Last night in Belluno we had the end of the year performance of our local ballet school. Actually they only do this every two years. Our daughter is only at the first part of the second level so her part was minimal. I expected to see a bunch of kids in a kind of typical amature show. However, what we witnessed was the opposite. A very professional evening, dancing of a very high quality at the verious levels. The costumes, the music even the MC excellent.

I could go on, but I wonder if this is typical. It's hard to imagine that our little town would be unique.

I enrolled our daughter in a very informal dance class because formal ballet classes appear far too tedious for what she wants right now. She's 4 and we were just looking for an opportunity for her to socialize and move her body to music.

I've seen many excellent dance recitals... My best friend went to a dance school in the US for 12 years and her recitals would bring tears to my eyes they were so good. Even what the little 4 year olds were doing. I think it depends on the school. Some are just more professional than others. Sounds like you got a good one! Does your daughter enjoy the classes?

A friend of mine (English) ran a little ballet school in Positano several years ago, so it isn't unheard of. My daughter went to a dance (not classical ballet) school and the upper level recitals were delightful and quite impressive, especially when you consider the town where they were held had a pop of about 2000 max, probably less.

JHelm we just attended our little nephew's saggio in Milan; his school is City Dance, run by some fantastic young dancers. It's always quite an impressive production - some really fine dancing, especially from the young adult modern dance students. It's a loooooong show - 4 hours - but always a great deal of fun - AND educational. Last year the story was built around 2 friends who survived the Shoah. This year it was a tale of love and jealousy in the circus.

My wife tells me that schools in Milan would be even much more serious. Yes our daughter does enjoy the classes and she said she wants to continue next year. She prefers the modern dance to the classical, but I believe their is a lot to be learned from classic dance and so I told her she has to do both she can't just do the easy one. Actually I love the ballet, the art and the physicalness of it. I've heard the stories of how it's hard on the body, but then the mother in law of one of my daughters was a professional dance all her life, from a very young age, and now in her late 60's you should see. She is in the best shape of most women I know even those much younger.