2005
2006 
2007
2008 This is Kassie's fourth year in the Spirit of Christmas Show. Looking back at the photos, she has changed a lot. When I look at the first photo, the one in 2005. That is when she first fell in love with dance. She was new to this, it was her first year in the Christmas show, and it was her first year dancing full time at Tempe Dance Academy. She was nine years old, and most of the girls that were nine, had been dancing for years. She was so new, that she was dancing with girls much younger than her. She was in three numbers. Because she was only in three numbers, we could leave right after her last number, but no...Kassie did not want to leave. Why? Because of the finale number. They came out in these Red Sparkly Dresses and danced a latin number. She was amazed at this number. She had to see the finale number every single time. She wanted one of those Red Sparkly Dresses so bad. She wanted to know how she could have one of those Red Sparkly Dresses. The following year, she worked so hard. Every day after dance class, she would come home and practice. I don't even know what she was practicing. She was spining and jumping. She was flipping and bending. And when Christmas show came around again, she got one of those Red Sparkly Dresses. She was in heaven. She tried it on every chance she got. It's funny how the most simple thing, like a Red Sparkly Dress can be so important to a little girl. I stop and think, thank god that something that is so simple to us, can be so important to her. She goes to sleep in a warm bed every night. She does not sleep on an empty stomach. She does not worry about being woken up in the middle of the night by fighting screaming parents. Thankfully, she is loved more than anything. She has parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who love her. She still loves dance more than anything. And even though I get tired and frustrated sometimes, I still support her 100%. Every year for the past four years, she has had family and friends that come and watch her dance. I can't begin to thank you for that. It means so much to her. She looks forward to intermission when she can say hi and take pictures with everyone. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting her. She has come a long way from that first Red Sparkly Dress. She has even accumulated another one. And this year, the Red Sparkly Dress is Green, Green and Sparkly.
