I knew what was coming, I just didn't know when. As I sat in the audience, a familiar sound hit my ears. It was coming from my right, from the back stage. The sound of Clogging taps. I could hear his taps, and it nearly brought me out of my seat. A few seconds later, Graham strutted into the spotlight and proceeded to tear up the stage and make the crowd roar. He was Clogging. Clogging! A skill that I had played a part in helping him develop! One of my former students, my current dance partner, and my cousin was on stage making the audience, including myself, go nuts. Over the past five years, I had watched him grow and watched him develop this skill, and now I was blessed enough to see him use that skill on a stage as grand as this! It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I was watching Graham giving it his all for his dream.
Graham traveled to Missoula, Montana to the Missoula Children's Theatre Performing Arts Camp for the first time when he was 13. He, of course, took his Clogging shoes with them. It's a good thing he did because when he got to the first rehearsal the dance choreographer told the cast that they would be learning a southern dance called (you guessed it) Clogging. Graham's response was "Well, do you want me to go get my shoes?" After the choreographer and the director of the show saw Graham dance, they all agreed to give him a dance solo in the play. And, he's had one ever since.
This was Graham's fifth and final year as a participant in the Missoula Children's Theatre Performing Arts Camp, and I count my lucky stars that I was there to see him perform in his final show. Not only did he show everyone there what Clogging was all about, but he got one of the lead acting roles in the show, and did an AMAZING job!
As a dance instructor, that is the greatest part of my job - seeing my students and, in this case, my dance partner do amazing things and follow their dreams. I consider myself blessed to be a part of their lives!
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