Ballet

Since the end of September all Isabelle has wanted to wear are twirly dresses and all she has wanted to do is dance (at least in the privacy of her own home). As soccer is quickly coming to an end we are in need of a new Saturday activity and Isabelle has requested ballet lessons with her friend Laney. Some of you may remember Isabelle's short-lived dance career this summer at The Little Gym. She preferred to watch from the doorway and never did one dance step. While skeptical as to how a new dance class would turn out we dutifully signed Isabelle up for a trial class in ballet and creative movement. What a difference a few months, preschool and a best friend can make! Isabelle blew us away with her direction-following, grace (for a three-year-old) and enjoyment of the class.
Isabelle's class is at the Turning Pointe Dance Centre, which is definitely a step up from the Little Gym program. Isabelle loved the big dance studio with wall-to-wall mirrors to watch herself spin, twirl and leap. She also really liked running into the dressing room with the other girls to change her clothes after class and was very adamant she do this by herself with no help from me. If Isabelle continues to like dancing she will be in a recital in the spring!
On another note, I am quite excited about Isabelle's dance class as I can now spend Saturday mornings enjoying my coffee while I watch Isabelle's class, rather than spend Saturday afternoons chasing after soccer balls in the wind, rain and cold!

Striking a pose

Most of the girls in this class have been attending since September. We thought Isabelle was doing a pretty good job of keeping up! In these videos we are watching through a window so there is a lot of background noise. The girls were hearing music as they danced.

We really like the instructor, Erin. She was very patient and gentle with the girls.

I'm sure Isabelle thought she was in Heaven during this segment of the class. She was the only one of the girls who followed the teacher's direction to twirl across the floor. Little did Erin know that this is what Isabelle lives for. She probably just thought Isabelle was very comfortable with solo routines!