The ballet down here really tries to use kids in its productions. It actively seeks ways to incorporate young people into its works. This summer, Caroline got to be in the cast of Giselle. There is a summer program for older kids (older than Caroline) and at the end of their run, they put on a show. But the ballet draws from its younger set, and Caroline was chosen to participate. She has been in the Nutcracker. She knows how to handle herself onstage, and she has an idea of what’s expected of her during ballet.

She came home from the dress rehearsal wailing, “I can’t be in the show if I don’t have eyeliner.”

So we stopped and bought eyeliner on the way home.

And I got ready to Google-tube the hell out of that subject, because baby, I don’t wear make-up. I’m allergic to it. I can wear greasepaint, but not cosmetics. I have never met one that doesn’t break me out in massive hives. Lipstick’s about all I can sport. And I understand how to apply blush and eye shadow, and in a real pinch, mascara. But eyeliner is formally out of my depth.

And because I am me, I didn’t think to just ask for help. Mercifully, I was bemoaning my fate to my friend Linda, and she said, “What time do you need me at your house?” Not only did she apply eyeliner. She also gave Caroline base, mascara, blush that didn’t evaporate in ten seconds, and a coat of lipstick that the audience could see. And she did it in under half an hour without once snarling “SIT STILL!” as I am prone to do when I have to paint my daughter colors.

The ballet was intense, and they had those 8-10 year old kids onstage for the entire first act.

Caroline got so much out of the experience, and I’m so proud of her for taking the initiative. I’m not a backstage mama. (Though I volunteer for The Nutcracker pretty much wherever they need me.) And neither are the other parents here. We’re pretty laid back about this, so when a kid is really into ballet, it’s because the kid wants it, not because some mother is living out her unfulfilled ballerina-princess dreams. (I took ballet for one year? Two at most? I loved performing, hated actually learning, and had no interest in continuing. My children’s continued and intensified fascination with it absolutely does not come from me.)  We all love to watch the productions, but this is just a kickass extracurricular, and it’s driven by the people who are doing it.

I have a little more to say on the topic, but I’ll save that for its own rather lengthy post tomorrow.