Ballet Playtime
ByMr.e

It is important to my wife and I to expose our young child to as many different art and music disciplines as he/she shows interest in.

Our own interest was peaked when a ballet school set up shop above the video store we frequent.

In short order, while our interest was still peaked and as dutiful parents doing their research we dropped in to the drop-in class to have a look at what an early ballet class looks and feels like. Our child had a great time using as much of the wide-open wood floored space of the dance studio as possible.

Smiles all around and squeals of delight from delighted little dancers as the real live pianist tickled the ivory, coaxing some melodies from the old upright piano in an attempt to create a danceable feeling among the once and future stars of dance.

Ok, we signed some forms, postdated some cheques, and set off to purchase the required attire at a nearby store specializing in such dainty kit. Our darling child was absolutely transformed the first time these garments were stretched and pulled on. Once the stockinged feet were slipped into the soft leather dance slippers, the transformation was complete.

The first half-hour weekly session resembled pink tinged chaos as the instructor tried her best to corral and organize six silly bundles of energy scattering every which way in the large studio.

The second session was the same. The third not much different. Credit must be given to the courageous teacher who must deal with pure energy and little focus. A good portion of each session is spent simply trying to get the kids focused for some bits of instruction before the class was over.

OK, so half an hour is not a long time, but these sessions fly by for the parents waiting outside the big green door as their youngsters are exposed to ballet.

The whole concept fell apart from us in the third or fourth session when it became apparent that there would be no class structure nor would the discipline that was touted in the school brochure be enforced. Too many distractions were and continue to be allowed to interfere with the already short class.

Then there are the parents who absolutely insist that their children be part of the class even when the child continues to demonstrate a sincere reluctance to participate, after 10 sessions. All in the name of ‘the art’ because that parent is ‘very interested in studying ballet’. This approach is as baffling as it is heart breaking.

Well, the merry pink chaos continues. There is no discernable change from the first class and we’ve resigned ourselves to the fact that we’ll stick out the season instead of taking our child out of the class, if you can call it that. We probably will give ballet another shot at some later date.

Metered play time at a buck a minute masquerading as ballet … you do the math.