01/19/2026
My biggest take away from this past weekend in Kansas City with ! DanceMakers Inc.
If you know me at all, I’m always on time and or early! As I’ve gotten older and now in my 29th year with this beautiful Fam I’m privileged and honor to tour with, you could say I’ve settled in and become accustomed to my “routine” of things especially my Weekend Schedule! ALL ON ME FOR NOT THOROUGHLY READING MY KC SCHEDULE!
Sunday rolls on and I usually have 1 teacher class then breakfast and rehearsal and awards. A pretty nice day for this ole guy! Well, I did notice fortunately that I had an extra Senior class and noted that. Not thinking more of it. Did my teacher class , Shout out to those teachers Wow we had a blast!!! Had my breakfast and scooted up to my room! Around 10:29 my phone rings! The incredible calls and says “Hey Tommy, do you know you have a junior class that started at 10:15! I firmly said “No I don’t! He said oh yes ya do! Stomach drop and panic sets in. I rush to the elevator and zoom to that junior room. I walk in and I see before my eyes our Collective and JV collective on microphone going over the material from the day before . They stop! Look at me the kids all staring at me. With my sweetest souther drawl I said “Y’all have to forgive me” batting my eye lashes and blushing red faced n all! They all replied “We forgive you!
Here’s where the story really begins! Kids, young ones are absolutely so intuitive and Aware!!! They could read my anxiety and mortified feeling that I had! As I slowly took over the class and correcting things, going over things! As we got to the part to say ok let’s go in groups and I had them go to their assigned corners of the room… ONE LOVELY TINY CHILD WALKS UP TO ME TO THE STAGE, with a cup of water and said “Here, I got this for you” That entire room sighed and my knees felt buckled! The sweetest gesture and I truly needed that at that exact time in that exact moment! Wow ! Oh Wow! Our next generation is going to be the ones to LEAD WITH KINDNESS! This I’m absolutely sure of!
GRATEFUL ! Extremely Grateful!