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Before I knew I wanted it to be, dance was a major part of my life. When I was 3, the costumes, hairpieces and shoes pulled me into the art of it all, but it was my family involvement that excited me.
My siblings, along with every one of my cousins, danced ballet folklorico with our church and performed at festivals and other events until we joined Daniel's Artistic Dance Company. There we worked on bigger shows, such as for Market Square during Fiesta and shows at the Arneson River Theater, which served as practice for later competitions.
It was a great family experience performing beside my brother and twin sister. It taught me to stand up and do my best, and considering my parents had to photograph three children at once, I did the most I could to draw their attention.
As much of a great experience as it was for me, I am sure it was less so for my parents. My mother had to change the hairstyles of two girls in a tiny changing room.
From adding big bows and crowns to ribbon-braided buns in our hair and changing dresses between every three-minute performance along with the occasional retouch of makeup, my mom did it all.
My father, on the other hand, had to help my brother with his head-to-toe costume change with different sombreros, guayaberas and boots - and all in time to find a great front row spot to play family photographer.
It was the same thing each year until middle school band, choir and sports practices began to interfere. Dance, however, kept my brother and cousins in shape for sports and enhanced my sister's and my music lessons through our familiarity with rhythm.
Today, my male cousins have grown out of the dance scene. The girls want back in, but until we all find time, we watch our second cousin, the just-turned 5-year-old Anastacia, keep the family tradition alive as she pats her feet across the Arneson's stage in rhythm with the older, more experienced girls until she can understand the "right heel-toe, left heel-toe" concept every folklorico teacher embeds in a young dancer's mind.
Growing up in a dance group with my family bonded us at a younger age than the average family; I loved that instead of fighting with my siblings every day, we would every once in a while put some time aside to dance.
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