[This post was written by one of our parents, Jamie Lynn Veprek]
Anyone who has ever spent time with my girls has surely realized one thing; they love to dance. Wherever they go, no matter what they are doing, if there’s music, they start dancing. Madi’s dream has been to dance on stage since she was just a tiny girl. She took dance lessons at the local community center, which she loved, but they never had performances on stage. I called so many studios, but couldn’t find somewhere that would include her and also had real performances. Fast forward many few years, an adoption, a move to Tucson, and the hunt continued. A few good friends told us about Dancing in the Streets, so I contacted them. They were excited to work with the girls and included them in their performance of Sleeping Beauty.
Leading up to the performance the girls went to weekly practices. Joey and Soleste, the owners of the studio, worked hard to understand how the girl’s bodies move and what they are capable of. They made sure to stretch them to try new things and move their bodies how they are able. They performance was AMAZING and the girls were just glowing. They wore stage makeup, tiaras, beautiful costumes, and were radiant! They had so much fun and are still telling everyone about it. We had friends, family, and even therapists show up to watch the girls and they truly felt like stars. It was such an awesome experience and it meant the world to the girls. We feel so blessed to be part of their studio and all that they do. Dancing in the Streets does so much for the community; even giving scholarships to kiddos who can’t afford dance. If you are looking for an organization to get behind, this is another great place that needs your help!
[You can read more about Jamie Lynn Veprek and her family by visiting her blog]