Avery Ballerina

Monday was the last parent viewing night (parents and family actually get to sit in the studio instead of in the waiting area) at dance.  Typically, the class is viewed via television, and it's small and hard to see what's really going on.  It was fun to sit in and actually be able to see what the kids are doing.

Now, Avery has a love/hate relationship with dance class.  Actually, more like a lukewarm/ambivalent relationship.  She was ready to give it up several months back, then decided she liked it.  Most days she's very meh about going to class, although she seems to have had a good time when it's over.   All that being said, I think she is done after the recital in June, so this is very likely the begging and end of her foray into dance (although she could very likely decide she wants to give it a shot when she's 6 or 7 or 12).

Now, I'm not just saying this because I'm her mother and perhaps slightly biased, but she is a good little dancer.  She is very focused.  Her eyes do not leave the teacher.  The progress report we received backs this up.  The teacher noted that it was really incredible how focused Avery is.  Granted, Avery is probably one of the older ones in this 3-4 year old class and thus has a better attention span.  Some of the other kiddos are pretty squirmy.

I also got to see something I've noticed on the television for weeks.  When the class gets to run around and act like crazy, flapping, squealing birds Avery stands still on her tape mark, looking down.

When I first noticed it I asked Avery about it after class.  What was the class doing and why was she standing there?  She said she didn't want to run around and act silly.  I told her to try it, that she might have fun. But week and week she just stood there.  Honestly, it bugged me a bit.  I'm not exactly sure why.  I think it was a combination of several things:  she looked uncomfortable, she wasn't having fun, why wasn't she having fun?, it's ok to be silly, why is she the only one not doing it? etc.  For the other kids, this clearly looked and sounded like the highlight of class!


But Avery isn't like the other kids in that respect.  And I appreciate that about her.  I appreciate the fact that she doesn't do something just because everyone else is doing it.  That she doesn't feel pressure to participate if she doesn't feel comfortable.  I hope she always has that resolve. And maybe one day she'll realize she can let go and be silly, too.


Sweet little dancer.