Caroline's Recital 2013

My Caroline loves to perform. It's just how she's made. She knows when she's dancing for a crowd and her smile and enthusiasm just radiate through her. I love it! It makes her very fun to watch as she dances her little heart out.

 

These June recitals for Cares' studio are more like a recital "week" for us as parents. Monday she had pictures at the studio, all dolled up in make-up and hair for her 2 dance pieces, Thursday was her dress rehearsal which lasted 6+ hours, and then Friday was the actual performance night. It's a huge investment to get to all these events (plus the full year of carpools to class each week) but it's also a huge pay-off as a mom to be in the audience and see my little lady dancing, especially when I know she is so excited to be up there and doing something she loves.

Caroline's first dance was with her jazz class and the girls danced as mermaids to "Under the Sea." It was such a cute dance and those ladies knew the piece so well! I absolutely love Caroline's jazz teacher this year, Miss Laura, who is Cec's neighbor and just an awesome teacher and dancer (and person!)

Her 2nd dance was with her ballet class to music from "The Wizard of Oz". Cares wore a beautiful, sparkly orange dress but her class was all in bright colors of the rainbow. It was a soft, graceful and lovely little dance. Of course I would have liked to see more ballet technique included in the performance piece but I have to remember Cares is a first grader and still learning a lot about ballet :) I truly adore my tiny ballerina in her pink shoes and tight bun–she is so eager to be a ballerina like her mom that it certainly melts my heart.

Lucky Cares had awesome support at her performance with all 4 grandparents and all her fam except Luke (he had a special date night with Addie because he would have been way too hard at the theater. I am sure he will be too hard to come next year too :) I mean Olivia was shot by 8:30 and we didn't get home until close to 10...)

 

  

 

We've had the best carpool buddy this year with Caroline's friend Addy. Her fam was in our ward one split ago and so they live very close. It was so great to share driving duties with Miki and have our girlies dancing together (and being such cute, silly girls in the car on our drives—always sharing snacks and being very dramatic/motherly to Luke/giggly. I heart little girls!)

All the cute red-orange matchers that night! And my dad really was there too but he had a crazy night at the hospital so he was back in surgery before we could catch a pic with him at the end.

I need to get some good pics of my dancing girl in her costumes. I never really like the studio pictures so haven't bought them the past 2 years thinking I'll do a fun photoshoot...have yet to do one though :)