The Night of the Dance

We got there early. Gotta get good seats for such a big night.

We chatted beforehand with all the friends we've made over the years. The dance community is small and committed and, well, there. Small talk...mostly of the "which-ones-is-(insert child's name here)-dancing-in?" variety.

The lights flickered. We scurried to our seats, which we'd saved by placing our playbills over the chairs.

Then The Little Humpback Horse began. It's a Russian ballet, and the storyline involves a farmer who is trying to find a specific ring as the girl he wants to marry can only marry if the suitor has that specific ring. Shelby danced two parts in different acts. She was a villager early on and a fish in a later act. The fish was by far and away my favorite because it was the first time I'd seen her en pointe on stage. Plus they did this really cool arm flourish to simulate fishes swimming that was cool, too.

This was her first recital that she was in the opening production, too. That made this one much more bearable than having to sit through a ballet of 45 minutes waiting on the flurry of dances and age groups that come later that all take about 3 or 4 minutes. Plus, we knew almost all the girls in it this time...so, that was cool, but I couldn't help but think about the parents of the other girls.

Her first dance in the flurry was the "The Year of the Dragon" as her class' modern selection. Suffice to say I don't think I "get" modern dance.

Then her tap class did "Sock Hop Party" and I like tap because it makes so much racket and everybody looks like they're having tons of fun and it's all very upbeat and happy.

Her last dance was jazz, and "Time Goes By" was the theme. I liked this one, too.

But I couldn't help but think that time really does go by. It seems like just yesterday that we were thrilled with her just being on stage and doing the very basic ballet moves that 4-year-olds do. Now we're worried that she'll stick the complicated move that I can't pronounce that she's been working on all week and nailed 100 times in practice.

And, since they don't allow flash photos I couldn't get pics in all her get-ups ("Costumes, Dad. Costuuumes. Not uniforms."--old sports habits die hard, I guess) but I got this one right after her curtain call:



And, as always, I don't "get" dance. I've tried. I really have.

But, I "get" her. I don't have to try. I just do.

And because this makes her happy...

...I'm happy to be there and drink it all in.