Off Topic A brag about my dancer daughter...

[MaryA]

I have twin 9-year-old daughters. One does gymnastics and the other takes dance and art classes (because it would have made my life too easy if they had decided to do the same things). Well, today I got an email from Tory's dance teacher asking if she'd be willing to help with the 3/4 and 4/5-year-old classes. She's at school so I haven't had a chance to tell her yet, but I think she's going to be very excited to be one of the helpers. It's been one of her goals since she was one of those little girls in dance class (wasn't that just yesterday?).

The "teachers assistants" help out in the classes and also perform with the girls in the recitals so that the little girls (and the occasional boy) have someone to watch so they know what they should be doing, and so that there's someone to herd them in the direction they're supposed to be going.

Anyway, I'm so proud to know that her teacher thinks she's ready to help out in the classroom when she's only in 4th grade. She may have run out of options in the older girls... I don't know... but I'm going to be proud anyway! And I'm happy for Tory too. Kathy's gymnastics is so all-encompassing, even though she's on the Y team so it's less all-encompassing than it could be. 8 meets between October and February, and that's not counting sectionals, states, etc (if she qualifies). Tory gets her end-of-the-year recital and that's about it (the dance studio has a competitive team, but not until middle school). I think being the "teaching assistant" in two dance classes will make her feel really special (and, of course, she is!).

Thanks for letting me brag!

 

[MdGymMom01]

That is awesome news for Tory!!!!! What a great teaching and learning experience for her!!! The teachers must be very impressed with Tory's ability to ask her to teach the little ones--what a great honor . Congrats!!!

 

[Megley]

Wow, congratulations to Tory! I feel like it can be hard for the other kdis sometimes with gymnastics taking so much time and attention. How awesome that Tory has her own thing and is doing so well with it.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

It makes me so happy to see you support your dancer daughter as much as you support your gymnast daughter. It can be so easy to get sucked into gymnastics and not realize it as parents when we have other kids. I have this pet peev when I look on youtube (Yes I am guilty, I love watching gymnastics!) and the family will name the channel after their gymmie and have 20 videos of the gymmie and one of the sibling. Yuck!

 

[MaryA]

Thanks everyone! Tory was beyond thrilled when I told her about Mrs. K wanting her to be a teacher's assistant. She actually got to start yesterday. She was exhuasted when I picked her up (2 hours of helping out with the little kids followed immediately by her own modern dance class) but she said that it was the most fun she had EVER! (her words) Now she has decided she wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up!

 

[Bajanswife]

I have a 9 yo dancer DD too! She used to do some rec gym, but she's realized that her passion is really ballet, so she stopped. She gets to take part in one big performance every year - one that the public pays to see, it's not just for the parents and other family members, though they do make up the majority of ticket sales. She also sits the exams of the Royal Academy of Dance - she's so far gained Distinctions in Primary, Grade 1 and Grade 2. I am fully involved in her annual performance to the point where I have danced in it myself every year that she has (I do an adult jazz class at the same studio, ans we work on some really interesting pieces for the show!). When I'm not on stage, I'm helping out backstage - I have never just sat in the audience.

Gymnastics was the thing that was very new to me, and I had to learn so much over the past year and a bit. By gym DD is only 7, and a relatively new member of the Team, so I have spent a lot of time and energy being a part of her training sessions. Also, we had to fly overseas for her first meet in June, which was a big deal. So right now there's a lot of time and attention given to her because I think it's necessary, but I still don't want to lose touch with what my 9 yo DD is doing in ballet. I spend Saturday mornings like a ping pong ball between the 2 classes, as they conflict in times (luckily they are only a 7 minute drive apart ).

ETA: I was so eager to identify with you, I forgot to congratulate your DD! I'm glad she enjoyed it!

 

[gymnastbeth]

Aww, congrats to her! I remember when I was younger, I was in dance class, and I felt so special when I got to lead the stretches, because it was my second year in the class. I can only imagine how great she feels!