Dance Moms Costa Rica Edition

 

Has nothing to do with last night, but it was the only photo involving dancing I still have in my funny stuff. Somewhere floating around in my images is a photo of me dressed as a ballerina for my own dance recital. I wish I could find it because my hair is truly tragic, teased into an enormous beehive sporting enough Aqua Net to open up its own hole in the ozone layer.

I've been cleaning like a fiend in preparation for my house sitter, but last night we took a break. I wasn't wild about the idea but I was glad I went. We went to the end of the academic year dance recital for one of Jim's students, a sweet high school girl name Mariguana.

In many ways it was just like recitals in the US. proud parents rushing up to take close ups of their children dancing, moms and dads sporting tees with the name of the dance studio with "Dance Moms" or "Dance Dads" on them. The kids did a variety of styles that weren't routinely taught when I was a kid in the Jurassic Age like Acrobatic, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, and Group among others. We were all about ballet, tap and twirling (majorettes!). Recitals are all about showing off your development and progression as a dance, more the long slog that the quick few lessons.

Where it differed was that it was held at a local park, outdoor stage, etc, and that made it damn near magical. At one point as the sun was setting, the ballerinas were performing to Prokofiev and a large cloud of dragonflies danced just above our heads. So lovely, it felt so right! I have seen theater and dance in a variety of high end settings but this felt like magic in the best way!

I was amused to see three of the senior dancers did a short 1 minute dance en pointe, in toe shoes, so very briefly. All those three were in the 16 to 17 range, really too old to be starting in toe shoes, but I was glad. During my years dancing (and I started at 4) I was pushed at a young age to dance en pointe, at something like 8 years old this painfully torturous method of dance was taught to me. I've been told by my orthopedic doctor for years that my hip problem, foot/ankle problems and occasional back problems developed from dancing en pointe before my body was properly developed to do it with minimal damage.  Now they recognize no one should do it much before 12 or 13 years old. Back in my ancient times they pushed to get you up on toe shoes quickly. Times change.

Just looked it up and apparently now some dance instructors make dancers get xrays of their feet to prove the growth plates are closed, something that usually does not happen until between 13 and 15 years old. While I love the majestic artistry of ballet I also love the idea of making sure you first do no harm to create that art.

During the night the friend who accompanied us kept up a steady stream of ranting about his wife and their problems. I just kept telling him when he puzzled over her behaviors that women act like that when they feel used, unseen, disrespected. By the second to last song he ditched to go make amends. I hope our advice to just simply talk to her without blaming and rancor works! 

Today it's get the last few things done here to pack up. We did the walk through with the housesitter this morning. I need to get a few prescriptions refilled and pick up a few last minute gifts but we are close to ready to fly out on Wednesday. Sadly we're not flying first class.

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