Rylie's First Dance Lesson

Last week was our week for new experiences. Rylie started VPK, both kids started swimming lessons, and Rylie had her first dance lesson last Saturday. It was a great week for everyone, but I think Saturday was the highlight for Rylie. She loves dancing!

I signed Rylie up for dance lessons a few weeks ago. I found a preschool class that teaches tap, ballet and some tumbling, and I thought the variety would be perfect for her. Her best buddy Peyton also signed up, and the girls were so excited when we all arrived at the dance studio early Saturday morning.

Up until just recently, Rylie has always been very clingy. She suffered horrible separation anxiety at daycare until she was almost 3, and she would never leave my side at playdates or birthday parties. She has stopped clinging for the most part, but I worried that she wouldn't go into the dance studio without me. Boy was I wrong! As soon as the teacher opened the door, she was the first one in! Of course my friend Jenn and I had to run in and snap a couple pictures of our adorable little dancers before they started.

They all lined up and started off with tap. There are 14 girls in Rylie's class, and to my surprise, they all seemed to follow directions well. They watched Ms. Katrina in the mirror and attempted to replicate her moves. We had such a great time watching them!

I apologize for the quality of the photos here. They were taken through a window with mini-blinds and then bounced off a mirror. That's Rylie on the far left.

The whole time I watched Rylie I was just filled with pride. There was my little girl who, a year ago, wouldn't have walked into that room without me. She was in there dancing away and didn't even seem to care where I was.

At one point in time they turned around and she saw Brian and me outside the window and smiled the biggest smile. She was having so much fun!

You like her tattoos? Yep. That's my little ballerina - showing off her guns!

Rylie was very serious during the whole lesson. I loved watching her expressions as she tried to figure out how to do what Ms. Katrina was doing. You may have to click on this next picture for the full size version in order to see her face, but she's looking like "you want me to do what?!?!"

When her lesson was over, she ran out of the studio with the biggest smile on her face! She had such a great time and can't wait to go back next weekend.

I hope that dance is something she will stick with for a while. Rylie has always been kind of a clumsy kid, so I'm hopeful that she will learn some grace and rhythm, which is something else she lacks. I just want her to have fun, though, and so far, she definitely is!

Do your kids participate in extracurricular activities? Which ones do they like best?