So, my six year old started ballet three weeks ago. She calls out in class, runs around the room, takes her ballet slippers on and off and sings loudly while doing the exercises. (Of course not all the time and not all at once.)

She is used to doing creative movement with me at home. She is used to expressing herself and creating a lot of her own movements instead of being told to do a specific movement a specific way. Ballet is a beautiful artform with a different class structure then she was used to.

As a parent, I am upset that she is not following the directions. As an educator I see it differently.

I think there are some steps in the class that are very challenging for her. She gets silly instead of asking for help. I also notice that she follows the directions when she is moving across the floor and when her entire body is engaged.

I always tell parents, kids and teachers when I teach that keeping the body still is so much more difficult then moving the body. The muscle control, mind body connection and patience is all being tested.

I agree 100% that variety is the key to success when teaching dance to young children. The various activities can be related but having many different things to do helps all types of learners and movers. I also can’t say enough for imagery and imagination while learning. I do not believe that skills should be void of visuals and fun analogies. Learning is fun, exciting and full of adventure. Sometimes I think that teachers think that in order to have a structured well behaved class it has to be serious. Smiling is always good for the soul.

So, now back to me as a parent. The challenge. I do not want her to quit before her lessons are finished (I paid for 6 weeks.) I talked with her about working on skills that are important to dancers and learners: listening and following directions. I discussed with her appropriate ways of asking for help if she is having trouble or needs the teacher to repeat a step. And I talked with her about doing her best. Which does not mean she has to do the step perfectly but the best she can.

The word “perfect” should be taken out of the dancer dictionary but that discussion is for another day.

So, my goal is to embrace that she is not going to be the “perfect” student, that I can help her use her words to express if she needs help, and focus her on other very important skills that all learners and dancers need to master; patience, practice, listening and following directions. And I plan on talking to her teacher as well, who I respect very much.

If in a few weeks she is still having trouble I have no problem letting her take a break. Maybe she will want to explore other dance forms, maybe she will be interested in ballet when she is older or maybe not. For myself, I took ballet when I was five. I didn’t like wearing the black leaotards and pink tights. I quit and then when I was 9 years old I stepped back into a studio and never left.

Her journey and experiences in life have just begun!