ballet's end of year...

harper has had a committed love for ballet since she was only 3 years old.  every year i love watching her love for ballet grow.  her biggest inspiration for this year was to improve enough to move up to ballet 1 so that she could audition for a part in the production of the nutcracker. 

with 4 children we have made it quite clear that they can choose one, and only one, extracurricular activity in which to be involved.  harper has seamlessly given up soccer and her fleeting thoughts to pursue gymnastics. 

i wonder if it will change for her...or if she will always be hopelessly in love with ballet. 

she has a natural grace about her that is not born of me.  she has to work harder than some at stretching. i contributed her lack of flexibility; you're welcome birdie...but she works.  she is always stretching and leaping and tonduing and portabraing...

as i drove her to her final class of the year i tried to prepare her for the possibility that she may not be moved up to the next level.  i told her that if, because she was still so young, they wanted to keep her at the same level we could possibly look into a dance school closer to home.  we drive 30 minutes to her current class.  she just looked at me and said, "i really want to dance in the nutcracker".

we had her evaluation at the end of her final class and mrs. wheeless praised her passion and knowledge.  she praised her technique and effort.  she praised her sweet spirit and obedience.  she told her that she needs to work on her focus in class...

all the while harper hung on every word.  with each positive note, her eyes would light up.  with each criticism, her face would grow worried and serious.  but at the end mrs. wheeless confirmed that harper would indeed be moving up to the next level! 

we are so proud of her.

she has been so dedicated and worked so hard and i am just so happy that she is going to see that all of that work pays off...

looking bored :)

i love that they are lined up according to size; my tiny ballerina is always at the end :)