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A review by annas_sweets_and_stories
Enjoy the Dance by Heidi Cullinan
5.0
5+
"You don't just make a safe space, you are one".
The first MC, Spenser is a kindergarten teacher at a private school where he's surrounded by anti gay messages. The second MC, Tomàs, is the son of immigrants who works multiple jobs to keep everyone afloat. One of those jobs is at a dance studio where he meats Duon. Duon is a gay black teenager who ends up at the doorstep of Spenser when he meant to be at the doorstop of his neighbor, Tomàs. Spenser and Tomàs do everything they can to help Duon even while they're only strangers. Enjoy the Dance tackles a lot of heavy topics including homeless youth, foster care, queer teens in those situations, the influence of religion in both shelter and foster care situations, immigrants, the defense of marriage act, abuse, and body image. It's a whirlwind of events but so so good.
I resonated a lot with Spenser and the feeling of never doing enough. Of wanting to change the world but feeling like you're not making a difference. The feeling of needing to help others but feeling limited in resources or experience. In that regard, I'll leave you with this quote:
"You don't have to dance perfectly. You don't have to be perfect, or outlandish. You don't have to ride in on a horse to be a hero. You don't have to stand in the spotlight to be a star. If you save one person, if you shine light for one soul, why is it less than saving two, or three, or four?"
"You don't just make a safe space, you are one".
The first MC, Spenser is a kindergarten teacher at a private school where he's surrounded by anti gay messages. The second MC, Tomàs, is the son of immigrants who works multiple jobs to keep everyone afloat. One of those jobs is at a dance studio where he meats Duon. Duon is a gay black teenager who ends up at the doorstep of Spenser when he meant to be at the doorstop of his neighbor, Tomàs. Spenser and Tomàs do everything they can to help Duon even while they're only strangers. Enjoy the Dance tackles a lot of heavy topics including homeless youth, foster care, queer teens in those situations, the influence of religion in both shelter and foster care situations, immigrants, the defense of marriage act, abuse, and body image. It's a whirlwind of events but so so good.
I resonated a lot with Spenser and the feeling of never doing enough. Of wanting to change the world but feeling like you're not making a difference. The feeling of needing to help others but feeling limited in resources or experience. In that regard, I'll leave you with this quote:
"You don't have to dance perfectly. You don't have to be perfect, or outlandish. You don't have to ride in on a horse to be a hero. You don't have to stand in the spotlight to be a star. If you save one person, if you shine light for one soul, why is it less than saving two, or three, or four?"