JDP jr. Giana

Over the past year we’ve gotten an increasing number of parents reaching out to have portrait creation for their “tween” ager.  One mom asked, “do I have to wait till my son’s a senior to have you create these cool portraits?”  Absolutely not!  I have watched my own boys change soooo much in the last few years, I can only imagine how marked that difference will be when they get to graduation!  So I got to thinking…Looking for your own custom portraits?  Click here to chat with us!

This 5th-8th grade phase of life, sometimes affectionately called the ‘tween’ stage, tends to be a tough time of transition for most people. As I’ve worked with kids at this stage more and more over the last year, I’ve decided to make it my goal is to show them the beauty of exactly who they are at a stage of life when they often find it elusive. We’ve decided to launch our JDP jr. line featuring portraits that focus on kids in the 5th-8th grade phase of life.  I’ve published a very personal blog re “Why Tween Portraits” and how this group has found a spot near and dear to my heart.

This brings us to little Ms. Giana featured in this inaugural JDP jr. blog.  Giana is that incredible mix of grace, passion, beauty and brains.  She is just as focused on excellence in her dance world as she is in the field hockey and volleyball arena.  Going to school in PA allows her more flexibility to be able to combine dance and sports than many of her MD friends have.  She receives her dance training at the Dance Works in Hanover.

Once we began her dance time, I assumed Giana had been in pointe shoes for several years.  Imagine my shock when she told me this was her first year on pointe!!!  I was astounded!  She has been dancing for 7 years and competing for 6 of those years.  I work with a lot of dancers and this kind of fluid motion typically takes years to develop.  Giana just repeatedly moved into every pose we worked to lock it down with a grace and skill that spoke of much, much more experience than first year on pointe!

Giana is just in love with ballet.  And not in the pie in the sky day dream way.  She is not scared away by the discipline required by it.  In fact, she sees that challenge as a thing to sink every ounce of herself into.  Every move she’s working on, every combination she’s working to put together, all become fuel to the dancer fires that burn within her.  I learned she loves following JDP senior ballerina Abbey who blog followers know from her featured portraits over the last two years. Abby will love hearing this!

To close our time, Giana wanted to feature a bit of her love of hip hop dance as well.  She went through her routine and I just kept thinking–I feel like I’m watching a music video!!!  This girl can rock the moves, the attitude and the speed and agility required for hip hop amazingly well!

Gianna–I cannot wait to see how your love and passion for dance grows and grows over the next few years!  Continue in your love of dance, your commitment to grow your skills and your graciousness!  You are making the world a better place with every step in that direction! Would you like to have your own custom dance portraits created?  Click here to chat with us about that! 

Still wondering “Why Tween Portraits”-click here to read my personal take remembering the middle school years.