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January 5 – 18, 2013
Kids Op from page 29
Once a Princess, Always a Princess
Knockout Biography!
Youth
by Erin J. Swain of Gilbert Homeschooled, Grade 8
As I danced in the womb of my mother, even before birth, my reputation unfolded as a fun and outgoing person. My bubbly personality lead me, one day, as a little girl, to spontaneously dance for people in the local Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles. My love and appreciation for dance was exceptionally increased by the influence of local community theatre and Disney princesses dancing with their prince at a ball or in a dream. Around the time my mother was eight months pregnant, she and my dad went to the doctor for a monthly check-up. During the exam, the doctor did a sonogram and took a picture of me. I just happened to be in a perfect Merengue dance position. My legs were crossed and my arms had formed the perfect “L” figure. Ever since then, it has been a joke in my family that I danced the Merengue during the doctor’s appointment. They continuously remind me of it when I join in some sort of Zumba or Mexican dance. It has also been said that this was the start of what they call my “freestyle” dancing that continued through my childhood. As a little girl, I was automatically hooked on song and dance, watching the beautiful flowing dresses during the graceful leaps and turns in the movie “Anastasia.” I fell in love with the upbeat rhythms from the Broadway hits like “Annie” or “The King and I.” I used to watch the Disney princess movies as much as possible. As any little girl would, I found the songs to be the best part. Children’s plays on the other hand, began my inspiration with theatre. Just the thought of entertaining people with my voice and making people smile by simply being myself and having a good time put a spark in my heart. Early on, I wanted to live like a princess, who in the dullest of times would break out in song and dance.
So one time, when my parents took my brother, sister and I to the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew a driver’s license, the building was full of people. It was exceptionally boring and quiet for adults, but especially for a child like myself. While adults saw the place as a dreary waiting space, I saw it as a “perfect stage.” How could a 4-year-old girl resist such a perfect moment to entertain everyone in the Department of Motor Vehicles with a little dance? I could not, and that is exactly what I did. From my young, innocent perspective, I had everyone quite entertained with my princess-like dances. It has become a family story that we tell people we meet from time to time – like the “Merengue” in the doctor’s office – I am constantly reminded of this event. From Spanish dancing in the womb, to being Princess of the DMV, I still have a bit of that girl inside of me. I believe everyone carries a piece of their own fresh and creative childhood with them throughout his or her life. This is something that I think everyone should know: No matter how fast you try to grow up, you will always be a child deep inside. As the author John Connolly once said in “The Book of Lost Things,” “For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be.”* But for me it is “For in every adult there dwells the princess that was, and in every little princess there lies the adult that will be.” *Bibliography: goodreads.com/quotes/tag/ adulthood
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