Catching up with Carrie Cassidy
The past year since my interview has been full of changes and excitement. We moved to North Carolina and it took me a while to find a studio to begin dancing again. I was fortunate to find the Carolina Performing Arts Studio that just opened near my house. I met the studio owner and ballet teacher, and immediately found my new home there. They were so kind and welcomed me with open arms to help as a substitute, allowing me a little freedom to train as I needed. It was a big challenge for me to go from taking class every day to only dancing for an hour or two a week. Childcare was now a concern for me as well and, because of this, teaching ballet has really taken a backseat. These days I enjoy helping out the studio when they need it and I find that really fulfilling. I have gotten to know some really fantastic people who are also moms and military spouses through my involvement with Carolina Performing Arts Studio. In that regard, I can really say that I have found my tribe. In addition to everything else, our family life is quite different from a year ago. When we moved to North Carolina our son could just barely sit up on his own. Now he is running, jumping, and loves making airplanes out of Amazon boxes. It has been amazing to watch him grow up so much over the last year. Additionally, we welcomed a daughter this past July. She is just fantastic and looks so much like her brother did at the same age. I am finding that some things are easier the second time around and some things are more challenging with two. Fortunately, our daughter does really well when I bring her to ballet class and there are always arms that look forward to giving her a snuggle while I am dancing.
Due to my husband’s demanding travel schedule, I had a lot of anxiety as to whetherwe could take on the challenge of another child. Having started a family later in ourlives, we had to accept that we would likely have children whose ages were prettyclose, thus adding a veil of extra chaos to the mix. I have not yet had to be theprimary parent during any long TDYs or deployments but I know this is coming.However, I have access to some really great resources and they will help me findsome time for myself.In the ballet studio, I am much more forgiving of myself in my abilities after thispregnancy. I was still apprehensive about getting back into taking class. Thoughts keeprunning through my head like: Will I be able to keep up? Will my leotards fit? Will Ibe able to feel and work the correct muscles so I am able to rebuild strengthproperly? I think so many of us ask ourselves these same questions in one form oranother when returning to any activity after a break. It does not matter if that breakis due to pregnancy, a PCS, family needs, etc. The important thing is to have thecourage to take that first step.
Carrie holding her baby girl in the dance studio
I have been fortunate to have supportive people around who remind me thatperfection does not really exist; in parenting, in ballet, or in life. As long as a personis giving it their best, that is enough. However, sometimes we are capable of morethan we realize in ourselves. A lesson from a former artistic director that I studiedunder has really become apparent to me in this last year. He used to chastise us inclass for being timid in our dancing. Whether it was not trying the jumpcombinations, not going for the extra pirouette, or not trying to get that leg just alittle bit higher, he would remind us that we cannot be afraid to try and fail. Failureis just the first attempt toward getting it right.
This concept has really become the mantra of my time here. I have had challengesprofessionally, with military life, parenting, fitness, pregnancy, socially, etc., and Ihave realized that these are just part of the process. If I am ever in a position withinour military lives to be of service to others, my process and lessons learned justmight be able to help someone down the line. We are complex. We are artists. Someare parents, spouses, dancers, performers...ultimately we are also strong individualsand I am so proud to be part of the collaborative framework that supports us all.
