Born to Dance

My sister Sarah loves to dance. She always has. I remember a little 3-year-old Sarah dancing around the living room to the ever-inspiring tunes of the Beach Boys. When my brother and I played piano, Sarah would dance to our choppy melodies. And sometimes you'd catch her just humming her own little tune and waltzing and twirling. I guess dancing was in her blood. When she finally started ballet lessons at age 8, she quickly advanced to the top class. I started ballet a year later at age 14 and was forced to practice my plies in a class of 9-year-olds while Sarah perfected double pirouettes with girls my age.

Sarah has put her talents to good use. She's choreographed children's theater productions, performed worship dances, started a children's dance troupe at her church, danced in weddings and taught classes. This year Sarah took up swing dancing. She attends swing events in Portland several times a week. She has a dance partner and has done some exhibition dancing (she's just that good :) This summer a swing band called "Dukes of Swing" played down on the Aberdeen riverfront on the fourth of July. Sarah and I had a blast getting our Lindy on. Even Dad and Mom joined in.

Although I didn't enjoy the same level of success in dance that Sarah did (I should have given up the day I had to dress like a flamingo), I am so proud of my little dancing queen.