Recital Time

Greenleigh's first dance recital was this past Saturday, on the five-year anniversary of my last bow at PAU. I don't think I've ever been so proud or excited or anxious or emotional in my life. I could never describe it in a million years, but once you've danced at Performing Arts Unlimited, you know... we are a family, in our own way, and we are family in a way that time does not touch. We are all tied to one another and that is why recital will always hold a kindred place in each of our hearts. So, the opportunity for my daughter to become a part of something that was so important in my own life- it's awesome. Beyond words. She's going to be grandfathered in, just like Brylin was, just like Rayne will be... and she will become a part of this amazing family at PAU. As a mother and as a PAU alumni, I am bursting with pride here. I smile from the inside out when I see her practicing or doing flips because it's something she loves to do. I'm super proud and honestly a little teary. Here's a sneak peak at some of the pictures coming to Facebook soon:


Getting her stage ready

**Side note: Can I just intervene right here, as an afterthought? I'm 23 years old. It's not seventeen, but it also isn't old. I usually consider myself young. Not yesterday. Yesterday I was a Dance Mom. Talk about a reality check. I mean, don't get me wrong, being a mom is not a big deal, I've pretty much got that down pat by now. But a Dance Mom is an entirely different thing. Suddenly I'm learning how to French braid hair so it will stay out of her eyes during gymnastics. I'm getting a Cinderella dance bag and going through a checklist twice to make sure she has everything she needs for her routines. I'm learning how to apply mascara to a three year old who has no idea what the real meaning of "Be Still!" means. And then yesterday, I'm hearing myself talk her through her routines backstage, and watching myself bobby pinning her hair, and seeing myself spraying her entire head with a can of aerosol hairspray and I realize: this is REAL. I am a DANCE MOM. Holy crap.
So then of course I start getting all emotional for all sorts of reasons, like remembering our own senior routines that these kids STILL come unglued about, or missing the days when we were the ones in competitions and when we'd all go eat together after awards, or random adventures while we would skip pointe class and then trying to learn the entire routine in three weeks... was this not just us yesterday? NO, friends. I am no longer on that side of the fence. Now I am that crazy mom squatting on her knees in the front.**



Going back to her place after her turn in gym

I was anxious about which kid Greenleigh would be on stage. There's always the Kid that Cries the Whole Time, or the Kid that Runs Around in Circles the Whole Time, or the Kid that Plays with Her Piece of Tape on the Floor, or the Kid that Just Stands There... You get the idea.
Greenleigh kept complaining about her hairpieces pulling her head. They really were in there kind of tight, but they had to be! Anyway, every time she would do a flip during her gymnastics routine, she would immediately reach up and grab her pigtails. It was hilariously cute. I think at one point they finally pulled because she started looking like she wanted to cry, but she never did. It's funny; in the video, you can see her composing herself and then finishing the routine. She is so precious.



My "Boogie Baby" singing on stage

I can't wait to post this tap routine video. :) That's all I'm gonna say about that.

I have never been more proud of my child. Dance is not just something that I want her to do. She asks to go all the time. As we were getting backstage to get ready Saturday, she looked around, looked up at me and said, "Mama, I can't WAIT to go dance!" :)
I can't WAIT to post pictures and videos today! She was adorable. Thank you Tabitha for being my personal photographer- ilymtl <3