Ballet

This past year, Livie has been taking a ballet class. This studio (as I've mentioned before) is dedicated solely to teaching ballet. There are a handful of advanced students who have earned international and full-ride college scholarships because of the insteuction of the teacher of this studio (Miss Brandy, which is what the students call her). Livie has loved it from the very beginning (have I ever mentioned that her room is decorated with a ballet theme?) and wants to take class again in the fall. 

Here she was getting ready to go to the dress-rehearsal for "Cinderella." 

Instead of traditional dance recitals, this studio puts on two full-scale ballets throughout the year. In December they did "Nutcracker," and Livie and her group were cast as mice for one dance and princesses/fairies for another dance. I chaperoned that event (they get parents/friends to volunteer as chaperones for each group of dancers so there is less stress for Brandy in getting everyone on stage when they're supposed to be there and taking care of them when they're off stage). Because I chaperoned that ballet for Livie's group I didn't get to see the entire show, but I know it was wonderful anyway. And I did see Livie from side-stage while she was doing her dances! Those little mice were adorable! 

She wasn't a huge fan of the ears part of her costume. 

That "smile"! 

Since I chaperoned I was able to get some pictures with the group of girls she danced with. 

In front of the big tree! 

She loved this princess costume! 

For the end-of-year ballet (which was held yesterday), they put on "Cinderella". I chose not to chaperone this ballet so that Dan and I could go watch Livie dance. She was so thrilled that we're going to be watching her! I loved the ballet (Dan said he thought it was long—it was about 2 1/2 hours— but he did like it). I always love watching hard work come together in a beautifully performed production. Watching the pride of the performers, instructors, and parents when something finally comes together, seeing all the hard work pay off, is an exciting thing! Anyway, the ballet was very well done and was fun to watch. Livie was a Pumpkin Blossom Fairy and in the scene during which the Fairy Godmother comes to Cinderella to change her fate. The ballerinas danced with huge flower pots (at one point they climb inside them) and parasol flowers. Despite the fact that Livie kept her shovel when she was supposed to put it down, had a minor tiff with another ballerina who stole her flower pot, and knocked over her flower pot when she climbed out of it, she was adorable! :) 

This smile, folks. She *loves* ballet! 

On stage (with the Fairy Godmother), filling their flower pots with dirt so they can grow their flowers. 

They're finishing the filling now and will then climb into their pots for the rest of their dance. Apparently Livie liked the shovel she used to fill her pot with dirt because she tried to keep it when she was supposed to climb into her pot. :)