Dancing in the Balcony

We attend a church with a balcony.  I've been sitting in the balcony since my daughter was born.  First it was the need for space - the carrier, the bags; then, it was ease of access - you've got to get up and leave to feed or change the baby.  Over time, it has become the place that allows her to see better.  She loves music so the balcony is the best place to be to see or hear the choirs and look at the handbell choir when they play.  It's also the best place to be when the liturgical dancers perform. (Fear not, I'm sitting one or two pews from the front.  And when I'm sitting in front, I'm holding the tail of her skirt or dress.)

At first, I was intrigued by how intently she looked at the choir director.  Then, she started imitating the director's every move.  I should have known that a gift was being revealed when she started conducting other musical items on her own.  Then, came the sight.  Imagine you're sitting on the ground floor of a church or concert hall and you know the performer is on the stage or at the front of the sanctuary. But, there is movement upstairs and people keep looking up and smiling.  What do you do?  Of course, you look up and smile too...someone is dancing in the balcony!

I smiled politely as people looked up - in awe, amazed, curious.  I smiled politely when friends came by after service and said "I just love to see her dancing and conducting".  As a musician and performer, my first thought was "but it's distracting." 

Discovery - sometimes what you think is the featured presentation is not really the featured presentation. It took a while to recognize the gift. I was slightly embarassed - she was oblivious.  She was doing her own choreography in time to the music and with the right mood and interpretation.  I certainly didn't teach her that.  The spirit of God raised that up out of her very being so that she could worship Him in spirit and in truth. It was visible to all of us so that we could be reminded that while there was a developmental delay in one area, her cup was running over in another area.

Diagnosed at three, dancing in the balcony at 4, and finally taking dancing lessons at five.

Discovery  - letting your child dance in the balcony of life affirms who he/she is and allows him/her to demonstrate, develop, and nurture the gifts that may be hidden.  Speech is hugely important to life but it is not the only form of self-expression.  Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord!