Inner Beauty

Photos: 1. Preparing for Friday's dress rehearsal

3. Emma's entrance at the staging rehearsal (the orchestra was not there yet). 

All performance pictures were taken at this rehearsal.

6. Elise is second from right. 

7. This picture makes me smile, the way Elise faces the rest of the group.

8. Aargh! Degas would not be pleased. Ballet pictures that cut off the feet? 

To be close enough, I was standing right at the orchestra pit, looking upwards. 

(Note to self: next time bring longer lens!) 

Emma is holding her crown because it had fallen off -- but no worries by performance time. 

9. With Grandma Shirley on Saturday. 

Grandpa Jim, Grandma Hatch and Aunt Katie came, too. 

(Other pictures, with them, are still on Jeff's phone.) Thank you for supporting us!

Emma and Elise had their fabulous ballet recital last week. And when I say fabulous, I mean fabulous! This is the type of carefully planned production with original songs and live orchestra. Did you catch that? Live orchestra! The theme was "Once Upon a Time," and the fables and fairy tales portrayed through dance were food for thought in delicious eye candy packaging. In many dances the beautiful costumes became a narrative tool. I especially liked "Sun and Wind," the story of those two elements betting which could get a man to take off his coat.

Emma was a princess among frogs, and Elise was a flower in the story of Snow White. This is Emma's second year of ballet; she started last year at age 11 in a class for older beginners. (This ballet school generally starts girls at age 4.) This year she was several years older than most girls in her class, but I'm so proud of her for working hard and not letting the age difference affect her. I'm also grateful to her wonderful teacher, Circe, for cultivating Emma's confidence. This is Elise's first year of ballet. Last year as soon as the curtains dropped on Emma's recital, previously disinterested Elise leaned over to me and whispered, "Can I take ballet?"

Emma's song about made me cry with its words, "Shouldn't every little girl believe that she's a princess?" But be careful, says the song, because someday a prince will make her his own.

Every parent says it, but it's true -- children grow up too fast! Seeing my "little" girls all dressed up like this gives me a glimpse of the women they will become ... all too soon. Although it must be said the hours prior to the recital were practically Elise's undoing. She was an emotional wreck! As we scrambled around the house getting ready I finally pegged her: she wanted me to say she was more beautiful than Emma. I told her I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't! Yet no amount of "You're both beautiful" and "I love you!" would help. Thankfully the drive to the auditorium was long enough for her to reset. Elise also ended the recital very pleased with how she did, and I was grateful for Emma's sincere compliments to her. So grateful! 

What I appreciate most about the girls' ballet experience is this: for every sequin and tube of mascara; for every yard of taffeta and swipe of shimmery eyeshadow, are hours and hours and HOURS of work with no immediate, easy reward -- a year's worth, almost. Emma had two 1-hour classes a week, with one at 8:30 on Saturday mornings. And getting up was no easy task, I tell you.

So, now we're coming down from the recital high. The girls were stars, but now it's back to the every day. I know though, that their poise and self-assurance on stage can touch most anything else in their lives, especially when hard work goes alongside.

What I hope my girls learn is this, that beauty backed by substance is the very best kind.