to realize that I am witness to something amazing.  I am witness to the growth and development of some of the most wonderous children.  

I'm sure that many teachers feel this way about their students.  If you've been a teacher long enough in the same area, you get to see the same students grow year after year and see who they start out as and who they become.  My assistant for that class is the prime example.  I remember her being a young dancer new to the competition scene.  She was a young, quiet, and shy hard worker.  A couple years into it, she found her voice, and she has become one of the most popular dancers at the studio.  Because of her work as an assistant with the younger students, they all ADORE her.  The love, light, and support that she has given the students reflects her caring nature and responsible personality.  To be able to watch her take that journey from unknown dancer in the corner, to front woman in the studio is incredible.  It was almost odd to be able to hear all my little ballerinas singing a song about growing and seeing that this was where my assistant had started, and having her there to see them be where she was.

I love being part of these students lives.  I want my students to fully take on the world.  I want them to know that with hard work, and a love for dance, they can do anything they want.  They are little humans that are learning and growing, and I am helping in giving them the tools to do so.  It's incredible what an influence you can have.  The second to last day, I was reminding them that Friday would be their last day, and they actually all in chorus went "awwwwwwwwwwww!"  I was shocked.  There are few places you will ever hear students be upset that ballet class or camp is over.  If all I have done is instilled a love for ballet in these kids, then I have truly done my job.

I cannot wait for the pages to turn in these kids lives and watch how their individual stories develop!