Emotional Roller Coaster

Back in mid-March, our dance season (along with every event the world over) came crashing to a halt.  At first, the general understanding was that the situation would be temporary; in two weeks, things would probably open up again, and life would resume as normal.  Little did we know how off that prediction would be.  

As the end of March approached, we became increasingly aware that the two-week hiatus would not be the end of the closures.  We watched, helplessly as competitions and conventions were postponed until April, May, and June.  Each of those months came and went, and we felt the ups and downs of looking forward to a competition or convention, only to have it canceled or postponed yet again.  For many of us, live events have not yet resumed; we are unsure of what the future holds, and are trying to guard our own emotions as well as those of our children as we move forward.

The ups and downs of this emotional roller coaster have certainly taken a toll, and there seems to be no end in sight.  Last week, we were informed that we would be participating in an outdoor competition under a tent.  The competition company has gone to great lengths to ensure that safety protocols are in place and will be followed (masks while not dancing, limited audience members, restrictions on dressing rooms, one studio at a time, deep sanitization between dance schools, etc.).  But I can’t help thinking that it is, in fact, hurricane season.  In New Jersey, we just got unexpectedly blasted by a storm that spurred tornadoes and power outages that are still affecting some areas six days later.  To boot, this event is taking place at a venue on the water (yeah, no danger there during August). While bringing the event outdoors eliminates some issues, there are other considerations to take into account now (and only Mother Nature has control over those).

One of the saddest aspects of The Great Pause is how measured and controlled my girls’ reactions are to disappointing news.  Every time I drop a bomb (see here), they become less and less outwardly affected.  They seem resigned to the reality that anything they’re looking forward to has a great likelihood of being canceled, so they reserve their enthusiasm to a large extent.  I wish they could react with the unbridled, carefree enthusiasm that was common for them before the global pandemic hit.  

But as I dropped them off to their summer intensive this morning, I felt a feeling of gratitude that they are still able to participate in some dance activities (even if the competition winds up getting canceled, again).  No matter what happens, dance is their passion; when there is a dance-related event, they will experience some degree of excitement.  They will certainly never forget this year, and I hope they look back on it with (at least mostly) fond memories.

Work hard, have fun! – Danielle

If your last competition was A Distant Memory, see what Sophie has to say about it!