Grandparents treasure the time they spend with their grandchildren. One proud grandfather had a great time recently when granting a favor asked of him by his granddaughter. Ten-year-old Maeve asked her grandfather to accompany her for a tap dance recital. The grandfather was thrilled to accept the invitation from his granddaughter.
Tap dancing is a complex dance form. While dancing, taps placed on the bottom of shoes are used to strike against the floor to provide percussion. The metal taps are placed on the heal and under the toe of the shoes. The different types of tap dance that are recognized include rhythm, Classical, Broadway, and Post-Modern Tap.
Bill “Gramps” Jones is a 72-year-old retired teacher. He was thrilled to be chosen by his granddaughter to join her for the dance routine. The duo enjoyed the extra time they needed together to assure their performance would be flawless. After six rehearsals together, it was time to show the routine to a live audience.
Maeve was a little nervous as she approached the dance floor with her grandfather. Gramps was as cool as can be. Maeve, dressed in a striped dress that was blue and white, took a deep breath before placing her hand inside of her grandfather’s hand.
The song choice was Anna Kendrick’s ‘When I’m Gone.’ The song first became popular when included in the soundtrack of the hit movie ‘Pitch Perfect.’ Maeve and Gramps tapped expertly as soon as the music began to play. Although a little older than the other participants in the dance recital, Gramps’ age did not show up in his performance.
The crowd was totally silent as Maeve and Gramps grooved to the music. But the pair had their full attention.
Maeve signaled the end of the performance with a cartwheel while Gramps beamed with pride. The cheers were loud throughout the audience. The cheering crowd lost their minds moments later when Gramps performed a cartwheel of his own. Maeve smiled as Gramps performed the final stunt of their performance. Then, the two of them struck their final pose together.
Maeve’s mother, Jamie, found it hard to fight back the tears of pride while watching her daughter and father-in-law perform. She recalls a conversation in which she and Maeve discussed how much Gramps loved tap dancing. Maeve decided then she would ask him to partner with her at the recital.
Maeve and Gramps have always shared a special bond because of the love they both possessed for tap dancing. The time spent together preparing for the routine served to strengthen the bond even more.
In the aftermath of their amazing performance, both grandfather and granddaughter basked in the pride they felt for each other. Jamie watched the video of the performance so many times she finally decided to share the moment with the world. She never expected the video to be received by the public the way it did. Her conclusion is everyone can appreciate the special bond that exists between a granddaughter and a grandfather.
