Welcome to May, one of our busiest months. This weekend S will have her spring performance at ballet. She says that she is a "little nervous" but I am not sure what that means as she usually goes out there and shines! I have a feeling that this year will be no exception. She has become more confident in the past few months; and truly knows what she is doing.

She and I had an interesting conversation yesterday. The ballet instructor moved her last Wednesday from a place she had been rehearsing for two months and put another student in that place. When said student didn't get the timing, she replaced that student with another student. That student didn't get it either.

Saturday they did not rehearse this part but they did yesterday. Apparently the kids took their "new" places.

Instructor: S, are you supposed to be there?
S: Yes
Instructor: You a are supposed to be in grunt of this student?
S: Yes, you moved this student and then that student and I stayed here.
Instructor: I guess we will have to keep it the way it is.

S says she isn't quite sure if that means that she will take her spot or if the new order, miscount and all, will stay. She says she will ask at rehersals on Friday. We shall see.

I was very proud of S for using her voice and for telling the truth. The instructor and S have had a strange relationship throughout the past five years... but they seem to be finding a comfortable place (for the moment).

I think that the instructor forgot that she changed the line the week before the performance; that she didn't intend to completely change it; and that the purpose was for something different than what she received. She didn't realize that the little girl who took the place of the wee lass would remember and want to keep that spot.

perhaps the instructor learned a lesson... if you want to change things, ensure that you do it earlier... and if you truly don't intend to change them... then hank of different means of providing incentives. She took a child that knew the count and had rehearsed the part out and replaced her with a child that has not rehearsed and doesn't know the count.

S will shine anyway... wherever she is in the line... she will shine!