Before spending 4 days (and 3 nights) at my sister's house, Little Z had her very first ever dance class Tuesday morning. She's been talking about 'dance class' 'ballet class' and ballerina class' daily for a month now. So I've been scrambling to find a ballet studio that will actually call me back! (I called 5 a week from Tuesday and only 1 called back! But one of my moms clubs was having a free demo class, and I just found out about it the same day I had called all the others!) In my quest to find a nice leotard for gym class, preferably one with a little leg coverage (I call them 'boy shorts-style,') I found a leotard with gauzy empress-waistline skirt thingy. It was the same price ($17) as the boy-short-leotard... but... but... SO much more adorable! And Little Z chose it over the other one. But then refused to wear it to gym class. She said it was for "Bah-YAY tass OH-NEE!" [ballet class only.]
Finally, a chance to wear it! I fished out her white tights from last Christmas (worn only for Santa pics and Christmas Eve with my in-laws) to keep her legs warm, as it was a chilly morning. Daddy was working from home that day, so he came too! Thus, we were only a little late, instead of 15 minutes late.
The kids (an assortment of ages. 2-ish up to 5-ish, it looked like) were just finishing some activity with balloons. The teacher (who was very friendly, patient and fun) had the kids each stand on a little rubber disk, and the disks were arranged in a large circle. I can't remember what the first activity was. But Little Z basically ignored the teacher and ran back and forth admiring herself in the mirror until the teacher told the kids to all flap their arms like bird wings. Then Z piped up "No! IMMA BUWWAFWY!" [butterfly] All the kids but mine stayed on their 'nests' (the rubber disks) until the teacher had them freeform dance as birds [and butterfly] around the room. I have no pictures, as her back was to us most of the time, and my eyes seemed to have sprung a leak. I'm such a sentimental slob! My husband took a video on his iPhone, so hopefully there'll be something good there.
After that, she ran back into the lobby and didn't want to dance anymore. As I recall, the kids had swapped 'nests' and someone was on "hers." I think she said she didn't like dance class anymore. My husband foolishly offered to leave, and she called his bluff. I stepped in and told her that we aren't quitters, so we'd stay through the class, but she didn't have to dance or have any fun, and she wouldn't have to go to another dance class if she didn't want to. She snuffled and whined for at least another 5 minutes while the kids did something else.
When the teacher got out plastic maracas, Z was willing to try again, until she got a green one. She wanted pink, so she tossed it down and huffed back over to us.
She stayed with us until the teacher brought out cheerleader pompoms. There were matte plastic ones... and shiny metallic ones! OOoOoOoo! Little Z ran back in, but was last (obviously) and I was worried that she'd pitch a fit because all the purple ones are gone, but she wanted metallic red. Whew.
The class did poses with the pompoms, and Little Z observed and tried to copy. It was adorable. After it was time to put the pompoms away (and she scarpered off with hers back over to us until we made her give it back) the teacher had the kids all sit in a corner [the hardest part of the whole class! It was like herding greased cats!] while she set up an obstacle course. We actually got Little Z to go sit with the other kids and wait. And she did it! She actually sat there patiently and waited the whole time. She waited during set up, and she waited for every other kid to go first. And she paid attention and remembered what to do on the course! She did log rolls across the mat, danced fast in the first hula hoop, and slo-o-o-o-o-w in the second. Then (with a gentle reminder) hopped over the 'puddles' (blue rubber disks) and tapped one foot on the mini construction cone.
Wahoo!
I had actually been disappointed that there was very little ballet, but maybe because it was a mixed-ages, boys and girls, general dance class, they don't focus as much on ballet steps. It is unclear whether Her Royal Highness is willing to try again. On a plus note, the studio was right next door to the pizza place that all my mom clubs do pizza making tours at, so we grabbed a quick lunch and said 'Hi' to Mister Toby. And got pizza sauce all over her leo and tights.
Finally, a chance to wear it! I fished out her white tights from last Christmas (worn only for Santa pics and Christmas Eve with my in-laws) to keep her legs warm, as it was a chilly morning. Daddy was working from home that day, so he came too! Thus, we were only a little late, instead of 15 minutes late.
The kids (an assortment of ages. 2-ish up to 5-ish, it looked like) were just finishing some activity with balloons. The teacher (who was very friendly, patient and fun) had the kids each stand on a little rubber disk, and the disks were arranged in a large circle. I can't remember what the first activity was. But Little Z basically ignored the teacher and ran back and forth admiring herself in the mirror until the teacher told the kids to all flap their arms like bird wings. Then Z piped up "No! IMMA BUWWAFWY!" [butterfly] All the kids but mine stayed on their 'nests' (the rubber disks) until the teacher had them freeform dance as birds [and butterfly] around the room. I have no pictures, as her back was to us most of the time, and my eyes seemed to have sprung a leak. I'm such a sentimental slob! My husband took a video on his iPhone, so hopefully there'll be something good there.
After that, she ran back into the lobby and didn't want to dance anymore. As I recall, the kids had swapped 'nests' and someone was on "hers." I think she said she didn't like dance class anymore. My husband foolishly offered to leave, and she called his bluff. I stepped in and told her that we aren't quitters, so we'd stay through the class, but she didn't have to dance or have any fun, and she wouldn't have to go to another dance class if she didn't want to. She snuffled and whined for at least another 5 minutes while the kids did something else.
When the teacher got out plastic maracas, Z was willing to try again, until she got a green one. She wanted pink, so she tossed it down and huffed back over to us.
She stayed with us until the teacher brought out cheerleader pompoms. There were matte plastic ones... and shiny metallic ones! OOoOoOoo! Little Z ran back in, but was last (obviously) and I was worried that she'd pitch a fit because all the purple ones are gone, but she wanted metallic red. Whew.
The class did poses with the pompoms, and Little Z observed and tried to copy. It was adorable. After it was time to put the pompoms away (and she scarpered off with hers back over to us until we made her give it back) the teacher had the kids all sit in a corner [the hardest part of the whole class! It was like herding greased cats!] while she set up an obstacle course. We actually got Little Z to go sit with the other kids and wait. And she did it! She actually sat there patiently and waited the whole time. She waited during set up, and she waited for every other kid to go first. And she paid attention and remembered what to do on the course! She did log rolls across the mat, danced fast in the first hula hoop, and slo-o-o-o-o-w in the second. Then (with a gentle reminder) hopped over the 'puddles' (blue rubber disks) and tapped one foot on the mini construction cone.
Wahoo!
I had actually been disappointed that there was very little ballet, but maybe because it was a mixed-ages, boys and girls, general dance class, they don't focus as much on ballet steps. It is unclear whether Her Royal Highness is willing to try again. On a plus note, the studio was right next door to the pizza place that all my mom clubs do pizza making tours at, so we grabbed a quick lunch and said 'Hi' to Mister Toby. And got pizza sauce all over her leo and tights.
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| Adventure Awaits... |
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