As some may know this year we decided to try something new. After AB having taken 5 years of dance and B taken 1 we decided it might be time for a change. The girls both love dance and really seem to enjoy it so I figured we might should let them get a taste of true dance school Now they don't do the whole competition thing but what they do, is actually teach the girls the steps, the positions and they do it on counts! (this is a big deal to a mom that has had to work weeks before the recital reminding the girls of their dances) but not so this year. Both girls really impressed me because they not only knew their dances but knew them on counts and stayed with the music. I think it actually inspired them to try harder and developed their love for dance even further. For the recital it was going to be a tough day. I knew this going in, actually to correct myself a tough week because the girls were in TWO different shows so we had to attend all of the practices EVERY DAY that week. That's a commitment for this working mom to be there every afternoon but we did it and we came out still liking each other and maybe only a little scarred by the multitude of pictures I asked them to take.
These are pictures of AB's group at the dress rehearsal practice. They danced to "I saw her standing there" by the Beatles!
then we went on to the "Russian Polka" for ballet..isn't she lovely? Don't worry I won't caption all of the next 500 pictures I attached but you get the idea I had trouble deciding which ones I like the best!
And then on to jazz, where she dance to "Motown Philly" by one of my favorite groups from high school "Boyz to Men"
Dress rehearsal time for B, all glammed up and ready to go.
B with her ballet teacher Mrs. Deborah, who I must say looks like a real ballerina. I would love to have her long tone legs and arms, and be that graceful!! Thus not in the cards for this momma!!
This girl cracks me up, she can go from one face to the next without ever breaking a smile. The many faces of my precious B are evident. I just couldn't pick one I liked the most...
What you talkin' about?
My little "clown" although pretty accurate on that one. She danced her jazz to "Afro Circus" and it was in the top 5 of the cutest things I have ever seen. The girls came running out on to the stage and jumped through a hula hoop. B then proceeded to get on a stand and hold a ball while the other girls danced around her. It was the one of the highlights of the show for most people!!
Then tap time came around and these girls told everyone to "Hit the Road Jack" and don't ya come back no more!
The local girls all ganged up for a photo! Livi and AB had already had their practice they stayed to support the others.
This is the face I see a lot...the I'm in trouble but if I bat my eyes just right mom will cave in look...and guess what she's right I usually do!
and then it was show time!! The girls did so good the grandparents said they didn't even mind watching two shows for a total of four hours of dancing that Saturday. They said they would do it all over again just to see how much fun and how precious these two looked up on that stage.
AB with Gayle and her daughter Allie, it is no wonder they have been doing this for 40 years they are very good at it.
AB with Bobo and sheshe
Nana and Pop
"G"
and the fam.
Dad was super proud of these girls you could see it all over his face as he watched them.
This was the only picture I grabbed of the two of them and I even had to have AB put her costume on to do it since they were in two different show several hours apart. AB probably wasn't happy about having to get dressed back up but mom sure was glad she did! Hey we pay good money for these costumes might as well get as many memories made in them as we can, right?!!
My heart be still...cause this cuteness is too much to handle!
B with Mrs. Gayle. She shared a few B moments with me that were her favorites, one was every time she asked her to point (her foot) she would stick out her hand and point her index finger...they couldn't get her to get the concept. Secondly, in practicing for hit the road jack they would ask them to stick out their thumb like you would imagine but instead B would go back to that index finger and awkwardly walk of the stage pointing it. This kid has a mind of her own but all her teachers came up to me after the recital and said she did it...she really danced!! She wasn't all for the practicing but come show time she hammed it up!!
After the show B got hugs from her loyal fans!
May you dance like no one is watching and if by chance they are watching, well "just shake it off!"
