Side note: Have I mentioned how incredibly time-consuming it is to research / schedule / sign kids up for activities? Seriously. I spent most of my precious babysitter alone time one morning in May plotting the calendar with fun things to do with the kids this summer and another few hours recently planning extra-curricular activities this fall. First world problem, I realize, but shouldn't there be an easier way?
Anyway, I selected this ballet class through a neighboring suburb's parks & rec department because it a) fit into our schedule, and b) was cheap. Tory's been asking to start ballet for months, but I wasn't sure she'd be able to handle the parent / child separation part. (Most ballet classes require children to be 3 years of age and for parents to wait outside the classroom.) Given Tory's strong history of separation anxiety, I wasn't about to spend millions of dollars on outfits and classes to have her attached to my leg the entire time. So, a $43 class (the non-resident rate - what a bargain!) was the prefect trial. This class is 45-minutes long and a mixture of ballet and tap.
My big girl has come a long way in a few year's time. She loves ballet class! Tory runs into the classroom on Thursday nights and dances her little heart out without a second glance backwards in my direction.
My mom gifted Tory the tiniest, most adorable ballet slippers and I know I'll keep them forever. She seems so sweet and innocent when she wears them, and it just melts my heart.
You know who else loves dance class? Little brother. Aden is clamoring to be in ballet with Tory because everything she does, he wants to do, too! I spend 45 (extremely long) minutes entertaining Aden in the hallway while Tory's in class. Most of the time, he stands at the door yelling, "Tor-eee! Tor-eee!" until I lift him up to peek through the tiny window to see her. At the end of each session, parents are invited into the classroom for a quick performance of dances learned. It's super informal, so I finally let Aden down one evening to dance alongside Tory. Dream realized for this little boy, he loved it!
Aden won't be left out for long; I signed both Tory and Aden up for gymnastics classes starting in September. I hope it's the smashing success this little ballet class has been this summer.
So so so so so SO cute! :D I can't wait to see if Charley likes dance this fall!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of - where did you get the dance clothing and where did your mom get her shoes? I don't even know where to start with this stuff!
The dance shoes are from Amazon -- Capezio brand. They run small a bit small, but are also suppose to be snug, so we had to try two pairs before finding the right fit. Tory was also suppose to have tap shoes for this class which I didn't realize. Oops!
DeleteMy sister gave me a few of my niece's old ballet leotards to use, but again -- check with the studio you signed Charley up with because they might have their own rules about colors, styles, etc. I know some places have little shops inside the dance studio that sell the exact outfits they require, but I also saw some leotards and ballet stuff at Target in the little girl's (not baby/toddler) section. Luckily, this little parks & rec class didn't have many pre-reqs.
This stuff is expensive and they grow out of it so quickly! I thought about checking Facebook garage sale sites for tap shoes, but I never did. Maybe you'd have some success there?