Staunch fortitude

Listen! Listen! Do you hear that? That sweet chirp-chirp-chirruping over the wind rustling the graceful leaves? Could it be my handsome prince come to have long random conversations with me in the form of a bluebird? Yep. That'd be him all right.

How surreal can fairy tales get? Think beautiful princess, locked in tower, prince not allowed to court her, he gets transformed into a bluebird, flies to visit her in the tower nightly until more obscure events occur, then years later Princess Florine tracks him down and they end up getting married. Throw in some sparkly voodoo by fairies and you've got yourself a century old story that could have been (maybe should have been) lost in history. Mix in 2 parts more popular fairy tale, add some obligatory celebration dancing and you've got yourself The Sleeping Beauty Ballet. Leave it to Vsevolozhky and good ol' Petipa to re-incorporate these random characters like Bluebird and his lady love Princess Florine into the ballet version of Sleeping Beauty. I'm sure it was considered turn of the century marketing. Is that like the modern day equivalent of cameo appearances and product placement?

I admire Princess Florine's tenacity. Because of her determination and commitment, I decided that I would represent her this Friday by dancing her variation from The Sleeping Beauty ballet. It seemed fitting that, despite all the pitfalls of taking on ballet at such a late age and still plodding on, I should choose to dance her variation. That's right.. Go Florine! You're dedicated and fabulous, you raised your hand to your ear each depressing night in that tower - waiting, listening, resigned to be with your bluebird prince. That's the kind of ballet heroine I want to be!

Of course it was natural when Jeff, our awesome teacher from Ballet Hispanico, asked "What variations are you each choosing for Friday?" I would chirp first, before everyone, loud and clear, "Bluebird, Princess Florine!"

The kids and Jeff considered my choice for a second, as he nodded approvingly. Then the grumbling and complaining swept through the young group of dancers as some moaned, "Aww man. That was the shortest variation on the list. I wanted that one."