Freestone's Wonderful Journey

Freestone and Araceli went to Kaysville Junior High this year.  Araceli has applied for a variance all 3 years, and only got in her 8th grade year and decided to turn it down.  So KJH called a week before school started and said that they had a spot.  She took it!  It all happened very quickly.  When Freestone saw the schedule of classes that KJH had to offer, he wanted to transfer too.  They have 10 classes instead of 8, so there is more room for electives like dance and engineering.  Long story short, the powers that be were very accommodating, and let Freestone in as well.  It helped that we didn't care which school he ended up at.  I essentially told the district guy and the principal, "You decide.  You're in charge."  For the most part, they have been happy at KJH.  There are pros and cons.  We left behind some incredible teachers at Fairfield and inherited some lousy ones at Kaysville.  They're both good schools, and it's been a chance for growth and to make new friends.

Freestone's main priority is dance.  He lives for his ballet classes.  He is growing before our eyes.

Freestone got the part of Nephew in Clytie's Nutcracker.  Typically, Ballet West's Nutcracker auditions are on the same day as ours, but this year, they just happened to be a week later.  Freestone wanted to try out.  After I registered him, I realized that he was probably too tall, so I emailed the woman in charge.  She said he was eligible for Nephew or Servant.  She said, "For Nephew, he'll have to be an excellent actor."  So I was pretty nervous going in that they would immediately deem him too tall and not excellent enough.  Despite the nerves, it was a really exciting day.  Scott came down from Araceli's youth symphony rehearsal at the U to share in the energy.  We dropped off the kid and walked up to Siegfried's to get him a nice German snack to get him in the Nutcracker spirit.

Two hours later, the boys came out.  I didn't see Freestone, so I eavesdropped on another boy's conversation with his mom.  He had gotten a callback and was to come back at 4.  I tried to glean details, but this kid was as non-detail-oriented as Freestone and most boys.  "They said to come back at 4."

At last, Freestone walked out.  I saw him scanning the crowd.  His face didn't reveal anything.  When he saw me, he smirked.  I said, "Well?"

"I got a callback."

We celebrated next door at Blue Iguana before running home for a couple hours.

Back at Capitol Theater, all the callback kids were lined up and taken to the studio.  I was nervous that we were going to come up empty-handed, after having spent the whole day in this pursuit.  At that moment, I was missing Ruby (and Frank) leaving for Homecoming.  Scott was sending me pictures.

I love how boys effortlessly mesh.  When I'd dropped him off that morning, he was already involved in a card game when we brought the deli food back.

As time wore on, I ended up sitting next to the women volunteering to handle the audition.  They indicated that everyone who received a callback would get a part.  Well, that was a relief, but I was still secretly scared Freestone would be too tall, or would not be excellent enough at either acting or dancing.  I kinda thought he would get Servant, because his dancing is better than his acting.

When they filed out, Freestone was stone-faced.  I had to ask him what he got.  He said, "I got Nephew."  Auditions are so wrought with emotion.  At first, I was ecstatic.  Then, forgetting my gratitude, I was disappointed he hadn't also gotten Servant, like one other boy I'd overheard.  Dumb, right?  Then I looked around and one boy was crying, pressed into his mom's side as she comforted him.  Judging by his height, he had wanted the part Freestone got.  I was sad for him.  He left quickly, and I wanted to, too, so as not to betray any of my happiness to the boys who maybe hadn't gotten the solo parts.

Both of us soared to the car on clouds of audition details, savoring the story of the moment the judges revealed the outcome.  Being in Ballet West Nutcracker is a special thing, a coveted opportunity, and one to be savored.

And savoring it we are.  I went to the parent meeting last Saturday and blissfully took in all the information as I sat in Capitol Theater.  I once participated in Ballet West Nutcracker, as a Servant, the part Freestone didn't get.  The experience was magical.  Golda wrote from Hong Kong that "Freestone is literally living my childhood dream."  Of course, we have our own brilliant and wonderful Nutcracker, and we are grateful for every part we get, and the chance to do it.  This is something apart from that, though, and one can't take anything away from the other.

I love the confidence Freestone is getting each time he punches in that door code and walks into the studio, to be surrounded by others who understand his passion for ballet.  It's like God has given him a gift, and I am grateful.