K has recently started learning acrobatics on a Saturday morning. She is in a mixed class with kids aged from 4 years up until about 12. Being the youngest in the class, it takes a fair amount of confidence to walk through the door each week and participate the best she can with the bigger kids. It helps greatly that she has a friend of the same age that has joined at the same time and they support each other.
I remember joining a new small country school as an 8 year old and every single girl in my class could do handstands and cartwheels. They would have handstand competitions at recess and lunch and I would be the judge, because I had no idea how to do a handstand. I did try. I practised at home. I just couldn't figure out how they had the arm strength to do it.
I really want K to have those skills. There is not a gymnastics class in our town, so I'm hoping acrobatics will help. I hope K's school in the future will support kids practising their skills at recess and lunch and promote all sorts of physical activity including handstands and cartwheels - unlike other schools banning these pursuits.
I can't yet imagine K being interested in a traditional dance class, or having the concentration to focus and learn a multitude of steps and routines. Not being a kid that is interested in pretty clothes and having her hair done, I'm hoping her interests might progress to athletics as she gets older, netball or some other physical activity that doesn't involve Mum fighting with hair pins, eye shadow and essential costumes that will only be worn once.
I'm hoping acrobatics might provide the happy medium of building movement skills without needing to delve too far into the dance world I dread.
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