Awesome Dancers

This morning we headed to the auditorium to cheer on Molly's big sister Natalie and her group as they performed their tap number. Ava also had with her an Awesome Dancer button to give to a dancer from another studio who she felt deserved to be recognized. It didn't take long to find such a person. We were watching a tap routine, and in the last 20 or so seconds of the routine one of the girl's costumes came undone at the top. The costume didn't fall down completely - it only fell off of her neck and was flopping in her face and around her chest - but she finished the routine without missing a step. Ava immediately said to me, "Mom, I want to give her my Awesome Dancer button." So we race to find this girl - my biggest fear is always that we will not be able to find the person Ava has chosen when they leave the stage due to the crowds of people.

After a few minutes we did find her. She was standing around in the auditorium talking with her mom and others from her studio. Ava walked up to her and gave her the button, telling her she did a great job. (I am embarrassed to say that I never did get the dancer's name.) I then explained quickly to the girl's mom what was going on. Ava and I were both trying to be quiet and discreet so as not to disturb any of the other people trying to watch the competition. These other people, however, did not seem as concerned. They were from New York (I think the Bronx but I'm not positive) and were VERY loud in their appreciation of Ava's sweet gesture. The mom and dancer both gave Ava huge hugs, and the mom took a picture of her daughter and Ava. We got a few annoyed looks from people so we stayed only a moment longer before heading back to our own seats.

We had the good fortune of running into this girl and her mother later in the day near the dressing room. As we could speak without annoying anyone else, this girl's mom shared with me that her daughter had just been raving all day about how special it had been to be recognized by Ava. This girl's mom said that she isn't the strongest dancer in her group, and therefore she doesn't get the attention some of the more talented girls do. To have been noticed and appreciated by Ava, someone who didn't know or have any personal interest in her child, had meant more than any trophy or award she might get the rest of the week.

Encounters like these are what the Awesome Dancer buttons are all about. Ava was rather overwhelmed and embarrassed by all the attention she was getting for this good deed; I was so grateful she was getting a sense of just how much one small kind act can impact another person. She had no idea she would get the response she did when she chose this dancer to get her button. According to her mom, this dancer will take away today's memory and cherish it the most from her time at nationals. For Ava to have made that kind of impact makes me unbelievably proud.