Dreams

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a ballerina. As a child my parents allowed me to try out whatever activities and hobbies I wanted. After trying gymnastics, softball, horseback riding, swimming lessons, piano and figure skating my parents had probably run out of money so I never got to take ballet. I don't remember if I ever asked or not. I do remember that almost every Christmas my dad would take me to the Centre in the Square to see the Nutcracker. I would sit there in awe as I stared at those women in beautiful costumes dancing like they were floating. I dreamed of becoming a beautiful ballerina just like them.

In my early twenties I decided to finally do something about that dream and I started taking ballet at the Academy of Dance in Waterloo. When I went to St. Catharines for University I continued to take lessons, but I missed a year when I graduated in December and got married that January. After moving to Huron County I discovered that lo and behold there was a ballet studio in Goderich...I was thrilled.

I've been dancing at Contemporary Steps in Goderich for six years now (missing every other year when I was pregnant...I tried dancing during pregnancy and it was brutal!). Dance gives me an opportunity once a week for an hour and a half to focus on something other than kids and keeping a house in order. If any of you have taken ballet you know that it takes incredible concentration and discipline to try to master it. I've been dancing for probably 10 years and there are still so many things I have to think about when I dance: pointed toes, turnout, butt in, tailbone down, back straight, arms curved with elbows higher than wrists, neck straight, chin up, that's not to mention all the dance sequences to memorize so you don't look silly doing something different than the rest of the class. Unfortunatly for me there aren't many (ANY) other adults who take ballet so year after year I dance with girls literally half my age. I swear they have much better memories than me for dance sequences! For me it's far too much to think about all at once and I forget something every single time. I think it's the 'baby brain' thing that never goes away!
I don't mind dancing with the young girls though, it makes me feel good when I see that I am still just as flexible as many of them. I also thoroughly enjoy the moment when they realize at the recital that I am actually an adult with 3 children and not a teenager like them! I take it as a great compliment :) This year at the recital at GDCI one of the younger girls from another class asked if I went to that school. I laughed out loud and said "I graduated from high school 13 years ago!". You should have seen their faces.

I have to say ballet is a passion of mine. It's funny how childhood dreams never die. I still love to get all dressed up in costume for the year end show and dance on stage. Actually it's more of a love-hate thing for me. I get incredibly nervous dancing onstage, but I love the thrill of overcoming that nervousness and getting out there and dancing. Sometimes it makes me feel like a teenager again when I see my mom and dad in the audience looking so proud and handing me flowers after the show...it's a great moment. I love that Izzy is taking ballet as well and I dream that someday Lyric, Izzy and I will be able to do our own ballet trio someday on stage. So to all you adults out there...keep on dreaming. You never know what you can accomplish, it's NEVER too late!!

Mel ;)