If more men realised this, there may be more who do ballet!

It is a Thursday afternoon, actually evening, and I am sitting in a stuffy high school auditorium watching my daughter’s dance recital rehearsal. My youngest came at 3:30 and did her bit and then I took her home to dinner and dad was armed with the Wii.  My eldest is in a number of items in the show and has rehearsal from 3.30 all the way through to 8pm tonight. It is a long day but the girls enjoy it so much. All the make up, the hair is done, the costumes are organized. At least my kids’ costumes are organized. Young little Anna Pavlova’s costume is just one outfit, one hair piece, one pair of shoes and very little stage make up. I have a laundry basket for her and all her goodies are in there.

Older daughter A.K.A. Dame Margot Fonteyn is a little more complicated. She has three numbers, three different costumes, three head pieces, two sashes and two different pairs of shoes. I hate not finding things and definitely do NOT want to make an enemy of the girls’ dancing teacher so I have really jacked my game. Each costume is in a separate suit bag, marked in the costume and on the bag. Each head piece, different pair of tights, sash and shoes each has its own Ziploc bag inside the applicable suit bag. All suit bags are in the laundry basket together with snack, make up bag, hair and reading material, the DS and her cell phone. Okay so now you think I am totally anal about this and that actually:

1. I need to get a life,
2. I need to get a job,
3. I am seriously disturbed.

But you know, I do not do this because I am one or all of the above. I do it for my children and I will tell you why…

The rules of the studio are clear:

1. Keep all your costume pieces together and have all of them for dress rehearsal.
2. Have your hair in a bun with no wispy bits.
3. Have full stage make-up (big girls) and just the blush and lips for the really little ones.
4. Be on time…

The rules are simple and easy to follow. However, there are some parents who think that the rules don’t really apply to them. After all these are just kids and not really anything to take too seriously. They arrive late…one woman today did not do her child’s make up…another lost a head piece and was very blasé about that and the fact that the girl’s hair was not done…the last mother also was missing the rope from the bodice of the costume. The principal was horrified. And so was I actually.

You do these things and keep to the rules so that your children look the part. So that they don’t look like the odd one out with no hair done or costume pieces missing. I do it out of respect for my children and the hard work they do throughout an entire year of practices and going to dance class in the snow and the heat waves. I do it for them because I love them and I want them to have a good time.

I must be honest though on Monday, I was so wishing that the concert would just fly by. There is so much to organize and there is so much to juggle.  My eldest is fine…she loves all the action and excitement…it is the youngest one that is the most testy. She is not fond of all the schedules and deadlines but today she coped like a true little star performer.

I am sitting here watching the rehearsal. The kids are brilliant. Not just my kids…all the kids…they are living in each and every moment. The older girls are breathtaking and the young ones bring tears to your eyes. All their hard work is paying off and I am proud of each and every one of them and I am especially proud of my two girls…So to those mothers who could not care less…take one singular moment and realize just how sensational your children are!

*****

Please go to Just A Thought and watch the clip linked to Sylvie Guillem…