Tiny Dancer

Hadley's first pair of ballet shoes

Hadley LOVES to dance. When she hears music she dances. Before she even turned 3 she was begging me to let her take ballet. I was so hesitant because I didn't think she was ready for it and thought the recitals, dance costumes, and rules were too much for a 3-year-old who should just be having fun! I even called one studio that told me the girls had to have a bun (with no stray hairs), specific tights and leotards, no tutu (until the teacher decides the student is ready to move up to a level in which tutus are allowed), and their bows tucked in (for non-dancers like me this means to tuck the bows into the ballet shoes so that the shoes do not loosen). REALLY?!?! I actually think the only reason Hadley wanted to take ballet was for the tutu! So I put it off, and off, and off. But one day I came across a gym here in Edmond that has a half ballet/half gymnastics class. The girls can wear whatever they want and they begin to learn the basics of ballet. After 30 minutes they go to gymnastics which Hadley has taken and loved since she was 18 months old. How perfect! Well, Hadley loves ballet!!! She is one of the smallest in the class but it doesn't bother her a bit. She likes to practice at home and loves her teacher. And it alternates every 10 weeks with tap/gymnastics combo so she gets to take tap too.