Recitals

The end of the school year brings the end of dance and piano, until they resume again in the fall.  This means recital time.  I always really enjoy the recitals.  I not only enjoy watching my own kids show off their new skills, but it's cool to see the talents of others, too.  This was Bella's first year of dance and she was in a class that they call Creative Movement.  Pretty much a pre-ballet class and also a chance for kids to move their bodies using imagination and creative play.  It's fun to watch them.  I think she really enjoyed it and she loved her teacher, Miss Patty (who is also the owner of the dance studio.  We love her too!)

This was her official class picture for this year--she is sitting down to the right of the little boy.

Her dance this year was to the song, "The Good Ship Lollypop" by Shirly Temple

Paige was in tap 1 this year and enjoyed it most of the time.  It was hard for her to stop playing at home and get ready for dance, but she always enjoyed it when she got there.  She took pre-tap last year and is continuing with tap again next fall.  This is her class picture (above) and she is on the bottom row on the left side. 

Her dance this year was to the song, "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind and Fire from 1975.  It was a fun dance.

Lydia was in hip hop jazz for the second year in a row.  She really likes to dance and this kind of dancing really suits her.  Although next fall, she is going to try tap again.  I have her and Paige in the same class, but we'll see if she gets bumped up to tap 2, since she did Tap 1 a couple of years ago.   Lydia is on the very right side.

Lydia's dance was called, "Evacuate the Dance Floor"  I had never heard it before, but I guess it's done by a German group called Cascada (it is sung in English).  For the performance song, it's either a remix of the original or combined with a different song because when I listened to the original song, I found that the lyrics (not the chorus) was a little racy. The performance song is clean, though and it is a fun and catchy song.   

Right before their 1:00 performance on Saturday the 26th.  This year, the studio has so many students that it has now added a third show.  In previous years, they've always had two shows.  Now they added a third show on Sunday.  The studio is doing really well.  The staff there also work very hard to make sure that your kids are all in the same show (sometimes, it doesn't work out, but they really do try.)  Miss Patty is also very respectful of all her Latter day saint families that didn't want to participate on Sunday and she worked them in to one of the Saturday performances.

Grandma and Grandpa McKibben got permission from their mission president to come down for the weekend so that they could watch the recital.  It was fun to have them here.

This was taken from Bella's dance as they were performing it.  She's the last one on the right.

Their teacher stands to the right behind the curtain so that they can help the kids remember their steps.  I love how she's watching the teacher. 

Waving to the crowd as they exit the stage.

This is Lydia's dance, but unfortunately, she's on the very back row, so it was hard to get pictures of her.  She's behind the girl whose arm is pointing up. 

Lyd's the one standing up on the left.

Third one in from the left

Kneeling in the front, second from left

Very left, about to kneel down

Paige's dance was the second song in the recital.  But it didn't occur to me until after she was done that I could take pictures without using my flash.  So, I don't have any from her dance.  I'm trying to figure out how to take some still pictures from the video that I took, but I haven't figured it out yet. 

After the recital with their flowers from grandma and grandpa and medals from the dance studio.  Lydia was a little cranky so she didn't want to be in the picture. 

When we got back, we hung out in the back yard eating ice cream and grandpa had a nap in the hammock. 

Jumping with my girls on a beautiful day.

Piano Recital on June 4th, 2012

The girls had their piano recital at their teacher's house.  She's in our ward and we're good friends with their family.  This is Lydia's first recital.  She played "My Bonnie" and had it memorized and did a fantastic job.  Everyone was supposed to play two songs, but Lydia being the stubborn girl that she is, argued with Kate about it and pretty much refused to do two.  She's such a stinker.  She also thinks she's done with piano forever, but she's only getting a break for the summer.  :)

Maggie played "The Acrobat" and "Yo Ho", which were the two songs that she played for the piano festival back in April.  So, she didn't have to memorize anything new.  She did a great job too and had hers both memorized as well.  She's gotten a lot better on her dynamics and I think really enjoys playing even though she wants to quit, also.  I was totally the same way when I took my two years of lessons.  I quit and I still really regret it!  (Don't say "I told you so", mom--because you did tell me that I would regret it, and I do.) 

This is Kate with all 9 of her students.  Three of them are hers, two are mine, three are from another family in the ward and one is from the neighborhood.  I know Kate is glad to have a break for the summer because she's getting ready to have her 5th kid in a couple of weeks.  She does a great job though and I'm so glad that she's willing to put her skills to good use!  And I'm really glad that she puts up with my girls and their 'sometimes bad attitude' towards practicing.  She's always trying to encourage them and yes even bribes them with candy.  I'm all for it!  Thanks Kate!