Another recital down!

Next stop....Nationals!!

 The theme this year's recital was "Kicking it Old Skool".  Dress rehearsal was Thursday night & recital was Friday.  Angel told me Monday after class that she needed 90s clothes for finale.  I gave her the deer-in-the-headlights look.  Most of the 90s I was wearing a lovely Navy uniform, so I had no idea what 90s fashions were!  Thank you, Interwebz!!  She came up with an outfit that was "Saved by the Bell meets Vanilla Ice".  She wore jean shorts, a black & white print crop top, red suspenders, one of those ugly flat-billed ball caps and some big gaudy gold chains that we found at the Salvation Army. 

Terina, the studio owner, posted the line up on FB on Tuesday. We already knew that Womanizer (her small group jazz) was going to be the first dance. Lyrical was #13. Small Group Tap was #16.   Hip Hop Line was #19.  Alrighty! Quick changes, but nothing really to stress much about. 

There were 27 dances in the first act, then intermission. 

Then act 2.  Ballet was #2 after the little girls.  That was also expected, since this is when they always have ballet.  Tap line was #12 - so a nice break. This is when the stress started - small group hiphop was #16 - they are always dying out of breath after this one!! Tap duet was #20 and hiphop line was #22 - the last one of the night.   She had exactly ONE dance to wiggle out of this costume that was altered to fit her like a glove and into another!  But she did it both during rehearsal and the recital!  She had 2 people each time helping her & they did it!  Terina did a 50/50 raffle & the finale started.....however someone didn't tell all the big girls who had been in the last dance that it was starting!  So halfway into the song, we watched about 6 of them come running out and leap into their spots.  I felt really sorry for little Jayden (she's like 8 years old) - she had a duet part with Katie - who was one of the ones still backstage.  She did really well, tho.  After a quick look at both sides of the stage for Katie, she went on with her part of the dance, altho her high-5ing nobody was sort of awkward. 

I was proud of Angel in all her dances (as usual!!)  Normally a small mistake or 2 leaps out at me, nothing huge - but not this time!  She was spot on every step!  Flawless! 

I really sucked with pics during dress rehearsal this year. HERE are what the rest of her costumes looked like.  I had the thought that I could record her 3 dances that I didn't have a zillion pics already from (the 6 comp dances) and then pull screen shots from the video.  Seems simple enough - until my camera batteries crapped out and I'd forgotten to bring more with me! {insert expletives here} So I got some of ballet with my phone.  I wanted to get some of her in a cute girly costume to text to the mother-in-law.  I got one decent pic, since they were bring goofy. 

I like this one, even if it is slightly blurry, because it has her and the studio symbol back there. 

First I got the 2 of them hugging - cute.  Then Angel whipped her skirt up.  Then Ashley whipped hers up.

That's class right there!

They spend a little more time with ballet, doing a walk thru first before trying the actual dance - this is why the teacher is standing there watching.  Angel liked this part, since she gets "lifted like Jeeeee-zus!" and then kicks over into a back walkover.

So we were expecting a bit of extra stress this year.  2 years ago, her bio dad showed up out of the blue for the recital.  Awkward!  Last year I asked him ahead of time and bought a ticket for him so he could at least sit with us instead of by himself.  This year, he brought his girlfriend with him!  It was a little tense at first, but we invited them over to go to lunch today and then they came back home with us and we sat & visited for a good couple hours.  It was surprisingly pleasant!

I had a good laugh - he texted me Friday night to ask what time the recital started.  I was a bit frazzled at the time since we were trying to get all her costumes together after rehearsal and couldn't find her duet costume and tap shoes!!  I just answered "7" to him.  Well, I guess I should have specified PM !!  Heehee!

When I went outside after getting Angel settled backstage, I did apologize to Shelly (the girlfriend) about that, and she said she'd just laughed - Whew!  I personally would have been pissed!  But thankfully, the costume & shoes appeared and Terina left them in the dressing room for us.  Even bigger WHEW !!!

Randy, Angel & John.  

How much awkwardness can we fit in one photo??  Heehee!

Randy has swag - I think!

After the recital last night, we were all invited back to the studio for pizza & snacks & of course it was BYOB.  Mom & niece Lisa had left the recital after ballet, since Mom still isn't 100% after her bout with C-Dif after her hip surgery.  Linda & niece Catie were leaving right away to go up north, John & Shelly said they'd already eaten and went back to their hotel, so it was just us and Laurie who went.  We stopped for beverages and they all got pop, but I wanted to try one of those Bud Light Straw-Beer-Ritas.  When I grabbed the 25 oz can, I had no idea it was 8% alcohol!  Our usual Labatt Blue Light is only 4%, so this was equivalent to me chugging 4 beers in that hour we were there.  Don't worry - I made Randy drive home!!  We ate some pizza and even after dancing like mad at the recital, the kids were in one of the studios playing CDs and dancing to each other's songs!   I never got to the point that I busted out moves of my own - but I was close!  I don't know how those kids dance on those floors barefoot, doing turns & stuff!  My feet must be too tender, where their's are tough.  Angel finally told me at close to midnight that she was ready to go home.  What a long day!!!