This weekend was the big ballet recital. Apparently, it's recital season for everyone, and dancers across the metroplex have been working on their recital numbers for months now. And Parker's class is no different. We got things rolling with a dress rehersal friday night. I was super worried about this because it meant leaving her back in the dressing room until time for her dance....her class was the eighteenth one to go. There were teen assistants assigned to each class, so I knew she'd be fine, but wasn't sure if she'd freak out or not. She had no issue with me leaving her, thank goodness.
Parker and dressing room chaos:
The next morning was the big show, and again I was super nervous. She has really done great all year in ballet, especially considering she is the youngest one in her class by a year at least. She keeps up and tries very hard and does a great job...and not just by a mom's standards. But as recital time grew closer, she's had a few freakout/meltdown issues at dance class....refusing to dance, running out of the room crying and balling up in my lap, etc. So it was anyone's guess if she was going to totally freeze or not.
But she did great!!!
And neither one of us cried or wet our pants.
She's the 4th one from the left.
I have some very grainy video of her that I'll try to get posted. I have to do some editing on it, so it might be a while. We chose not to buy the professional video for her 2 minute performance. Not did I get the professional pictures done...although I might take her up to JCPenney and get a picture in her outfit. It is amazing how much money you can spend on recital if you take all the options. And the bigger girls do TWO dances....so 2 costumes, etc, etc.
Afterward we went out to eat and got ice cream. In costume of course.
Another tradition is to give your dancer flowers afterward. Conveniently, I could order them in advance and pick them up at the show. Bob presented her with her roses afterward, and she also got a metal on stage when they did their final bow. She really liked that part - all the dancers come out and they introduce the groups ("Tinkerbells") and the do a big bow holding hands. The back of her metal says "Parker - First Year".
The next day when she woke up,
she said "do we get to do recital again?" and was very annoyed when I said no. We're going to take a break from ballet this summer....namely a break from driving her talkative self across town and back every week....and start back up in the fall when school starts. I hope she gets as much enjoyment out it next year as she did this year.
she said "do we get to do recital again?" and was very annoyed when I said no. We're going to take a break from ballet this summer....namely a break from driving her talkative self across town and back every week....and start back up in the fall when school starts. I hope she gets as much enjoyment out it next year as she did this year.
