Last Dance Recital Ever - Princess Five Has Flexibility

It seem that I have having a few first this week. My youngest is graduating from Middle School so I will only have kids in one school, which hasn't happened since Princess Two started school years ago. 

I had my last band concert which I posted about here.

I had my first experience with a Jack Hammer taking out my sidewalk. Click here for that post 

Tonight, I had my last dance recital ever! Yahoo for that! There were about 30 dances, and many solos. Unless it is your child dancing, watching 5-10 year old girls running around the stage isn't my idea of a great evening. The team groups make it more interesting and the younger the team, the more entertaining the dance. I love watching the little four year old girls try and tap dance. There are always a few telling the others what to do and usually one of them is pulling one trying to get them to do the dance right which is more entertaining than the dance.

I really enjoy the girls dance competitions for the high school team as they are more put together with props, synchronization and I usually have at least one girl dancing. Even watching the other team isn't bad as some are really talented. My favorite part of the older girls dance recitals was video taping the younger girls dancing in the isles doing the dance along with their sisters.

The lighting where they had this recital is about the worst in town. I had a very difficult time getting a good picture while she was on stage. I had her go out in the hall afterwords and do some poses so I could take our last "dance" pictures. 

I have been going to dance classes, recitals and performances for about 22 years straight. That is a lot of money in costumes, lessons, competition fees and gas to and from classes. Princess One started in Ballet when she was three or so. She took from a dear friend whose son I posted about three years ago this week. That post is about one of my favorite life lessons. Click here to read post 1 about Erik and what he taught me. Click here to read part two about Erik.

When we moved from the East Coast, I would drive about 45 minutes one way to dance twice a week for the girls to continue taking classic ballet. Their teacher after a few years developed cancer and quit teaching. From then on, we did Jazz only because there were no Ballet teachers in town. Some had point classes but one hour a week isn't safe to build up those muscles and I felt driving over two hours one way several times a week with smaller children in tow to keep up with Ballet was a bit more than I could handle.

To keep the girls in dance when I had all five dancing, I used to drive 15 minutes one way about 6 times a week and I also cleaned the dance studio and did the yard work and parking lot care as part of the tuition. I felt that the self esteem and poise that dance gives them along with keeping them healthy and giving them opportunities to be on teams and learn to be part of a group were  important enough to make that sacrifice. 

We tried cheer, tumbling, all the community sports teams along with ballet, clogging and jazz dancing. They took piano but I think I should have put them in voice and guitar lessons over the piano as none of them really ever took to it. We tried several different methods of piano but for some reason, it just wasn't their thing. 

I have cleaned homes, and studios as well as trading out crafts and other services for lessons at times.

I ask myself if I think all of that was worth it? I have to ask you? Does that smile seem genuine? Every time I see one of my girls dance, they are smiling. Some of the other girls don't look like they are enjoying it. They have sneers or unhappy looks on their faces or even looks of concentration. But, when I look at my girls dancing since they were little up until graduating from the high school dance team, they are smiling all the way through. No prodding on my part, no reminding them. Just real smiles of enjoyment. 

YES! It was worth every moment sitting around for hours in the car, taking the little sisters to the park while we waiting, raking leaves, scrubbing the floor and toilets with toothbrushes (yes, one woman had me do that.) Driving all over the state for competitions. Driving each week many times over for each girl to try several different styles so she could choose which she liked better. Worth the stress of figuring out how to fund raise for them to enjoy the Dance teams in High school. 

Just this week, Princess Five needed to order warm ups for the high school dance team. I had to purchase them for the older girls as they had new designs but after praying how I could cut the cost for the younger girls, I felt to call my friend who does embroidery and asked if  I purchased a warm up set from one of the girls that didn't try out for the team again this year or from a girl that had graduated, would she be able to take their name off without ruining the jacket and be able to embroider my daughters name and number on it? She told me that it wouldn't be a problem so Princess four and five both bought warm up suits for $20 or less and my friend charged me $5 to put their names on them. 

Those warm ups are about $200 new. They never look worn as they are that thick polyester and always look sharp and never wrinkle so by trading out and being frugal, doing fund raisers with recycling etc, I have been able to allow my girls to take any classes they wanted and be on any team they wanted all with God's help and inspiration as to how I could make it work. 

Car pools were my other life saver. I would drive one way and get another mom to drive back or I would take one week and they would take the next. Four or five moms could only have to drive once a month. I share this information so that if there are others out there that may be in my same situation, they know that God can help inspire them how they can make it work with His help.

You did well tonight Princess Five and I can't believe your flexibility! I am excited to see you and Princess four perform together. It should be an amazing year!