Tuesday, February 8, 2011

First Dance Class

Steve signed the girls up for their first dance class this winter.  It is with a great ballet teacher here in town, but this class specifically is just Creative Movement - ways for them to have fun moving without any pressure over form.  We came for the first class, and there were grown-up girls in there finishing their class - Elena and Clara couldn't tear themselves away from the door watching them.  They were fascinated.
Clara was especially excited to be taking the course, and chose to wear her tutu!

Elena was thrilled about class until we got to the room, and we found out that parents aren't allowed in this class.  She stuck it out for about four minutes, then came out to Christina in tears.  We sat together for a while, and then Christina told Elena that it was fine if she didn't want to do dance class - it could be something just Clara did.  They don't have to do everything the same.

Upon hearing that, Elena immediately wanted back into the class.  She was so brave - walking back across the studio and all the kids to get to her spot again.  Christina was so proud - she wouldn't have had the guts to re-enter like that!  Elena stayed for the rest of the class right beside her sister.

Clara did everything she was asked to do in the class - here is a sneak shot of her when it was her turn to "bounce" across the room.
And at the end of class, they were to run (usually one-by-one, but they sent Elena with Clara since she was still feeling shy) across the room, leap over the mats, and go to their parent.  This would be unforgivably blurry, except that it somehow captures something about these two girls that we just love to see - vibrance, excitement, camaraderie - and so we are posting it anyway.

We'll see how week two goes - both girls want to go back again, and even specifically requested leotards so they could be like the big girls they saw!

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