I grew up as the child of two doctors in the US and the perceptions of what people thought of me versus the reality - we were far from wealthy. Comfortable middle class, but most doctors in the US don’t really make that much unless they are a handful of expensive specialists.

Med school in some countries is much cheaper than in the US so money for training - and the Dutch probably don’t work their med students to near death and mental health crises the way the US does.

Consider Yourself - Oliver

Oh The Thinks You Can Think - Seussical (have them dress as a cute version of Thing 1 and Thing 2???) — there are some others you could look at in this show.

Cuts from first half of “Picture Show” from Bonnie and Clyde (before they grow up!). You’d have to have one dress as a boy but it would be really cute.

Friend Like Me - Aladdin

She was beautiful and fought so hard. Leanne and Tiana and Jocelyn have my heart, TBH.

Some concepts that helped me re: child development

Milestones for young kids: they can march and gallop before age 4-5, but are not developmentally ready to skip until then: Cross lateral movement begins around age 5 which is why skipping and chassés on the non-dominate side don’t always come until then.

A 3-4 year old can only handle 30-60 seconds of very structure guided teacher instruction (ie follow along and do plies) before they need to do something that is child-led like dance and freeze or listen and move to changes in music. So structuring my classes for this age group around this idea has made behavior issues almost non-existent.

My technique focused studio did both full length ballets (or partnering with a professional company for the kids to do Nutracker) and recitals once a year, plus some other performance opportunities here and there.

Competition dance is just unethical all around. Literally my instagram feed is littered with reels of competition moms complaining about the cost of it and trying to promote the MLMs they’ve joined to keep their families out of bankruptcy. And the little dancers who are carting out giant set pieces to dance around in like a whole ass ice cream stand or a giant oyster — what in the heck is the point🙃

The non-competitive studio I teach at currently does order recital costumes for most younger classes (the older dancers who are in more than one class will usually have one or two costumes that are order , and then their other classes are a combination of stuff pulled from personal closets or a skirt, tunic or tutu from storage) but the students get to keep the costumes that they are charged for. The combo classes typically do an all-in-one (a look for ballet, a look for jazz or tap) to keep costs down. And then the story ballet that’s done every other year pulls from costume stock and it’s very simple using the student’s black leotards as the base. I feel like they do the best they can in a reasonable way.

$100s of dollars on costumes for a end of season show is also unethical. I grew up when costumes were our uniform leotard and some skirt or other pulled from the studio’s storage. We weren’t buying brand new costumes for multiple dances. The cost of what people are expected to pay for costumes for a recital or competition is absolutely out of control.

I’m not talking about costumes for professional performances or full on academy produced ballets like the Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol which obviously involves more costuming. Talking about recital.

Right but it’s unethical IMO to charge more than $30 for that per student.

Relaxed Cargo Dance studio pants (the regular ones give me weird crotch situation) are perfect.

I also love my Alway Effortless Jacket. It’s a perfect light weight short jacket for mild weather and light rain and it’s very stylish.

I won’t waste more money on Lulu align leggings. You can get the same quality at Target for $30. ☠️☠️☠️☠️

A small costume fee (idk, $15) means they are pulling from costume stock they own, the fee is for cleaning/handling. If you’re paying more money that means the costume is being specifically bought for your child and that usually means it’s yours. Or the studio is fleecing you haha

There is one, but it’s full-footed (ick). Knixteen.

I don’t know any preteens or teenagers who wear full footed tights.

1950s and 1960s songs are always a hit and fun to choreograph to and I gravitate towards them for my 8-9 year olds. Some of my favorite dances I’ve seen are unexpected, like a tap dance to a Star Wars instrumental.

Tap does not weaken the ankle. Just because you can loosen your ankle for certain tap technique does not make it weaker. This is just bogus.

Storytelling.

Ballet is supposed to be a storytelling art in a way their other class styles aren’t (except for Musical theatre if that have that). Yet too often ballet is only approached as “technique” class, even though ballet has always been a theatrical art form.

Technique of course is important. But perhaps instead of only teaching combinations, teach them a variation and have them work on the acting part as well as the technique and musicality. Get into the nitty gritty. Teach them pantomime. Make up a dance with different characters, a story, a little plot.

I guess I was hung up on the desk part.

For a 7 year old??

Yep, if there is more than a two year age difference between children it is still considered statutory in the states.

If someone comes after degages they should not be permitted in. It’s simply not safe.

Thanks! I love fashion history! I’m by no means an expert but I adore these time periods . What I do think is interesting about the Willies and how this ballet became so popular at the time is that there was this kind of obsession with women appearing kind of somber and innocent and ghostly. Oval faces were seen as ideal. The long single drop ringlets on each side of the face were also popular for younger women, otherwise, these low smooth wings of hair that brought the eye downward, with variations of how the hair was arranged in the back (braided bun, curls, high or low) were pretty much the norm.

Whereas the styles of the 1820s and early 30s brought the eye up and were more cheerful and lively, suddenly now we are meek and somber.

The hair reflects an interesting progression into Gothic sentiments, as does the ballet! Giselle is such a product of its time, as is Les Syphides a few years before. ballets prior to this were usually about Greek gods and goddesses. Post French Revolution, now we have ballets about the supernatural, and peasant girls…

Art, fashion, politics — all connected.

Abusers and narcissists can appear thoughtful and caring especially when talking to a camera. They can also love their victims and still be abusive. They can even have good intentions.

She may have been real and painful reasons for being the way she is, but that doesn’t negate the harm done to Victoria.

Lastly, this concept that the DCCC should be the best years of a cheerleaders life is so misogynistic and sad. Life is long, it doesn’t end at 25.

Yes. One thing that is so clear about Victoria is how great she is when dealing with the public. She is so warm and genuine when talking to people at the retirement homes, etc. I can imagine she is equally loved as a dance instructor. She hasn’t had the chance to grow socially when it comes to her peers. I kind of relate to her, I didn’t have the best intrapersonal relationships with my peers until later in my twenties and thirties. I was constantly feeling like I was on the edge looking in and struggled with social confidence, and partly because I wasn’t confident in myself. She needs to spread her wings and get out of her awful mother’s thumb.

The more I watch them, I get major ick. This is not a normal mother-daughter relationship and it’s super weird how possessive mom is. Who celebrates their birthday home alone with pink balloons at age 24 with their mom force feeding them cake?

You realize virtually all nurses are sleep deprived, right?

Her mom isolated her. It’s pretty clear.

Her mom gives Black Swan mom vibes.