This was my fourth year teaching at Dance Camp in New Orleans. Every year is always very special. I always look forward to attending camp every year. I would like to share some of my experiences from this year’s camp.
The first day is always so wonderful. Seeing all of the kids come in, some familiar faces and others new to camp, is so great. You can see that some look hesitant and don’t really know what to expect. Other kids come right up to you and want to know what is in store for them for the week.
This year, I had the opportunity to meet some tremendous kids, kids who really touched my heart.
On the first day, we all noticed a young girl in a wheelchair signing up for camp. We had never had a handicapped child attend camp before. Her parents dropped her off and didn’t really say anything about her condition. I thought to myself, this may get interesting.
After spending a few minutes dancing with Spirit in the Genevieve’s Ballet class, it was evident that Spirit really wanted to be there and wanted to experience everything. She did whatever she could do and was always very excited and pleasant. I think she really enjoyed camp and I really hope to see her next year. It was so inspiring to me to see her try everything and not complain about what she couldn’t do,but instead find a way to try to do everything she could.
I also realized how much our camp touches the lives of these young children. Some of the kids from last year’s camp continued to practice what they learned throughout the year and were so excited to show us how much they improved. At the end of camp, kids were so excited for their performance and were eager to introduce us to their families. Parents told us that when they get home the kids are calm, but excited to show their parents what they learned! Seeing the kids smile when they learn and master something new is wonderful– words can barely describe it.
I love going to New Orleans and teaching these children. It is such a wonderful experience filled with memories that I will always treasure. I look forward to next year’s trip!
-Eisa Jackson