Teen with a Dream: A mother’s perspective on high achievement

Page 14 "Teen with a Dream" https://issuu.com/theholisticparent/docs/08_thp_-_spring_2017_digital

SLUG: Spirit | Ballet

HEAD: Teen with a Dream

DECK: A mother’s perspective on high achievement

By Jayne Hembruff

Leela’s dream to become a professional ballet dancer is about much more than ballet — it’s a journey of creating your own path to success. And she shows me every day that her dream has her on a pathway to personal transformation and the development of life skills. My beautiful daughter’s journey is my inspiration.

I remember the day her sister, Kia, and I drove Leela to Barrie for her first ballet audition. We were her trainers and cheerleaders. When she was accepted we all jumped up and down, falling all over each other, as we laughed and cried with joy. And even though professional ballet school is expensive, Leela made it very clear that she was determined to pay her own way.

After countless hours of both training and working hard to raise money taking any job she could get (including dog walking, cat sitting, house cleaning and baking her “famous” muffins), Leela was able to dance full time in the summer of 2015 at the National Ballet School in Toronto. In the end, she was not accepted to the full-year program — a bittersweet result for me as her mother. I could feel her pain, but at the same time, I was relieved; I was just not ready for her to live away from home at only 11-years-old.

However, the non-acceptance only added fuel to her fire, and she became even more determined. In the summer of 2016, Leela attended Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Professional Ballet School. Again, Leela made many sacrifices to work countless hours, juggling more jobs and even putting on a showcase fundraiser to help pay her way. Sadly, Leela again wasn’t accepted to the full-year program. This pushed her dream further out of reach, but her resolve did not waiver. Just another obstacle! Going through another round of auditions this winter, she’s been accepted into two professional programs for the summer of 2017, and plans are already underway for “Leela’s 2nd Ballet Dream Showcase Fundraiser” to help foot the bill.

Two years ago, I asked Leela how she planned to achieve her dream. Leela’s response didn’t sound like an 11-year-old: “Mom, there are five things that will help me be successful: I believe I can do it; I have other people who believe in me; I have the courage to fight my fears and all the obstacles in my way; I have the drive to work hard and learn; and I’m passionate about achieving my dream.”

I've watched Leela transform from my shy, little girl into a confident young woman. She’s not just learning ballet, she’s cultivating invaluable life skills like communication, relationship building, decision-making, problem solving, creative thinking, resilience and sacrifice. I’m simply along for the ride!

This whole experience has taught me it really does take a village to raise a child — and a couple villages to support a child with big dreams. Leela’s dreams wouldn’t be possible without the support from so many people and words alone cannot express the gratitude we have — a lesson we’re never too old to learn.

To follow Leela as she continues her journey, visit leelasballetdream.wixsite.com/leela-taggar/blog.