In a flurry of makeup, mousse and hairspray, Honeybun spent the past days preparing for and participating in her very first dance performance! It has been an exciting and exhausting time for all of us. It started with dress rehearsal Thursday night followed by performances Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Even though I’ve participated in more dance performances than I can count as a dancer, teacher and choreographer, this was my first time as a mommy and my first time with this dance studio. Overall things went very smoothly. Every dance performance I’ve ever done has had its quirks and difficulties and there are always things I would do differently but the most important thing is that the show looks effortless from the audience, and it did!
Thursday night Doodle and I accompanied Honeybun to her dress rehearsal and also for the performance on Friday. There were a lot of little ones in the show it seemed a bit chaotic at times but there were no major crises and both Honeybun and Doodle were very patient and well behaved. Honeybun’s only complaint was that they made her walk outside in her ballet shoes which I never allow (the young girls’ dressing rooms were in a separate building from the theatre).
Saturday the whole family got to watch the show from the audience and Honeybun’s baby-babysitter who is also one of my former dance students came with us too since we had too many tickets and not enough family (we were required to buy 5 tickets but only needed 3). Sugarplum sat so nicely through the entire 4 hour show though she did fall asleep halfway through the first half. Doodle nursed and slept most of the show, only getting wiggly and frustrated from being held for so long towards the middle of the second half before drifting quietly off to sleep for the rest of the show. Honeybun joined us for the second half and got to watch the contemporary, hip hop, jazz and tap dances.
After the show, Sugarplum declared her favorite part was the Gingerbread dancers, Honeybun’s part of course! I could not be more proud of my little girl and am so glad she had a great time. She worked hard all year and it definitely showed. Perhaps this is the start of a long “Dance Mommy” career for me!
