Norah news: dance costume

Norah News: Dance Report

Well, if you haven't figured it out yet, this weekend was really all about Norah :)  No worries, it was fun overall!  It was also dance recital weekend, which kept us busy.  It was bittersweet in a way, as it was the last time she'll be dancing with her daycare friends.  It's also the last time with this dance school as we're going to try another place in the fall (and try tap dancing also, which she's quite excited about!)

Not too much else to say, the pictures pretty much tell the story, and, well... I'm blogged out for the moment!

(F) Lauren, Norah, Cassandra, Haily, Mina
(R) Erin, Elsa, Simme

 

12 Days of 2012: Day 1

The girls ready for rehearsal - Norah, Sammi, Cassandra, Lauren, Elsa, Hailey, xx and Erin  

The excitement continues....

Gangman style ballerinas!

Doing their number

Day of the big show, ready to break a leg!

Our big girl ballerina!

Norah News: Dancer in Action

The professional photos from Norah's dance recital were recently made available. Unfortunately, Norah was at the far right of the stage, and didn't show up in many of them.  However, the photographer did catch a solo shot of our big girl, deep in concentration as she strutted her stuff on stage!  I really like the look of concentration on her face...

Norah News: Dance Photos

Norah had her second dance recital a month or so ago.  We were fortunate to have not one, but both sets of her grandparents here for the big show!  Naturally she enjoyed being the center of attention, and we enjoyed having both our families here at the same time. 

This wraps up Norah's first year of dance lessons, and to say it's been a great success is an understatement!  She really enjoyed her weekly classes and especially enjoyed both recitals (and their fancy costumes!!)  In addition to frequently dancing from place to place and dancing with her little brother, she's also become much more co-ordinated and strong!  She may have simply grown into her limbs, but dance certainly hasn't hurt!  Apparently each spring they have "picture day" before the recital... it was fun as the girls enjoyed the special trip to Miss Becky's studio in anticipation of the big day!

Norah News: Dance Recital

Apologies about this blog being a little late, but since the day of Norah's dance recital - 2 weeks ago - we've pretty much all been sick!  It started with Norah running a fever on the day of the recital (which dampened her enthusiasm only slightly) and made it's way though the house, with Matt quite possibly getting hit a second time.

As you may recall, Norah started taking dance lessons back in September.  Since she takes the classes at daycare, I don't get to see what they do from week to week, so the recital was really the first view of the "product" for me and the other moms.  I'll have to say that overall I was quite impressed with the show and very pleased with how Norah and her class have been doing.  Norah first told me that they were having a "peep show" for the holiday Christmas  show... meaning of course that they were doing a number with Little Bo Peep!  The theme of the show was Toy Story, and each number reflected a part of the story as told in the movie. 

Here is Norah showing us a plie before the rehearsal

A more demure pose before the rehearsal

Norah and her friend Hailey waiting for their turn at rehearsal

The Preschool girls, waiting for their turn... Julia, Lauren, Cassandra, Norah and Hailey

Norah, getting in the right mood before the big show

There is Norah, just to the right of the teacher, doing her ballet thing!

How cute are these girls!

At the end of the show, Norah raved about how fun it was to dance on stage (no stage fright here!!) and even though she wasn't feeling well, she insisted on watching the end of the show.  She literally curled up on my lap until the show was over and then instantly fell asleep when we got in the car - until the next morning!  Since that time, we've been home most of the time, and it's been all ballet, all the time, around here!  She dances from room to room, and if I let her, would wear a dance get-up most every day.  I'm actually impressed at how much she has improved, especially over the past month or so - she was much better control over her limbs in addition to the sheer enjoyment she gets from the whole thing!

Norah News: Soccer or Dance?

Real picture from her school

One of the things I love about our daycare is that they offer "Enrichment Programs" - some optional, some are included.  Included are things like Jazzercise, Music and Spanish.  Optional (and at an extra fee!) are things like Swimming, Dance, Soccer and Karate. 

Until recently, Norah has been too young for many of these "extras" so I didn't really think about it too much.  She was old enough to start with the last session of Dance in the spring, but just barely, and I thought I'd leave it and see if she showed an interest or not.  Of course, she did!  Due in part to the fact that one of her best buddies at school, Cassandra, was participating, I am sure, but she's always shown an interest in music and movement.  As regular readers of the Bugle also know, she's big into all things girly, as many girls her age are.  I was all set to sign her up for the upcoming fall session, when I got an email about Soccer as a new addition to the Enrichment lineup.   It's possible for her to do both, but at three and a half I think that's too much for her, and my pocketbook.

Now, I should note that I think soccer is a great sport for little kids, and out here in the 'burbs, it's a big scene! We drive by the local field where a pile of little kids are running around in uniforms too big several times a week during the season.  Norah always says something about playing when she's bigger, but doesn't show much interest (or aptitude, poor girl takes after her mother) with the soccer ball in the yard.

So here is my dilemma - do I sign her up for dance and fuel her own interests, or do I sign her up for soccer and see if she likes it?  On the one hand, there is a lot to be learned (especially for us un co-ordinated types) from Dance.  In fact, I credit several years of dance lessons with my being as co-ordinated as I am (If you knew me when I was younger, you know that I regularly walked into things...)  We've long thought that Norah was a born performer, and even though she's into being a girly-girl, she also likes other things, and I don't think either Dance or Soccer will have an effect.

On the other hand, maybe if she tried soccer, she'd really like it...  I didn't play a lot of sports as a kid (mainly swimming) and didn't really become regularly physically active until I was well into my 20's but I wonder if I had been exposed to other options, maybe I would have found one that was a fit for me.  Things like track & field, cross country running and cycling teams just weren't available to a girl in Sydney in the 70's!

At the moment, I'm leaning towards Dance for a couple of reasons.  First, she's only three and a half, there's lots of time to try new things.  Second, we asked her and that's what she picked.  The third reason has to do with a conversation I had with my mom more than 10 years ago.  I asked why I never got to take piano, art or gymnastics lessons like my sisters (Erin for the art and music, Susan for the gymnastics)  Her answer was that I didn't show any interest in those things. I liked to read, and swim (still do).  What I remember is that I went to the library every Friday (before Dance class, ironically) for years, and I spent a lot of time in the pool.  I don't remember wishing I was at piano lessons or wanting to join Susan on the balance beam.  Over the years I've tried soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton, tennis, squash, golf, and frisbee but never really had a sustained interest in any of them.  For me, physical activity is best served by moving under my own power, ideally with the wind in my hair.  Swimming, hiking, running, walking and biking all fit this bill, and with the exception of running, have all been a part of my life consistently for a long time. 

Looks like Nanny Sharon was on to something, and that Norah will be taking Dance.