Emerson's First Dance Recital - The Big Day

From the moment I found out I was having a little girl, I pictured her in a tutu.  I danced from the time I could walk until college and loved every minute of it, so it was only fitting that we enroll Emerson in dance classes.  From what I can tell, Emerson has really enjoyed her dance class and it's been great for her confidence, balance, musicality, rhythm, and overall well-being.  This past weekend was Emerson's first ever dance recital and I couldn't wait.  I was probably more excited than Emerson to see her costume and dance song posted in the studio back in January.  Her class was dancing to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo (the Louis Armstrong version) from Cinderella, one of Emerson's favorite movies and my favorite song from the movie.  During all the festivities, pictures, in-studio rehearsal, dress rehearsal and all the glamming up, I had flashbacks of my own dance days and my excitement for Emerson mounted.

I hadn't even thought about being nervous for Emerson getting up in front of an audience.  She doesn't really have a track record of being afraid of a stage or a crowd but you never know.  Emerson's class was the third dance at the 4:00 pm show and by the beginning of the second dance, I had butterflies in my stomach and got super nervous for not only her but for me.  Would this be the performance my child would be the one standing on the stage stunned or even worse, sobbing. As the second performance ended, and the lights dimmed, I got so nervous and sick-to-my-stomach.  I could see my little line leader (a role she was super excited about having) walk out onto the stage in the pitch black darkness.   The lights came up and there were our three girls ready to perform.

Recital Day

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Getting Ready...

I couldn't resist pictures of her in her recital t-shirt, in curlers and even rain in boots!!

This picture has quickly become one of my all-time favorites of Emerson!!!

Check out the curls and the 'tude!!!

Dressed and ready to head to the recital.

A few pictures before heading into the auditorium to "check-in" Emerson for the recital.  

(all the young children were in a ballroom holding area with back-stage volunteers and for safety reasons had to be checked-in and checked-out.)

"Backstage" in the ballroom, reading books and waiting for their turn to dance

"During this performance there is no Flash Photography or Videography."  

Whoops!!  I'm not good at following the rules.  At least I didn't use my flash and I still bought the studio copy of the video :).  

(Video is at the bottom of this post)

The Curtain Call!!

Flowers for our sweet ballerina!!

Sweet Ballet Pals!!

After the show, we headed outside to get some pictures and then everyone gathered at Mimi and Birdie's house for some post-show pizza and dessert.

Love this picture of Emerson, Grammy and Papa!!

Can you see the sass in that step?

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers!!!!

Sissy was able to steal away from Greensboro, and take in the performance.  Emerson couldn't have been happier to see her Sissy!!!

She didn't want to leave and wanted to get back on stage!

...and she's OUT!!!  It was a long day and all the excitement and adrenaline took a crash landing on the way to Mimi's house!!

After a quick 15-minute nap, Emerson was revived and ready to go for a few more hours.  The first thing we did was change into her "slippery" pajamas and open a present from Mommy and Daddy.  Emerson was excited to get a Snow White Ballerina, Cinderella Ballerina and a tutu teddy bear!!

We couldn't be any prouder of Emerson.  I surely wouldn't want to get up in front of all those people right now and dance.  She constantly shows me she has no fear.  For her first performance I would say she nailed it, and more importantly, had a GREAT time doing it!!!  So without further adieu....the video of Emerson's First Dance Recital.  We can't wait to see what the years to come bring for our little ballerina!!

Emerson's First Dance Recital

Untitled from Brooke Dever on Vimeo.

Wordless Wednesday: Rainbow Nails!!

RAINBOW Fingers....

and RAINBOW Toes!!!

Emerson's First Dance Recital - Dress Rehearsal

**I've split my recital posts into two separate posts; this one about the events leading up to the recital, and one, soon to follow (with video), about the big day!!  There were just too many pictures I wanted to include in both posts!!

This past weekend was Emerson's first EVER dance recital.  I was filled with excitement and joy leading up to the event.  We've attended dance class since last summer and then regularly this past year on Friday nights at 5:30.  There's been a lot of practice and events leading up to the big day.  Emerson's class had their official picture day on May 19, their in-studio rehearsal this past Tuesday on May 31st and their dress rehearsal at the theater this past Friday, June 3rd.  I instantly had flashbacks of my own childhood dance days with each passing event.  Emerson seemed to enjoy all the hoopla and didn't show any jitters leading up to the big day!!

Picture Day

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Haegan spent the afternoon with us before picture day, 

so both girls watched a movie while their hair was curling.   

Dressed and ready for pictures...

Check out those eyelashes...amazing what mascara does to a three-year-old's lashes!!!

Two Peas in a Pod!!!

Silly Aurora!!!

All the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo girls!
(Aurora, Caroline, Emerson and Reagan)

Not so sure about the elastic around her chin...I agree, I wouldn't have liked that either.  

Typical me, this is how you will, more-than-likely, always find me.  

Love this shot of Kerry putting on Miss Haegan's make-up.

Waiting for her picture time. 

Waiting for their group picture

I don't have the official group and individual pictures back,

but I will surely post them when I get them.  

Dress Rehearsal

Friday, May 31, 2001

I picked Emerson up from school early on Friday afternoon so we could get home, roll her hair and then head to Raleigh for the dress rehearsal.  I just love pictures of Emerson with her hair in curlers, it completely reminds me of all my dance recitals and there are tons of pictures of me with my hair in curlers when I was younger...glad I'm getting some of Emerson!!

Dressed and ready for her rehearsal on stage.

I love this picture of Emerson.  Checking out the big girls doing their dance.  

Just love the intensity she is watching with!!

Aurora, Emerson, and Caroline take their 10 minutes on stage to go over their dance three times.

They all did such a great job and weren't scared at all of the dark, of the lighting, or of the audience.  They all put on their brave faces, rehearsed their dance, and it was over just like that.  They were ready for the big performance the next day and so were all the mommies!!!

Show-and-Tell #69: Dumbo

Yesterday, Emerson decided to take her new baby Dumbo to school for Show-and-Tell. She got this Dumbo on the last day of our Disney trip at Animal Kingdom.  Who wouldn't be able to resist this face and those ears and even the baby swaddle?  Too cute!!!  Even though Emerson hasn't seen the Dumbo movie, she fell in love.  It's also pretty special to both of us because one of the lullabies I sang to Emerson as a baby, and even sometimes now, was "Baby Mine" from the Dumbo movie.  It's one of my all-time favorite lullabies.  I included videos below so you could see just how great it is!!

Show-and-Tell #69

Dumbo

June 3, 2011

The Alison Krauss version of the song and my favorite version of the song!!

The Bette Midler version of the song with Dumbo footage.

Scenes from the original Dumbo movie and the original score of the song.

Wordless Wednesday: We've got babies....

....baby birds, that is!!!  The eggs I posted about a few Wordless Wednesdays ago finally hatched over Memorial Day!!  We'll watch their progression and keep you all posted!!