Day 662 Boom Boom Clap

 When Miley Cyrus came out with the Hoedown Throwdown song with a dance to go along with it, of course it called for a party. The hybrid hip hop / country dance was carefully choreographed by Jamal Sims and kids across the country were desperate to learn it. I hosted several dance party nights where I taught dozens of mothers, daughters, sons and even a few dads the not so easy, fast paced dance routine. I even dressed up in my best Hannah Montana garb to entertain the kids, sporting a blonde wig and cowgirl attire. Hannah Montana was the television show back in 2010 that made the song popular, it's etched into the memories of our now twenty year olds. I had so much fun with these special dance parties, setting up photo areas, including and encouraging entire families to join in and bringing a slice of silly to people's day. I loved showing the kids that grown ups could still have a good time, dress up, be silly and enjoy good old fashioned fun. My dance studio was a place where everyone knew they could let their guard down, a place of kindness, caring and encouragement. Besides the pride of raising my children, the impact I have had on the children I taught over my many years of teaching dance is my proudest accomplishment in my life. I have had grown women write to me, telling me how I helped to give them the confidence they have today...seriously, what's better than that?! I hear people say how resilient kids are all the time, I beg to differ. They are delicate, sensitive and vulnerable with every experience they have following them into adulthood and shaping the type of adult they will become. Kids look to adults as examples they rely on us for guidance and are molded by each experience they encounter, it's up to grown ups to make those experiences positive. When I look at this silly photo of myself, dressed up like Hannah Montana I smile, knowing how many kids will remember that night, seeing their parents struggle to try and learn a dance, relying on their children for help, everyone laughing and being in a studio that was bursting with love. I bet a few of them still have their photos from the night, sitting on a hay stack with the fancy cowboy hat I gave them. I hope they all smile bright when they think of the fun we had dancing, or have their feet move when they hear the start of the song...boom boom clap, boom de clap de clap.