Olive's First Dance Performance!

Today was Olive's long-awaited performance!  She has spent the entire year in the pre-ballet/tap combo class, learning and working on her Rainbow Bright routine.  Although tap is not her favorite (she wants ballet only next year), she did a great job and worked very hard!  This girl was absolutely awestruck over her costume.  My girl takes things very seriously, embraces rules, makes lists, and likes everything to be absolutely perfect.  I was a little nervous about the make-up and hair requirements, but we did pretty darn well if I do say so myself!

The performance was so well done!  As my first every experience with this sort of thing, I was a little taken aback by the intense two-page list of strict instructions.  But, after seeing how they took 100+ little girls and ran them through a beautifully orchestrated series of dances, I understood.  My girl was not nervous, and I know she felt that she was in great hands backstage.   She watched her teacher intensely, and danced!  I was very proud that she did not lock up or seem to be too nervous.  There were SO many people in there, and she did a wonderful job!

I guess parenting is letting your kids branch out and follow their own passions, not guide them only toward your own interests.  I may not have ever wanted to dance on stage in front of people, and I definitely had a make-up phobia (including all face-painting, like at fairs and carnivals, since I was little.  Pretty weird.), but that doesn't mean I won't figure out how to turn a five year old's hair into a slick, hair-helmet with enough bobby pins to break out every inmate in the state penitentiary.  As long as it reflects our family's values and helps to reinforce positive character traits, I'm game.

So proud of my tiny dancer!

(Oh, and Ivey decided to carry around a box of stuffed chickens during the entire three hours that we were there at the Performing Arts Center.  Mim tried to give her a bag to make them easier to carry, but she insisted that chickens do NOT like to go in bags.  They go in boxes.)