Disappointed

So at William's request we put him into the Parks and Recreation Ballet class through the City of Waterloo this winter.

I know that it is only a parks and rec program, but still there is an awful lot of standing around and not doing much by BOTH instructors.  Two instructors for 7 children ages 4-5.

I was there the first class.  The entire group demonstrated they understood the concept of going from corner to corner when it came to moving across the floor.
So it is not necessary to have one stand with the group and another stand at the far corner that is marked with a star.  Especially when only 2 of 7 children are doing anything remotely close to what they were asked.
One of the teachers should be going across the floor with them and making sure they are actually trying to do what they are asked and to attempt doing it oppose to just running across the floor.

Also I have a HUGE issue with the music selection.  It is entirely geared toward girls and girls only.  I mean come on one of the songs tonight at the Open House was about "how to be a princess"

Boys dance too.  Actually the brother to one of the girls in the class was shocked when he realized William was in the class not just joining in the warm up for fun.  That can also be said for almost all the parents there.
How they missed the fact there was a boy in the class is beyond me.  He kinda sticks out amongst the sea of pink and skirts.

If I had the money and a car, I would put him in a real dance class where he might actually learn how to do what he is mimicking.

Come on, it took me a minute to teach William how to gallop on the way home from the class and I was just parroting what I remembered from my own dance class 30 years ago and what I saw over the years I volunteered for JMC.

Yes I did fill out the course evaluation for the program.  It just so disappointing that the city of Waterloo clearly hired people who have created a program solely geared toward girls instead of all children ages 4-5.  The best they offer for "co-ed" classes is a Combo Dance (Jazz, Ballet and creative movement) not offered at the Albert McCormrick Community Centre location and a Hip Hop that isn't available to children under age 7.

I can say William wasn't the worst, but nor was he all that great.  He could have done much better if he had actually received any real instruction beyond "Look at me, Do what I am doing. Okay now you do it by yourself."
He was also the only one taking the "class" for the first time.  The rest of the class had either taken it the session before or were in the Creative movement class the session before.  I would put him in the Creative movement class if it weren't for the fact it is at 5:35pm and my last child leaves at 5:30pm.