Dance Lessons

Olivia

Sarah

How many activities can a working mom handle for their kids?  Not many, let me tell you.  For the past couple of years my girls have played soccer.  Well, actually only Olivia would play, and Sarah would pick up leaves on the soccer field and chase butterflies.  Seasonal allergies have always bothered my daughter Olivia, making it hard for her to breathe sometimes, so this fall we decided to switch to a dance class.  One night a week both girls have a ballet / tap class.  I wouldn't have been able to take them to this class if I was still working, as it starts before the workday ends.  I always had that working Mom guilt of not being able to take them to activities during the week.  It was just too hectic. 

This dance class is a pretty easy drop off for me, because there is no room for the Moms to sit and watch the girls dance.  They encourage us to leave, and then come back in an hour when class is over.  Much better for me than standing around a soccer field for an hour, especially in the cold.  But as a result, I have no idea if they are learning anything, or if they are enjoying it.  Tonight the Moms got to sit in on a class, but only because they needed us to confirm costume sizes for the recital in May.  I took lots of dance classes with my sister growing up in Virginia.  We took ballet, tap, jazz, and gymnastics.  I always loved the recitals with all the "fancy" costumes.  I actually loved everything about those dance classes, and hoped that my girls would, too.  At the girls' class tonight, they performed part of their ballet routine and part of their tap routine.  Unfortunately I left my iPhone on the kitchen counter, and didn't get to video the performance.  Olivia, my 7 year old, was doing all of the dance steps, while also singing along with the music.  I could tell that she loved it.  She was smiling and dancing her heart out.  Sarah, my 5 year old, was much more intense.  There was no smile on her face, just steely concentration as she kept up with the moves.  A few weeks ago Sarah wanted to drop out of dance.  It was time to put the deposit down on the recital outfit, and I didn't want to pay for it if she wasn't going to do it.  When she realized that there was a fancy costume involved at the end if she kept going to class, she quickly changed her mind.  The kid loves to dress up.  They have adult dance classes there too.  Hmm maybe if I sign up there will be a recital with fancy costumes at the end too.  Yay!