One thing I love about our tiny little town is that it has a tiny little conservatory, with national standards for excelling in the Arts. There are year-end exams in every study that either allow the children to move forward or force them to stay back.
It’s a good thing I like it because we spend Tuesday after school, Wednesday much of the day, and Saturday afternoons there to encompass three children’s multi-activities.
Last Saturday, there was an open house for dance, where the parents could sit and watch the class. And there was Gabriel’s trumpet lesson.
Not many pictures of Gabriel because his lesson was closed.
Can I go in now?
I’m goin’ in.
I love the connection my son has with my father, who is also a brass player. And his teacher says he has talent (and enthusiasm to spare).
However, while there are few trumpet pictures, there are LOADS of pictures of dance –
in part because the class lasted an hour and fifteen minutes,
in part because – is there anything more beautiful than young dancers?
Juliet was not ideally situated for me to take pictures most of the time.
She was at the far end, stretching limbs in ways I cannot imagine.
Grab the foot, pop it up!
I wish I could have figured out the video function because there was a good long minute where the teacher was standing there, forcing her leg straight up, explaining everything in French. You guys would have loved that! 😉 Okay I loved that.
Splits – almost there on one side.
And then the changement de pied – remember that all you ballet dancers?
Changement with a little turn?
And then the pas de bourrée
And the revérence.
This has been super, super fun for everyone involved.
Well, Gabriel could only stomach about ten minutes of it after his trumpet lesson was over, and then I found him in the corner reading books.
So much fun to be had at the conservatoire.
Aw, beautiful dancers! I love watching my girls dance and now I’m tempted to see if I can still do the splits. xo
tracy@sellabitmum recently posted…Get Involved – Johnson & Johnson Care To Recycle Program
If anyone could still do the splits, it would be you!
Holy moley, your daughter is flexible. I am one of the least flexible people on the planet and that just blows my mind. Your kids are also just gorgeous.
Carolyn recently posted…Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Casserole
Thanks Carolyn!
Oh yes. I constantly marvel at my daughter, who inherited my husband’s athletic frame instead of mine. Thank God for that! 😀
What a wonderful place! Love the ballet pictures. I was a little dancer once. Quit while I was ahead. 🙂
Alison recently posted…Moments – #iPPP
This made me laugh. I quit while I was behind so you did the right thing.
What wonderful opportunities for your kids! I took some ballet classes while I was in college–they were wonderful. Grace and discipline.
Connie Keller recently posted…No Hot Water
I tried to pick it up again as an adult, but there was always something that held me back (traveling too much, got pregnant, etc). I just don’t think my limbs are meant to move in such ways anymore – I have to find a different sport.
Oh, these are lovely photos! How wonderful to have a conservatory so close and that it is such an important part of your lives. I was a singer, never a dancer – I have never been very graceful. 🙂
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted…Because I Love You
Me neither Kim! Not in the slightest! 😉
This is killing me! We wanted to limit Abbey to one after school activity this year, because of starting kindy. And she chose gymnastics but now wants to do ballet again.
angela recently posted…Procrastination by Music
She’s still young enough that she can do it and take it as far as she likes. I started at age 10, I think, and it was really too late.
Gosh I wish I was that bendy. Getting old stinks. Gorgeous pictures of your gorgeous kids!
amber recently posted…Fifteen Years.
Thanks Amber. I have to admit that I was never that bendy, even when I wasn’t this old! 😉
Love those pictures, Jennie! I love watching ballet. I used to have a season pass to the Nuremberg Opera House and went there frequently to see opera, musicals, ballet…. Unfortunately not much appreciation for classical music where I live now.
I never was gracious enough to do ballet myself, but I played a brass instrument as well – the saxophone and also the clarinet.
I wasn’t very skilled at dancing either, but we can express ourselves through music, and now through words!
Oh I wish that my parents would have kept me in dancing. The place burned down and we never signed up for the new building. Damn fish fry in the Chinese restaurant downstairs!
Kimberly recently posted…Being Here
You’re funny! Of course it would happen that way. Of course there would be a fire from a fish fry. 🙂 It couldn’t be something ordinary, like you decided you’d rather watch Saturday morning cartoons.
I adore watching my girls dance! As a former ballet and pointe dancer, I wish I could get back into the splits. I’m relearning all the French terms that I had forgotten as my girls move through their dance classes.
Jenny recently posted…Coach Jenny
I really wanted to go on pointe, but I started way too late and I ended up needing an operation on my hip so I had to give it all up. It’s fun to watch Juliet do it, who has way more talent than I ever did.
Gorgeous! I hope K sticks with it so that I can see her like this. Lovely photos, thank you for sharing them with us! 🙂
Elaine A. recently posted…The State Farm* (er, I mean fair)
I know. This is fun! I won’t push her to continue if she doesn’t want to, but she seems to still enjoy it.
Young Lady is a lovely ballerina and Young Knight is quite handsome… I am new at reading your blog and I now look forward to the beauty or your world and forward to connecting to the beauty of your heart… I love learning from you XOXO
Thank you my dear friend. That touches my heart. It’s nice to reconnect, isn’t it?
What a beautiful ballerina! I always wanted to be graceful and pretty like Juliette but unfortunately I was too tall, too thin, too uncoordinated as a kid. LOL
Gorgeous pictures.
Ameena recently posted…to anonymous
What you supposedly were not as a child, you’ve made up for as an adult – graceful and elegant! 😀
Sorry, auto correct. 🙁 Juliet not Juliette!
Ameena recently posted…to anonymous
Such beautiful pictures! But more importantly … your redesign. Wow. It’s stunning.
anymommy recently posted…The whole village
Thanks Stacey! 🙂
How are the sleepless nights going? (gulp)
Nope nothing more beautiful than a young ballerina. Loved the pics, always wanted to wear one of those tutu dresses :)Now my daughter will!
Shefali recently posted…Spring Cleaning
Isn’t it fun to live vicariously through our kids? 😉
wow, loved these pics. And wow! what your kids are doing. Talented for sure 🙂
sarah reinhart recently posted…big announcement about our newest little
Thanks Sarah! 🙂
Love the idea of school for the arts! Here there’s private instrument lessons at whichever teacher you prefer, ten dance schools to choose from, and acting and singing as far as you’re willing to drive. The ballet pictures are precious. 🙂
Andrea recently posted…Halloween Visits
We can also go the private route, but there is less chance of them being able to make a career in the arts should they choose to. That’s why we do the conservatory (even if I find the mandatory music theory highly annoying)! 😉