By the time you read this, my moment in the spotlight will have come and gone. Thank goodness. I'm not a terrific dancer.
Let me backup to tell you how I ended up on stage in front of almost everyone at my school. Two Senior girls completed an independent study in choreography. All spring, they worked with the kids in our student body who have taken dance classes and/or know how to move. A few weeks ago, they asked for volunteers among the faculty to make a short appearance in the show. I said yes for several reasons.
First, I think events like this one are so much fun. I love when our community comes together to support and celebrate our talents and efforts. Second, I applaud that these kids are so skilled that they could teach even me to do these moves. Third, I think it's fair. In most schools, the student see their teachers only in class, where the teachers are the authorities at something and are being paid to judge, evaluate, and improve the students' work on that topic. The students get to see only the aspects of the teacher that she has studied and mastered. At boarding schools, on the other hand, students get to see us also when and where we're not expert. They watch us bring out children to the dining hall and try to get them to eat more than buttered noodles and junk-food cereal. They see us walk our dogs, bend down, and pick up the poop. They hear our kids crying in the dorms at night and in the morning and in the afternoon. And now, they got to see me dance. Last, and maybe most important, I like to let people laugh and my dancing is pretty silly. Lighten up, I say.
When have you shown a vulnerable/not polished side of yourself to a big group? How'd that go?