My Prima Ballerina (as well as thoughts on having a child in ballet class)

We just finished up fall and spring semesters of ballet class for Poppy. I have always loved ballet and even took a few classes in high school and college, so I was excited to see Poppy naturally drawn to it. Not that she's a prodigy or anything, she just really likes it. 

Her pediatrician was also happy to hear I had put her in classes because she thought it would help with balance (According to the doctor it may be a while before Poppy is ready to ride a bike…which may have been her way of telling us she may not be the athletic type). In addition to balance and poise, I've found ballet to be a good opportunity for her to work on focus, attention to detail, respecting authority, socialization, and following instructions. And of course it's a beautiful art form that also incorporates music and physical activity. So while I understand why some may be uncomfortable with the dance scene, I feel like there are a lot of things going for it. I will stick to ballet though versus less classical forms of dance like jazz or hip hop.

We'll be taking a break this summer for swimming lessons, VBS, etc., but I plan to start up again this fall. And next semester I'm going to try to be more intentional about getting to know and talking with the other moms. Though this is not something that's easy for me to do, I think the studio is a great environment to meet other women in the community. Does anyone else struggle with that, especially during the isolated, having babies years? 

Prepping for her first class in her mouse slippers because her ballet shoes hadn't arrived in the mail yet.

Her studio and adorable spring semester classmates...

 

To finish the spring semester there is a grand finale ballet recital, which is actually kind of a big deal. The studio offers classes for all ages and types of dance, so there was a lot of variety and some very talented dancers.

Personally though, I thought Poppy's class was far and away the best of them all (or at least the cutest).

Her teacher requested that the dancers wear lipstick and blush because as Poppy informed me, "The lights are so bright they will wash us out, and so the makeup is just to make us look normal."

So tiny in the halls of that big high school, yet at the same time seeming strangely grown up these days...

 And there she is, the little one in the back row (maybe a bit washed out) with arms and legs pointing just as long and straight as she can stretch them. She did a fantastic job. So serious and focused. Oh, and they danced to "Tale as Old as Time" from Beauty and the Beast, which is hands down the best fairy tale ever.

 Celebration hugs with daddy after the recital…and she may have even received a bouquet of pink flowers from this guy who is starting to think he'd be just fine with a family of girls, girls, and more girls.