Dance Recitals 2011 Part 1 -- the rehearsal

It is that time of the year again when everyone is so busy with family events---graduations, weddings, cook outs... and yeah, dance recitals. At Gold's Dance School where my kids go, they hold the annual dance recitals every Memorial Day weekend. So yeah, that means we are not available for ANY event during this long weekend. But I love it. I love shows where my kids showcase their talent and hardwork. We live about 25-30 minutes away from the school and they go twice a week. KC stays for more than 2 hrs for the classics--- ballet, tap and jazz and then goes for an hour for hip-hop. Let me tell you though, I never heard them complain. Next year she said, she might not do hiphop anymore because she plans to the more intensive program. We'll see.


Anyway, Saturday was the dress rehearsal and it is only that time where you are allowed to take videos and pictures--which is good and bad. Bad because I want to take lotsa pictures... LOTSA pictures. LOL. Good because I do not want to be distracted by someone taking pictures during the show. I wrote about this here. I might have to order the DVD this year which is a whopping $32.00 per show! My kids performed on both--- are you @%%? I will be ordering only the second show though. Back to what I was saying ( I easily get distracted)-- Saturday was rehearsal and we needed to be there by 1PM. No big deal-o, right? NOT. I worked 16hrs the night before and I have to get up by 1030am to prepare them. I put KC's make-up, fixed her hair and prepared all her costumes. Why can't it be easy like the boys? Like it will happen, no? After grabbing bobby pins, scrunchy-s, hairbun maker, make-up bag, costumes, shoes --- I can go on--- we all go to the venue. I love all the costumes and every kid is indeed a star.

Can they be any cuter?

I love the fact thay the performances are really great. It is more than a recital, it's a dance concert. It is well organized and the show flows smoothly. The audience got a treat because America's Teen Male Dancer of the Year performed a solo dance number.

So, anyway, we all troop to the rehearsal and here is where you will know my family--we all go and carry half our house--except that i am the only one carrying everything and I am supposed to know where everything is---all at the same time." Oh--- where is my water bottle Mom, how about my bun, are you going to do it now, mom, mom---my sneakers is tight, i need a new one--- we are supposed to wear red white and blue mom...red lipstick only mom, i don't want to wear shorts, we need to be there 1 hour ahead of time mommy, where was my bottled water mom--I asked first AND my bodysuit is missing." Lemme tell you this, don't they realize they have a dad too? LOL.  Of course my response to all these brilliant querries is a loving (NOT) "ok, ok hold on-- here, is your bottled water and your red lipstick is still ok and we did your bun already and Josh,  we go buy shoes after the practice, i know you need to wear red white and blue but you need not wear all 3 at the same time Christopher and yes we are heading right there now, so we are early and sweetie, KC,  your bodysuit is not missing- you don't have any --yet." Smooth mommy, ha? Very smooth. NOT! I kid you not, my body just seems to automaticaly function like I am suppose to know the whole world. Every.little.thing. in.this. big. big. world!  In fact KC's classmates said that I am the coolest mommy in the world because I have the biggest make-up haul. Yes, I am the coolest mommy in the world because I do not sleep---I am cold, not cool. The worst part I tell you is that when we get there, they seem to not need me. Like all is cool. You know-- they stay away, far far away from me as possible. I remind them to go change now because you are next, blah blah and they just slide it through. Uhmmm, you make me look like I am the panicky one but awhile ago, you can't seem to function kids? Oh, brother!!!!

Here are the rehearsal pictures. Oh, let me not even discuss the pictures I wanted to take. If you have been reading this blog, you know my.kids.hate.me. Yup, they hate me because I take lotsa lotsa pictures baby. But I "threaten"  them that I will blog their pics and they'd look ugly and that it will on the internet forever-- and they all smile.

Did you say supermodel? She is my star, my own supermodel and superstar. The thing with KC is, she is not  too self conscious. I see lots of kids her age who are too fashion conscious or acting grown up already. You let her dress up with anything and she's game. Wal-Mart, Abercrombie or MArc Jacobs--- to her everything is ok, just don't let her wear those dresses with itchy underlay.

Tap dance costume

 I love seeing she is having fun. I hate it when kids are just forced to do things and you can actually see they are unhappy about it. KC may not be the greatest dancer---heck, I can't dance myself---but I always believe that for as long as you have passion about anything in this world, you'll have FUN and that's all that matters.

My ballerina. Someday, she will not be my baby anymore but I will always treasure the days where she depended on me so much. Oftentimes, we focus so much on the big picture we are forgetting the little details. I don't really care if we don't look the greatest when we go out, for as long as we ultimately have fond memories. What's the point of having grand vacations when half of it is spent worrying if you look great or spending too much time planning. Let me tell you something, I believe that the kids will remember the moments spent with you and all those times you focused on them--- they won't as much remember half of any sparkling floors  you have, nor will they know you make the most delicious spaghetti in the whole town. 

Ballet dance costume

 Here she is embarrassed when her Dad called her out. Apparently, "I love you KC" scream in the presence of everyone is not cool. Yeah, Dad, that is just not cool.

Jazz costume

 

Here are the hip hop dance pictures. Joshua was unbelievably great. He improved a lot, and boy, did my baby have stage presence. He owned the stage. I had to ask him many times if he wanted to dance and repeatedly he said no but after finding out he will be alone on days the other two are dancing, he reluctantly said yes--- and he is so ggod now, after only a year. Pherry is a natural dancer--he got that from his Aunties on the Llaga side.

AND did I say we were with the Llagas of PE? Of course we were siily boos. Let me tell you this... Icee is so good and such a ballerina. Although she is the smallest, she seems to be the leader of the group. 

We spent the whole day for this rehearsal while everyone is having family barbecue because Memorial weekend is the unofficial start of summer. But it is all worth it. Take a looksie....

and to melt your heart with a cutesy boy--- of course Joey Gem Gem...

He sure knows where the beautiful girls are...

After all the craziness, the day was over and I asked if I can take pictures now that the day is over....they said no but who's the mommy here?

My favorite people in the whole wide world!!!!!

 Afterwards, I treated them to McDonald's---because I am a bad mama. McDonald's it is.

 How about you? Do you have activities for your kids? Do you force it into them believing you know best? Do you hyperventilate like me when the bill comes? Do you bring your kids to McDo? Are you worn down after all these activities? Do you focus more on sports or academic stuff? Please tell me... while waiting for your response, let me drag myself and get me some ice cold soda. Just writing about this stuff tires me so much.

Good night peeps. Be bold, be beautiful.