Inspired by young dancers

I turned 40 this year, and much as I had feared, there have been certain changes take place. Most notably, I have become a ‘grumpy old man’.

I often find myself chuntering at a ‘boy racer’ whose driving skills have clearly fallen far below my own. I grate my teeth at the group of teens walking side by side taking up the whole pavement. I have been stirred to write a strongly-worded letter to the police about noisy youths playing football on the park. Of course by the time I have returned home I have invariably calmed down. I never write the letter and finally concede that nobody actually did anything wrong. They’re just younger than me.

And then came the momentthat brought me back to reality.

I went to the Pomegranate Theatre last night (Saturday, November 19) to see my daughter in a production by the Kickers Dance Studio. Boys and girls, toddlers and teenagers, stood side by side on a stage in front of hundreds of proud relatives. And proud they should be, because it was brilliant. Two hours of non-stop entertainment that put a tear in my eye.

Youngsters from across North East Derbyshire reminded me, and I’m sure many others, just how adventurous, and dedicated, and enthusiastic, and innovative our children can be. We should support this generation, and encourage them to succeed, not waste time complaining about them.

Well done dancers, you were amazing. Especially my Evie, you were magnificent. The busiest buzziest bumble bee of them all.

I hope this serves as a reminder to other ‘grumpy old men’ that we were young once.

Toby Fawcett-Greaves

Chesterfield