Down syndrome, dancing, and delight

Last updated on: February 13, 2012 at 10:13 am by Amy Julia Becker

Down syndrome, dancing, and delight 2012-02-13T10:13:27-05:00 Amy Julia Becker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Some of you remember that Penny took ballet when she was 4. You might have read about her recital (Ballet Recitals, Carelessness, and Grace Part One and Part Two). It’s a long story, but she’s just really started dancing again, and I wrote about this renewed joy for the “My Great Story” feature of the National Down Syndrome Society. I’m writing about her dance class, yes, but also about how I continue to learn to let go of fear and hold onto hope for our daughter. I begin:

When Penny was a baby, her dad danced with her all the time. She was tiny—five pounds when we brought her home from the hospital—so he could hold her in one arm. Peter twirled her around the room with dips and bounces and frequent kisses on the forehead. Penny’s namesake, her late grandmother, had grown up in New Orleans, and Peter compiled a CD of New Orleans music as a tribute. Whenever it happened to be playing and he walked in the room, he swooped Penny into his arms and they danced. Louis Armstrong. Galactic. Dr. John. Jazz, zydeco, gospel, funk.

In the beginning, Penny’s big blue eyes widened with every twirl, as if she might burst into tears. Within a few months, though, those same eyes lit up when he placed her in the crook of his arm and began to sway. She giggled, and then, months later, clapped. Eventually she learned the sign for music. And we learned that she loved to dance with her dad . . .

Click here to keep reading Our Daughter the Dancer. I’d love for you to visit the My Great Story site and vote for this story (the two stories with the highest number of votes will go into the NDSS newsletter).

Previous Post

February 10, 2012

Worth Reading

Next Post

February 14, 2012 People with Disabilities at the Center . . .

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Articles Books Disability Down Syndrome Faith family Perfectly Human Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz