Dance with me studios…the beginning

This This is a very special post about my dance school and how I got there. How did I get from studying accounts to teaching dance to children. It was took years of gradually learning all aspects having this sought of business and destiny of course had something to do with it.

Of course I had loved to dance ever since I was a child. My mother sent me to ballet classes with the caribbean school of ballet and up to this day I remember all those ballet routines.

I was requested to perform dances in church for christmas and feast days and then one day when madeline was a baby and I was beginnung to think I was trapped and useless, the youth group of a church in Arima asked me to chreograph a dance for a youth rally dance competition, This was new to me as I have never put together a dance for a group. I realised I could of done it with ease and life was in me again. The youth group came second place.

Then I became  involved in my children preschool. The principal of the school and I became really  good friends and I helped them prepare and plan  for christmas concerts, bbq fundraisers, easter hat parties and much more. Slowly I learnt how to correspond to parents, how to make and create things for children and of course how to teach children basic singing and rhymes. Sometimes I would be in the school the whole day. 

The preschool had lots of extra curricular activites such as swimming, computer and gymnastics. Their gymnastics classes were done in a gym next door . They used the aerobics room which had wooden floors and mirrors all around.  I went with the children to some of their sessions but one day I started to dance a few little steps when they were putting on their shoes to go back to school. The gymnastics teacher came to me and asked me where i learnt to dance like that . I told him and he asked me if I would be interested in teaching his competitive girls some dance routines. I couldn’t believe it . my destiny was near.

Mr Joseph was the manager of a gymnastics club called gymakron. They are based in St augustine at the uwi and I would be required to teach on saturdays. I have taught these plasticine girls and learnt a lot teaching . Jacob was involved in a beginners program. Madeline was already in the program through the preschool and too young to train for competition. Madeline was learning by watching and soon at the age of five training for her first competition.

I have taught in the club for one year and although I have learnt gymanstics routines and taught dance I was restricted to teaching the girls towards a competition and not a concert . I had so many  ideas of teaching latin , ballroom and hip hop and eager to try.

Then Mrs Harrington , Jacob’s school teacher at Malabar r.c school ( he already left preschool) told me that the school really lacked extra-curricular activites since she new I taught dance .  I laughed because I couldn’t imagine this opportunity. I made a proposal with the principal and she gave me the go ahead since she and a few teachers saw me dance in church a while ago and remembered me.

I distributed forms to all the children in September 2006 and was eager to see the response. it was overwhelming because of the need for something for the children to do . I got about 100 children and had to separate them into three classes. I was being paid for something I love to do. I said goodbye to the Mr. Joesph and thanked him for giving me the knowledge and exposure to a lot of teaching techniques .

This is the beginning . Of course I will write another post on what I have done so far in one year with Dance with me studios. The picture above were some of my dance students just before they performed a waltz for a mothers day concert at the school.

Back to school

The long vacation is over and it is time for school. Jacob and Madeline has everything and yesterday morning they look so crisp and clean.  I packed their lunchkits and combed Madeline hair in white woogies. Andrew had a late shift so I had his help . We hired transport for the children and at 8 o’clock they were on their way. I had to go to the school afterwards to make sure Madeline got in her new Second year class. Jacob knew what class he will be in and was settled in already .

Madeline is in Second year Infants ( grade one equivalant). She is very eager to start this new class and knows some of the work already( since I kept Jacob books from second year) . Madeline is not particular about writing but she loves to read.

Jacob is in Standard two ( grade three) and started off very eager to learn ( thankfully) . His bookbag seems to be piling up with more books from school and I should consider a trolly bag soon. His subjects would be Mathemetics, reading, spelling, comprehension, vocabulary, science and Social studies. He loves Mathemetics and science and so do I. It is the first time he got a male teacher . He got Home work already and I told him no TV until he finishes. Flash Jacob has finished his homework . He has a spelling test on friday.

As for me I have been planning this  terms dance program now that I have peace and quiet. This term I have to introduce myself to the new ist year infants and distribute dance forms for the rest of the school. That I will do tommorow. I am going to teach a traditional parang song -not soca parang and also the song – I’ve got the power. I also teach basic gymnasitic excersies that I have learnt at the gymnastic club I was in together with ballet excercises that I remembered from my days in ballet school. I will have to purchase some mats for the kids to do some forward and backward rolls with them. The principal of the school has allowed me to teach during school hours as part of the extra curricular activities. It is very convenient for the parents since their children  do not have to stay back extra hours after school. I am lucky for that.

Well I will have to write another post about my dance studio , how I began to teach dance and what started it all. As september starts it will be busy at home and at school until december but a little bit of everything is just fine .

Happy Independence Day……with tea and fireworks

Yesterday was Independence day and it was a very busy day. The children watched the Independence day parade on television in the morning while we did some cleaning up. The venue of the parade ( which was held in the queen’s park savannah) is now at president’s house grounds. Jacob loves seeing the parade and all the marching and firetrucks and ambulances with their lights.

