#30facesofautism - Day 28

Day 28 – We’ve been a part of a dance studio family for about 19 years.  My oldest took dance from 3 on and Baby Girl started about the same age.  I wasn’t sure about how it would go with her – it was around the time we were really struggling to get a handle on communication, some physical issues and behavioral struggles.  We actually let her try it out in the summer first to see how she would do.  While I know it had to have helped that her dance teacher was the precious person who kept her the first year of her life it could have truly been problematic.  I was up front and honest about my concerns from the get go and they worked with me to make sure there was some extra support in the classroom.  They take extra care with helping her for pictures and at recital time to make sure she does not become over stimulated or anxious.   She loves it and now takes two classes, a combo ballet/tap class and a jazz/acro class.  It is great physical therapy for building core strength, allows for lots of opportunity at social skills practice and has helped her build confidence.  I always giggle at recital time as she spends half the time on stage looking for us in the audience – even though she knows every step of the dance.  When the video arrives in the summer is when I really get to see her performance in our living room and then she watches the recital video until she has taught herself every other group’s dances, too!  Dancin’, dancin’ – she’s a dancin’ machine! #30facesofautism