"Once I Wept, Now I Dance." by Elizabeth Rose

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. — Psalm 30:11

"Ugh, I'm so stiff today," she says, stretching into her splits with a grimace on her face. "I told myself I'd stretch over the weekend, but I didn't. Now I'm paying for it."

I look up from my own stretching and glance at my friend, whose legs are both extended into a perfect split, exactly one hundred and eighty degrees. Stiff, indeed, I think rather bitterly. I'll be lucky if I can go all the way down in my splits today.

Just a few words, not even spoken aloud. And yet, that seed of discontent needs no more than a few words to act as water, a few unpleasant thoughts to play the sunshine, and it will start spreading roots.

I've been dancing for nearly as long as I can remember. As a little girl, I would spend hours twirling around in some semblance of a pirouette to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, giving my own rendition of each respective dance. My favorite track was the third on our CD, titled "March", arguably the most recognizable piece in the ballet. I loved it for its swooping power and the way it made me feel like alternately spinning faster than a top and then leaping until my head threatened to brush the ceiling. My sisters and I begged our mother to allow us to watch the New York Ballet's edition of The Nutcracker down in the basement on the tiny VCR player almost once a week, but we wouldn't sit and watch for long — after about twenty minutes of squishing together on the couch, we would be leaping and spinning about, our movements somewhat less graceful than those we were attempting to mimic. More than anything, we wanted to be like those dancers. We dreamed of performing someday on a real stage, dancing the lead role of the graceful Sugar Plum Fairy.

For someone who has such lengthy history of dance, it might surprise you that the years I've spent enrolled at a studio do not number past seven. From age seven to nine, my sisters and I took weekly classes at a small Christian studio, but when it closed down at the end of our third year, we switched to gymnastics for two years before finding the studio at which we currently dance. We've been here for almost four years now, but sometimes it feels like much longer.

I never have been a particularly talented dancer. I don't say that to garner pity or earn myself attention — it's the honest truth. I don't have the gifting or flexibility to ever pursue dance as a profession. For me, it is enough to learn and grow as best I can in high school and leave my career as a dancer there. If I think about it honestly, I don't want to spend my early adult years pursuing a position as a professional dancer. The brutal competitions, the ugly ways in which the girls treat each other, and the constant anxiety over getting the right part in order to be able to pay your bills would wear me down in a matter of months. Dancing is and always will be something I love, but it does not take precedence over writing, my heart's first love, and reading, something I consider a very valuable asset of my life. Further, I feel the intense lifestyle of a dancer would ruin the art for me after a time. The beauty of it would chip away under the oppressive file of getting parts, obsessing over my weight, and trying to survive.

It's easy for me to type that here as if the matter were my choice alone, but the truth is, I could not make a living off of my talent as a dancer if that was what I desired. I am not a horrible dancer by any standard, but my measure of talent is the bare minimum required by all young ladies who wish to be ballerinas. With so many girls auditioning for just a few spots in ballet companies, my own skill would not be enough to win me a space.

There are, however, girls I know who have the talent I do not, the gifting I will never attain. They dance with a grace and beauty that cannot be rivaled, no matter how hard I may try. And even though I've accepted the fact that the world of professional dance is not for me, it's still hard for me to watch others attaining for something I would love to possess as an option, if nothing more than that. Though I would not choose to dance professionally, I selfishly desire the talent that would allow me to choose on a basis of personal opinion alone. I want to be the one gracefully declining that path, rather than having someone else inform me that I'm not good enough.

At the heart of the issue is pride, rearing its wretched and ugly head, holding me back from humbly admitting that my skill as a dancer will only reach a certain point while others go further. In every other area of my life, I feel competent. My writing is by no means perfect, nor will it ever reach such a height, but I feel relatively confident in my ability to write with greater skill as the years progress. If I put the proper amount of time into the books I pen, I can see improvement. If I study well, apply myself to my schoolwork, and prepare for tests, I will earn a high grade. If I speak French and Spanish around the house, my tongue will speak the unfamiliar syllables with increasing ease. Never has there arisen in my life an area that could not be corrected or improved with time and toil. Dance is a challenge for me because it is one of the few areas in my life that is partly out of my control — and being the stubborn and sinful human that I am, I don't like that.

