Ballet

Mulan and Miya's ballet finished for the year on Sunday.

Despite the Covid-interruptions, which meant lessons online in our dining room, things went extremely well.

First up, the girls had their exams a few months ago.

Both Mulan and Miya did the contemporary dance (NZAMD) exams, and both got Honours -- Mulan in Level 4 and Miya in Preparatory.

Mulan did the RAD Intermediate ballet exam, and got Distinction.

Miya's RAD Grade 4 exam was cancelled because of Covid, but the dance school, Rowe Dance, did in-house equivalent exams.

And then we had the show over the weekend, with the dress rehearsal on Saturday and two performances on Sunday.

This year they split each show into two separate parts.  The younger classes (of which Miya was one of the oldest) performed Peter Pan, while the older classes performed Les Sylphides.  All the contemporary dance classes were involved in Peter Pan.

What can I say?!  It was thoroughly enjoyable, and the kids all did amazingly well.  Miya was Tiger Lily, and really looked the part.  Mulan is now dancing en pointe, and the senior girls were all very impressive in their strength and elegance.

As always, the girls asked me to try to pick out what I liked best.  And as always it is so hard.  But if I had to pick one, I'd say Mulan's contemporary dance, in which they were the ocean in Peter Pan, was very beautiful.

Both girls got recognition at the prizegiving.  Mulan was congratulated for getting the second highest RAD exam mark in the School (actually third, as there were two first equals).  And Miya was awarded for her potential and work ethic dedication.

Sadly, the girls' dance school is closing.  Meaghan Rowe decided (understandably!) to devote more time to her young family, and has sold Rowe Dance to Mainly Dance Studios.  Apparently they're going to try to keep the existing Rowe Dance students and teachers together, but we'll see.  Mulan and Miya have decided that they will enrol at Mainly Dance next year, and see what happens.

Miya, however, had already decided to stop doing ballet next year, and will only do contemporary dance.  She's decided to focus more on her rock climbing, and we're also going to look into horse riding.