Our weekend centers around Dance!
More specifically for us: Ballet.
Now, Claire gets frustrated when people don't think she does "sports". Although ballet is considered a fine art, it is also considered a sport. I'd like to see just anyone, get into 5th position and bourre on their toes! Or to get into the perfect arabesque with the thigh perfectly tight, and placed just so, and so that the toes are perfectly pointed. It is MUCH easier to swing a bat than it is to point toes, keep the butt in, neck stretched and arms curved to perfection all while smiling and leaping across the stage!
Dance is a sport! Ya don't argue with Claire, trust me!
So....
Tonite, Claire and I eat an early dinner and rush out the door for Dress Rehearsal which is usually a 2 hour affair but this year we were told to expect to be there for 3 hours. And...we have to share the parking lot with the 500 or so parents who will be in the main gym of the HS for the 8th grade Awards Ceremony (that was us last year!) as the junior high gym nor auditorium is big enough. It is gonna be a zoo over there!

Claire only dances ballet now (she dropped tap after last year's Show).
She is going to be the leader for her group. And this year she dances in the front row with the advanced class. This is an honor.
They are dancing to a medley of dances from Nutcracker Suite.
Claire is doing the Waltz of the Flowers ballet. She has 5 other classmates. She has to lead her group of 3, in 2 different places during the ballet.
They also have a finale of the medley together (all 3 ballet classes: beginner, intermediate and advanced).
Then the big finale at the end of the show where all classes come out must be rehearsed tonite as it will be the first time the entire Academy will be together for rehearsal.

This picture shows the type of ballet shoes that all the students wear except for the one teen who will be in the shoes with the wood. Those are tough. They are called pointe shoes. It is where you dance on your toes!

Pointe shoes look like this:

It is Claire's goal to be en pointe and be solo ballerina when she is a teen.
The teacher says she has a gift for ballet. We shall see.
For now: it sure keeps me busy.
And....she has an early morning audition at church for the summer drama/dance camp she is taking.....she is hoping to get a dance part. At church, it is easy dance steps. More like jazz. The HizKidz Praise! ministry she is in is having this camp and they will be putting on a show called AmeriKids. It's a patriotic thing and will be performed at the end of the 2 weeks.
Tomorrow will be busy.
Both sets of grandparents are due in to see the Show.
It is held at the high school as that is a huge stage. Thank the Lord it is air-conditioned!
So....my weekend consists of carting Claire around to various Dance function, doing the hair, the costume, cooking and entertaining plus it is Father's Day on Sunday!

Here is the most precious thing:
Claire to Mommy: "mommy, my father's day gift for daddy is my dancing on Sat. nite. I am gonna do my ballet for him"

Mommy to Claire with tears welling up in the eyes: "that is awesome Claire and he will treasure that forever."

Mommy to self: "time to buy that book by Steven Curtis Chapman about the story behind the song 'Cinderella'". (I ordered it online and it came yesterday!)

I hope she smiles this year during the show. Last year she was very serious. I want to see some of those pearly whites! She says she has to concentrate. I just hope she smiles and the flowers stay in her hair!