school & ballet

So, things have been crazy for me. I have been working on my thesis like mad. It's about twelve pages long at this point so I'm just over halfway but I've got to crank it out this weekend for sure. With work and my other classes I've been having to put it off this week. But now, I'm pretty much done with everything except for my finals in acting and yoga which I'm pretty much all the way prepared for so I can focus on that and get it done.

I've had three ballet classes now. The second went much like the first but the girls were more attentive. Each week they are paying more attention and they are able to remember the games and exercises we did the previous week. We are starting to build on some basic principles (although very slowly). This last class, I brought one of my bigger stuffed animals to help them learn how to leap and they really liked it. The stuffed animal is a sea cow and I told them that his name was Seymour the Sea Cow and that he was taking a nap in the middle of the floor so they have to quietly run up to him and jump over without making noise or stepping on him. They loved it. We also played "chasse around the rosy." It's just like ring around the rosy but you chasse instead of walking/running. It sometimes works better than other times because the girls sometimes start going in opposite directions. They also LOVE freeze dance, the older girls especially. The little ones don't really grasp the concept of sitting out and having a winner so I just give them assignments for when they freeze like make a shape or balance or do an "elevator." The little ones also liked playing with different kinds of music, and expressing how it made them feel. We did happy songs, scary songs, sad songs, and so on and they tried to express the emotion of the music through movement. They were doing really well. Each week we have been working on our Spring Dance and they actually remember it so I think I might try to choreograph a simple peice so they can do a small recital for their parents on the last week. I really enjoy teaching. I think next week, we will make crowns and practice bourrees with them balancing on our heads.

I've been having a really great time with all the closing banquets and final get togethers. Last weekend was the Senior Dinner. I got to dress up and have a great dinner with friends and see lots of people I've met throughout my time at Westminster so it was awesome. We had our last AMP meeting. The closing dinner is next Saturday and I'm so excited for that. Last night was the Honors Spring Banquet and it was surreal to be a senior there but it was very fun and nostalgic. I'm going to miss the many Westminster communities of which I have been priveledged to be a part. I definitely want to be an active alumni and give back when I can. I have really grown as an intellectual and a person and have many wonderful people at the college to thank for that.

I have some photos from Red Noses and these events that I'll have to put up when I get time. But now, back to work and my thesis...