Dancing Daughter

Prompt #3 (Response #2): Think about a photograph you feel a strong emotional connection to. Tell who is in the photo and why you treasure it.

I take a lot of photographs, so I thought I could squeeze another response out of this prompt too.

One of the great things about having a daughter who is a dancer and who lives within driving distance is being able to watch her perform.  Unfortuntely COVID has shut down and/or limited many of Morgan’s live performance opportunities over the past two years, but thanks to computer technology, we have been able to watch her dance from a distance.  This past weekend, we had such an opportunity.  As I watched the livestream from the dining room table, I took a few still pictures and some video.  One picture stood out to me.  

Morgan is frozen in mid-move.  Her right arm up in front of her masked face, palm facing her, fingers open as if she might be about to grab something out of the air. Her other arm reaching behind her back, elbow bent, hand facing down.  Her fingers (Morgan has such expressive fingers and uses them beautifully when she dances.) are spread out, as though she is flicking something to the floor.  Her delicate fingers are in sharp contrast to the strong, muscular arm position.  Morgan is facing forward and leaning slightly toward her right arm.  Maybe she is about to move into a turn or a spin.  Her long blonde hair is draped over her shoulder, but it will soon be flying perpendicular to the floor as she moves through space.  Morgan’s body is so strong, so graceful, so expressive. The masks have limited the ability to show expression with the face, so it’s up to the rest of Morgan’s body to express her ideas, her emotions, her message.

This position holds such confidence, strength, and beauty, but also a sense of vulnerability and openness; a willingness to be touched by ideas, emotions, music, and people. This girl holds the same.  

My Dancing Daughter