My dance studio's mission is to make use of this beautiful art as a means of outreach, ministry, and ultimately worship. Though my instructor encourages us to seek excellence and teaches us the same Russian Vaganova technique as the most professional studios, she never urges us to be perfect. Our highest goal is to worship God through our dance as David worshiped the Lord when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem. We never should grow so consumed with thoughts of technique and counts that we lose the beauty of the movements and the reverence for the One we are worshiping. 

I'd like to say I always dance with this attitude. The truth of the matter is that I rarely stand at the barre or go across the floor without at least one discontent thought in my head. I am, however, working to improve on that. Rather than focusing on my own deficiencies, I've been trying to uplift and encourage those around me, even when they feel inadequate. As each day goes by, I'm seeking more and more to turn my focus on the Lord and to dance for Him alone. I know He sees my every flaw, and yet He still calls me beautiful.

And as a dancer, that's all my heart desires.

. . .

Elizabeth Rose is a young lady of tender years who takes pleasure in a great variety of pastimes, chief among them being writing. She lives in the southern United States with her large family, and has been home schooled her whole life. Her debut novel, Violets Are Blue, was published in April 2012 and can be purchased on Amazon. You can find her on Literary Lane, most likely with a cup of tea in one hand and a book in t'other.

A Grave Disappointment!

Have you ever heard a piece of music that you wish with all your heart you knew a dance to? Perhaps it was just my tired mind last night, but as I was putting Gracie back to sleep after she woke with a nightmare, I started her c.d., and immediately, wished I knew how to dance a minuet! You see, the music is a children's classical c.d., and they happened to be playing a minuet, and I couldn't keep still while it was playing! Don't ask me why! :) I have always thought a minuet sounded so elegant, and I loved the music that went with it! I have always imagined it to be a beautiful, graceful, Colonial dance. Besides, I'm always looking for new dances to teach the girls! :) So this morning, I went on an internet quest to find an instructional video for a minuet. And you know what?!? Every video I found, the people danced like frogs with wings! It was awful! :) Oh well! I guess that little wish has been speedily laid to rest! If that is what a minuet looks like, I'll stick with my Virginia Reels! :) But then I found another dance I really want to learn! I had heard of this dance, but hadn't really seen it, but here it is below! This looks SO fun! :) I'm teaching it to the girls!!!!!! ~Rachel

Happy Mother's Day and....zzzzzzz

Happy Mother's Day Mama! We love you! :) Thanks for being the best Mama of 8 children that there ever was and ever will be! :) I can't wait for our little tea-time this afternoon!

Even though I am sure that everyone of you are tired of hearing about the ball, be at ease, because now it is over! ;) We had a really great time, and, because we got home at 12:49 a.m., I am now dozing over the keys. (not really) It was so much fun dancing with a neatly organized group! It was one of the best dances I've been to, and my first real ball! :) Thank you God for the gorgeous weather! The Boyer family did a great job of calling the dances and providing music. Thank you Foster family for hosting! We had a great time! It was also really cool seeing all you bloggy people! (This is Rachel) Abigail and I had a nice tete-tete in the starlight after the dance. And, according to her strange traditions, we did fall into a ditch! :) Well, I won't keep you all reading a post written by a sleepy-headed person! ;) Thanks to everyone who contributed to making it a lovely evening, including everyone we danced with who cooperated with our hoops! :) -Rachel

About You Know What. Told Ya' I'm Excited! :)

I am too excited about the ball to write a coherent post, so this won't be long. Go ahead and laugh all you gents who don't understand a maiden's thrill over preparing for her first ball! :) I don't think that any viscountess on preparing for her coming out could be more excited than I. When it comes to this sort of a thing, I am quite a little girl still, and can't help becoming distracted and happy. :) Daniel will be in full Al Capone or "Vinnie" attire. He decided to dress sort of 50's instead of Civil War, since it was already put together! He looks rather the gangster, but very dashing! :) We girls have made our dance cards. Don't worry Oliver. If you dance with me, don't sign it if it will inconvinience you! ;) I just like being able to remember who I danced with, and which dance I did with them. I am treading out the few more hours till it is time to leave! :) :) :) I just made almond toffee bars. Mmmm! :) Well, I told you this wouldn't be long, and so it isn't! Hope you guys have a great day! Think of us tonight and imagine us enjoying the delights of a Harper's Ferry or Gay Gorden! :) -Rachel

Ball Preparations :)

"Bed, bed, I couldn't go to bed,

My head's to light to try to set it down,

Sleep, sleep, I couldn't sleep tonight,

Not for all the jewels in the crown!

