Learning To Dance

September Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Shadows”

Make sure to hold that pose

The small group of tiny dancers seemed restless as they waited for the class to begin. They moved independently from each other — like butterflies surveying a flower.

Hop. Skip. Jump. Twirl. Spin.

“Energizer bunnies” came to mind.

After a few minutes, the instructor called for attention.

A line — facing the instructor — formed almost immediately. They had obviously done this before. It seemed effortless.

Guided by the instructor, the dancers began to move in unison — or as close to in unison as a group of excited seven-year-olds can manage.

I was delighted by their effort. I smiled broadly.

I must admit that the sight of a little tyke in a tutu moves the cuteness needle to the max. I just melt.

I was there to watch my young daughter dance. From the moment she was born, I had always hoped that she would become a dancer. She fulfilled my dream independently from any parental influence. She just liked to dance. So she did, well into adulthood.

The clouds parted, and the mid-afternoon sun shone brightly through a side window of the studio — it created a strong shadow of the instructor on the dance floor. It looked like a shadow puppet show. It got my attention.

Hands on hips. Point your left toe. The students mimicked the instructor.

I raised my camera to my eye. The sound of the shutter reverberated in the hollow room. C-L-I-C-K ! I grimaced. I felt self-conscious. Had I disturbed the class? Yet nobody paid any attention to what I was doing. I felt at ease, so I clicked a few more times.

All the photos from that session centered on the strong shadowy figure on the surface of the dance floor. Not a single face appears in any of the photos from that session. I thought the shadow told the whole story.