January 28, 2013 (Monday)

[First day at OSA.  We had to get up an hour earlier to catch the train  to the BART station then BART  to Oakland.  With school starting at 8:10 AM, it’s a long haul.  She will study science online (BYU Online) since OSA didn’t have room for her in their regular science classes.

The School of Dance has the highest academic ranking of all the schools at OSA – so it’s a little bit exclusive.  She has to maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA to be able to perform – so the pressures on.  95% of the graduates go on to college or university!

Everybody’s really friendly and helpful.  She’s already made several friends.  There are only seven students (including AMS) in the dance emphasis in the 7th grade.  They all wear their leotards, tights and buns to their classes everyday.  Although considered one of the “normal” girls, she fits right in, .]

I woke up at 5:00 AM today, with no time for coffee.  It was really cold, and I was yawning a lot.  Even though I hadn’t had any coffee, I was unable to sleep.  When we got there, I took one look at everybody else’s clothes and thought, wow I look so un-OSA!  My dad had to keep reminding me to stop smiling because everyone else could tell I was new because of that.  

The other new dance girl was called Ava.  She’d taken the summer intensive there, which meant the other dancers already knew her.  I spent first period waiting outside the main office.  After that, Avery, a very happy and excitable 7th grade dancer took me and Ava to second period, which was English with Ms. Bradburn.  We had ballet/contemporary dance next, and because it was a minimum day, we did a work instead of any dancing.  

There were many push-up activities, some jogging with pointed feet, and exercises designed to improve flexibility.  Compared to how well everybody else was doing, I felt so out of shape!  I didn’t have Mr. Savage that day.   Instead I had Ms. Hurley, another dance teacher.  She assigned this girl named Alana, who I met at SFB, to be  my dance guide.  We didn’t have lunch, and instead Ms. Bradburn, also my History teacher, allowed us to eat in class.  I had math as last period.  Ms. Humphrey, my math teacher, helped me get up to speed on what everybody else in the class was doing.  Dismissal time was 12:50.  We took the BART and Caltrain home.

January 29, 2013 (Tuesday)

[Second Day:  We’re both very tired already.  Today was a 14 hour day which started at 6:15 AM and ended when we got home around 8:45 PM.  Tomorrow I’m going to let AMS go by herself to OSA.  I’ll drive up later and meet her at the BART station in SF for her ballet class in the City.]

Today I got up about 15 minutes later then I was supposed to (5:15 AM).  I managed to get some coffee, and was still sore from Monday.

January 30, 2013 (Wednesday)

[Up early as usual – 5:00 AM – for the long commute to Oakland.  It’s still dark outside but need to catch the early bullet train.  City Ballet after school in SF tonight]

[The BART from Millbrae to 19th Street Station was really late this morning but because she doesn’t have a first period class it’s OK for her to be delayed. This was OK’d by Ms. Peters.  More gushing enthusiasm from Amelia. She’s loving OSA – every minute of it. She got a pretty hard workout today and was having some thoughts but she hung in there and overcame. Mr. Savage is giving them a real training in dance – a combination of detail information about which muscle groups are being used (or should be used) and practical physical training. She’s learned some Pilates stretches and more details about technique.  Nothing but raves about the teaching methodology of OSA.]

January 31, 2013 (Thursday)

[Same as yesterday.]  The dance emphasis students, of which I’m a new member, have a typical “dress code”, hair up in a bun, leotards and tights on, sweater and jeans or shorts, and wearing a scarf.  All the dance emphasis students wear this outfit (except the boys).   Once again, City Ballet after school. 

February 1, 2013 (Friday)

[We met one of AMS friends mom at the train station this morning.  Hopefully they’ll be able to ride together for some portion of the trip.  AMS successfully completed the entire trip to school and back by herself.  I’m so proud of her.  Again rave reviews of the things they’re doing at OSA and the training she’s getting.  I can’t believe it’s free!]

BART was really delayed again today going through SF.  No matter, I don’t have a first period this semester.  Today at school it was College Day, and they changed the bell sound to a college’s fight song. Along with that in all our classes (besides our emphasis ones) we got to spend most of the period talking about colleges, universities, and careers.