Tanaka Ballet Studio Performance

Most of you don't know that I had been taking ballet lessons with a sweet friend of mine named Hitomi. I went to lessons from lastDecember through half of April in Mobara, which is a 20 minute train ride from Toke. When Hitomi moved in April, I stopped going to lessons, mostly because I was too shy to go alone. I've wanted to begin again, but a recent leg injury has kept me from even keeping up with my daily runs.

Yesterday, Tanaka Ballet Studio had a wonderful recital at the Mobara Theatre House. Ryan and I went to the 2 1/2 hour show, which was very varied and entertaining. The lights were pretty dark and we had to use digital zoom, so they're a bit blurry, but suitable I think.

The children's recital was first. It was a 45 minute set of small and large group shows displaying all the students from the adorable little girls to high schoolers who spun on point (using toe shoes to stand on the tips of their toes) very naturally. We didn't manage to get any good images of the junior high and high school students group performance. Sorry.



Next there was a 45 minute set of performances by those who are still amateurs, but have been studying for a very long time. It was also another chance for the school girls who were very advanced to show their stuff. The (only) man and the woman in white are are around 40-50, the rest are in high school or junior high.

Ryan really wanted to wear the guy in the middle's Bluebird Costume.



Then there was a final 30 minute group show in which all the little girls were flower fairies--soo cute! This was also the show in which most of the junior high school girls had the opportunity to do a solo dance on the center stage as well.

So Cute!