A heartwarming story.

I’m hula huping for at least 15-30 minutes a day for two weeks. I’m in search of rock hard abs.
I’ll let you know how it goes. Hehe. This was day 6. : )
I don’t know about my abs but I can now walk and hoop at the same time. Mad skillz. ^_^

Now, for the heartwarming story:

There is a family that moved here to Austin after Hurricane Katrina. Their house and everything had been destroyed and they were looking to start a new life.
There was a daughter and she was a dancer. After the hurricane, she fell hard and didn’t even want to dance anymore.
Then, one day in Austin, she decided to dance again.
She enrolled in Inmate’s 14 & up hip hop class.
A few weeks pass and the girl’s mother comes in to the front desk to talk to the lady working. This is MY mother but she doesn’t know this yet.
She tells [my mother] that her daughter has found new life. The teacher of the 14 & up class has brought life back to her daughter. Her daughter LOVES the class and ADORES the teacher ("Mom, she reminds me of my old teacher before the hurricane!") and has finally started to get her life back on track. She says that the hip hop teacher is truly a godsend, and that she and her daughter have been blessed to have the hip hop teacher (ME?!) in her life. The mother was in tears.
As my own mother told me this story, I felt a tear in my eye as well. It touched me profoundly.

I’m not sure how this happened. I never thought I had a gift with teaching but now…
I am so thankful to be a teacher and I am so, so, SO blessed to be able to make such a difference in young girl’s lives.

I have developed a sort of cult following at the dance studio. Girls just follow me around to whatever class I teach next. It doesn’t matter if I’m teaching a beginning class and they’re intermediate or if it’s an older class and they’re younger… they just follow me into class. ^_^ I love it!
I’ve been told by moms that their daughters love me to death and would give up school to take class from me all day long. I’ve been told by the girls themselves that they love me and they wish I taught ALL their classes.

Again, I am so glad that I can make such a difference in the world.
Little bit… by little bit.

INMATE

Wearing:: Black bell-bottomed jazz pants, purple vintage top that is very rocker-esque and has no back. And one huge black hoop earring (it’s a trademark, wearing one), and even messy thumbelina’s. VERY rocker-esque. : D
Feeling:: Good. : )
Last ate:: Some pepperoni cheese bread dumped in split pea soup.
Listening to:: Ballet barre music.

toontownjuggalo

October 15, 2007

That’s wild! It must be awesome when a song writer learns that a song they’ve written, something which evolved from a thought, has such a profound impact on someones life. I remember a story that James Hetfield of Metallica said, to that effect. To be a teacher, whether it be dance or otherwise, to rekindle that fire and desire in a student, must be very surreal. Something that you never really…

invested any thought into, other than the fact that this is what you do. Something that you take for granted (almost) has such a huge impact. That’s awesome. And though we’re only homies by way of the internet, I have to say, “I’m proud of you, too!” Keep up the good work. Your Juggalo-homie…-

Hime

That’s awesome! I don’t dance, but it almost makes me want to find a way to your dance studio and take a class 😉 I would probably fall on my butt though, and I’m sure you don’t want that. That *is* a heartwarming story. You should be VERY proud of yourself, you must be an amazing teacher to these girls. Perhaps this is your life calling, you never know…

strangely liberating

you should teach me how to dance!! you sound really really awesome. ohhhhh you should soak this up because i’m sure thats a great feeling.

james ensor

You are awesome. Inspiring and supportive. That’s the stuff great teachers are made of.

Merri

Yea!!!! Hugs and kisses coming at ya! You are making such a different in other people’s lives (and your own!!!). This is so fabulous. Way to go with the hula hooping, too!!! =)

meanderingthru

It’s been AGES since I was on last… so so sorry! I just didn’t feel like writing, I guess. 😛 It sounds like you’re doing really well though. & that’s so sweet! I can just imagine how wonderful you must feel after hearing that. :3 It’s great to help other people & know you make a difference to someone. Which is why teaching anything is such a nice job – even though it’s not that easy.

Casssandra Starchild

October 16, 2007

Look at you bein’ an awesome role model and a kick ass teacher! THat is stupendous! An awesome teacher is a REALLY great thing to have and very impactful on your life! Kick ASS! – Oh and tell us how that hula thing goes, I could TOTALLY enjoy hula hooping my way to fitness 😉

Tea and Sympathy

wow, that story brought a tear to my own eye…That is amazing..I wish I could take dance lessons from you I’m so inspired. hahaha, I’m sure your studio wouldn’t have me though..i am the definition of white girl hahahaha. Anyways, thanks for sharing that story..That must be wonderful knowing that you are making a difference in these kids lives. 🙂 Good luck on that hula hooping thing..I never was

good at such things, so I find it fascinating that you can walk and hula hoop at the same time…Woooowww~~ well anyway. Hope the rest of your week is lovely. Take care. *hugs and smiles* ~Randi

crystalRaine256

That’s so great that you can have that much of an impact on someone!

psychoticbirdy

October 17, 2007

awwww…….

X-Plosion

Wow. Can you take a picture of that outfit & post it. PWEASE? 😉 Pepperoni Cheese bread in Linda Blair vomit? UGH. Good to see you are back to disgusting delicatessans. 😉 Alright to the important stuff-> You have a special gift, you are beautiful human being inside & out. You are electric & a people magnet. I can see that just from talking with ya. I can only imagine UR Awesomeness in person. 🙂

p.s. I did have garlic bread pizza yesterday & leftovers today. Interesting, I must say. 🙂 Not bad except for the garlic breath. ha ha ha… And of course, what is a note from me without mention of more cookies being made & eaten. Oatmeal chocolate chip. Deliciousness. 😉