They arrive one at a time with cameras in tow. 3 little dancers ready to be fitted for their first pair of pointe shoes. We all gather around an 8x8 wooden square of floor, our mock ballet studio at a dance store for the day. Shoes come off and unmarred toes are bared, "What's your shoe size?" is asked as I slide into a white plastic chair.
One by one we try on shoe after shoe. Longer vamp, wider width, this one bags too much at the heel. "Hold my hand and slowly step up onto pointe" Wobbly first moments on the tips of their toes as the cameras start clicking. I eye one foot then the other in search for the best shoe for each dancer. Back and forth our fitter goes into the store room, each time emerging with hopefully the perfect pair. We debate and discuss, taking each curve of the shoe, each bend at the arch into careful consideration until at last we settle on the first pair.
At the check out counter I am found showing stitching techniques to eager young faces. "Elastic here and ribbons in front" Divide in half, cut the half in half, leave the rest untrimmed. Box it in then sew straight across and I'll see you tomorrow night.
They came to class ready to learn and to work. Corrections were give and light bulbs went on. "If you were Standing in a window I wouldn't know you were on one leg" I hear echos of this spoken many years ago as I share it with my class. We all try to find a way to pirouette without lifting our front heel. Try it this way, no think of this instead, yes that's right, and no, I don't expect you to get it right tonight.
8:05, it's time to get those new shoes on. "Bring your pointe shoes in the studio and I'll help you put them on."
8 dancers surround me in a circle on the floor. One shoe at a time I bend and flex and step upon before they slide their toes in. "Um, I need a shoe to use to show them how to tie it just right" One of my dancers slides forwards and offers to show them how. Step by step she walks them through tying a pointe shoe ribbon. Repeating verbatim what I told her just a year ago. I pair them up, one newbie on pointe with a "veteran" one as they came to be known. Sousou isn't as easy as it looks with actual pointe shoes on.
We move into the big studio and I let them leap in their shoes for the first time. Toes dangle un-pointed as they fly through the air. Parents look on from the door way. To finish we bouree from one corner to the other. Slowly traveling one after the other they glide, or try to glide gracfully across. The last dancer continues a few paces behind, step by step, "Back foot leads, back foot leads" I grab her hands and inch by inch we finally make it to the black tape line.
8 beaming faces, "it's 9 o'clock, we have to stop" 16 eyes grow sad, they would fly across the floor for hours more if I would let them. As they head out the door their parents smile, they've had a good time we can tell. I can barely stop talking about how wonderful their first class was, how they helped each other, all the new things they experienced. My 2 eyes are gleaming as they all say good night.
How I wish you were here with me now to see what you've taught me grow and be reborn. All those many years, class upon class you poured your knowledge into me, countless hours spent in the studio training and pruning my gift of dance. Now my gift teaches others just as you did. If only to be worthy of passing on the legacy you gave me. Never growing weary of helping a back learn how to stand straight, or a sickled foot point correctly. I still hear your voice as I clap to the beat of the music. "Strike a match with the heel. Push down to go up. Eyes direct the hands...." the list goes on and on. And I remember my first pointe class like it was yesterday.
Tonight I realized being someone teachers is the greatest honor I've known. Thank you.
oh ps. I let them eschappe, I know you didn't let me do those during my first pointe class but I had to let them. They did well.
