Fondue is NOT a Dance Term!

Mia just returned from her third session of "pre-ballet" class for 3-5 year olds. She is enjoying herself, which is the important thing. However, it is becoming much more complicated than I envisioned a 25 minute class for preschoolers would be. During the first class, I was allowed to watch from inside the room while the girls hopped, spun, and tried to stand in a line. This seemed like an appropriate introduction to dance to me, since it appeared that the main thing was to move to music and start to follow the directions of the dance teacher. Now, that I am forced to remain in the hallway, I have much less awareness of what is happening in the class. For a total layman, this might not be a good thing. I have heard the instructor tell the girls to "kiss" their heels together for first position, and I can visualize that pretty well (I think). I am not sure if any of the girls can do it, but I enjoy hearing all of the kissing noises coming from the room while they attempt it. It's pretty darn cute!

Today I chatted a little bit with a couple of other moms who seemed to know their stuff so I asked them why the pink shoes come with little bows if the dancers are just supposed to tuck them in anyway, (which is what I overheard last week). They were nice enough to tell me that it helps the shoes stay on (don't ask me how). Then I discovered that this doesn't really matter because Mia has the cheapest shoes I could find, completely unauthentic, with bows that are sewn on so I have no idea how to tuck them in without cutting them. I should have realized that these were not the right shoes when the instructor commented at the first class, "Look at those pink shoes!" So I did look, and they are pink, which seemed right to me, until I saw all of the other girls shoes. They're pink, but not baby pink, more like dirty brownish pink. I decided that this couldn't possibly matter that much and made a mental note to buy the "correct" shoes (probably on eBay) if she ever needed a bigger size. Mia didn't seem to notice or care.

I, however, noted that she was the only one not wearing a tutu or a leotard with an attached skirt, and that she was the only one with her hair not pulled back. I have pulled her hair back in a ponytail since then. Plus, Mia was sure to tell me that we can't "forget" her skirt again! (And here I had thought she didn't notice. I had should have known better; nothing escapes her notice!)

Today I heard a lot more terms (presumably French), and I realized that I am hopelessly lost! I need to learn some basic ballet terminology and maybe even some steps, and I need to learn quickly if I am going to keep up. Realizing that I am not as informed as the other moms, I tried to make a joke as the girls were changing back into their tennis shoes. I said, "I guess I need to Google this stuff because I swear they were doing 'fondue' in there!" No laughter. They weren't mean or anything, but they must have thought I was a total moron. The mom who had said she was a dance major in college (gulp!) quickly corrected me. It's pronounced tondu (and I did Google this to get the correct spelling). Apparently, I have a LOT to learn!