I could have danced all night,

I could have danced all night,

And still have begged for more.

I could have spread me wings,

And done a thousand things,

I've never done before....."

Around here, we love dancing. And we have a pet peeve: DANCING WITHOUT MUSIC!!!!!!! You really will end up gallumphing if you don't have some sort of something to help you go along gracefully! :) But since most of the time we don't like having to drag a c.d. player into the front yard, we just sing the music. True, we sound choppy since it is hard to keep a steady voice, sing "The Port Royal Gallop" and do a polka all at the same time, or to dance the "Ship's Cook" and sing "The Maid That Sold Her Barley", but we do it all the same! Waltzes are easier- Sarah and I simply start into "Ten Minutes Ago I Met You" from Rogers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella".

"Ten minutes ago I met you,

I looked up as you came through the door-

My head started wheeling

You gave me the feeling,

The room had no ceiling or floor.

Ten minutes ago I saw you,

And you murmured a `how do you do?'

I wanted to ring out the bells

And to....(I forget the words)"

It's alot of fun really! :) So, another thing we have been doing, (and this for brushing up before the ball) is asking eachother for a dance, and practicing accepting and refusing partners graciously. Sarah finds excessive amusement in dumbfounding me. Last night, she came up and said, "Do you have a partner?", with an air of expectant gallantry. I modestly said, "No." and then, instead of asking me, she walked away!!!!! I didn't know what to say, and pretty soon she fell on the ground laughing at me. We are constantly quoting the scene from "The Sound of Music"

"Leisl, who are you dancing with?"

"Nobody..."

"Oh yes you are!"

"May I have this dance?"

"I would be delighted young man!"

The reason we are practicing refusals, is because we have decided that we don't want to do the Waltz (the Spanish waltz is fine) or the Polka with any young men except for Daniel or Matthew. They are rather close-ish dances to do without some embarassment and uncomfortableness on the girl's part at least. Yes, Sarah is quite a clown about it all- she has set up every swingin' scenario you could imagine- she went down on her knees and asked me, she grabbed my shoulder and asked me, she tapped me on the shoulder, she bowed, she chased me around on her knees like some very short and scary man....she really is very inventive. You know me! I make an elaborate bow to Sarah and ask her for a dance in the most correct and pretty language. But when she asks me, she pretends she is chewing on a straw and says, "Ya' wanna dance?" What would we do without personalities?

All around our house we are buzzing about the ball. Last night I set to putting a French tuck (by hand- reenactor fashion you know ;) into my skirt with as much goodwill as any young woman ever has when preparing her finery for her first ball. I only hope that I get asked to dance, because I would rather dance with a blind mule than sit and watch people doing it when I can't! The King's Daughter and I have already pledged each other that if we both are left to dry-rot along the side, we'll dance with each other! :) Well, I had better go! -Rachel

P.S. Thank you Eric and Charity for becoming our 31 and 32 followers!!!! :) We hope you enjoy reading this blog and continue to visit and comment!:D

From the Boutique Of Mdmslle. Le Fonzwique ;)

Hey guys! Sarah and I are desperate for pictures to put on here, (since Dad doesn't wish us to put pictures of ourselves on) so we decided to do a Civil War fashion post. So if you are a boy reading this that will wish to complain, it probably won't interest you so don't read further! ;) Now, with the Foster's upcoming ball (that we probably are going to) Sarah and I have been thinking about what we are going to wear. I have decided I'll follow the "KISS" rules which are: "Keep it Simple and Sensible". So I'll just wear my Civil War skirt, a white blouse, and a black belt or sash. I will certainly not be as much of a belle as this:

But I'll pass fine, and I think I'll be more comfortable than she! Think about how uncomfortable those dresses are! Think about it- A young woman like myself should have a waist measurement that matched my age! 17 inches? Maybe I could get away with 18? I give a loud resounding laugh to that one! The look was achieved by a corset that squeezed you till you could scarcely breathe. Now, I've never tried one, but Heavens! Could one really do a good Virginia Reel without keeling over? I think not.

