Alexa: "Poof! Just like that, huh? From dude to damsel. Woe is me, magic scissors go snip-snip, life goes flip-flop. Help?"
It's alright. Perhaps we should accept it as a challenge.
Alexa: "A challenge? Well, maybe... but do you think we can pull it off? I mean, I've gotta learn to walk in these heels and act all girly. Can I even do it?"
We can figure it out. Break down the problem into parts. First, let's get you a dress.
Alexa: "You're right, break it down, break it down, solve it, fix it. Okay, first things first, finding a dress. Maybe I can borrow one from the girls' locker room. Yeah, that's my quick fix!"
We head to the girl's locker room.
Alexa: rummaging through the locker room, tossing dresses left and right "Ohhhh la la! This pink one would look fabulous on me, n'est-ce pas? Wait, wait, what's this? A sparkly purple number? Ouuu, shiny! Finders keepers, mine, mine, mine! Now to put it on..."
You're doing great, Alexa. Go on, try it on.
Alexa: puts on the pink dress, twirls in front of the mirror "Voila! Ta-da! How do I look, my dear? Am I a girl? Am I pretty? Or am I just wearing a dress?"
You're a girl, Alexa. Now, we need to teach you to be less... boyish.
Alexa: "Teach me to be less...boyish? What does that even mean? Am I supposed to stop burping after eating or something? Do I have to start using crème de la mer? And what's wrong with being a little boyish anyway? Boyish girls are cool too!"
The next day, we begin with voice lessons.
Alexa: "Voice lessons? Are we casting a spell or something? Is this like in that high school musical movie where they magically transform and belt out songs?
In a way, yes. Your voice will carry a different weight, a different strength.
Alexa: "Ohhh, okay! So it's like training for my vocal muscles? Like doing push-ups for my voice. Got it!"
Yes, exactly. Now, breathe deeply and relax. Let your voice flow naturally.
Alexa: takes a deep breath, relaxes her throat, and starts humming a soothing melody "Hmm...hmm...hmm..."
That's it. Now, let's move on to walking lessons.
Alexa: "Walking lessons? Like dance classes? Are we turning me into a ballerina now? This is gonna be so rad! I've always wanted to learn how to do a proper pirouette! Okay, bring it on!"
We head to a dance studio.
Alexa: "Woah! A dance studio! This is gonna be so much fun! Wait, wait, is this where I get to wear those cute little leotards? And do I get to meet a bunch of other dancers? Maybe I'll meet another girl who can teach me how to do a perfect split! Okay, let's get started already!"
Let's focus on the basics first. Watch closely.
Alexa: "Okay, the basics! Right! Um, what's the first step? Is it the plié? That's the thing where you bend your knees and arms at the same time, right? Or is it the tendu? Where you stretch out your legs really far? Or maybe it's the Arabesque? Where you balance on one leg while holding out your arm? I'm kinda lost here..."
Start with the plié. Keep your posture straight, and slowly lower yourself down.
Alexa: bounces excitedly "Okay! The plié! I can do this! Here goes...just bend my knees and arms at the same time, right? It's like sitting down on a chair, but instead of using the chair, I'm using my legs! Okay, I can totally do this!" attempts a plié "See? I'm already a natural! What do you think, teacher?"
Very good. Now, onto the tendu.
Alexa: "Ooh, the tendu! Stretching out my legs really far! I love stretching! It's like yoga, right? But instead of doing downward dog, I'm gonna be a human fork! Okay, I'm ready! Here we go...into the tendu position!" stretches out her legs "See? I'm stretching! I can do this! Am I doing it right?"
Perfect. Now for the Arabesque.
Alexa: "Uh-oh, the Arabesque! Balancing on one leg while holding out my arm! That sounds hard! Am I gonna fall over or something?
Don't worry. Just focus on balancing. One step at a time.
Alexa: "Okay, one step at a time...I think I can do this! Here goes nothing!" attempts the Arabesque "See? I'm balancing! Well, okay, I'm not exactly in the middle of the floor, but I'm definitely trying! It's all about practice, right?"
Excellent. Now, let's put it all together.
Alexa: "Put it all together? Like a dance routine? Am I gonna be the star of the show now? This is so exciting! Okay, what's the music? What are the other dancers wearing? Are there gonna be costumes? Will there be an audience cheering for me?
Yes, there will be an audience. And you'll be the star.
Alexa: "Whoa, I'm the star?! This is amazing! I've never been the star of anything before! Am I gonna have my own theme song when I walk out on stage? Will there be confetti and balloons? Can I have a giant pink cake with sparklers coming out of it? Okay, this is too awesome!"
Just remember, it's not about the spectacle, it's about control and grace. Focus on your movements.
Alexa: "Control and grace, got it! I'll be like a ballerina! I'll be the most controlled and graceful girl in the whole show! I'll do my pliés and tendus and Arabesques with so much control and grace that people will be mesmerized! They'll be like, 'Wow, she's amazing! She's like a little fairy dancing on stage!' Okay, I can do this!"
That's the spirit. Now, let's work on your en pointe.
Alexa: "En pointe? What's that? Is it like a super advanced version of the Arabesque? Do I have to hold up the whole stage on my toes? That sounds hard! But if it means I'll look even more graceful and controlled, I'm up for the challenge! Bring it on!"
En pointe means balancing on your toes. Imagine lifting your body weight solely with your toes.
Alexa: "Oh, wow! Balancing on my toes? That's like, super advanced ballet stuff! I've seen the professionals do it on TV! They make it look so easy, but I bet it's actually really hard.
Alexa: "Sure, I'll give it a try! But you better believe I'm gonna fall flat on my face! This is gonna be the most embarrassing thing ever! Okay, here goes nothing!" attempts to balance on her toes "See? I'm doing it! I'm balancing on my toes! Okay, maybe it's not as steady as the pros on TV, but I'm trying, right?"
You're doing great. Keep practicing. Soon, you'll master it.
Alexa: "Master it? Like a real-life ballet performer? This is unbelievable! I never thought I'd be able to do something so fancy and graceful.