I Feel Torn.

[d0nut_l0ver]

So, as some of you may know, I have been faced with an awfully hard decision: ballet or gymnastics.

Everything was happy-go-lucky in 8th grade. I had ballet Tues. and Thurs., and gymnastics Wed. And it worked out perfectly!

But, I am doing ballet for just ONE more year because I really want to do "The Nutcracker". This isn't just any Nutcracker. I will be in 10 performances, on a professional stage, with professional dancers, and THOUSANDS of people get to see you dance!

I begged my mom to do it last year, but she said no. She said, "You're too busy! Do it next year!" Yes, mom. I'm too busy in 8th grade. So, next year, in my freshman year in high school, I'm TOTALLY going to have less homework and easy tests that I don't need to study for! *sigh*

So, I'm going to do ballet again this year, just for the Nutcracker. Problem? Ballet is Monday Tuesday Wednesday. I'm not good enough for my gymnastics team yet, so gymnastics will still be Wednesday. Ballet is an hour away, so there's NO WAY I could do both ballet and gymnastics in the same day.

I used to think, "Oh, I'll get on team in PLENTY of time for my freshman year!" Well, I was wrong. >.<

At first, I had a high spirit. I told my mom, "I'll just take private lessons!" and she said, "No. They're too expensive." I said, "Can we look for a different gym?" and she said that, if I'm going to do gymnastics at all, I have to do it at my current gym. She told me to join another class, but they don't have any other classes that would be suitable for my age and my level. So basically, she's telling me that I...have to quit...gymnastics.

And then, just today, after having a REALLY BAD day, she gets an email about the Nutcracker audition information. And she read it, and then yelled, "If you do the Nutcracker, you have to go to practice EVERY SINGLE DAY in October and November!!!"

I kind of freaked out and said, "REALLY?!" and then my mom said, "Yes!!! Every Saturday!!!" {Then why did she say every day?} I didn't think every Saturday was bad, but she obviously did. I decided not to tell her that the week before the first performance, I have to go every day of the week...hehe...maybe I shouldn't tell her that right now...

So, NOW my mom is doing everything she can to get me to NOT want to do ballet just for the Nutcracker. And the thing she said that hurt the most was just now...

Me: *doing handstands*
Mom: Wow, looks like you are REALLY going to miss gymnastics...
Me: *shrugs*
Mom: Are you SURE you want to do this? Quit gymnastics for the Nutcracker?
Me: Um...yeah...*tears up*

But, I'm all nervous because I'm taking a huge chance. Last year, when I was in Level 2 at my ballet school, EVERYBODY in Level 2 who auditions gets to do the Nutcracker. But, in Level 3, which is the level I'll be in this year, only about 1/3 of everyone who auditions gets in. So, if I don't get in, then me doing ballet, and quitting gymnastics, is just wasted. And I'll cry for days because this is a once in a lifetime chance, dancing on a stage with professionals, and I've wanted to do it ever since I started ballet.

I just don't know what to do. We can get our money back if we quit ballet now. And I could keep doing gymnastics. Or I can quit gymnastics and risk it all for 10 performances of the Nutcracker that may or may not be in my future.

But, if I don't at least AUDITION for the Nutcracker {which I must be registered for ballet class to do so}, I'll be so mad that I never even TRIED! But I can't quit gymnastics! I can't!!!

I don't know what to do. I'm bawling right now. Gymnastics is my most favorite sport EVER. I like it better than ballet. But I still like ballet, and I'll, like, die if I don't at least audition for the Nutcracker. I just feel so torn. I feel sick too. Sick from being nervous.

Sorry for this long vent. You didn't really have to read it...

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

I don't know what to tell you. I'm really sorry you have to make such a hard decision. The only thing I can say is do what you love the most. Being on stage might be one of the best opportunities you'll ever get but is it what you really love? If it is, go for it! If its not, then just keep working on your goal of getting on team at your gym! Do what makes you happy and everything else will fall into place.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

But I love both of them so much! I LOVE being with my silly ballet friends, even if they ARE 4 years younger than me, and getting to dance alongside them on a stage. {done it once before, but a very minor performance.} But I've been dying to get on team for 3 years...every since the beggining of 6th grade.

I was trying to cheer myself up and I said, "Hey mom, it would be awesome if I could do gymnastics team in 10th grade! " and she said "But if you're quitting for a year, you won't be nearly as good."

Of course, there is always the option to keep bugging my mom about private lessons. Practicing at home and the lessons should keep gymnastics in my brain. And, if I get my ROBH in the private lessons {the last skill I need to get on team!}, I could be invited to bronze team! And they offer 3 or 4 days for bronze team to practice, and you only have to go to 2. So, if two of the days were not on ballet days, ta-da! I can do both! And, if there's only one day that's not on a ballet day, I'm sure they'd let me practice with Silver Team {which practices different days} for just a day, I'd just be doing different skills than them. ;D

But, of course, I first have to convince my mom to let me do private lessons. I told her I'd pay, but she still didn't want to sign up for them.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

Wow, I'm sorry. But look on the bright side, it's not like you'd have to quit gymnastics forever!
I think you should sit down with your mom and look at all the options. Find a time when she is in a good mood and not busy, and ask if you can talk to her about something. If you think she'll make a scene, go out for ice cream or somewhere where she's less likely to get mad. Then find out why she is against private lessons or changing gyms. Tell her that you could just take privates until you get your ROBHS so you could get on the team, and that you would pay for it.
I think you will have a blast doing the Nutcracker. Talk about a once in a lifetime chance!
Good luck, and keep us updated! Hope this helped.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Yeah, this Wednesday, she's coming in to talk to the head coach and ask about options. Like, if there's any other classes I could be in. I'll talk to her then. And who knows, maybe private lessons there aren't too expensive!

Me too! All of my ballet friends have done it twice now. xD They tell me it's lots of fun ;D And even though there's not as much of a chance of getting in if you're in Level 3, you get cooler parts in level three! ;D In Level 2, you're either a mouse or a bumblebee. And like 20 other people have your part too. xD But in Level 3, you can be the one-and-only gingerbread, or teddy bear, or...other awesome parts!

 

[gymgurl]

You could at least audition and then if you get in you could do ballet but if you don't gymnastics, I know its hard but this performance opportunity is awesome

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

I just wanted to let you guys know how it went.

So, my mom and I talked to the head coach. My mom told her that I would be doing ballet on Wednesdays, which is the only day they offer my pre-team class, and that I would be busy with "The Nutcracker" up until after the holidays.

She informed us that the next gym session would be up until the holidays, and that she thought I would be fine coming back to gymnastics after Christmas and all that. She told me to practice using my mat and foam beam and to do sit-ups and push-ups and other conditioning as often as possible. She said that after the holidays, since I would still be doing ballet, I could take some private lessons until summer {which has no ballet} comes, and my mom said private lessons once every other week would be okay with her. ^^

So, yup! Goodbye gymnastics, until 2013!

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

That's great that you got it all worked out! Make sure you especially keep working on conditioning and flexibility. I took a month off and forgot to do that, and boy was it hard that first day back! And skills too, it's good that you have a mat and a beam.