Shirley Larkin

     Many of you will look at this picture and see four strangers.  I look at this picture and see three women who were instrumental in shaping me from the time I was 8 years old until I was 14 years old.  Oh, and the other one I don't really know, just that she is a Larkin daughter.  To the people in Minnesota , and all over the country, they are a family pillar in the dance community.

     At the center of this family is Shirley Larkin.  On Wednesday morning the world of dance mourned as Shirley passed away surrounded by her loving family.  As I heard of her passing I couldn't help but to reflect as to what Shirley and her daughters Michelle and Molly meant to me and many other dancers.

     At Larkin giving your best at every class, rehearsal, and competition is just an unspoken rule.  It was a rule that we dancers followed diligently out of respect for our teachers and the Larkin name.  We were taught discipline, we were taught self-control, we were taught dedication, we were taught commitment, and most of all we were taught the love of dance.  Mrs. Larkin, who when I was dancing, was the center of all of this.  She was always there in the office, and would occasionally stop in to check on us in classes.  I know for me, and would guess for all the other dancers, that when Mrs. Larkin walked in; we all stood a little straighter, point our toes a little tighter, kick and jump a  little higher, twirl a little faster, smile a little bit bigger and most certainly didn't chew gum.

     My favorite memory of Mrs. Larkin was when my parents had gotten a divorce and my dad had to learn how to pull my hair back in a bun for ballet class.  We walked right in to Mrs. Larkin's office and she was more than happy to show my dad how to do it.  The best part was she actually spit on her finger and wet my hair with it.  Just like a mother would do.  Of course at the time I was appalled but, now I think of that day fondly.  

    My least favorite memory was during recital finale practice.  All the competition kids would preform the finale at all 6 or 7 shows.  When we rehearsed Mrs. Larkin, Geno, Michelle, and Molly would all be there watching and choreographing.  We had to pick a spot on the wall and stare at it during the rehearsal.  Any of you who know me, focusing my attention on one spot for 5-10 minutes is next to impossible.  If any of them caught you looking away you had to do 50 push-ups.  Needless to say I spent lots of time doing push ups.

     I quit dance in 9th grade because I just didn't have the time to go, but because of the Larkins I never lost my love of dance.  So much can be expressed through it, and the physicality that it takes is just amazing.  I watch "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" religiously and to my surprise last year one of my favorite dances was dedicated to michelle Larkin and her fight against breast cancer.  Please take the time to watch it as it will truly make you feel the emotional mess that is cancer...

     

Let them praise his name with dancing *psalm 149:3

May you be dancing with the angels Mrs. Larkin!