More Than Kids

Oakland Ballet Nutcracker Rehearsal

Last year I wrote about my daughter's visit to the Oakland Ballet's Nutcracker. Emily auditioned for last year's production. I heard that she was too small. Whether this was true or not, I am still not sure, but I am amazed that she tried again.

She is a drummer mouse. The smallest drummer mouse.

She might be the youngest of the three mice too. As I write this post, she is finishing her fourth performance at the Paramount Theater. The theater seats about 3,000 people. This performance is much larger than her recitals with Ms. Hunter.

This afternoon, I saw her ballet teacher Ms. Hunter. I praised her for about five minutes. Ms. Hunter prepared Emily for The Oakland Ballet when my daughter was only four. Ms. Hunter taught my kid more than ballet and Ms. Hunter can continue to teach my daughter as long as they both wish.

The Oakland Ballet has been wonderful too. Emily is ready to audition for next year.

Oakland Piedmont Youth Ballet Twenty Year Anniversary

Today is the twentieth year that Patricia Hunter's ballet students perform at the Redwood Recreation Center.  Piedmont Ballet students will also perform with Ms. Hunter's students. Two years ago, I photographed the Oakland Piedmont Youth Ballet for a local paper. The students perform scenes from the nutcracker.

Two days ago, my little kid started rehearsal for the Oakland Ballet. Seven of Ms. Hunter's students will perform in this year's Nutcracker at the Paramount Theater. Ms. Hunter is an amazing teacher and without realizing it, I have become a ballet dad. I do not know what it means to be a ballet dad, but every so often, I might start yelling, "plie'!!"  

Guess I have to watch the real Nutcracker first. I still do not know what most of the parents or kids are talking about. But at least the teachers are good.

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Central Sierra Museum Holiday Season

When my family spends Thanksgiving at Shaver Lake, we visit the Central Sierra Museum. We have visited the last three years on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Last year there was more snow.

Central Sierra Historical Society 2011 Holidays - Images by bryan farley

This year, we also saw some of our old family friends and their new granddaughter at the museum. We missed our annual Santa visit. After the museum, we started a new tradition. We went horseback riding at the Pigasus Horse Ranch.