Pointe Shoes and Ballet Barres

Last night my little ballerina started ballet lessons at a local dance studio. 

 

(Ballet Barre by Richard Judson Zolan)

Mary Catherine has been taking tap and ballet lessons through our local community center, since she was 3, but Daddy and I decided it was time to enroll Mary in studio dance. That is, she no longer gets to to wear whatever Lifestyle leotard and dance skirt she chooses, and instead puts on a “uniform” of pink tights, black leotard, and pink ballet slippers to pirouette and arabesque.  Oh, and did I mention hair must be in a bun? 

Mary’s dance studio is a performance-based studio versus a competition-style studio.  What does that mean?  It means that while other girls of the same age (six-years) may be entering dance competitions both locally and nationally, Mary’s studio focuses on the fundamentals of dance and the art of performance.

First Position

© 2007 Treva Bedinghaus licensed to About.com, Inc.

And that’s okay with us.  She is being schooled in the art of gracefulness and poise, discipline and responsibility.  Moms aren’t allowed to stay and “watch”.

When I picked her up after her hour lesson, she was brimming with enthusiasm and could barely contain her excitement about learning the five positions and getting to use “the barre”!  She told her teacher she wanted toe shoes and it was quickly explained to her that that was a few years down the road.

Image from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pointe_shoes.jpg

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of Mary in her “uniform”.  Hopefully, I can remember next week and maybe even get permission to snap a few photos of Mary at “the barre”.

And after ballet class? Well our little ballerina had to quickly change from ballet slippers to soccer cleats.  Why, oh why, must every activity fall on the same night of the week?  We shall see if Mary wants to stick with soccer.  It really doesn’t seem to be to her liking, but she agreed to another season to appease Daddy.  *sigh*