Let your Child choreograph Life.

During the period from June 2016 building up to the Ballet Concert in November I had such an incredible attunement with the children that I one day out of jest (and also a bit stuck in my creativity) I asked my 8yr olds to do a bit of choreography for their dance. What would they do if they had to "work out the dance" so to speak. I was tickled pink. The ideas and enthusiasm was incredible. Ok it went a bit far and evolved in all sorts of silly gestures and postures but I kept the core of it in the Dance. They loved it. I sensed more enthusiasm and better participation from them after that.I have always used the incredible ideas of my fellow adult dancers and again relied heavily on them for the concert last year as only they know what they feel comfortable in doing and they are all incredible dancers (over 60 and all, but that's for another blog). It made the Dance so randomly wonderful knowing that all of us worked towards the end product and I believe built a fantastic rapport between us.

Then there was the Grade 4 class. Subtly little hints on what they would love came out and as I gave them audience the wonderfully weird ideas made their dance colourful and exciting. It opened my eyes to new ideas and and really let the creative juices flow. It also made me aware of the fact that sometimes you have to yield and give way a bit. It is so easy to be undemocratically the teacher who : "must be obeyed" as this is my Dance, my choreography. This year I am going to have my older pupils choreograph a numbers for the concert. Somewhere in the back of my head ideas about Choreography are beginning to emerge. Maybe a competitions for the best Choreography ? Definitely going to encourage it and incorporate it in the Syllabus.

And so we come to life.

Children even as young as 2 (I Know I have a granddaughter that age) need to choreograph even it is just a small part of their lives for them not to get frustrated and develop all sorts of emotional baggage later in life. It is so easy for us as parents or caregivers even teacher to just tell children what to do and how to do it and even take situations or things out of their hands because it is easier. Easier for us. Not for them. We are denying them the opportunity of trying new things, sometimes failing sometimes soaring because they got it right. Give your child the opportunity to do something for themselves even if it frustrates the living daylights out of you, even if it means you will have to redo it or fix it later. Stop sweating the little stuff, leave the sweating for the important big stuff in life. Next time your child insist doing something and you know it will make life difficult for you or you havent got the time or patience....just give in. It will not spoil them or make them naughty because they got their way. And just watch those eyes light up. Feel the intensity of the hug afterwards. Its worth it. Let your child do some choreography in their lives in the Dance that is called LIFE.