The night before the big rehearsal, a stressed out mother had to lay everything out to make sure we had every costume and costume piece for 5 different dances and one finally with two girls in it. I do NOT want to be the one mom that didn't check and make sure my child/children had every piece needed. So I printed the costume, shoe and tight checklist from an email, highlighted my girls dances, then made sure I had everything on the list. Once laid out and checked off, I made sure to put each costume in one bag with all its pieces, then prayed it all made it to the car and the theater the next day.
We had to be at the theater by 1:45 on Thursday evening. Rehearsal lighting and blocking started at 2 pm. The 2nd dance at the top of the show is "God Bless Texas," One of Naomi's competition team dances. I was lucky as a teacher/mom to be able to be back stage and take lots of shots of blocking, run throughs and actual dancing. The following are what I captured:
"All the Single Ladies" is the section of the finale that Heidi is in. She is almost center in all the pictures below.
Naomi's ballet dance is to "He Lives In You" from The Lyon King. It is a beautiful dance and the girls do a good job with the more modern choreography, but the stage was super slippery for them. I know it stressed them out a lot when they came off stage. I gave them a little trick to try on Saturdays show; spit on the floor and rub their ballet shoes in it before they go on. We'll see if they remember and if it helps.
Hip Hop: "Pound the Alarm"
Heidi was so excited for her 1 dance that she was so anxious to put her "Yankee Doodle Dandy" costume on shortly after we arrived. This specific dance is not till almost the of act 1, but she didn't quite understand that she had plenty of time to get ready.
Naomi's shoes... Her tan jazz shoes were missing when I took this picture because she was wearing them on stage. This year I found myself enjoying this performance. There were little stressful moments due to Heidi being bored back stage, or exhausted at the end of the night, but I think I sort of have a handle on these back stage moments, being the mom! I have had my share of multiple dances or songs and quick changes, but being the "mom" is so different. The stress of getting there on time, finding where I need to be, getting all the right costumes laid out, and making sure my children have water, snacks, slicked hair, the right make-up, and energy to do the dances they have been rehearsing for months is far greater than the fun of performing. So like I said, I think I'm getting the hang of this. This foreign world of "studio life" that I didn't have growing up. My training was so different, limited, yet all over the place. I find myself wishing I had had the hours and hours of training in a studio like some teachers I teach with, yet I am so grateful for my childhood
and my experiences that made me have to work harder to become a stronger dancer on my own.
If you weren't a thespian or back stage crew member, would you know what this photo is of? I found it so unique standing just outside the stage door.
Finally it was Heidi's turn. When her dance was called to line up, she and Sara Tripp were so giddy they kept hugging.
Crafting back stage while waiting.
Running the Finally again! That is the Sassy Naomi with her hip out and her arm up in the center. She is turning into a little modest diva. Their song in the finally is "Crazy in Love." The whole finally is a Beyonce medley. It's fun!
Cast Photo: I couldn't get a picture of the whole cast with my iPhone, but that is Naomi on the middle right in the pink pants. and Heidi is in the front row, 3rd to the left from the center little girl in white. squint really hard and you can see them.
Here's a close up of heidi, with her hand by her chin.
Jazz: Girls Just Want to have Fun! Each girl was dressed as and 80's pop star of icon. The costumes were pretty right on.
Naomi is Olivia Newton John from "Lets Get Physical."
