the best boring thing

There are few things as boring to me as ballet. I honestly don't get it. I don't really see why people like doing it and I really don't see why people enjoy watching it.

I am convinced that people who say watching ballet "transports them to another world" are either lying, or they're taking mushrooms before they go and neglecting to mention that salient detail. I don't see a third option.

All three of our kids do ballet and they love it. And, despite the fact that I find the dancing itself boring, I love ballet for them.

We originally signed them up for a few classes with the hope that it might help develop their spatial awareness and physical poise while giving them some opportunities to make friends. They've always loved classical music (especially movie soundtracks) so we figured they might last a few months.

That was year ago.

My daughter's love of ballet has never wavered. She doesn't walk around the house anymore - she just dances.

And she had us set up a mirror in her room so she can use her bedrail like a barre:

Her brothers, on the other hand, both nearly quit at one point. They were unhappy with the classes they were in, so we asked why: what about the classes don't you like? And we made it clear that they were allowed to stop dancing if they wanted - we just wanted to know what about it they soured on. Was it the ballet itself, or something else?

They said they loved doing the ballet. They love the challenge and the musicality. And they loved the classes with the girls because they were kind and polite. But they hated the classes with the other boys because the other boys at their studio disrupted class and goofed around the entire time. They other boys didn't want to be there, and ours wanted to be more serious about it.

So we tried a few classes at the ballet academy associated with the city's professional ballet troop and they loved every second of it.

Auditions for The Nutcracker rolled around and the boys were adamant they wanted to try out. Our daughter isn't quite old enough yet.

Apparently the boys crushed the auditions because the younger one got cast as Fritz (Marie's little brother) and the older one is going to be the Nutcracker/Prince himself. They're going to be in the same cast.

I still think ballet is boring.

But when my kids are up there I'm going to be ecstatic. They've worked really hard for a long time, they've pushed themselves, and their hard work means they get to perform on stage with the professional ballet company.

That's something nobody can take away from them.

RIP our calendars until the holidays are over though: there are like 20 performances plus all the rehearsals.

It's gonna get hard for them.

They're going to be tired and sore and bored at times, but they're not going to have any choice but to push through. They're going to work with the professional company in every rehearsal, and I think the focus and dedication the pros bring is going to rub off on the boys even more than it already has.

It's the part of this whole thing I'm most excited for - the opportunity to learn from people at the top of their game in their element.

I'm gonna go to so many of their shows this Winter.
Ballet will still be boring, but I'm going to love it.

Our kids will be working so hard for it and getting so much out of it that will transfer to the rest of their lives - that all the time will be more than worth the sacrifice. It doesn't have to be something I love or even understand - they get to choose and live their lives.

It's just a blessing that we get to see them flourish and get to share in their victories.