Ezra*, Isis* and I went to go see The Children's Dance Ensemble last night. It's hard to believe that these incredible, hard-working girls are as young as they are (8-17 years old). The choreography of the pieces is dynamic and the dancers look like professionals. The inclusion of children in the dances in no way diminishes the mature nature of some of the topics (egotism, technology, homesickness, etc).
After intermission, the girls performed a piece called "It Feels Like Pitch Black," which portrays the world of an autistic child, the arc that the family goes through in discovery, frustration, and finally acceptance of their child's world, and the way in which society reacts to children whose sensory perceptions are atypical. It was amazing. While the rest of the audience was giving a standing ovation, I was hugging Ezra and Isis with tears rolling down my face.
I told my husband Julio* that I was slightly weirded out by the two obvious references to autism following our finding out about Ezra's neurodivergency. Either I'm more attuned to these references now, or the universe is trying to remind me of how lucky I am. Ezra is almost, ALMOST normal. While it seems like a difficult task for us to cope with his behavior problems and help him adjust to expectations at school and home, he is really a bright, cheerful, friendly child who can interact in a mostly normal way with the rest of the world. I watched the girl on the stage rocking back and forth, shaking her hands in distress, swaying to the discordant music. And I kept thinking, I am so blessed.
*Names are changed
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