[Divine MsM]

I know what you mean - I was SO proud of DD when she came on stage and I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I heard from one of the other volunteer mum's that DD behaved herself and not once did she get up to mischief. Can't help but be doubly proud to hear she was so well behaved.

Now I just need to talk to her about talking during the performance - she was issuing stage directions the little rat and making sure her class mates were doing the right thing. Rat bag!

M

PS I'm SO over sewing ribbons on shoes and protests over wearing eyeliner and mascara!

[darnie]

I was in the room with the pre-primary and primary children and whilst I didn't pick which one was yours (because I was too busy focussing on the 15 primary children that I was partially responsible for), I did note that the pre-primary children were very calm. Certainly no one in that group stood out as being particularly difficult.

Oh, but that was on Friday night, not Saturday night.

[MightyMummy]

I guess I will have a different perspective if I'm ever a ballet mum (DD is only a newborn still). I did ballet from ages 3-17. The hair was not a big deal. I had no fringe and long hair but plenty of girls in my class had very short hair or fringes, nothing that a lot of hair gel won't fix!

The thing I fear is the parental competition about the costume sewing (I was lucky I had a retired seamstress in the family) and the fact that some parents just love to push ideas that suit THEIR daughter but no one else's (Mrs S, your tall chubby redhead was the ONLY one who wanted green fairy dresses with orange flowers on them and they didn't even suit HER let alone anyone else just FYI!).

My advice though - unless she's actually good enough to make a career of it as a dancer or teacher (neither a path I would recommend but anyway)...don't go en pointe. It ruins your feet.

My experience and that of my family in the childhood ballet world was not nearly as fearful as the story makes out. And there were always a few ballet mums who knew the drill who did the hair and makeup for all the little tots on the night. Oh and the reason 3 year olds need makeup seems pretty obvious - stage lighting.

One thing I found did not ring true in the article - who calls ballet gear "uniforms" for goodness sake? Tights and leotards, ballet togs, ballet gear, ballet outfit....yes it is a "uniform" of a type but that's not an expression anyone in the ballet circles I knew or know ever uses.

[darnie]

Hi MightyMummy. I agree re the parental competition, not just about costume sewing, but about lots of things!

I have to admit that en pointe is scary for me. We would prefer that Erin didn't do it, but we are waiting to see what happens down the track. And I have to say that the damage to feet/body is something that worries us and is a reason why we would not push Erin in the direction of professional dancing. But, if she chooses to do that, then we will support her. We will make sure that she is aware of all options available to her, but we will suport her in her dream.

I guess for me, I had never been exposed to dance previously, and many of my friends made it sound like an evil world. So the fear was mine, and I hope I pointed out that it wasn't necessarily justified, but it was how we felt in a world that was new and uncertain to us. I also very much suck at hair and makeup, so having to get that right was quite scary for me at first.

I take your point about "uniforms" but that is actually how our ballet school, at least, describes the gear that is worn during class. Each grade has their own "uniform" consisting of specific colour (and type of) leotards/skirts/tights/whatever and they are expected to wear that "uniform" to class. So yes, I agree that "ballet gear" or something similar may have sounded better but our ballet school does actually call it a uniform.

[SportySpice]

Evening Ballet mummy's

I've been MIA due to work work work and some ballet performances as well!

My little DD had her concert last w'end and was in both performances doing different dances. Our ballet school is 10 years old and they did a 'celebration' of dances from past concerts - like a highlights show!

Anyway - 2pm and 6pm. We were at NIDA at 1130am for first "run through", backstage for ages, hair and make up all done and lots of sitting around. As usual I teared up when i saw her on stage. She was beautiful and has grown so much from her first performance at the age of 3, now being 6!

The first performance ran over schedule and before I knew it, she was being called on stage for her second run through for the 6pm performance!

All over and at interval I got her and she watched the 2nd half (again) with me, whilst trying so hard to stay awake! When the final dance was being performed I asked her "do you want to go now?" No mummy, not until the very end!

So at 815pm I finally got her into the car, rugged up and within 3 mins she was sleeping! Home into bed and woke her usual 615 for school, had brekky and promptly put herself back to bed at 715am.... where I left her for the day to have the day off school (shhhhhhh!)

She loved the whole experience and cannot wait for next year as she wants to begin her exams...... so bring on 2011 and let's do the whole thing again!

[TurtleTamer]

My 3 and 4 year old boys start ballet in Feb, can't wait! Their ballet school also calls it a uniform for the record. Bought their clothes on Monday (white leotard with black bike short things over the top) and they are SOOOO cute! Just got to get the shoes closer to their start day

[bron23]

Our school also calls it a uniform. Different coloured/styles of leotards and skirts for different levels. Although they dont take kids until they are 4 so whilst her kindy friends can start term 1 because she is the youngest in the class she can't start until term 3. Would you start them in term 3 or leave it until the following year?

[darnie]

SportySpice: Oh hoiw gorgeous! Sounds wonderful!

TurtleTamer: The little boys look quite cute in their uniforms, don't they?

bron23: At our school, terms 3 & 4 are spent preparing for the ballet performance and the ballet performance is a really big thing. Because those terms are so performance focussed, I would be hesitant to have my child participating in lessons during those terms (particularly term 4) if I didn't want them to do the performance. So, in your situation, I would see what the students will be doing from term 3. If they are going to be preparing for the end of year performance, then I would be asking details of the performance (what is involved, how full on it is, what the rehearsals are like, etc) and then working out whether my DD could cope with it (emotionally more than anything. At that age, any dancing on stage will look cute regardless of skill and technique, but our performance is full on so I would be looking at whether they can emotionally cope). If none of that was of concern, then I would probably consider starting my DD in term 3, if only because her friends are there. I think a good start is to ask the ballet school what they think. Also, have you checked whether you need to go on a waiting list? Chances are you most likely will, especially for mid-year. At least that would be the case at our school. I hope this helps!

[R]

[anon60]

I was a Ballet (and Jazz, Tap, National Character, Hip hop and Modern) mum for 13 years. DD danced from the age of 3 until the end of Yr 10. Never thought I'd miss the leotards, the yearly trek to buy new dancing shoes, hair pins, exam time, concert sewing and the concerts themselves. This is the 2nd Christmas since DD stopped (she completed Yr 12 this year) - it's long enough ago now, to start feeling nostalgic about it. It was a large chapter in DD's life.