This weekend brought another round of sorrow to the Raleigh area, this time during the 2022 Raleigh Christmas Parade.
One of the trucks pulling a float apparently suffered brake failure whilst descending a slight incline and struck a young girl who was dancing with her studio in the street in front of the truck. She was taken to hospital but unfortunately did not survive her injuries.
I can’t even imagine how gutted her family and her dancers at her studio must be for an occasion of such joy to turn to tragedy in a matter of mere seconds. I can only hope that they will find some measure of peace and solace in her passing knowing that she’s dancing in a far better place now than the one we inhabit.
It’s a miracle more of the girls weren’t hurt as they couldn’t see and likely couldn’t hear the truck’s horn and the driver yelling that he couldn’t stop. Bystanders jumping into harm’s way to save the lives of the other dancers and then physically stopping the truck itself showed in an instant that we are capable of being heroes in the right place and right time.
Speaking of our better angels, almost immediately the social media channels started blowing up with news of the incident and people checking in to make sure other dancers they knew were in the parade were safe and sound and then started offering their thoughts and condolences for the dance studio that was involved.
When you’re in your dance family, your studio family is your tribe and they’re always there for you whether it is the joys of excelling on stage and in competition but also at the times where one is feeling at their lowest when someone is suffering through some sort of trial or tribulation whether it be hurting through injury or sadness.
But there are things that transcend the studio tribe and that’s when you see someone who may not attend your studio who is also hurting and suffering or in this instance taken from us well before their time.
It’s been a couple of years since my daughter Katie danced with her studio in Fuquay-Varina but we have never forgotten the joyous friendship and love from our tribe who would pitch in to make sure Katie’s hair and makeup looked spectacular rather than just hoping that if I tried to do those things for her that she would look at least plausible as opposed to something akin to the bride of Frankenstein! They would be the ones backstage helping her do a quick costume change or touch up whatever needed to be done but most of all give her a space where she could be amongst friends who loved her for who she was and let her experience the joys that dance could bring her and those of us who are her greatest fans.
But even though Katie has chosen to explore other passions such as being a member of the Enloe Women’s Lacrosse team and working with kids with special needs, we have never forgotten our tribe of several years and it’s a particular joy seeing the beautiful souls that were her troupe who are still dancing growing into truly amazing young women who will certainly rock their world.
They’re talented as all get-out to be sure but what makes them special is that they have hearts and souls that are full of love and compassion for others, especially those who are grieving and suffering terribly. The young ladies of Purple Troupe have a bond that will hopefully last for many years to come so that they may be there for each other in times of joy and sadness.
That’s why it wasn’t a surprise seeing these dance families pivot so quickly from making sure everyone was safe to expressing their thoughts and condolences for dancers and families of CC and Company who have lost one of their own far too early.
For all of the stuff you’ll see on reality TV where you see dancers portrayed as divas with attitude and a ruthless competitive streak with the overbearing family from hell, the true reality is that real dancers are about as polar opposite to that stereotype as you can get. To be fair, drama in the studio can be a thing but it’s how it is handled in the tribe that will often surprise you.
That new girl who seems to be hanging out near the wall or the corner who feels left out who eventually becomes a welcome and beloved member of the tribe when the girls who have been there longer are reminded that everyone is a cherished member of the troupe. Been there, seen that…a couple of times, in fact!
One of my favourite memories of Katie’s time at the studio came during one of her out-of-town competitions. During the awards ceremony, a girl from another studio was the only one given the lowest category score. I’m no expert on dance or judging it but I remembered that girl’s routine and it seemed pretty darned good to me but Katie saw that she was crying on the other side of the stage and made a point of going over to her once the ceremony was done and gave her a long hug and told her that she felt her routine was really cool and creative. That girl seemingly being singled out really bothered Katie and she had plenty of say on that subject on the way home. But having seen her go over to that girl and give her a fierce hug and console her before even her own studio could is something I will never forget as long as I live. Nor will I ever forget the look on the other girl’s face which started with a bit of a surprise that was immediately followed by her closing her eyes and resting her head briefly on Katie’s shoulder before coming back up again with a hint of a small smile. That is who Katie is to the core of her being and that’s why I will always be so proud of her!
So when you see the expressions of grief and condolences from dancers and their families from other studios for CC and Company, rest assured those feelings are quite genuine and from the heart and soul.
The ultimate goal of dance is to bring beauty, artistry, and light to a world in desperate need of all three.
May those who have the courage to continue dancing on the stage or in their soul do so in memory of the fallen dancer and with love for her, her fellow dancers and studio, and her family.
Whilst we’re on the subject of compassion and love, hopefully some can be spared for the driver of the truck/float who is likely feeling like they’re on the ninth ring of Dante’s hell right now. I have no doubt that they had no idea when they set off that morning for downtown Raleigh that within hours they’d be facing charges from what seems to be a tragic accident that likely couldn’t have been foreseen or imagined. This is one of those cases where the filing of charges, whilst likely unavoidable based on the evidence so far, seems like a cruel afterthought adding even more tragedy to an already horrific situation. I am convinced that no penalty or imprisonment can come close to the punishment the driver is suffering right now replaying that horrific sequence over and over in their mind for the rest of their days.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’ve seen those thoughts for the driver over and over again from the same people who are grieving for the young lady.
That’s the essence of what it means to be in the dance family…compassion, love, light, and beauty in the service of art and the world.
And though that light may have dimmed slightly, the light of love that has come afterward is truly a sight to behold and a proper tribute to her memory and her studio family.