Dancing feet!

[Guest guest]

Today we visited Claire's ballet class.. the first parent observation

day of the year.. and wanted to share how it went.

She is one of about 10 girls, ages 5 and 6, in the class.. part of

our city's classical ballet school. We watched her do points and

flexes of her feet with legs flat on the floor and also straight up

in the air; plie's (knee bends with feet flat); multiple straight-up

jumps to and from first position; going straight up on tiptoe from

first position then back down again, over and over; balancing on one

foot while lifting the other .. all in the middle of the floor, not

holding on to the barre.. Running leaps, skips and gallops; high

marching steps, in which they were told to point their feet " from the

ankle down, not just the toes " .

These details would no doubt bore most other parents to tears.. (and

maybe I'm assuming too much to think YOU all would be interested! =)

All parents, of course, get a kick out of seeing their kids

performing in this way, but I knew that many of you would appreciate

the extra levels of feelings present for a parent of a child with

clubfoot..

She did not stand out as different from the other girls at all.. and

in fact did much of the exercise as well or better than others. (I

honestly don't intend to sound prideful, just thought it might be of

help to hear!)

I spoke to the teacher after class, and for the first time told her

about her clubfoot. She had no idea, and would never have known. I

left feeling that, at this level at least, it seems a great way to

sneak in 'therapy' for Claire's foot. She seemed to be doing many

good exercises for it, and is building strength and balance. I don't

know how long we'll stick with it, but she loves it for now!

and Claire

left cf, 6/29/00

[Guest guest]

That is just so awesome to hear... my daughter is almost 18 months and not

walking yet.. she was born with a left club foot and has been fully corrected

and is in the DBB 12 hours a night. She is doing so well with the method now...

we had a rocky start and had a relapse because of her not tolerating the DBB but

that was due to many issues but we got back on track and haven't looked back....

she is doing awesome in her development except for walking... she does it behind

the push toys and with you holding her hands and also walking furniture... she

get really unsteady when you try to walk with holding only one hand ... she

stops what she is doing and looks for the other one... she won't stand by

herself.... I am getting a little concerned because her twin sister walked at a

year (they came 2 months early so she really walked on their due date) and Avery

just isn't ready... my biggest prayer for her is that someday she will walk,

let alone do ballet!!!... thank you for the

encouraging story ... that has to make you so proud and so very thankful.....

going through this has made me really open my eyes and see things in such a

different way... it makes us all realize how special our feet really are!!!

Keep up the good work Claire!!! We are all so proud to hear how well you are

doing...

So when do I get worried about Avery walking? Do I seek another opinion about

this... the pediatrician and ped ortho think it is just a matter of time that

she just isn't ready... it isn't their child so it makes me question is there

more that I can be doing to help her... I had her in therapy and she thought

there should not be a problem either so where else do I go .... she is so very

strong but her ankles just seem 'loose' to me.... they can rotate so much when

she is standing....

Thanks for listening and I am really so happy to hear success stories!!!

mom to Avery 6.24.04 lf club foot

and Claire wrote:

Today we visited Claire's ballet class.. the first parent observation

day of the year.. and wanted to share how it went.

She is one of about 10 girls, ages 5 and 6, in the class.. part of

our city's classical ballet school. We watched her do points and

flexes of her feet with legs flat on the floor and also straight up

in the air; plie's (knee bends with feet flat); multiple straight-up

jumps to and from first position; going straight up on tiptoe from

first position then back down again, over and over; balancing on one

foot while lifting the other .. all in the middle of the floor, not

holding on to the barre.. Running leaps, skips and gallops; high

marching steps, in which they were told to point their feet " from the

ankle down, not just the toes " .

These details would no doubt bore most other parents to tears.. (and

maybe I'm assuming too much to think YOU all would be interested! =)

All parents, of course, get a kick out of seeing their kids

performing in this way, but I knew that many of you would appreciate

the extra levels of feelings present for a parent of a child with

clubfoot..

She did not stand out as different from the other girls at all.. and

in fact did much of the exercise as well or better than others. (I

honestly don't intend to sound prideful, just thought it might be of

help to hear!)

