Talent On Parade

Today Anna and her dance troupe competed in their first ever dance competition. They did their tap number, Grandpa's Farm, and had a blast! Apparently right when they got off stage they all shouted to Ms. Marilyn, "That was so much fun!!!! When can we do it again????" I was thrilled to hear Anna's response to the experience because the day before we had one nervous little Nelly....

We were in the midst of daily reading and she stumbles across a word she couldn't say right and has a major breakdown. I mean a major yell at mom, it's all my fault, fit. After 5 minutes of frustration with the book she switches to how scared she is to perform the next morning. She says, "I try and try my best all the time and it's so hard trying my best. What if I don't do my best?" After much consoling, we came up with a plan that would help the next morning..... BUNNY! Yes, her lovey bunny would come in her dance bag and watch her dance. In addition to this, Daddy and I would give her a kissing hand on her fingertips so that when she touched her face at the beginning of the routine she had her "kissing hand." And I reminded her that the most important thing for her to do was to have fun! She loved these ideas...

So the next morning she wakes up in our bed (she had a bad dream and came in sometime during the night) and is all smiles. Her first words, with huge big eyes, were "Recital!!!!!!" Yup, I think she slept away her nerves!

So we got ready for the performance and headed to meet her troupe at the convention center. After many pictures (I forgot my camera card but a friend took some pictures and our troupe ordered the competition pictures so really I was ok), smearing red lipstick all over her face, seeing Grammy, Grama and Aunt Anne and checking out the stage and crowd, she was ready to go.

And she rocked!

Her troupe ended up winning overall grand champion in their age range (5-6), a double diamond trophy for their age range tap category for their dance room(due to their scoring being between a 95 and 100... still have no clue about any of this), and an individual ribbon! These girls were over the moon excited (parents were too) and Anna said she just couldn't stop screaming!!!!!! She said she loved it all; the performing, hanging out with Kate (who also performed), the watching other dancers dance, the music and the winning.

On the phone with Grammy she said she had a dream about winning a competition and that her dreams were really coming true.... I think I may be a future dance mom; choice or no choice!

It was even International Dance Day; cool?!?!


So, so, so excited to dance!!!!!

Anna and her preschool friend Ambriella.

 Anna and Ms. Marilyn

 Anna and her dance partner, Natalie!

My favorite of the little dancer!