Two weeks ago I surprised Sebastiaan with tickets to see the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. I told him not to make any plans for the night, to dress nicely and be ready to go at 6pm. I was a bit nervous to reveal that my big surprise required him to wear a blazer and included pink tights and tutus, but I just hoped for the best.
William Forsythe’s The Second Detail
When I told Sebastiaan that we were going to the ballet he was thrilled. While x-boyfriends of mine would have looked at me tortured as if I told them we were going to spend the day at a Nordstrom shoe sale, Sebastiaan was genuinely excited! (Gotta love European men).
We made a night out of it. We got dressed up, went to the cute Italian restaurant in our neighborhood that we’ve meant to check out and even got to the theatre in time to grab a glass of wine on the terrace.
William Forsythe’s Step Text
Of course I love a night out, especially one involving tickets to a show but this was a little more than that. Sebastiaan had never seen a ballet, and while this is not exactly unusual, it is something that bothered us both. Ballet was such a huge part of my life for so long and it was starting to feel like a whole chapter of my life that Sebastiaan just couldn’t understand.
Balanchine’s Symphony in Three Movements
When the show started I felt some familiar butterflies in my stomach but I wasn’t sure why. I didn’t have to step on stage (thank god) and Sebastiaan still looked excited, so what was I so nervous about? The thing is, I was nervous Sebastiaan wouldn’t like it or worse wouldn’t at least appreciate the skill and artistry dancers pour into their work. At intermission I anxiously glanced over at Sebastiaan with a nervous “So?” look and he just looked back at me, smiled and said “Thank you so much baby, this is amazing.”
While Sebastiaan may not be running to the box office to purchase season tickets anytime soon, what mattered most to me is that he got a glimpse into a part of my life that had so much to do with shaping who I am today. We stopped for a drink in a neighborhood bar on the way home and talked about our favorite parts and how truly wonderful it felt to do something new together. It was an absolutely amazing evening and such a wonderful way to learn a bit more about each other.
I have a feeling I will be heading to a soccer game in the very near future… 🙂
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