Tiny Dancer!

This past Tuesday August 17th, Henley started her first dance class! I have to tell you that this is one of the reasons I love having a little girl! I started dance when I was three and absolutely loved it my whole life! I was on the dance team in middle school and high school and it was always a huge part of my life! Anyhow, now I can pass this on to my little girl. I knew from an early age that she loved music. When she hears music she likes, her little head just bobs and she shakes her body. Thank goodness she gets her rhythm  from mommy...has anyone ever seen her daddy dance? :) Sometimes I play music at night when we are cooking dinner and the kids and I will dance around! I love to watch them learn how they can move to the music and shake their money makers! Brian, of course has taught them his infamous “linebacker move”! Many of you know what I am talking about but, for those who do not, it is basically shaking your behind in the air! I have to say, it makes me laugh so hard every time they attempt it like their daddy. So their love for dance has evolved!

There are not a lot of dance studios close to our house. I was told of two places that were the better options for Henley to take dance. I looked into both of them and really was not sure which I liked more. It really came down to schedule and what worked best for us. Luckily, a new studio opened up right in our back yard! I was ecstatic because the timing worked out perfect for us. This studio is wonderful and actually reminds me of the dance studio that I took dance from when I was a little girl. Henley will have a dance recital later this year with a sweet little costume. The recital will be held on a stage at a local high school and is supposed to be a big show! I know she is only two years old so, I am not expecting much from her this year. However, I can not wait for the years to come. I always loved dressing up in my costumes and performing when I was little. It was such a big deal! I hope that Henley loves dance as much as I did growing up! The one thing that concerns me is the costumes. I want to make sure that they are for little girls and not too provocative, especially as she gets older!

The first day started out pretty good. Henley is taking a combination class of ballet and tap. I knew from the beginning, once those tap shoes went on, they were never coming off! I was right!!! They had pre-ordered her shoes and they were at the studio when we got there on Tuesday. The ballet shoes were not in yet, so they only had tap! I think she had a smile from ear to ear the minute they pulled them out of the box!

SO Excited to get my tap shoes!

They make noise!

Once I showed her how they made noise...WOW, she was in love! Those shoes did not come off her feet for a solid two hours!!! Even when she was crying because I left her in class alone she would not take them off! :) She cried pretty much the whole class but, I knew she would eventually stop or so I  hoped. I knew this would be an adjustment because she is not a fan of strangers and I was right! I even tried staying in the class with her but, she was very weary of her new teacher. The music would sometimes get her going and then all the sudden she would stop, look around and start crying again! Oh boy, this was going to get interesting! Not that she is going to be doing entire routines but, she would never have any fun or learn anything if she cries the whole time? That is the main idea for me, is for her to have FUN! Hopefully, as the weeks go by she will get used to the class. I want her to relax and enjoy her dancing time! There is a little girl from church who is also in her class at school and they have dance together. I hope that this will help her adjust by seeing a familiar face each week...we will see?

I am really looking forward to watching her become our little ballerina. After all she is a girl...she should twirl around occaisonally not just play with trucks, trains and cars!