The Finca School of Ballet

As most of you know, I have been obsessed with ballet since about age 7. Before I left several of my friends asked me, what are you going to do without ballet, my answer, I brought it with me! Since November I have been teaching our girls ballet, and practicing myself in one of middle school classrooms. Part of the floor is even wooden, so if you focus really hard it almost looks like a ballet satudio. During the past few weeks its been fun to notice what the girls are starting to improve at and remember.

House 1, or our little girls, age 5 through 9, have class Thursday from 3 to 345. They are big fans of their bunny hops, princess fairy walks, and skips. This past week one of our social workers asked Cati what she learned in ballet this week, she told her how to drink water. She then showed her how when you sit in the butterfly leg stretch you imagine a cup is between your feet and then drink from it to stretch. Cati, only 5 and already knows the importance of staying hydrated!

House 2, our middle girls, age 9 through 12, have class on Thursday from 4 to 5. They are learning how to spot, or turn repeatedly without getting dizzy. This has been quite entertaining to watch to say the least. The only problem is now that half of them can do it during free dance all they want to do is turns, and the other half who cannot spot get really dizzy because they just want to turn as well!

House 6, our teenage girls ages 13 through 15, only has three girls in class, but their comprehension is incredible. They are learning the terms in french without a problem. They also are very into choreagraphing with is great fun to watch and help them extend their imagination.

Lastly, I stay after on Thursday for an hour, and some Saturdays after house 6 class to have my own ballet class. My teacher at home, Miss Virginia, took good care of me and send me down with tons of music and several classes from the summer on dvd to keep me going. After 16 years of dancing with her I still here her voice in my head while I teach myself classes, both remebering paterns she used and hearing her tell me to straighten my left knee! Every week I look forward to Thursday knowing that I will have three straight hours of ballet, one just with me. It is literally my favorite afternoon of the week. The others vols can tell when I come back to dinner at the house on my ballet high smiling ear to ear and sitting up super straight.

So yes, ballet lives on in my life, and is spreading to many smiling faces here at the finca!