Daily Prompt – Out of your Reach

Was there a toy or thing you always wanted as a child, during the holidays or on your birthday, but never received?

When I was younger, I always wanted to be an amazing dancer. I had ballet and tap classes and did grade exams when I was younger, but eventually stopped a few years after my parents divorce because the travel and to-ing and fro-ing got too much. After that I did badminton and eventually found a Street Dance class to do one evening a week. The issue with Street Dance, I always thought, was that I was dancing in a studio and not on the street. I was learning the routine from someone else, it was often quote complex, but it wasn’t exactly true to the form for me. Anyway, I didn’t want to be a street dancer, I wanted to be a classical ballerina. I loved the discipline of the form. The way that the older girls were so confident and strong as we watched them stretch.

I never became them. Nor did I become particularly skilled as a dancer elsewhere (and my badminton skills are not the best). But what I did get to satisfy, somewhat, my desire for ballet was numerous books about girls learning ballet, which fuelled my fondness of literature and spurred me to think that perhaps one day I could be the writer inspiring little girls to dance.

If you read around on my blog, you’ll find that my interests have developed far beyond ballet, though I know that my children would definitely be introduced it at a young age, were I to have any. Ballet is good for strength, discipline and confidence. It is a beautiful activity. And whilst it may not be as cool as some of the more gothic interests I have developed, it remains a part of who I am.

I mean – I still have the slippers and certificates.