I recently signed Lydia up for a dance class through the community center. Originally I wanted to put her into preschool, but has anyone see the prices lately?! They are much to steep for this family. I can handle teaching her academia, but I still wanted her to have a something fun to do, especially because she's been begging me to have, "a class that is MY class." So this Pre-Ballet/Tumbling class fit our budget and I had a feeling Lydia would love it. She already loves all other dancing and even dances with me at Zumba sometimes, rather than playing with the other kids.
So, the day arose and here is my little girl in her dance outfit ready to go to her very first class. (Excuse the holes in her leggings, but this girl seems to get them instantly, and almost every pair I've bought her now has holes...she must have bony knees.)
As I took her into class I talked to her about not being shy, talking when she was asked questions, and doing what the teacher asked. Little did I know, I had no need to worry.
She ate.it.up. She loved every second of it and wasn't shy at all. If you notice she's the only girl that isn't sitting on the line, and that's because one of the girls next to her wouldn't listen and kept climbing all over Lydia. So Lydia simply moved back and continued on in participating.
What a good girl!
Miss Elly, the teacher, had them do somersaults (or rolls, as they call them) and Lydia proudly declared, "I can do it by myself!" And then she did. She sure loved the high fives and attention from the teacher; her whole face lit up.
Next they were supposed to try the rolls without using hands. Lydia tried to go too fast and face-planted it. It was pretty much hilarious. Don't worry she'll get it :) After Miss Elly helped Lydia, Lydia was supposed to go get in the back of the line...but this is were she ended up:
Yes, she walked past one girl and just cut right back at the beginning. I think it's because she's never lined up before and didn't really know what it meant to get in back. Or, it's because she was way to anxious to roll again. She couldn't stop peaking around the other girls to see what was going on.
After the tumbling, they lined up on the mats to learn some ballet positions. Lydia wasn't too coordinated here, especially in position one where they have to keep their heels together and point their toes out, but don't worry, she'll get it :)The bottom picture is position number two, and she did just fine with that one.
Lydia pretty much grinned the entire class, and though she may not be the most coordinated three-year-old, she loved it, which is all I really cared about. She's there to learn right? I loved watching her grow and have fun, and I'm sad I don't get to watch every week (apparently parents can be distracting to the girls, so the teacher only lets you watch the first week and the last week when they perform) but I'm also glad that Lydia has something to do on her own. I can't believe she's big enough to go to dance; it's weird, and sad, and exciting. I also never thought I would be the mom that sat with her chest puffed up in pride for an entire hour over her three-year-old rolling around at dance. But I am. It's probably because this is a first and it's all new to me, but it might be because I just love that Lydi-girl so much.
