OT I just have to share or i'll burst!

That sounds so cool. When I was a little girl I always wanted to be a ballarina and I went to try out for classes. Well, I guess I wasn't cut out for ballet. I still love ballet tho. I hope your dd does great.

Jo Jo

homeschool...LOL. This

Awwww, that's so wonderful, and I bet she'll look really cute in her ballet outfits :)

Laura

homeschool...LOL. This

Way cool! I've seen ballet shoes charms, and there's a UK bead supplier who does fimo ballerinas

- bottom item)...Brick stitch ballerina chart: charm in antique gold plate, 23X12mm. $0.40 each: (2/3 or so down the page)An even nicer (IMO), but way more expensive, ballerina charm: how about Sharon Peters' Swine Lake?!: x

p.s. if she is old enough, this would be a lovely gift:

Oh, that's wonderful Jalynne! Congrats to her! I haven't seen ballerina beads, but I have seen ballet shoes - but it's been awhile, so I am not sure where to look now.

Oooh, there's a cute ballerina charm on this page:

Desmond Tutu?

Deirdre |-)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.combeads (Cheryl) :

]make sure if she decides it is her ]"love" that she knows what terrible sacrifices dancers really make in their ]lives... it's not all "fun and games."

seconded! [aunt to a ballerina]

there is never a time Ashley isn't in pain of some kind, somewhere - usually her back and her feet!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

Yes, precisely. I remember reading about someone who said that what convinced her to give up dancing as a career was hearing the ballet teacher explaining to the older girls how to tape their toe shoes so that when (not if!) their blisters broke and bled, the blood wouldn't leak thru the shoes.

Celine

And I could tell you about the stupendous bunions my sister developed from spending her childhood en pointe?

Remember the story of the Little Mermaid, where the price of becoming human was that every step was as painful as walking on broken glass? Until she had foot surgery on both feet, that pretty much describes her in her late twenties, years after she had stopped dancing.

Deirdre

I love dance -- as an audience member -- but would rather see something other than classical ballet, because I know how hard it is on the dancers' bodies.

I guess I think dance doesn't have to be torture. At its best, it is the most moving way of expressing emotion without words that I know. Particularly since it is pretty much always in partnership with music, which is another way to do the same thing. I love modern dance the most. Mark Morris is my all-time favorite choreographer. I've seen his dancers live only twice, but Wow!

And I got to see the Alvin Ailey troupe live when I was in college in New England. Another great experience. But the performances were done barefoot and the moves seemed much more natural than trying to support your whole body on the tips of your toes. Still beautiful, still an athletic challenge, still physically risky, I am sure -- but not as guaranteed to injure and deform.

Deirdre (glad that for Ashley, the risk hardship was endurable because of how much it meant to her ...)

The dancers I love to watch the absolute most are young children. Such fluid movements, such joyous abandon, what wonderful interpetation of music! And I dont think they get callouses. Diana

I understand what you're saying. I also know some classical ballet dancers who have never had an injury or hard time at all. I promise that I will keep on top of this issue. The last thing I'd want is for my daughter to experience unhealthy pain or deformity.

I did dance class life when in college--helped make me capable of walking and talking without injuring myself and others---think Imogene Coco en pointe. I have never done anything to myself on purpose that was harder or more painful except chilbirth, and there are scars left on my parts from both experiences! But I did learn a LOT about movement and my own self in space and time. Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

view my auctions at:

Here are good audition vibes coming Aleesha's way! What parts would she be allowed to try for at this stage? Im glad she has the kind of mom who will keep an eagle eye on the way the teaching is handled, one who desires the health and fun aspects of the art. Diana

homeschool...LOL. This

wallhangings with

Sure! Being in Nutcracker would be a terrific experience for a kid.

Deirdre

That sounds like it'll give her some great experience without injury. And loving to dance is something I would never try to discourage. It is a great art-form, and a wonderful way for people to 'say the unsayable'.

Deirdre

Oooh, good luck to her! I hope she can do it. :)

I have a good friend back in the Twin Cities who had an absolute blast doing this ... and agreed with your assessment that the contradancers were more welcoming of beginners and the unskilled than the square-dancers were. She felt at home from the start, and kept getting better... just like the fellow you describe.

Deirdre

She's going for one of the little girls that come out of Mother Ginger's big skirt. I can't pronounce much less spell the term for it...LOL. It's all the beginners are allowed to audition for. Next year, she can audition for one of the baby dolls. This is really exciting...and kinda nervewracking. >

oh how cool - we have a local production in our town too. It's a wonderful experience for kids to be exposed to the arts. I hope she gets a part... And I am glad to hear the school does not allow point until age 13 - that's a good policy - although I know some schools now have an even higher limit (14

-16) It is hard on the leg bones - as well as the feet.... and they are still growing.

Dancing is good for little people in other ways - exercise - and teaching them poise and not being nervous in public (which, of course I never had a problem with anyway -- being an outrageous extravert....! LOL) Cheryl of DRAGON BEADS Flameworked beads and glass