Mommy & Me: The First Year + Recital

Ohhh how I always loved ballet and how I've craved the moment my own little girl could be a ballerina!! OR any sort of dancer! I did ballet and tap and I clogged! I would have loved to have taken jazz and gone further in ballet but for whatever reason, I did not. In fact, I would take adult ballet now if it were in the budget. But, as it is not, I get the honor and joy of being beside my daughter in her first years of dance! How special!

We take dance a Sterling Studio of Performing Arts in Easley. We love our teacher and owner of the studio, Mrs. Carrie. She is like a bright firecracker of love and creativity. She has put my uptight heart to rest all year long and has helped me help Ellie. She also goes way above and beyond a role of teaching dance moves. That woman holds parties for the kids, takes us on events and adventures, has craft dates for us, and gives us doughnuts!! Say what?! We love her. This studio is very family oriented and I couldn't ask for more. She always puts the needs of the babies first. (And the grown dancers, too).

I asked Carrie about getting involved back in August to start. Ellie was only 12 months exactly. Typically, 18 mos is the starting age, yet; I asked if we could go ahead and start and let her get the feel of it. And she said that would be fine! I am so glad we did. Ellie now has an entire dance semester under her belt and she is not yet 2! It has given her soooo many experiences that we are grateful for.

First Day of Dance!

When Ellie first began dance, though tall, she is slim and trim....and even the smallest of tights, shoes, and tutus were too big on her. She barely had hair, and her bows were huge. Now everything finally just fits! Hahaha! Dance has been an excellent way to watch my child grow physically, yet also in gaining confidence. She is a shy, observant girl. She is very very much like myself. I don't like to out myself out there or talk to new people until I have had time to soak them and my surroundings in. I am introverted, yet when I am comfortable with the people and my surroundings I am cray cray. Ellie is the same. But, she loves Carrie and she trusts Carrie. This is so good and so helpful. She even picked a booger once and gave it to Carrie to take off her finger, telling her thank you. And you know what?! Carrie took it! and wiped her hands of course. She is a mommy herself so she really gets it. It has been an excellent fit for us.

Ellie won't perform much at class or for others. At home, though, she does all of her warm up exercises, and her kicks, and tip toes, and twirls. It is very evident she loves dance and she loves to display her moves for my husband and I. She has learned so much and she has gained confidence in what she has learned.

For her recital, she and her two adorable other classmates danced to "I really love to dance." Ellie was more fascinated with the lights and finding her Daddy. But she enjoyed it! She truly enjoyed the recital and it made my heart so happy! When she got to watch others perform she said, "Wow!" and she clapped for them and cheered them on saying "Yayyy!!!" And when it was her turn to curtsy, she hammed it up and smiled and held her cheeks. Again, just like me, once she has warmed up to something new, she holds nothing back. Her Mimi and G-Daddy gave her a ballerina book and bear for her recital, her Nana and Papa visited before from Michigan and gave her a ballerina barbie which she positions into dance moves, kisses, and sleeps with every night, and Eric and I gave her a bouquet of flowers! I am so proud of her and so happy to be alongside her for as long as I can be! She will start a summer dance class just to keep her fresh, then in August she starts back with a new mommy and me class for another exciting semester of dance!!