Dance Season Ends on a High Note

In the midst of dance season, La Nina had to audition for the 2010-2011 season. It's sort of cruel and unusual punishment for exhausted mothers to have to sit through an extra night of dance, but we manage somehow. (Ok, we hit the bar next to the studio.)

In the week following the audition, emails started flying about next year's schedule. And last week, I had news on La Nina's schedule...she wasn't going to compete in the dance she wanted to add next year. Lyrical, or ballet to non-classical music, has been something La Nina has wanted to do for the last two years. The youngest they take kids is 8 and she is old enough this year. But there wasn't room in the piece for any more kids, so La Nina would have to sit out a year.

I knew she would be disappointed, but that's life. Sometimes things just don't work out. It's a good life lesson. Sometimes you just have to wait for what you want. Last Thursday, there was lots of chatter about schedules among the Moms so I decided to tell La Nina. I was worried one of her friends would spring the casting news on her and I wanted her to hear it from me. I told her and of course, she was very disappointed.

So, while she went into her last convention of the year with a heavy heart, she had accepted the decision, was set to do her best and work harder in ballet next year. Saturday night as her little tap group took the stage, I thought it was sort of a shame they weren't getting lyrical. They dance really well together and they've been with their teacher for 3 years. But they've had so much success this year, they're being moved up in tap. It's sort of sad that their teacher choreographs these dances for them, then once their group is successful, they move onto harder choreographers. But you know, it's the director's decision on casting and ultimately, she needs to make these decisions, not me.

Anyway, the La Nina's tap group got up on stage Saturday night and nailed their dance. Even when one of the girl's hat fell into her eyes and she basically danced the whole dance blindfolded, the girls weren't distracted. It was amazing. And the judges recognized it. Their little group took 1st place in overall high score for small groups under 10. They received special recognition for outstanding showmanship. Just a huge night for the little foursome who beat out a whole bunch of older groups.

Their studio head was happy with them. Came over after awards and personally congratulated them with big hugs. She choreographs for them in jazz, so they know her fairly well. It was a very exciting night.

Monday, the big day for 2010-2011 cast lists to be announced, dawned with La Nina just exhausted from her weekend. She looked horrible in the morning. A true dance hangover. About noon, I get an email from the studio director. She's changed her mind and given the 4 little tappers a lyrical piece with the same choreographer as her tap piece. I was so happy for La Nina, the girls on her team and their teacher of 3 years. Big recognition for a job well done by all of them. When I picked La Nina up from school, I handed her my phone and let her read the note. She literally started jumping (or should I say leaping) for joy.

We came home from school, dance was cancelled for the day and despite her obvious exhaustion, she put on her dance clothes and practiced ballet all afternoon. She even slept with her ballet shoes on. I'm so glad she has something in her life that inspires such passion.

Expectations

For a dancer, auditions are a way of life. Even when you're only 8, you're expected to audition. Last weekend, La Nina was supposed to audition for a scholarship. Supposed to, because about 30 minutes before her audition she developed a very serious tooth ache and had to leave the convention immediately.

Now, don't be concerned. I wasn't. I knew there was nothing wrong with her tooth. She was just worried about the audition. She'd been nervous about it all morning. I tried to let her know she only had to try her best, but my words fell on deaf ears. Rather than force the whole issue, I agreed with her that her tooth would never allow her to audition and we left the convention. Sure enough, there was a real live miracle in the car as we were driving home. Her tooth healed by divine intervention and she was suddenly hungry for a taco.

But you know, little girls with sore teeth can't eat tacos, can't watch tv, can't play wii, can't play in front with the neighborhood kids. Kids with sore teeth must stay inside and read books on nice spring days when they've bailed on an audition for no reason.

Lo and behold, Thursday night is another audition. She's willing to go to this one because it's her ticket into the company next year. But, she's yakking a lot about how embarrassing it is to audition, how depressing it is to not make it and how I told her she would never succeed. Say What? I never said that.

Turns out she got a wee bit confused the morning of her last audition. I told her I didn't expect her to succeed every time, but I did expect her to try her best and that no matter what happened, I would always be proud of her. I was trying to reassure her that my love wasn't wrapped up in the outcome of an audition for a $100 scholarship. Well, she didn't know what the word "expect" meant and assumed I was telling her she'd never succeed. Oy Vey!

I explained what I was trying to say, and hopefully, I reassured her. In 10 days she has another scholarship audition. I'll be happy if she just gives it a shot. And hopefully, she realizes one day she will succeed in these auditions. I know this as certainly as I knew her tooth wasn't hurting last Saturday.

When the cats are away...

So, you may be wondering what happens at home when La Nina and I are gone all weekend at dance conventions and competition. Essentially, the Dad and the Magster are left to their own devices.

There's always some soccer. The Magster's playing indoor soccer, I'm supposed to be coaching, but the Dad is standing in, SO, the Magster has to call me around 11am to give me the goal update. She's a bit of a maniac with the whole goal scoring thing.

Then there's entertainment. The Dad is creative in how he entertains the Magster. She's suddenly very conversant in college basketball and golf. And he knows an awful lot about the latest kids movies that are out...this weekend it was Alice and Wonderland. I pointed out this was not a kid's movie about the time Maggie was describing how Alice chops out a dragon's tongue and how mice knock a dog's eyes out.

Then, of course, there was Maggie's announcement that last night they had popcorn for dinner. Well, the Dad explained, they'd been at a St. Patrick's Day party, and they'd been eating all afternoon, and really they had to get to the movie and well, they didn't get home until 8pm. Oy vey.

I'm really not writing this to be critical. In truth, I find it completely amusing. When I get home, the Magster is obviously happy, full of stories and today the house was covered in shamrocks the two of them had been making. Clearly, she is happy and well-cared for, so that's all that matters. Now if I could just get someone to do a load of laundry.

Dance update: La Nina's dance teams are doing great. Her tap team placed 2nd in a very competitive tap division this week. It was quite the coup for a group of 8 year olds. (By the way, La Nina turned 8 this week...hard to believe.) Her jazz group is also doing well. They, too, placed 2nd over the weekend.