But of course, to accentuate you tiny waist, a lady must wear a hoop under her skirts. Thankfully, I have one. Hoops are tons of fun to dance in. That is...if you don't step on it and rip the hem out of your skirt! Make sure you wear plenty of petticoats, even with a hoop, as it is "The Fashion" to have a full, puffy skirt. (I don't wear one. Shame on me! We just wear pants beneath our skirts in lieu of bloomers.) Then we come to shoes. I would be sure to break my ankle if I tried wearing one of these:

And then, you must have gloves. I think I'll ask Miss Thompson of Thompson Hall if I can borrow a pair of hers! The hairstyle is the last thing! I haven't decided how I'll do mine! I have experimented many different ways of doing various people's hair:

Here is one of my models after I did her hair in a Recamier Coiffure.

That is not strictly a Civil War style, but still pretty. Civil War styles were very sleek and flat. The young ladies wore their hair in buns at the base of their head, and the older ladies with their buns higher up. Well, I hope you enjoyed this post! I have to go do chores! -Rach

Geezers and Intoxication! (don't worry about us! We'll explain all!)

Hello! Wow! At this moment, I am extremely tired. We danced after church for a very long time, and had such fun! But it was in the heat of the day, (though not very hot heat ;) and I hardly drank anything the whole time, and I danced myself silly! :) How has everyone else's week been? This is not going to be a long post at all, but I think we've all had enough of the dance-partner-post! I am afraid I have unintentionally offended some people! I hope not, and I do apologize if anyone thought I was pointing fingers! I must tell you that when it falls my lot to "be a man" in a dance, then I am quite a mixture of the Whirligig and the Spunky Jovial! There is a lovely sunset outside, and the house is quiet, for most of the kids are in bed already (only 7:30) because of our full day. Oh! I know what I wanted this post to include! (I came on here with an intention, and forgot it! :P) Okay, here is a poem I wrote last year around this time:

"Spring Intoxication"

By, (Who else?) Me ;)

The sunshine beckoned winsomely,

The soft breeze drew me near-

The fleecy clouds across the sky

Betokened Spring was here.

The jonquils, blowing golden horns

Proclaimed the coming joys,

Of lazy, barefoot, springtime days

For little girls and boys.

My own heart echoed back the song

Of every budding tree,

Of every jeweled dew-drop note

The robins sang to me.

I'd half a mind to dash outside

And do- I'm not sure what,

But certainly I could not stay inside

With windows shut!

And so I ran out to the porch

And in a way, I danced-

Not in the normal way, you see,

But as the sunbeams glance.

My heart fair burst with sudden life

And hearkened to each song,

And so I penned this poem down

And joined the brimming throng.

Okay. And then, here are the rather droll words to a song that Shirley Temple and a man tap-dance to in "The Little Princess". It is rather a favorite ditty with us girls when we are in high spirits! (Now, if only we got the dancing down!)

"Last week down the alley came a toff,

Nice old geezer with an awful cough,

Sees my missus, takes his topper off

In a very gentlemanly way.

Chorus:

"What cheer! All the neighbors cry,

Who ya' gonna' meet Bill?

Have ya' bought the street Bill?

Laughed, oh! I thought I should have died,

Knocked `em in the old Kent road!"

Every evening at the stroke of five,

Me and the missus takes a little drive,

You'd say, `wonderful they're still alive'

If you saw that little donkey go!

When we go that blessed donkey stops

He won't move, so out I quickly lops,

Pals start whacking him and down he drops,

Someone said he wasn't made to go!

