D is for Dance-Momming

Hi and welcome to my contribution to the 2022 April A to Z Blogging Challenge!

This is the fourth of many random things that just pop into my head that I'll be writing about for this challenge.

So for many many moons, I was a dance mom.  My niece is 2 years older than the Spawn and she was taking classes at the city community center, so I decided to sign Spawn up, too. This was in 2002, when she was 4. 

 

**Disclaimer!  The Spawn is my daughter and yes - she knows I have posted these pictures!**

I created a monster. 

I actually have an overflowing photo album somewhere with her in all of her costumes - but can I find it when I want it???  Of course NOT!! 

She did 2 years at the community center, then I decided to look for a studio for her. 

She did one year at that studio before they moved, so I shopped around some more.  I found a small studio actually right around the corner from where we were living at the time - and the owner made us feel right at home.  There happened to be a class going on right then with girls her age, so Spawn was invited in to check it out.   It became her second home and family for the next 15 years!

She started out taking 1 class, then 2 classes.  Then 4 classes.  Then she made the competition team.  By the time she got to her senior year, she was in 13 classes and only 4 were not competition.  I felt like I was working just to put her thru dance, since costumes are NOT cheap, plus competition fees & travel.  

It's a good thing I an somewhat proficient in braiding hair, since I did it a LOT.  It was nice when she was old enough to do her own makeup.  And I learned, along with several other moms - that on competition days, we would pretty much ignore our own kids before the action started.  Nerves & excitement make for snippy kids - with their own parental units.  I would help any of the other girls with hair & eyelashes & makeup while someone else would help Spawn if she needed it.  Or I would be busy steaming everyone's costumes and couldn't pay attention to her.  But once it was time to go on stage?  I was her biggest fan.  I never missed any of her competitions.   

I also had a cowbell and everyone knew when our studio was on stage!

And she had a TON of injuries that year.  I can't even begin to name them all but her worst was when she partially dislocated a hip during the first of 3 back to back, aka "quick change" dances (and kept going!!)

2015

One of the teachers was trying to recruit some of the girls to dance for him - and with her studio owner's blessing (and assurance she wasn't defecting) she did a few competitions for him.  And the first time on an actual stage doing a dance she had only just learned - they won Nationals! 

2016

This was one of my favorite dances - small group tap to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock & Roll"

2017

This was the first and I think only production the studio has done - Clue

Spawn is Miss Peacock in the bright blue. 

The last year she competed was 2018 - as an adult since she was then 20 - she was working the day the photographers were at the studio, so I decided to take her pics myself.  We had a pretty good time. This is just a few of them.  

Tank courtesy of my VFW post....

Truck courtesy of my work

She actually didn't plan on dancing that last year, but the owner of the studio asked her if she'd stay one more year - and since it meant a trip to Orlando for Nationals?  It didn't take much for her to agree. 

And it was a good trip!

If you really want to see it - my YouTube is over on the right column.

It's called Girl Power 2018

She did one more year of dance after that...

In the adult recreation class - with me!

My first (and only) time on stage!