Willy the Whale for the Weekend

On Friday nights I teach little kids how to dance traditional Greek line dancing at my church.  This is my second year.  I've been director for the program for a number of years and my oldest son has been teaching since he was 15 years old.  He's too humble to say it, but he really knows his stuff as far as Greek music and dance.  My two sons, my sister and I, have been dancing with a performing group since about 1995 so I know a few things.  But dancing a dance and teaching a dance are very different.  It's not easy to break down a dance into steps with words, right/left/left/right, slow, quick quick. 

When I needed a teacher for the Friday night class and couldn't find someone, I took the class myself.  I live nearby, the kids are beginners, I figured I could handle ten kids.  It's been alot of fun and hard work.  I like it because it keeps me out of my head!

Doesn't George look proud of Willy?

This past Friday was particularly fun for me.  One student, George, brought a stuffed whale to the dance class.  It seems the whale comes from the student's second grade classroom and each child has the chance to bring home "Willy for the weekend". 

I remember the time my youngest son brought home a gerbil and kept it in his bedroom.  He wanted to watch it and play with it during the day, but the rodent was asleep.  At night the thing was awake playing on it's wheel, eating, rummaging through the wood chips, and keeping my son awake with it's little noises.  And it smelled.  So congratulations to that smart teacher who had the idea for kids to bring home a stuffed animal to entertain!  George has to write about the activities he does with the whale for school on Monday.

Willy leads the dance line

George's mom asked if it was okay to allow the whale to participate in the dance class.  I think she might have been apprehensive of how I would react.  Well, I was all up for that!  I immediately gave "Willy" a name tag and put him in the line-up. The mom and I took photos while the kids held its flippers.  We made "Willy" lead the dance line, too.  Mom took a picture of "Willy" checking out my CD choices. 

When class was over they put "Willy" back in his carry-case/shopping bag to have the rest of his weekend adventure at George's house! 

I think I had a better time with "Willy" than George and the other kids had!  I was so excited that I couldn't wait to come home from the class to write this post and share.

 George takes Willy home