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Sunday, September 07, 2008

Ocean Ballet School Showcase.

Last weekend I attended a ballet performance, as the head teacher is a friend of mine who used to help me out with English classes as a volunteer at one of my elementary schools. [Boy, that was a tortured sentence. It's late. Shut up.]

Anyways, it was really kind of awesome. I actually enjoyed it more than you'd think, knowing me for the uncultured individual that I am. And I enjoyed it in that manly, macho way, of course.

But there's a great deal of power, grace and agility in it, all qualities I'm woefully lacking, but still... It's really quite impressive to watch.

And plus, the daughter of another English teacher at a different elementary school was one of the students performing. And as it turns out, about another 7 or 8 kids are, or were, students of mine.

It's always kind of fascinating to see the kids outside of school. Besides the shock in their eyes at seeing me alive anyplace outside of the academic buildings, and their slow, dawning recognition that yes, I'm actually kind of interested in their lives and what they're doing and I'm not just the English speaking monkey from class... and I find that 99% of the time, outside of school, they're far more interested in engaging and interacting with me, which is really cool. And fun. And I digs it.

Leaping!

The littlest leapers! C'mon, how cute is that?




One of my Jr High kids... she was surprisingly, and exceptionally good, I thought.











A few of my elementary and Jr High kids I managed to catch after the show. It's so strange, on stage, the look so much bigger, and some of my Jr High kids looked almost adult, but afterwards, offstage, they're still the same little munchkins who barely come up to my chest.



Wow, horrible pic of me [could I have more chins?] but this is a former student of mine, now in high school. She was great.

Mistress of ceremonies from the evening.


All pics from the evening here.

Ocean Ballet School Showcase, Japan from Rob Pugh on Vimeo.

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