2 Dance Competitions/Same Day/Am I Crazy?

YES!!!! I am crazy, but I did it. I was able to pull it off. I'm actually quite proud of myself :) I didn't leave the couch all day on Sunday though! I watched lifetime movies all day and just zoned out.

It was a rough week before the "big" weekend. I spilled water on our laptop and fried our "motherboard" on Monday. Our techie guy came out and said "Nope" on any repairs. So, we had to purchase a new laptop which was definitely not in the budget!!!! Luckily, there are a lot of good buys out there and we were able to purchase a really nice one with all the bells and whistles (you know DH) very reasonably. Loran was able to retrieve most of our data and files from the old one, except for all my homeschool schedules :( So, I spent Wednesday-Friday loading all the info back into my recordkeeping system and was making pretty good progress. Then....we decided to take the laptop with us to the hotel Friday night. BAD DECISION!!!! The screen on this very high tech computer got cracked somehow and would not show any images. Saturday night was not pleasant here when we got home and discovered this. Pointing fingers were everywhere! Luckily, the store we purchased it from let us exchange it, so all is well except for the fact that....I lost my school schedule AGAIN!!! Sigh....sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

Anyway, the girls had a blast and I have lots of pictures to share...

FEILE RINCE

(aka The Feis)

Saturday AM

Here is Princess getting ready in the hotel room. We had to be up early! Opening Ceremonies were at 7:50am

Drama Queen lining up to begin her very first Feisiana!

Princess lining up for her dance. She was entered in 5 dances this year. The reel, slip jig, single jig, & light jig. This is her third Feis so she is an "old pro" now.

Drama Queen wearing her new wig

Back of my Niece's head. She was wanting to dance too!

DQ with her new friend Bella. Her mom and I want to enter them in figures next year :) They look so cute together

The trophy dance. They combined competitions here (which we thought was unfair) and the much older girl won the trophy. There's always next time......

DQ with her award

Princess with her medals. She ended up with 3 by the end of the morning. She placed third in her Reel which was awesome!!

I wish I had gotten more pictures of all the dresses that some of the girls had. They are absolutely stunning. They are also very expensive. The custom made ones can cost up to five thousand dollars!! Luckily they have "used" ones for sale. I think we will be going that route if the girls continue. Princess wants a "school" dress (which is pictured in the trophy dance), but I told her she has to practice more before we will buy it for her. A little incentive never hurts :)

OSCAR NIGHT
(AKA THE RECITAL)
Saturday PM

The theme for this year's recital was the Oscar's. They created stage props with pictures of the golden trophy's. The school really does a great job mixing up the entertainment. It lasts around three hours and sometimes it can really drag on KWIM?

You couldn't take pictures the day of the recital so these were taken the night before at the dress rehearsal. I was back stage most of the time and left Wolfie in charge of picture taking and it appears he only got one of the dances on stage....Going to have to get on that boy!!! These pictures are from Princess's first dance. It was a jazz number set to the music of "Let's Hear it For the Boys". Think Flashdance and you'll get the idea. Very cute...How do you like the hot pink legwarmers? Bring back memories?

I was stage mom for Drama Queen's Drass ( I know, I know, I am crazy) so I was backstage with the girls before they went on. Their number was called "Party at Mickey's House" It was a tap number and their costumes looked like Minnie Mouse, even had little white gloves. Very Cute.....

As you can see it was a little crazy and NOISY!

This is Lily, DQ, Julianna, Sarah Grace and Emma. Friends from class

Backstage...Show Time!

Wolfie brought back sister's flowers for her. I guess I'll forgive him for the missing pictures

Princess and Drama Queen outside after they completed their dances. Had to run Princess back in to change for her next number which was a tap dance to "King of New York". It was a very traditional "Rockette" kind of number.

Here she is after her dance

Pictures from after the performance

Broadway here I come!

Can you tell that she is "done"!

Proud Mama!!!!

Proud Daddy!!!!!

Yeah! I get to get out of this itchy costume!

It really was a great time but very exhausting. As soon as it was over, the girls said they want to do it all again next year!!! Eventually I am going to have to have them choose their path in dance....I love the tradition, music, grace, and beauty of the Irish culture and the comraderie of the Feis's. I don't really want to give that up yet. But I think the girls are drawn to the upbeat excitement of the dances being taught today. There were ALOT of hip-hop type numbers in the recital and with today's culture it is very enticing for young girls especially when they see their friend's doing it. I am just not ready to see my 8 & 5 year old performing some of the dances we saw. I guess I'm just old fashioned but I was kind of appalled by some of the numbers. What's a mother to do? I think I will just have to do it all again next year and see if one more year might show the us the right path. And I think I might have to throw in a few more fun out of town Feis's so I can give my side a fighting chance :)