Dancensation 2008!

(Grace and Hattie warming up before the recital)

This past Monday was the annual grand dance recital for Grace's studio. Dancensation 2008 turned out to be pretty great!

Grace, again, was in a pre-school dance class combo of tap and ballet. Of all the things that interest Grace, you'd think formal dancing would be the least of them. She is not a girly girl. She likes to dress like a tomboy, hates to have her hair done, runs like crazy from dolls, skirts, lace, and frills. She gets very upset when she has to do hair and make-up for the recital because "mom, I just don't look like myself." But, she has always loved music and has always loved moving her body, so maybe that's why she does like dancing. She actually absolutely loves it.(Grace and friends with their beloved teacher, Miss Allison)

I posted previously how I was dreading the very last day of pre-school because I thought she'd be so sad. She had loved it so much and the thought of not seeing her friends again seemed devastating. But, she walked out on the last day without a tear or a glance backward - totally fine. Not true with dance! She left the recital crying that the year was over. Funny thing is - she will dance again next year at the same studio, but left behind a pre-school and friends permanently. She truly misses dance lessons when she can't go and misses it all summer.

(Grace in the middle of a shuffle-hop-step in her tap number, Zippety-do-dah!)

For the recital, we left Hattie with our friends, the Dotys. We didn't think she'd last nicely through the long night of endless numbers, awards, and pauses waiting for costume changes. Good thing we did too - David and I barely made it through!(Grace's beautiful ballet bun)

Grace's numbers were both early in the program. Her dance teacher does this on purpose so that the little ones can leave at intermission. Not Grace! She is a die-hard dancer. She wants to be in the finale! So, for the second time, we have sat through the second half so that she could dance in the last number with the whole studio and get her ribbon. We picked up Hattie at about 10:45pm!(Grace groovin' in the finale number)

I have to say that watching Grace dance is one of the very few joys I get as her mother to see her really being a little girl - not just a little kid. During her ballet number, there is a part where the 4 dancers are holding hands in a circle. I started crying at this part both at the dress rehearsal and the recital. It was such a little girl moment and I just don't get very many of them.

You'll have to check out the flickr page for all the photos, but here are a few along with a video of her ballet dress rehearsal...