Slippers and Ribbons

Oh, how time flies!

Annie is about to start her fourth year of studying classical ballet (and her fifth year of ballet--but the first year was just with a casual class), and we learned last weekend that she is now wearing split sole slippers and--notably--using ribbons on her shoes. This is a little ballet rite of passage!  

Annie is graceful, focused, and not afraid of hard work.  She has adored ballet since she was a toddler; I recall her sitting entranced in front of Swan Lake.  She was only about four years old when she began to want to pursue ballet, and she pursued it with a single-minded seriousness that seemed much older than her years.  I have no idea how long she will study ballet, but I appreciate the character qualities that ballet instills in its students.  They must dress appropriately (uniform, hair in ballet bun, hair net, the correct tights and shoes). They learn to curtsy and thank their teacher at the end of class.  They must exercise discipline in their movements and behaviors.  They do not wear jewelry or nail polish to class. The qualities of tidiness, discipline, and courtesy are all excellent traits to cultivate, whether one dances for years or not.

It's just that she is growing so quickly....

Oh time.  Slow down a little bit, for my sake!