Tiny Dancer

For Emma, music was a contact sport. When she heard music she had to sing along, play along and dance along. And this was true even when she was tiny. She would don a tutu and boa and dance and sing around our house, the yard, the grocery store, everywhere.

When Emma was a little over 3, I called a local dance studio to see when they recommended that children start ballet lessons. They said that they typically recommended that children wait until they were four. All children are different, though, they said, and they suggested that I bring Emma in for a trial class so that they could assess whether she was ready.

Emma was very excited to be at the class. They let each child pick out a tutu, which Emma loved. They had all different color tutus, so the choice was really hard, but she finally picked the perfect one and I helped her put it on. In the meantime, the teacher had lined up the rest of the children in front on the mirror. Emma took her place in line, but lines are really very anti-social. There’s no way to get to know the children on the other end unless you move around a bit, so Emma did a little line hopping. The teacher patiently directed her back to her assigned spot and she relented. Then the teacher began demonstrating ballet positions and asking the children to copy her. Emma did a nice job of copying the teacher’s movements, but always added a signature move of her own. First position is really so much nicer with a little hand flourish. And the only thing better than third position, is third position followed by a pirouette!

At the end of the class Emma ran ahead to get a drink from the water fountain and the teacher caught up with me to give me her assessment. I was prepared for her to tell me that we should wait a year, so I beat her to the punch. “ She really wants to do her own thing. She’s probably not ready yet,” I said. “I don’t know,” she responded, “she’s awfully enthusiastic. I’m willing to give it a try if you are.”

In the end we decided that, at least for the time being, Emma should continue dancing for joy and not for a dance teacher.