Dress Rehearsal

Tonight was the dress rehearsal for DD's ballet recital. Last year, they tried something new and had a theme of "Sea Cruise", so there were mermaids and fish and sea urchins. It was a great success, so they tried a new theme this year: "Home on the Range". Obviously, there were all kinds of cowboy hat/boots/chaps, but there were also chickens and ducks and cows. The jazzy version of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" was so cute. We missed the little sunflower girls.

DD's class are milkmaids and they are dancing to "Country Garden". They look really cute. DS had a great time. He always does. The first show we went to, he was not quite 2. He watched the little girls classes (ages 3-4) and clapped and just loved it. This time, I gave him my camera phone to take pictures. He's a very good picture-taker, and when he's concentrating on getting the shot he wants, he doesn't run around getting into trouble. He's very enthusiastic about taking pictures, so we'll encourage that, though not too much right now. He's 3, after all. Heavily supervised use of camera phone = OK, allowing him to use the video camera whenever he wants = asking for a broken video camera.

I really like the dress rehearsal. It feels a bit homier than the show. The dress rehearsal, people are up and down the aisles of the auditorium, chatting and taking pictures/video (no cameras allowed at the show). Little brothers and sisters all over the place. We're all in it together: dad can't put his DD's hair in a bun but mom's working late, so another mom will help; people offer hair gel or bobbypins or watch each other's stuff so they can go to the bathroom. I like the whole cooperative atmosphere.

I get all sentimental, too. I don't know what it is about all the little girls doing their very best that makes me all teary-eyed. Not even just my kid, all of them - they worked so hard all year and here they are.

I really like our studio, too. I know it's not the most prestigious place, but it's comfortable and fun. They have sleepover parties and tea parties and in December they offer to take the kids for a couple hours (and a few dollars) so you can go shopping. If you want your daughter to be dancing Clara in the next Nutcracker, go somewhere else, but if you want her to have a good time while learning the basics of her chosen dance style, then this is the place.