Do little girls still want to be ballerinas?

I have a vague memory of my time at a school in Surrey, it was after we lived in Cyprus and before we moved to Belgium.  The school were putting on a production, it may have been at Christmas time but I remember it being really sunny,  who can tell with the British weather.

Me with my brother in the dress that got me the lead in Coppelia (1981)

The teachers were casting the roles, and as much as I would like to say that I got my role because of my unbelievable acting ability, obviously at the age of 4 I was an acting genius, I now realise that it was just because I had the most realistic costume.

For years I had this vague memory floating around in the back of my head.  I didn't know what the play was called and my parents can't really remember seeing me in any play!  I have had words about this fact.

Then about eight years ago while teaching in the London school the head teacher arranged for a theatre company to come to the school and put on a performance, in the past we had seen The Little Princess and Aladdin.  On this occasion they were showing Coppelia, I had never heard of it, most of the staff had never heard of it.  We were such philistines, so the head bought a selection of books so that we could read up on it before the performance. It was while reading these books that the vague memory came crashing back to me. The play I had performed in was Coppelia and I had played the title character, all because I had a dirndl dress.

I have since then had a soft spot for Coppelia and when I heard the English National Ballet were touring the country with it I knew I had to go.  I badgered G.O who purchased the ticket through Groupon, I wasn't expecting much ticketwise, but as long as I got to watch the performance I was more than happy.