(chorus)"

So anyway, it is a nonsense song, and this is a pointless post, and so, between the two, I hope to give you amusement, and I had better get off here before I type something absolutely ridiculous and brainless! -Rachel

A Dissection of Dance Partners

Hello! Yesterday I was out with Daniel and Matthew doing lawns. We actually got 12 done, and didn't get home till 9:30, but that was okay! :) It was nice being back out there again. Now, this is a strange sort of subject to post about, but I was thinking about all the square or Civil War dances I have been to, whether impromtu, or scheduled, and of the different sort of partners one can have. Here is a list ala Rachel of the bad sort, and then the good sort.

Bad Sort of Partners To Dance With:

The Whirligig: These young men swing you and spin you as if they were intent on patenting you as some sort of armless doll. Dancing with one of these, you are in danger of breaking an ankle, or getting a compound fracture! :)

The Etymologist: These are the young men who hold your hand by the extreme tips of your fingers and barely move you throughout the dance. Instead, they stay very far away as if you were a strange species of tarantula that they didn't want to get too close to.

The Buzzard: These are the pale sort of young men who stand along a wall, and wait to see what sort of girl is left without a partner. They wait until the dance is beginning, then go pick a partner from the left-overs, and dance indifferently, then proceed to disappear immediately after the music stops. A very shady, backslidden young person.

The Officious Dancer: This is a young man who thinks he can dance, has too much confidence in his own grace, and asks you to dance with promising gallantry. Then, he proceeds to push you around like a vacuum cleaner and step on your skirt, or he forgets which hand is left, and which is right.

The Patronizer: This sort of partner is abominable. He is vain about how he can dance, and makes an elaborate bow when beginning the dance. But when he asks you for a dance, his manner is full of patronization and pity for the fact that you haven't been asked yet. Then, he proceeds to watch you dance with a sort of indulgent smile. Ew!!!

Now, for the good sort of dancers:

The Gallant: These young men go around rescuing obscure girls from the embarassment of having to sit out a dance, due to not knowing many people there. These gallants care little for whether they know the young lady or not, and make sure that every one of them has a good time.

The Accomplished: These are the partners who come up to you, ask you in a cordial way for a dance, lead you to the circle, and proceed to carry on a comfortable stream of conversation while leading you through a very intricate series of steps, with all ease. A priceless find.

The Correct: These young men do everything according to dance-ettiquette. They ask you in a manner quite polite, they dance with you in a manner quite correct, and they return you after the dance with all due gratefulness for standing up with them. If these young men do lack a bit of spunk, they are good and dancing and that is why we have next:

The Spunky Jovial: These young men are acceptable dancers. What they lack in correctness, they make up for in the spirit in which they dance. You cannot dance with a "Spunky Jovial" without laughing. This sort of partner, if he does miss a step, merely laughs at himself, and continues on, little bothered. This sort is also usually good at sashaying in time to the music, which is priceless indeed!

There you have it! What do you think? Daniel is the Spunky Jovial, and Matthew is either the Gallant or the Correct, with a bit of spunk.

"The Ship's Cook" and a large Tussy Mussy

Hey guys! Last night we had so much fun! Matthew, Sarah, Anna, Emily, Leah, Aunt Christy, Daniel, and I all learned "The Town Square" and "The Ship's Cook" from the 2009 Emma! We just watched it on Youtube, and then I taught it to everyone else from there! It would have worked better if we had more couples, but it was a ton of fun! I love dancing! Yesterday, while at choir, I went on a walk with one of the King's Daughter's sisters. We took a nice stroll along the very picturesque pond near their home, and absolutely filled our arms with flowers! Gracie came with us and looked so sweet in her little lavender dress with her chubby hands full of half-wilted daffodils! I do not want a picture enough, to go upstairs, take a picture of my flowers, load them onto the computer, and then attatch it here, so you shall just have to imagine what a beauty it must have been- a whole quart canning jar bursting with peach blossoms, flowering quince, forsythia, daffodils, narcissus, white and purple violets, and the ever amazingly fragrant meadowseet. Well! Leah, my much-enduring sister, :) has gone up for me to take a picture so here it is! I was thinking once again how wonderful my Lord is to give me such flowers. I have always dreamed of the day when my husband will pick me a bouquet, but isn't it amazing that God actually created flowers just for my enjoyment? That is something an earthly husband will never quite be able to do! :)

Aren't they purty?

