Tiny Dancer

I did it. 

I enrolled Aine in ballet & tap classes this summer.  The summer session is only 4 weeks long, but I intend to re-enroll her in the fall.  She's had her first class and seemed to enjoy it.  David said she was just really mellow afterward when he asked how it was.  But she isn't begging me to not go back and she has seemed pretty excited about getting her tap shoes at her next lesson.

Reasons I'd hesitated: 

1) Cost! - I didn't know how much it would be, but it's not terrible and it's certainly cheaper than paying for full-time daycare and then having her too sick to go 75% of the time.

2) Although I got my start in ballet and tap as a young'n, I transitioned into Irish dance and would prefer her to learn it as well.  But the closest school is in Nashville and that means an hour commute each way....for a toddler.  No thank you.

3) The only 'dance' school that I knew had toddler classes was more of a gym.  While I think gymnastics would be great for her to at least try, I'm not a fan of the 'dance' style of the gym....you know, a group of teeny girls in teenier midriffs shaking their booties to pepped-up versions of the crap you hear on the 'pop' radio stations.  Pass.

4) I was nervous she'd be totally smitten and I'd just started her on a path to self-destruction in an attempt to maintain a particular image/figure/stature etc.

Why I jumped in:

1) I found a studio that's a real, classical ballet studio.  Bring on the technique and discipline!

2) Browsing the studio's website, I read a lot that I liked about their approach - Christian foundation, modesty, age-appropriate costuming and accompaniment.

3) One of the links on the website was to an article called, "Perfect Pointe," which I haven't read yet but browsed and was happy to have been directed to.

Her first recital is in just a few weeks and I am so excited to see it.  Mostly because I don't get to take her to practices and it's old news by the time I get home from work.  But also because I'm curious to see if she's the kid who looks like she actually went to class and is enjoying herself, or if she's the one that stands deer-in-headlights still on the stage and pees herself.
There will be another post with pictures, either way!