Dance Mom

Last fall I posted HERE about how excited I was to be a soccer mom. It was so exciting to go to the sporting goods store and get the equipment. It was a very emotional experience for me.

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about being a dance mom, but I can tell you how this little girl feels about being a dancer. Check out that smile. I smile just looking at her. Yesterday she told me she likes dancing even more than school. (Which is funny since she hasn't started school yet.). Baylie has wanted to dance ever since she could walk. She loves to leap and twirl and "shake her bootie." She's watched hours of Angelina Ballerina and has learned poses and terminology from that. We check out dance books from the library on a regular basis. I figured it was a phase and once she started playing soccer and doing other things, it would pass. That was not the case. She has continued asking to dance.

A family in our ward owns a very prestigious dance company - Southern Strutt. They started their annual classes back in September, but let Baylie join late. She just had her second class yesterday. Her class does tap and ballet. 

Because I don't like to post pictures of people or their children without permission, I've blurred the faces of the other little girls on this blog.

I had no idea where to even look for a pair of tap shoes, let a lone ballet shoes and a tutu. HELP!! Fortunately, a friend told me about a little consignment shop - Carolina Kidz - that sells all of these things at really reasonable prices. I didn't know if I needed to buy several outfits or just one. Did she need special tights or normal ones? Should the tutu be fluffy or flat? Baylie picked out her leotard and tutu and I found some shoes. Baylie only wants to wear her new pink tutu, so I guess I won't need to buy anything else for a while.

I was a fish out of water at the studio. As my Uncle Eric used to put it so eloquently, "I felt like poop in the punchbowl." (Only my uncle didn't say "poop.") Luckily for me, the coordinator at the studio is one of the family members from our ward and she helped me feel more comfortable. (She is actually one of my favorite people and I hope to be like her when I grow up. She is so sassy!)

I was frankly surprised at how quickly Baylie caught on to everything. She just got right in there and started following along. She didn't miss a beat.

I hadn't realized how coordinated she is. (I had realized how good she is at shaking her shoulders and her tush. She's definitely got rhythm.)

The teacher "Miss Nell" even told me that Baylie was "made for this." I think Miss Nell was worried about adding someone so late, but glad to see Baylie catch on so quickly. I'm not sure Baylie has the body of a dancer and sports will always be my preference, but I love watching her be so happy and confident.

I think her favorite part is looking at herself in the mirror.

And as for being a dance mom, I will never be trendy, skinny or rich enough for that. But those ladies are actually really nice.