Annabel’s First Ballet Class

I have been waiting for Annabel to take her first ballet class since the day she was born.

That might be a BIT of an exaggeration (I’m a girly girl.  I admit it.) But, nonetheless, I was so excited to go out and buy her the “required” pink ballet tights, pink leotard, and fancy pink ballet shoes.  Annabel could not wait to take those shoes out of the box today.   We were off to her very first ballet class.

I found a dance instructor who teachers toddlers and preschoolers in a church facility about 10 minutes away from our house. Her philosophy is great.  She wants the kids to have fun and dance with joy.  She does not want to make it too technical or too competitive.  There is small recital at the end of the semester.  I thought it sounded perfect for Annabel.

And it was.  I was a little worried because this was the first time I was leaving her alone in a closed room with a teacher.  When I tried this with Daniel for the first time at age 3, it did not go so well.  There was some separation anxiety.  This is the one negative (in my opinion) of being a stay-at-home-Mama.   They become attached and want to be with me, or their sibling, all the time.  Annabel’s personality is little more relaxed than Daniel’s PLUS she has the advantage of seeing her guinea pig brother do everything first.  She went in that room with no hesitation.

I peeked in a few times to watch her.  She was intently following all of the instructions.  The teacher showed her how to stand on a star on the floor.  She rocked a prentend baby from side to side in her arms. There were hobby horses to practice galloping in circles.  She even had a wand with a ribbon to swirl in the air and pretend she was a princess.  Her favorite part was watching herself in the big mirror on the wall.

At the end of class, the teacher said Annabel did a great job and she would see us next week. I never know what to expect with my little princess diva these days, but I think deep down I always knew she would love dance class.  She’s my ballerina girl.  (And I still can’t get that Lionel Richie song out of my head either.)