Practice for Princess Florine/Bluebird Variation

i just need to keep this video here, before it gets buried under other ballet videos i am and will be taking in the next few months.

this is a recording of her second day in her private ballet class, where she learns her first ever solo ballet variation. the video was taken yesterday, at Cheng Ballet, where she goes for her ballet lessons, with her favorite teacher, ms. Ho… (the moms are encouraged to take videos of their kids dancing in the private class, so that the kids can go over it again at home).

Aina is learning Princess Florine/Bluebird Variation from the Sleeping Beauty Ballet. the video only shows halfway through the variations, since she hasn’t learnt the rest of the dance. here, her steps are still shaky, turn-outs are still a problem, and she still forgets to point her toes most of the time.

but whenever i watch this, i feel very emotional… i’m posting the video here, because i want to remember that when she came out of the class, she looked very happy… she was  thrilled that Ms. Ho had finally taught her to do échappé and the tendue-attitude-arabesque part that she’s been watching from the Youtube videos for the past two weeks (since she was assigned this variation).  and she was very happy that her hang-time on one leg is improving, and her fouetté that she’s been practicing in the past week was getting more stable. she then was telling me the names of the moves (those with italics above 😀 ), and what she needs to work at home (her homework from Ms. Ho), and how i could help her.

i was eating my late lunch after the class, when she told me with big, bright, excited eyes, “Ballet is hard!”. then she smiled happily and continued chomping on her sausage roll.