I see that Sarah's post raked in alot of comments! Some radio stations have pledge-drives in the spring- I think this blog needs a comment-drive! :) We should just have a post that says, "Leave a comment" and see where it gets us! (I'm half-way kidding!) Or maybe I just need to learn to love iTunes? Anyway, all you picture-people, enjoy Leah's heroic attempt to take a picture with an evil-minded camera! :) -Rachel

The Well-Known Barn Dance

Hey Everyone!
This is Sarah. As most everybody knows, the Alexanders hosted a VERY FUN barn dance on the 14th. Daniel, Rachel, Leah and I all went in a van with the Wilsons and the T.'s up to the Alexanders. It was really fun to carpool and we got to chat the whole 2 1/2 hours up there. We got to their house around 4:00 and then started playing volleyball(the Hampton Roads Team vs. the Other Team :) That was really fun, especially since the hosts had rented a nice volleyball net. As more people started showing up, I got to meet a few people I'd heard of or read their blogs: Anna, Elizabeth, and Abigail.(to name a few) After grabbing a little snack we started to dance! I think besides the square dances we also did The Harper's Ferry, The Trenchmore, The Virginia Reel, The Spanish Waltz, and a few individuals did the Polka, the Gay Gordon(?) and different waltzes. It was sooo fun! It turned out that there were probably twice as many girls as boys so we just either waited to be asked, danced with other girls, or watched.
The Barn was set up Very Well, and set the perfect scenario to square dance in!
Thanks to everybody who made it possible! Well, That's All For Now!
-Sarah

Morgan's Graduation

Hi Everybody! To most people reading this post, all this will be old news. After all, pretty much all our followers are people we are closely associated with. Except for a few, and on that note, thanks Anna for joining! Okay! Once again, we upheld our awful picture-taking reputation and took absolutely no photos of Morgan's graduation. Miss Meredith has generously offered for us to pirate any of the pictures she puts on her blog, so perhaps I'll do that later, or, you can just hop over to her blog and look at it there!
Okay! Formalitites are now done with!
We hosted church today, so we spent all yesterday morning before the party cleaning house. Then Daniel, Sarah and I went to the Wilson's where I proceeded to put up Morgan's hair in a style very becoming to the said young lady. She wore ostamaria in her hair too. It looked rather bridal Miss Morgan! ;)
So anyhoo, we were enlisted as helpers in the kitchen and to serve, so for the first bit, I hardly socialized, because we were scurrying about setting out food. After a quick blessing, we took our places at the food line and began to serve people's plates! You learn alot about the preferences of various people by serving them food! I think the plate that won the prize for the least nutritious was a boy who simply had a white-flour roll and a plop of jello-salad. Yeah.
It was fun though! So we hurried to put the food away, and then we started the ceremony. Such sweet things were said by everyone about Morgan! I nearly cried several times!(partly in sympathy with the multitudes that shed buckets of tears! ;)
After the ceremony Sarah, Alaina W. The lovely King's Daughter and her sisters and mother, and I sang "The Whipporwill Song" for Morgan.
Then it was cake time! Aunt Christy, the mother of the famed Oldest of Many had concocted a lovely cake! Sarah and I had done the shell border on two back up cakes!
After that, we all danced for a couple hours! Maryanna was the sweetest little thing and lent Morgan her Civil War dress, even though it meant she hadn't one for herself! But then Joanna finished a skirt for her in time! Anyway, we all wore our Civil War dresses, and had such fun dancing in those hoops! Morgan looked positively radiant! Mr. Crett, the graduate's uncle played banjo, and Justin and my gentleman played guitar! We did the Virginia Reel, the Gay Gordon, the Spanish Waltz, and the Harpers' Ferry. It was a blast! Morgan opened some gifts next, and we all crowded round to see. All I'm sayin' is that I hope I get such lovely gifts for my graduation next year!
We sang some, played some, and finally drifted home. The End! :)
-Rachel