Teaching dance for the bulk of my lifetime has left me with the most amazing memories and friendships. This old photo might seem like it was ages ago, but I can still name each one of these beautiful little faces as if it were yesterday! These girls are all grown up now but this is how they will always look in my mind and I'm sure I'll always be Miss Rachel to them. The little one wearing the glasses is Tory, who is somewhat of a surrogate daughter to me. She began dancing with me at three years old and continued throughout her childhood. At about eleven years old she felt too old for summer camps and became my dance camp volunteer, working with me the entire summer as my mini me. When she was old enough to officially have a job, I hired her as my assistant, although at that point she could have single handily managed my dance studio. Tory and I became two peas in a pod, spending each day together for at least ten years! I use to tease her and say that people pick up traits of whoever they are with the most. I would laugh that she'd gain outrageous qualities from me to balance her serious nature. She somehow seemed more grown up than I was even when she was little. Although I'm not teaching any longer, hanging up my ballet shoes for the "real" world, I can still be found with constant music playing and maybe even a slight tap dance behind my standing desk. Tory and I get together for a dinner date each month, not enough but it's the best we can do. I am so proud of the woman she's grown into, she's happy teaching elementary children with disabilities and is engaged to be married next fall (I wrote about it on day 336). She has fantastic parents who know I'm always there as a third if needed. I've been asked if I'll ever teach dance again, I doubt it but never say never. Having taught for thirty five years I figured I better get out while I could still leave a positive impact on the kids. I'd hate to rip them off with a cranky old teacher who's out of touch with hip music and has thin patience. My kids were always so gracious to share their mom with hundreds of kids in town, appreciating how important they all were to me. I see my grown up dance kids every where I go and no matter how old they are, my mind goes right back to how they looked as kids, maybe I look thirty years younger in their minds too, as if frozen in time.
😘🥰❤️
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