This year was Ballet 1 and exams. She practiced hard and was prepared for the big day. Missed a morning of school for the exam and full of nerves she did it. Passed with Merit. Again. She thinks she really wants to work harder and pass with Distinction next year. She was only 5 points she of getting in this year so I think it is doable. As long as she dances with a smile on her face it makes me happy. I am doing my very best not to turn into a dance mom! I think that is why I love the studio she is at. It has such a warm family feel to it. Lots of fun mixed in with the technique. I think if you want to be serious you can and will succeed there, but if all you want to do is go out and have fun and dance it is ok too. It's the perfect environment for McKayla because she is such a perfectionist I think a strict,highly competitive environment would swallow her up and she would lose her love of dance.
With her fellow Ballet 1 exam girls
McKayla has enjoyed dancing with company this year at her dance studio and I have enjoyed watching her confidence grow from the shy young girl who was afraid to go into the first class with all the big kids to fitting right in. She has become such a leader in her other classes as she is the only one in company. It's amazing how quickly she is growing up and turning into such an amazing and beautiful young lady. I will admit it has been hard putting on her make-up for performances lashes and all! Not exactly how I want to see my baby girl, but when she is on stage she shines.
With company members Nicole, Ella, and Sara.
With me backstage.
One of her besties Katelyn came to cheer her on.
Traditional photo with daddy.
After Feet First she was focused and ready for Showcase which had dances from her classes she was taking. Her favourite? Happy Feet. Or as she calls it the penguin dance. When I get the video I will try to post a clip from it. The only downside? She is in company so she didn't get to hang out with her classmates backstage, but that doesn't mean we couldn't sneak off and grab some photos. She performed beautifully of course and I have a totally unbiased opinion. Okay not really, but come on anyone who has seen her dance would agree, so there. Every time she was on stage she would scan the crowd to look for her daddy because I will admit it she's a daddy's girl. And wouldn't you know it he stepped out for a bathroom break because there was no intermission and didn't make it back in time for one of her ballet dances that he hasn't seen yet. sigh. Oh well, she didn't let it get to her on stage, but definitely made him answer for it as soon as she saw him. I guess he will actually have to watch the video this time so he can see it. Afterwards one of her best friends Alessandra came over for dinner with her mom and sister. It was a good day.
With her Happy Feet tappers
With Alessandra and Julia we snuck upstairs to grab pics
With another bestie, Alessandra
Her company also performs at the Bread and Honey Festival in Streetsville every year and this year we went. We worried we would get soaked because it had poured the day before and the clouds over Streetsville were very gloomy, but the performance went on and she had fun. Even got to eat her bread and honey. We didn't stay around for the festival, but we did stop for face painting on the way out and wouldn't you know it while Maddox was getting his dragon painted on it started to rain. So we waited under the tent for a bit hoping it would stop. It didn't. So we decided we're hungry so let's get out of here and start walking. Then, it started to pour. We called my hubby to come rescue us, but he didn't come before I was drenched like I had jumped in the lake! We would have been miserable, but I had extra clothes in the car and McKayla's beautiful ballerina she had painted on her face didn't wash off! Amazing. Shannon, the director of TDS Dance Space, met us with her family for dinner which was fun. I think it brought a very dramatic ending to the dance season. She has a few weeks left, but it's all fun and games now. And we wait for next year and the adventures she will go through then. maybe this time one of her classmates will join company along side her.
Maddox and his dragon.
McKayla and her ballerina.
