Ballerina Dreams & Giddy Girls Who Shoot for the Moon

Ballet may move in and out of vogue with the general public, but the icon of the ballerina never seems to fall from grace in the eyes of our little girls.

I love this quote from an article called Defining "Ballerina" from Pointe Magazine:

"Every little girl who ever owned a certain type of jewelry box, one that opens on a tiny ballerina pirouetting in a pink tutu, feels the meaning of the word, that this dancer is somehow more special than the rest: a precious gem, a jewel of the culture."

My six-year-old daughter, June, fantasizes about becoming a ballerina when she grows up, and when I was her age, I did too. The whimsical spirit of sugar plum fairies and elegant dancing swans are definitely a presence in our home.  For the last year or so, June has taken up ballet classes even though she lacks the training to pull off a perfect form, she has a ball making up her own zany ballerina routines. ;) 

Our combined affection for these twirling, lyrical dancers is what inspired my latest EleStory creation: The Ballerina Collection.

We are SO tickled ballet-slipper-pink to be sharing our sweet ballerina outfits with you and your little ones this week. These carefully crafted, shimmering pieces have quite the transformative effect. Our company of #EleBallerinaGirls have been prancing, strutting and spinning with glee and giddy delight––as you can see from the beautiful images that have been flooding in from our talented photographer friends.

Using the softest and most quality of cotton/lycra knits, combined with the twirliest of skirts, with two layers of softly gathered tulle sprinkled with gold sun, moon, and stars sequins (our own custom made fabric).  Comes with matching flower clips too!  Available in these beautiful hues: Amethyst, Fog, and Ballet Slipper Pink.

And as it turns out, dance can be a great confidence booster for young ladies.  According to a study conducted in Sweden, learning dance can enhance a girl's self-esteem and give her a greater capacity to deal with everyday problems.  I have seen first hand how over the last year of June being in ballet class, she has gained the confidence to speak up more, and to see how much stronger her body has gotten.  The practice of dance can also help girls to: 

• build strong bones
• reduce stress
• improve balance and posture
• foster a healthier lifestyle and stronger self esteem
• provide an outlet for individual creativity
• develop social skills and improve their mental health

The sweetest sisters, the best of friends, having fun in our Ballerina dresses...

According to former ballerina and author of Benediction for a Black Swan Mimi Zollars, those who dedicate their minds, hearts and souls to the rigorous art form of ballet really have to love it to make a name for themselves, "and even then there are no guarantees."

While it's true that not every girl with dreams of taking the stage in a leotard and tutu will get that coveted role in Swan Lake, I still think that all these persistent, hard-working and elegant female dancers are more than worthy of our admiration.

Whatever it is that June sets her sights on when she grows up, I want her to pursue her dreams with the kind of courage, confidence and passion that a prima ballerina has. I hope she'll work hard for what she believes in, but will also learn to advocate for herself and defend her dreams, no matter how big or fanciful they may seem. 

Here’s to our tiny dancers, their natural capacity to twirl joyfully on twinkle toes, and their ability to keep their eyes fixated on the moon and all the grand possibilities that the universe can provide. ;)

xoxo,
Judy

P.S. A very special thanks to Kortnee at Tumbling Sparrows photography for our beautiful lifestyle shots.