Leah Ballerina

Leah started ballet class this week. Classes at the Embassy started in the fall, but you had to be 3 and Leah wasn't. She wanted to take ballet class soooooo badly. I decided to ask if now that she was 3 she could join and was told she could. We went to the first ballet class and Leah was the happiest I've ever seen. She constantly was smiling, a smile of pure joy, not hyperness. She was quiet and well-behaved and I was so proud of her! After class the Russian teachers explained to me that the other girls (3 and 4 year olds) have been working for almost 4 months now so that I could bring Leah to the next class and "we'll see how she does if she knows what we expect of her" and if decide if she can stay. I felt so sad and worried even though I understood their point. I didn't want to be one of "those parents" that pushes and pressures her all week, but I didn't want her to fail either. I did try a few things.
We borrowed some ballet clothes so luckily we hadn't put a lot money into it.
Friday we went to the 2nd class. Leah is so cute and wants to hold my hand and acts shy when we get there. I love it! This is what we reviewed the most during the week.
Me: Leah, during ballet class who do you watch?
Leah: The teacher!
Me: Leah, when Kaelynn (her friend) is being silly in ballet class who do you watch, her or the teacher?
Leah: The teacher!
Well . . . . Leah was so distracted by the other girls. Kaelynn was well behaved this time, unlike Monday when she got kicked out of class. But Leah still kept daydreaming and I think was mostly focusing on how pretty she felt. She loves when the teachers give her attention and move her legs for her, but she forgets to move her own legs then.
After class we hung around and I was a little nervous. I knew they wouldn't let her stay. But I went and asked and they said yes! They said, "she did a little better this week, so after the break bring her back Jan 9th and we will let her stay and see how she does."
YEAH!!! I don't care so much except that Leah really, really, likes ballet class. The teachers are strict but she doesn't seem to mind. They will have a recital in May and I hear that it is amazing, but we'll see. Most important is that Leah keeps liking it. I think she mostly likes wearing her "bootiful ballet dress and tights."