Extra-Curricular Activities I Loved

I already talked about twirling my rifle in the band so I won’t go plow that field again. Today, I’ll talk about an activity I did from first grade until I graduated from high school. Ballet.  And later, Jazz and tap.

I started ballet  lessons when I lived in Virginia. I loved, loved the music, the gracefulness and the unutterably sad stories that the music and the dance helped to tell. I was mesmerized and I tried my darndest to be a graceful swan. Alas, a klutz I was and a klutz I still am.

When I moved to Florida, the ballet studio also offered jazz and tap. Lo and behold, I found my dance niche. I didn’t have the hands of a graceful ballerina, rather, I had JAZZ hands. I could fling those fingers out there and slap those taps like a champ. It was fun, but I still had the dream of being a ballerina in a tragedy.

One year, the year I got a featured part in the ballet (yes, me!), a girl in PE class leapt on my foot as I played 3rd base. This was on Monday. Performance was set for Saturday. My ankle was fractured. Oh, the tears and recriminations. It was hell week for the parents.  I insisted on heading down to the performance and stood in the wings on my crutches until time to go on.  And go on I did. It hurt like crazy but this was my turn, my chance, my thing.  I did a passable job and was proud of myself for it.

I still love the ballet and watch whenever I get the chance. I really would’ve run off with Mikhail Baryshnikov given the chance. He was spectacular! Check it out: