sophik

While I was away visiting with family this past week my niece's first dance class happened! and I was able to be there to see her shy smile and twinkling eyes as she bit her lower lip tapping her toes to the music, gazing into the mirror at the other young boys and girls trying to keep up. The whole 5 minute long routine just about melted my heart.

I began my own relationship with ballet when I was about 2 1/2ish years old (my niece's age, too.) I actually remember those classes well. We would run and jump over this large, dusty, red, velvet pillow and always ate teeny tiny colored marshmallows at the end of every class. I trained for about 3 days a week with my ballet instructor, Mrs. Atkinson for years. Mrs. Atkinson loved to partake in snacking and sucking on mints during class, and she always wore a pink velour sweatsuit and bright pink lipstick. I trained until I was about 18 years old and haven't gone to a class since, because I think I'd insist my instructor to play the same piano tunes, wear pink velour sweat suites and suck on mints -- it just wouldn't be the same!

Maybe M will love ballet as much as I had? She was so quiet in the car ride home, daydreaming about the experience she just had. An aunt can dream too..

Above is a snap of my niece dancing in her first dance class and below it, my very first pair of pointe shoes. {To my surprise, my mom had them stashed away in her hope chest for me.}