Well the dance concert is over again for another year, and once again, I took no photos. None. Such a bad mother.
Miss R has been a Preps B since she started at this dance school 5 years ago. She was supposed to go up to Juniors at the beginning of the year but many of her peers left and there weren’t enough to make up a troupe, so she stayed in Preps B while her school friend, Miss M who is the same age, went up to Inters. So initially Miss R looked like a giant amongst all these little 8-9yo’s (bearing in mind that she’s as tall as me now) but a couple of new girls joined that were around her age so she didn’t stand out quite so much. Anyway, the result was that Miss R ended up in the front row for all dances, all the other girls have followed her lead and Miss R has actually practised all year. She has improved so much and is far more confident.
She assures me that she wants to continue next year but she’s also talked about going back to calisthenics, so I’ll wait and see. I don’t really want her to be a Preps B for yet another year, so I’ll keep our options open. I've never had a problem with this dance teacher (although I gather she has ruffled some feathers) but I'm getting a little miffed at how the "troupe" girls - those that are entered into local eisteddfods - tend to be favoured. I'm sorry, but those less talented (ie Miss R) still pay their way, and are really the ones that keep her dance school going.
I also volunteered to help as a dresser this year and despite how time consuming it was (hadn’t considered that I also had to attend all the practices) I actually quite enjoyed it. Might even volunteer again next year. Dh thought for a nano-second that meant he didn't have to go to the concert, but Miss R had invited a school friend, so he had to attend after all. Someone had to point her out in the crowd....
The only downer.....Miss R was convinced that she was getting her 5 year medal at the presentation at the end of the concert but she was forgotten. The teacher sent me a text afterwards, apologising for the mix-up and she will get her medal at the Xmas break-up when she gets her trophy, so Miss R is happy with that, but I know that deep, deep down she is disappointed that she didn’t get it on the night in front of an audience.
I'll leave you with this picture from the 2006 concert......and while I'd love to say that glossy curly ponytail is all my own work, in reality it's a hairpiece. And she wears it every year, so just imagine her 3 years older.....
I'm so choked up because you've articulated what I went through last year....not missing out on the medal (that's a crime!) but the hierarchy of dancers and troupe 'v' non-troupe....and you know that that's why we don't go anymore! Glad the concert is over for another, sorry I missed it. Miss R will have to have a movie night when the DVD comes out!
ReplyDeleteAnd do you know, one of the "dance mums" actually commented to me that calisthenics was far bitchier....I had to swallow my laughter!
ReplyDeleteMiss R would like to go back to calisthenics b/c at least then she would get to compete on stage....and what she lacks in talent she more than makes up for in enthusiasm!! We *may* be able to do both - I'd like her to continue with tap if nothing else.
And the advantage of being backstage as a dresser....I actually got to talk to some of the other Prep B mums....and they were actually really nice! I would have liked to have gotten to know them earlier in the year.