Dance classes resumed this week and we lucked out with Cora getting into Acro 2 because she's able to take both classes on the same day (back to back, at that)! So we rush from school to the studio, get her changed into the required ballet leotard, skirt, tights, and slippers, and smooth her hair up into a bun, then James and I have nearly 2 hours to do as we please. Sometimes we'll stay at the studio (so James can play with Adler), sometimes we'll go home and get started on chores (so we don't have everything waiting on us when we get home at 5:30pm), and sometimes we'll do errands (James' least favorite of the dance time activities). Our teachers do not assign homework on Wednesdays (Bible Belt = most families are at church on Wednesday nights), so Wednesday is actually the perfect day for Cora to be at the studio.
She was SO EXCITED to start classes today! She's been asking for weeks "how many more days?" (ever since dance camp, actually) and has been especially looking forward to beginning Acro. Turns out, she loves Acro just as much as she thought she would and she's pretty good (a few moms who have girls that have been doing acrobatics for a year or two already told me how good and strong Cora is when I showed up at 5:10pm to watch the last few minutes of class - so I suppose letting her practice handstands at home and all the "lessons" she received from older girls during gym time at Daycamp did her well, even though we often worried for her safety). She also told me that she really liked jazz, which surprised me (I figured she'd be disappointed to not be taking tap for the first time in 2.5 years, plus I really thought she liked ballet best). Ballet is a staple at our studio though, so no matter which course of dance Cora chooses to pursue in the future (they offer ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and musical theatre, as well as yoga, strength conditioning, and adult classes), she will always take ballet as her base class (they rotate the girls through different combo classes from ages 3-7 so that they try out tap, jazz, and contemporary before committing to any one discipline - though most of the older girls seem to take every class offered!) Cora does enjoy ballet though (she's far more graceful than her mama, so she doesn't get it from my side of the family) and she is fascinated by the Pointe dancers and can't wait to dance on her toes like them, but pre-Pointe isn't offered until the girls reach 12-years-old (due to the requirement for a specific level of strength). She was thrilled to see Ms. Bridgett and give her lots of hugs, and she seems to really like her new instructor too (Ms. Susan, the mother of the famous James, the only boy at our studio prior to this year - I hear there are 2-3 new recruits - teaches Acro). I have a feeling this is going to be another good year for Cora. As her confidence and skill level grows, she seems to like dance more every month. Plus, there's a winter recital this year in addition to the spring recital, so there's twice the opportunity to get dressed up onstage and participate in production numbers with the older girls. Only Cora can decide how much time and effort we commit to dance in the future, so we'll see how the first semester goes and base her spring commitments on that. For now, two classes is perfect to balance out fall soccer and Girl Scouts. Best of luck to our little dancing queen this year!
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