Grand Jetes

During the winter months, we tend to be a little less active around here. I've noticed lately that Maddie is a bit over exuberant by the time evening roles around. So the answer seems to be more activity!

And thus, I've decided to teach her grand jetes.


I had a wonderful ballet teacher, Madame Ginger Burke, one of the last Ballachine babies and owner of the Royal Academy here in Buffalo. She taught us grand jetes in this simple way.


Pile up tissue boxes and jump over them. As you get good, pile them higher. And she also taught us to jump (and land) as quietly as a mouse.

We have a very long hallway, so it seemed a perfect runway for our leaping. I demonstrated and led the way.

I'm not exactly educated in child development so I quickly learned I was jumping the gun on this physical development. Maddie ran down the hall, stopped at the box, took some prancing steps in place, jumped over once and...



Got out her markers to color the boxes. Ah well, we'll continue.