Traditionally I always prepare pelau ( a combination of meat, pigeon peas and rice) with a cole slaw for lunch . Afterwards we watched a movie and started to get ready for the tea party at 3 o’clock at Malabar r.c. church. Mom bought tickets to an evening with tea, jazz and steelband fund raiser . At present my husband Andrew is on sick leave for four days with a back sprain and decided not to go so he can rest.

The tea party was not thrilling for children as it was for adults. The children had fun dressing up and eating the tea cakes etc. but entertainment was boring for them. We left 5 o ‘clock to get ready for fireworks in arima. Ususally there is fireworks in Port-of-spain but for the past three years Arima has been hosted a display as well.

It was a very nice day.

O Santa Rosa

O Santa Rosa dear santa rosa, we rejoice for you. We pray for our people,we pray for Arima ( Santa rosa hymn)

Last Sunday my mother, children and I went to Arima’s feast day . The feast of Santa Rosa. It was a very sunny day and wonderful for all the festivities. The children got ready and we reach for 9am mass . Afterwards the congregation have a procession with a replica of Rosa throught the streets of Arima . It was quite a walk and we were given water at certain points of the walk and all the points of my toes were exausted.

All types of people were there . The church  invited the Parliment representive for Arima-ms Penelope Beckles,  the Mayor of Arima , Bishop aposilicate for the antilles and other guests. Most interesting were the Carib decendants from a carib community right here in Arima. They reside in the same spot their ancesters did many years ago and carry on many traditions and crafts in the village.

  Here are my children holding Monsignor Christian Perriera during the procession. There felt so proud at that moment.

 Well this is the last week before school opens on September 3rd and everything is ready. I had to cover about 30 books with brown paper and this is just the beginning. I had to buy Jacob some new pants as he has grown during the holidays. They are excited for school to open. Believe Me I am just as excited!!

My oh My Madeline

Today was a bit of a rush for me. I had to a doctor’s check-up for myself as I have recently start having blood pressure problems , then month-end groceries . You know it is not as hard as you think but in Trinidad, every-body seems to have the same idea at the same time. The grocery was busy and with two children with no hands to spare( literally) . Andrew ( who works in the same grocery we shop in -tru valu ) had to work a late shift and thus I had to do this ” grocery shopping” .

Anyway Madeline ,my madeline. How to discribe my daughter of 6years old. I know for sure is that she has quite an inagination . She will paint horses in purple( because they drank purple juice), she will colour girls hair yellow beacuse they are playing in the sun and she must have every animal stuff toy in the world because she is a vet and needs to take care of them. Yes she loves animals as well.

Madeline was born on April 15th ,2001 and the nurse told me she smile when she took her first bath. Amazing she does not like swimming but she does love to play with water. She loves attention and could very well defend herself. At a small age when she realizes that she has this “other” not to small “brother” around all the time ,she develops this ” I am little but loud” attitute. Poor Jacob…

Madeline is very small in waist but she is growing in height alot. I just realise that her size feet sprung up to a 1 from a 12. Shoes buying again and of course madeline has to choose. SHe was very good in gymnastics . We were in a gymnastics club where I started to teach dance to competitive girls. Madeline was just 4 and she just start to follow the girls . In one year I entered her in her first competition for all pre-schoolers acrobatics gynmastics and Madeline took the trophy. It was my proudest moment.

I really wish I started this blog a long time so much pic were missed of  these precious moments but I least I started. Pictures were taken with camera phone. I am hoping to get a digital camera soon.

Tourism Park

Last Sunday, after cooking a lovely sunday lunch we decided to go Tourism Park held every year in Trinidad. It’s an exibition that portraits Trinidad and Tobago for all tourist and locals alike. The display shows different areas of Trinidad and Tobago such as La brea – pitch lake ,  Waterloo- Temple on the sea ,  Tobago – argyle waterfalls and buccoo reef and much more . The artwork which shows replicas of waterfalls, leatherback turtles and mud volcanos was so real and gives you an idea of the real thing. It was held in the Divali Nagar site near Chaguanas. I guess they wanted it centralized so everyone could visit. Jacob and Madeline have been in Tourism park 2006  but the venue was different and smaller. We try to go to as many of these displays with them as possible so that they could know their country.              

Animals such as ocelots,caimans, morocoy( turtle)pocupines, macaws,monkeys , snakes, spiders  that live in trinidad were there and of course Madeline was interested because of her love for animals. Jacob was only saying ” what’s there, oh what’s there” He had like the “furry ” spider – tarantula. That could stay in south america.

Fishes of all types that could be found in the buccoo reef was so colourful. It took us maybe three hours to go through all the exihibits – it could of been two if it wasn’t for the huge bouncy castle that made Jacob eyes drowl with anquish.

All in all we had a  great  time .

The story of my life

Hello every one. This is my very first blog . It shall be about everything that I like to do. what I have encountered as a parent and dealing with life with a condition called excema dermititis. I naturally love to teach and this can give me a chance to showcase my knowledge of  caribbean food, dance, parenting and excema. I hope it will be interesting.