On Teaching Grace, From a Former Professional Ballerina

I am currently teaching ballet in my basement! SWEET! Nothing quite like ballet in a basement! :)

My brief little 4 week class is attended by my daughters' peers whose mothers, probably for all sorts of reasons, thought ballet in my basement sounded like just the thing! I'm sure some little ones are there because they have expressed an interest in dance generally, or ballet specifically. Others might be coming for an opportunity to meet other little girls and participate in a fun activity. I probably have a student or two who is not especially interested, but whose parents thought a broad exposure to all sorts of activities is a good idea.

All of these reasons work for me.

One mother shared yesterday that she hoped her daughter would learn grace. Grace is a lovely lesson for all women to learn. In fact, it's a wonderful trait for women AND men to possess, but somehow we are a little more tolerant of men if they fall short in this area. Anyway, her desire has given me pause to reflect on what she might be meaning by the word "grace," and if a ballet class in my basement will deliver....

Anyway, here are my thoughts:

Ballet is nice, but walking like a duck isn't so lovely....

Though some aspects of grace I learned from my own 21 years in ballet, ballet training is not what comes to mind when I think of the word.

Grace is smiling when you make a mistake.

Grace is confidence in the beauty you are, not the beauty you put on.

Grace comes with patience in your own learning process - a peace in the lack of perfection.

Grace is wearing your own skin comfortably - AND the attitude that allows others to be comfortable too.

Grace is added upon when you are kind to yourself in thought, action, and attitude.

There is a common misconception that dancers are not clumsy. Most of the dancers I know are aware that this IS the perception and find it terribly funny, as we are, in fact, some of the most accident-prone people we know. But ballet teaches good recovery. So when I trip on my own shoes crossing the street...THE street - the intersection of State and South Temple in downtown Salt Lake in rush hour traffic - I can jump back up, flash a smile to whomever caught the sight of me going down, and reflect on the great moment I just made in the day of some passerby. (True story. LOVE this memory.)

Grace isn't about how often you go down, but how you handle getting back up.

THAT is what I want to teach my daughters. That is what EVERY mother can teach her daughter, no matter her dance background. And if you are feeling a little short-changed on the natural gift of grace, every woman can begin the life-long practice, now and for free!