Biker Ballerina

My daughter had her first dance recital the other weekend. Sadly she doesn't actually enjoy ballet class and often complains about quitting. Of course I wont let her, I tell her she can quit when she is 18. I'm not trying to live vicariously through her, I did more than enough dancing when I was a kid (I took ballet and tap and jazz for 13 years, M-F) and I can see how it teaches discipline, coordination, grace and flexibility. I'm waiting until her class becomes more interesting, its hardly ballet at this stage, more like body movement. I'm hoping as its gets more into technique, it will become more interesting to her. Anyway, at least both of agree that dressing up and putting on stage make-up before a show is fun.

Last year she did not want to perform, so this year I was happy for her. It was kind of an ordeal. One Saturday afternoon devoted to photos, another devoted to rehearsals and finally the final performance.

So much is lost in translation to me between my broken Mandarin, my daughter's teachers and other mothers. I thought I understood she didn't need her costume for the rehearsal (she did) and so every mom asked me where her costume was and I had to explain 17 times, its at home and I'm too tired to go and get it. (Then their look of shock and awe, but your kid is visibly upset she is the only one without her costume--its just a rehearsal.)



For her rehearsal I was able to film her whole dance in its entirety, unlike the actual performance where they made me stop recording. I still opted not to buy the overcharged DVD and we left after her performance to join a neighborhood Moon Festival BBQ. 

There was some drama the other night when I picked her up from ballet class. I had my scooter motor running and I just got off it to say hello to a mom and then before we knew it, Z was on the scooter, it fell over to the left side and she was freaking out, screaming and revving the ignition. I tried to ungrip her hand from the ignition, but she was white knuckling it and I had to literally lift her and the scooter up off the ground before she let go, and I turned off the key. All of use moms were a bit freaked out. She tried to drive it and if she would of balanced it, it would of gone through 2 moms, 3 ballerinas and the glass door of the dance studio.  I just thought after 4 years of practice and reminding, she already had it down not to ever touch the ignition.

 Needless to say she will never do that again. As for doing another recital, I am looking forward to the sequel.