The tale of a neurodivergent kid and the dance teacher who didn’t give up

In a few days, we’ll load our suitcases into the trunk of our car and head to Seaside, Oregon, for a national dance competition. My daughter is one of a dozen girls from her studio opting to spend a week of her summer attending master classes taught by famous (to the dance world) choreographers. She’ll also be performing her solo — and a few other dances — in front of a panel of judges.

What’s remarkable isn’t that talented young girls are coming together to dance their hearts out while wearing expensive, bedazzled costumes and fake eyelashes. What’s remarkable here is that my daughter made it in the first place.

My daughter started ballet before I knew anything about her dyslexia, ADHD, and auditory processing disorder. I was unaware that she had trouble with coordination, balance, and memory. I only knew that she was an energetic and social little girl who loved donning a pink leotard and twirling in tiny ballet shoes.

At 4 and 5 years old, all the girls are lost, looking offstage during the recital and forgetting how their arms and legs are supposed to move. But I prayed she’d remember enough of her routine so that my husband wouldn’t question the monthly tuition.