REWARD - BALLET

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Win Hilling. Stories for my Grandchildren

REWARD - BALLET

Before we emigrated and while we were living in England Sylvia began to have trouble with her feet. The doctor advised us to see a specialist who visited Eastbourne, where we lived, once a week. He came from London and his visits were to deal with problem cases.

The doctor viewed Sylvia as a problem case because the only treatment that he had recommended was that she should have Dr Scholls pads put into her shoes to support her arches. My husband and I were not happy with this because we felt that with constant support her feet would not strengthen. She was only 9 years old so that treatment was not satisfactory in our view.

So we saw the specialist who asked me to tell him what the trouble was. I dully explained the situation and said I hoped he could help us to strengthen her feet.

He looked at me over his glasses and said, “Most mothers who bring their problems to me are wrong in thinking they know better than their doctor. However I see your objection and in a child of her age. I agree that we should first try some other method!” So Sylvia had some electrical water treatment which did not help, then exercises which did make a small improvement.

When the treatment ended the specialist said, “My recommendation now is that she attend ballet classes.” This really surprised me and as money was in short supply I wondered whether than would be possible. We talked it over and decided that as we intended to reward her for all the hard work she had done at school, we would let her have a year at ballet.

Sylvia is a perfectionist and works very hard at everything she does. The children in her class at school were a year older than she was but she still aimed to be top of the class and achieved this.

So Sylvia started learning ballet and was extremely happy. Slowly her feet improved. What we hadn’t realised was that once a child learns ballet the grades go on year after year. Sylvia did so well that we felt we couldn’t take her away from ballet after one year.

So she carried on and I remember we once rented a furnished house whilst our house was being built. Very early every morning we were woken by the noise of the handles of her wardrobe rattling furiously with every move she made with practising.

In adult life she ran a ballet studio for 12 years, and after she married she started a dance class for young bored mothers.

She went on to form two dance companies of ethnic national dance and for teenagers and one for which she became well known and on TV called “Korushka International Dance Company. With this group she travelled around N.Z.

I have had much pleasure helping with all these activities. They made my life interesting and creative and I am grateful for my life style.