Classical ballet as a hobby for Big Sis gives me the horrors! I picture some militant old crone with a long stick cramming her poor developing feet into pointe shoes! I know this is probably a big over reaction, but the other image I have is of trying to talk a developing 13 year old girl into eating more than a low fat yoghurt for dinner!
Anyway, I decided that Big Sis would enjoy “something musical” (see post on musicality), so she’s started Creative Dance. I’ll say at the outset that the teacher and programme seem fantastic, beautiful props in a lovely old church hall, with amazing music and even essential oils burning! The kids explore movements to themes, like “in the jungle” and the teacher pulls a little performance piece together at the end.
However, the thing that struck me most on arrival was exactly how creative the other mammas (and pappas) were! How could I tell? Maybe the way they were handing out flyers to their amateur stage productions, the way they dressed and the general chatter? Big Sis was in her element but I was out of my depth!
I hadn’t quite placed the crowd when a friendly mamma struck up a conversation with me, describing how the the teacher structures the classes - “Right”, I replied in all innocence, “like on Playschool!” (for non Australian readers this is a great kids TV show put together by our public broadcaster). The conversation stopped in its tracks and I noticed some of the mummas and pappas near by casting me looks!
Then I realised - this group was made up predominantly of Steiner families, who among other things, don’t allow their kids to watch TV! What I had just said was equivalent to saying - “Yeah, Big Sis dances really well after we all do crack cocaine!”
I skulked out of the building and went to the nearest coffee shop with Little Bro for a restorative flat white, babycinno and doughnut - hoping all the time they weren’t going to spot us through the window. I’m sure they had taken their younger ones down to an outdoor area to explore their natural environment and creatively play!
babycinno, Creative Dance, dancing, musicality, Playschool, tv
