There are those few rare moments in life when you realize that you are witnessing something truly spectacular.  I had one of those moments last night.  As Stephanie Graham gracefully extended her slender arms to complete the perfect pirouette, it was a reconfirmation of why I love this artform and why I feel it is my life's calling to share its splendor with the world through my writing.  There are few things as breathtaking as a young dancer perfecting her craft in the dark, with a lone blue spotlight revealing her beauty to the hidden spectators nestled quietyly in the crowd.

I have seen many, nay hundreds, of versions of the Nutcracker Suite, but none were as riveting as what I witnessed last evening.  The tiny dancers, their hearts full of youthful exuberance, put on a performance of a lifetime.  Their fluid movements, their meticulous lines, they validated the notion that dance is a universal language which all human beings speak.  As inexperienced and as raw as these children were, they carried with tham an air of pride, which captured my heart and made me grateful that I was able to catch a glimpse of their playful innocence.  I believe with all that is within me that these young girls will one day be the leaders of our art, that their work and dedication will pave the way and light the streets for the young dancers that will follow them.  A legacy of dance was built tonight on that stage and it is one that will echo not only through these young girls' careers, but through the generations of dancers that will follow in their slippers.

An excerpt from The Bergen Records' review of my niece's ballet recital.