Twinkle Toes

For months now, Claire has been begging us to be enrolled in ballet/tap class. I kept saying, "Okay, I will look for a class for you", but somehow, it just didn't happen. In the meantime, Michael has been playing on a basketball team, I just signed them both up for Spring Soccer, but still- no ballet class. So I told myself that I was going to sit down at the computer and not get up until I found a class for my little Clairey. Thankfully, it didn't take long to find an affordable and local class for her. It would meet once a week for an hour and I thought that it would fit well into our schedule.

When I told her that she was going to start ballet, she went crazy! She called my parents, my sisters- anyone who would want to hear the great news! I took her out shopping to get the necessary shoes and then to another store to pick out her leotard. Watching the happiness ooze from Claire, I felt guilty that I put this off for so long. However, I had to cut myself a break and just find some peace in the fact that I finally had enrolled her and move on!

Long long ago, I took several years of tap/ballet. I remember loving it. The practices, the big shows, traveling to competitions, the music, the outfits . . . it was all great. I did this for several years until my Dad saw it fit to transition me from dance to more physical sports. The rest is history. Being the oldest of five girls, I now realize that this must have been a financial strain to keep me (and my sister Jill) in dance for so many years. For one, back then they didn't carry tap/ballet shoes at Payless. When I told my Mom that I had purchased shoes for Claire, her response was, "I hope you bought them used!" What she didn't realize was that instead of the very expensive shoes that were really your only option back in the day, you can now buy ballet or tap shoes at Payless for $15-20 a pair! Funny how things change over the years!

On Claire's first day of ballet, she couldn't sit still. She was in her leotard HOURS before her class. She was leaping off furniture and dancing to music. To see the joy this opportunity gave her was wonderful. What I didn't realize was how much joy this gave to me, as well. Claire looked beautiful in her outfit. Normally, when people see Claire, they comment about how big Claire is. When I see her gallop around the house, I always think that it must be so hard to have such long legs and arms that you just can't completely control. Claire has always been wiggly- the kind of child that will be sitting in a chair and then suddenly fall on the floor without realizing how it happened. With all of the rapid growing she does, I often think how hard it would be to try and be coordinated. Yet when Claire pranced around the house, she was graceful. Long beautiful arms flying through the air. Her legs in sweet unison with the top of her body. Her long neck stretching to the sky as she pirouetted through the living room. I had to stop myself from tearing up. She looked so beautiful and I took the opportunity to enjoy her in all her splendor.

Her first class went great! I got to see her go in and warm up but then had to leave as they don't allow the parents to stay and watch. The parents and siblings will get to attend their final performance on the last day of class. As I drove away from the facility with Michael and Matthew, I knew that Claire was where she wanted to be. In a room where she could be with other girls, wear pink, dance around and have fun. Yes, it took me a while to sign her up and get organized but it was a small victory to know that in the end- she got her wish.