Memory Lane No. 1: Pirouettes

It's fun to delve deep into memories and see what comes up...My family lived in Germany from 1968 to 1972. This memory is from that time in a little village. We were the (odd?) Canadian family that lived on the outskirts, just across from the tram tracks...

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Ober Eschbach ~ 1970: The dance studio was a freestanding building the teacher had had constructed on her own property in the village where we lived. I took ballet class from Fraulein Sandrock once a week. I went, in large part I think, because my friend Andrea took classes.

I went harbouring fantasies of tutus and spotlights and main roles in the annual production. That never happened. But I enjoyed the classes and the small parts in the annual show – I danced one of the soldiers to Andrea’s Sugar Plum Fairy; I remember that distinctly.

I also remember one particular class: The focus was pirouettes. We must have been taught the move, and practiced it. Then it was time to demonstrate it.

We lined up at one corner. The point was to pirouette across the studio, on the diagonal, non-stop until we reached the opposite corner.

I was nervous. I hadn’t managed such a long travel with a pirouette during practice. I wanted, oh so badly, to succeed. To spin my way across the studio.

Andrea whispered to me, “Just do it, Amanda. Throw yourself into the move!”

And I did. And I arrived at the opposite corner.

Or so I remember it. Memory is faulty, of course, but I have remembered from that day to this the power of Andrea’s advice and encouragement: If I want something badly enough, I should throw myself into it. I just might arrive at the desired destination.

#thewisdomofyouth