I spoke to the teacher after class, and for the first time told her

about her clubfoot. She had no idea, and would never have known. I

left feeling that, at this level at least, it seems a great way to

sneak in 'therapy' for Claire's foot. She seemed to be doing many

good exercises for it, and is building strength and balance. I don't

know how long we'll stick with it, but she loves it for now!

and Claire

left cf, 6/29/00

[Guest guest]

,

That's just fantastic! I guess I won't get to experience this with

Sammy (Well, I guess I could but I doubt DH would go for a boy in

ballet class, lol), but it sure is great to hear that she is able to

keep up with all of this. Do you have pictures? We would love to see

them if you do. And don't worry about the pride, to this you are

certainly entitled!

>

> Today we visited Claire's ballet class.. the first parent observation

> day of the year.. and wanted to share how it went.

>

> She is one of about 10 girls, ages 5 and 6, in the class.. part of

> our city's classical ballet school. We watched her do points and

> flexes of her feet with legs flat on the floor and also straight up

> in the air; plie's (knee bends with feet flat); multiple straight-up

> jumps to and from first position; going straight up on tiptoe from

> first position then back down again, over and over; balancing on one

> foot while lifting the other .. all in the middle of the floor, not

> holding on to the barre.. Running leaps, skips and gallops; high

> marching steps, in which they were told to point their feet " from the

> ankle down, not just the toes " .

>

> These details would no doubt bore most other parents to tears.. (and

> maybe I'm assuming too much to think YOU all would be interested! =)

> All parents, of course, get a kick out of seeing their kids

> performing in this way, but I knew that many of you would appreciate

> the extra levels of feelings present for a parent of a child with

> clubfoot..

>

> She did not stand out as different from the other girls at all.. and

> in fact did much of the exercise as well or better than others. (I

> honestly don't intend to sound prideful, just thought it might be of

> help to hear!)

>

> I spoke to the teacher after class, and for the first time told her

> about her clubfoot. She had no idea, and would never have known. I

> left feeling that, at this level at least, it seems a great way to

> sneak in 'therapy' for Claire's foot. She seemed to be doing many

> good exercises for it, and is building strength and balance. I don't

> know how long we'll stick with it, but she loves it for now!

>

> and Claire

> left cf, 6/29/00

>

[Guest guest]

That's so great ! I honestly can't wait to get Ava in

ballet...hmmm, you think 15 months is too young??? :-)

>

> Today we visited Claire's ballet class.. the first parent observation

> day of the year.. and wanted to share how it went.

>

> She is one of about 10 girls, ages 5 and 6, in the class.. part of

> our city's classical ballet school. We watched her do points and

> flexes of her feet with legs flat on the floor and also straight up

> in the air; plie's (knee bends with feet flat); multiple straight-up

> jumps to and from first position; going straight up on tiptoe from

> first position then back down again, over and over; balancing on one

> foot while lifting the other .. all in the middle of the floor, not

> holding on to the barre.. Running leaps, skips and gallops; high

> marching steps, in which they were told to point their feet " from the

> ankle down, not just the toes " .

>

> These details would no doubt bore most other parents to tears.. (and

> maybe I'm assuming too much to think YOU all would be interested! =)

> All parents, of course, get a kick out of seeing their kids

> performing in this way, but I knew that many of you would appreciate

> the extra levels of feelings present for a parent of a child with

> clubfoot..

>

> She did not stand out as different from the other girls at all.. and

> in fact did much of the exercise as well or better than others. (I

> honestly don't intend to sound prideful, just thought it might be of

> help to hear!)

>

> I spoke to the teacher after class, and for the first time told her

> about her clubfoot. She had no idea, and would never have known. I

> left feeling that, at this level at least, it seems a great way to

> sneak in 'therapy' for Claire's foot. She seemed to be doing many

> good exercises for it, and is building strength and balance. I don't

> know how long we'll stick with it, but she loves it for now!

>

> and Claire

> left cf, 6/29/00

>