Magic Shoes!

Tonight was Caroline's first dance class at the new studio. I'd heard of this studio from our Executive Assistant at school. Her daughter went there and was on the drill team at the high school where Caroline will attend (Caroline wants to be a Bandolera - although, I don't think she understands what that means right now). At the time, I was happy with where we were and Caroline seemed to enjoy it. However, if you have read my blog or Jason's, you know what has happened since then. So in the May I went and enrolled Caroline in the dance school. I was excited because they have summer classes and that would give Caroline something to do.

Tonight was the first night of the six week Summer course. Caroline was a little excited because it was dance, but she wavered between excitement and uncertainty about the recital. After assuring her that there was no recital for the summer class, she was okay with going. I was hoping she would want to wear her dance clothes, but she insisted on wearing her dance pants and a sparkly pink and white shirt. We had her dance bag packed and were ready to go. Jason had suggested I take his car (better gas mileage), and when I got out to the garage I found that Caroline had naturally gotten in my car. I told her to switch cars and she did.

When we got to the dance studio we realized that in the confusion Caroline had left her dance bag in my car. OMG! I frantically called Jason, but the kids had been playing with our phones and laid them down somewhere I figured he wasn't. So, he didn't answer. Caroline was on the verge of tears because, at our last place this was a cardinal sin and Caroline wouldn't be allowed entrance into the studio for class.

However, when we entered the sitting area where of the studio this nice lady took Caroline by the hand and welcomed her to the studio. Seeing that Caroline was unsure, she assumed that Caroline was just shy. I explained to her the mix up and that the dance shoes were in her bag in my car, but we'd changed cars at the last minute and the bag was forgotten. The woman looked at Caroline and said, "That's okay sweetheart. We'll just use our magic shoes."

Say what? You mean it's okay? Ms. Sandra (yes, that's this woman's name -- polar opposites though) explained that these things happen and that she would give Caroline some magic dust and she would have her own pair of Magic Shoes (basically gold glitter and Caroline could imagine that she had on her tap shoes and then ballet shoes). WOW! I gave her some background without naming the studio we'd been attending the last three years. She said she understood that things happen and that the important thing is that Caroline dance.

I asked about the dress code (the other place had a dress code -- black leotard, pink tights). Apparently, whatever the kids are comfortable in that allows them to move is the dress code. This might just be for the summer, but heck I'll take it.

At the end of class, I asked Caroline how she felt. She liked it alot, but felt bad because she missed Ms. Andra (as she calls Darth Sandra). However, I got her to see all of the positive things about the move. Her teacher is a former Bandolera, in her first class they practiced leaps (she'd never done that before), she knew someone already (a former classmate), and the Magic Shoes (Caroline mentioned some things that had been said to her when she didn't have shoes at the other place). Caroline wants to go back next week, and she said she'd make sure she had her bag.

But after all, things happen. And when they do there's always Magic Shoes.