my daughter Tobi performing her ballet solo this July
I cry when I see my daughter dance. I get looks. But I’ve earned those happy tears. Every mom’s wish, for her kid to fit in, finally came true for me.
My daughter has autism, epilepsy, a rare genetic disorder and numerous other diagnoses. Her disabilities sometimes slow her down. She’s wanted to be a ballerina since she was three and in her head, she knows each move like a professional dancer. But making her body do all of those things is hard for her.
When we put her in dance class as a little one, she fit right in. She wasn’t a prima ballerina but neither were the other girls. As she got older, her inability to do what the other girls were doing grew more obvious. Her last few years, the girls and teachers resented the fact that she couldn’t do the routines perfectly. She was made to feel like a failure. It broke my heart. All she wanted was to dance and to fit in.
Then along came this spunky young teacher named Kati Hassall who had noticed there weren’t many opportunities in our area for kiddos with different abilities in the performing arts. So she started her own not-for-profit studio, Without Limits, and we joined immediately.
Kati treated her like a prima ballerina. She complimented her, gave her tips, taught routines she could do well, gave her confidence.
Then more dancers started coming to classes. And they all had their own challenges. They didn’t care if she spoke to them. They were kind anyway. They hugged her; they danced like her. They didn’t care that she wasn’t perfect.....they built her up! She finally had friends!
Five years later, my girl is on competition cheer and dance teams and performs ballet solos. Her last recital, she was on the stage for five numbers. She has become the dancer she always wanted to be.
And it’s all because one person believed that kids with disabilities could do anything.
