Dancing

I got to thinking today about some of the things that Sara and I did to pass the time during her many chemo hospital stays.  Lots of the time she was asleep, or too sick to interact much.  But there were times before the chemo got started, or when we were just waiting for her levels to clear, that we considered ourselves pretty funny.  I was remembering particularly the time she tried to teach me to tap dance.  (random and crazy I know!)  I remember her calling directions from her bed, while I tried to carry out the footwork on the linoleum floor of her hospital room. . . .touch, shuffle, step, ball-change. . . . or something like that. . . . I NEVER did get it right.  We must have been watching "So You Think You Can Dance" or something. I can't imagine what else would have inspired such an activity!  We laughed loud and long.

Sara LOVED to dance.  She loved the dancing aspect of gymnastics that she got to do when we moved to Fallon.  She begged to take dance lessons, and when we told her we didn't have the money, she did yard work in exchange for a class at the dance studio here in Fallon.  Getting the role of Annie in the junior high musical production blossomed into an even greater love for dancing and singing and musical theater.  The next year we did Crazy For You, which involved. . . . . tap dancing.  She was as thrilled with the role of a dancer in that musical as she had been to have the role of Annie.  In high school, she played the youngest princess, December, in the production of Twelve Dancing Princesses.  What could be more fun than being a dancing princess???   Sara's next role was Gladys in The Pajama Game.  That brought us all great laughs as Mary, our director, tried to get Sara to be seductive in her tango.  Sara. . . seductive. . . ???   She kept apologizing and saying, "I'm sorry, I just can't stop laughing!".  One of Sara's favorite musicals was The Music Man.  In her senior year, she got to share the role of Zanita with her good friend Courtney.  It was fun to watch them, as both girls were equally happy whether they were playing the part of Zanita, or switching into the role of a dancer.  They just loved being there.  That same year, Sara also participated on the Fallon Swing Dance Team.  I have a picture of her with Sam, Heidi, and Kari, taken after the "end of the year" dance performance.  Sara's expression is pure joy. 

When Sara went to college at Corban, she was a little disappointed that they didn't have a definite musical theater program going.  One of her goals was to fan that flame and see if she could build some interest. She was so proud of herself during her junior year of college when she found the Pentacle Theater in Salem and pursued an audition for their spring production of Seussical the Musical. . . . all by herself.  So excited to get the part of a "bird girl", Sara spent January through March of 2009 going to class, studying, working, and then going to musical rehearsals every evening.  She loved every minute of it.  I don't even remember how many shows they did, but it was ALOT.  We all met up in Salem to go to one of her performances, and again. . . . to see her on stage. . . dancing and singing. . . . she radiated happiness.  She received a special email from her director (which is still on her computer), that said how much he appreciated her hard work, dedication, and constant cheerful, positive attitude.  It was during those months that she started having the pain and swelling in her leg.  We never realized how bad it was, because Sara just refused to let it stop her. She finished out that semester of college, came home to go to the orthopedic doctor, and was hit with the diagnosis of cancer.  Even then, she took it in stride, holding on the the surgeon's claim that he would make her a "bionic dancer".

I think I heard or read somewhere that Corban University is doing a production of Cinderella this year.  I believe that Sara is probably both thrilled. . . and a little irritated that it didn't happen while she was in school.  :)   Probably mostly thrilled.  Good memories.