Our youngest daughter, Rose, has been dancing at our local studio since she was three years old.  There has been one or two recitals each year, local performances at community events, the VFW, and nursing homes. But the thing she's enjoyed most were dance competition weekends. Since she is going to college this fall, this is her final competition season, and her last competition was this past weekend. 

Rose started dancing 14 years ago, and her coach's daughter, Cierra, also a senior, has been her classmate and teammate all these years. They have also, along with  two other high school dancers (Becca: a sophomore and Isabella: a junior) become a very close knit group of friends. Needless to say, their final competition as the fab four was bitter sweet.  The all day competition last Sunday began at 8:00 AM and went until 9:30 PM.  Actually, the competition went for three days, and included over 400 pieces, but our studio's pieces were all scheduled for Sunday, for which we are all grateful.  Early on, Becca and Isabella did their duet to a song called "Old Friends".  Like the rest of the team, they've been working on their piece since August, when they decided they needed to do a piece dedicated to Rose and Cierra. While we've seen this piece at other competitions, it took on a whole new depth of feeling knowing this was the last time they'd be doing it.

Later in the day, Cici and Rose did their duet.  They danced to "In My Life", a folky, solo cover version of the classic Beatles song (I think it may have been Eric Andersen singing). The routine was beautiful, and they were in tears when they were done, as were their parents.  It seems that their emotion came across to the judges, too, as they received a platinum trophy (highest possible adjudication) and won first place in the senior dancer duet category.  While this was a huge moment for them (all of us, really) there was a lot more yet to come throughout the day.

Rose competed with her solo to Melanie's "Beautiful People" once again, and placed third overall for senior solo dancers.  The other girls did their solos as well, and Cierra especially excelled.  Two of their team pieces received special judges awards (only 27 given throughout the entire weekend of 400 plus performances) in which they were recognized not so much for pure technique but for passion, theatrics, and creativity.  

But perhaps the most touching thing came about simply due to the random scheduling of competitors.  Their final team piece, " Kill Them With Kindness" - one of the special judge award routines - ends with the four girls in a group hug.  What a perfect symbol for the incredible friendship these girls have had for literally as long as they can remember.

After the awards ceremony, after Rose packed up her costumes, after more tears and laughter, we headed out to our car. On the way through the parking lot, Rose commented that this competition was just about perfect. Our little studio in Western Maine held its own against larger studios from Portland, as well as Massachusetts. More than that, the events of the day were a perfect conclusion to years of hard work. And, although the girls will still be together through the June recital, it was a good way to end their years of competing as a team. It was a day in which all the dancers cheered each other on, starting with the youngest elementary kids.  As loud as Rose and Cici and Becca and Isabella were for their six, seven, eight and nine year old teammates, these younger kids yelled just as loudly when the older girls took the stage.  Throughout the day, little girls from the team would be seen cuddled up in Rose's lap.

My wife, Sue, and I have been dance parents for 24 years, starting with Rose's oldest sister, Jo.  I will miss it. I will miss the excitement of Rose modeling the newest costume to arrive in the mail. I will miss buying bouquets of flowers (because every dancer deserves to feel like a princess after a performance). I will miss the weekends with other dance parents talking about the venues, the girls' musical selections, the times the judges get it wrong, and the times they get it right. I'll miss the emotion and the artistry. 

I imagine some day in a year or so, I'll be in town and one of the girls from the team will see me and ask if I'm not Rose's dad. I'll say I am, and we'll reminisce about 'Beautiful People', wacky coaches, platinum trophies, and glitter.

Then, some years later, Sue and I will be shopping for groceries. As we leave the store, Sue will tell me that the checkout girl had been one of the elementary dancers when Rose was a senior, I'll comment on how much she's grown, and I can't recall her name, and  time really does fly. 

And if we're fortunate,

Really really fortunate,

Some day we might  be blessed to be dance grandparents. I can think of nothing better to look forward to in my life.