Competition - out!

This is it.  The final day of competition for us was yesterday.  The last ribbon was handed out, the last cheers heard, the last tears dried.......

Yesterday both girls performed.  Aspen in Speedracer, and Avery and Aspen together in the production number of Beetlejuice.  Both are teams.

When you have a team, it's an intricate weave.  Every person has to perform their best.  If one person misses a step, it could cost the team their platinum.  And that did happen - in many dances.

The judges are up there looking for the slightest flaw.  If you have made it to this point - nationals.....it's a big deal.  You can't miss a step.  Judging is harder, because this is the big leagues.

I watched the girls prepare yesterday.  As I was doing makeup on Aspen and Katlyn, I put on their routine music and I told them to visualize doing their moves.  Well...of course they went beyond that and started dancing it right in front of me.   I held the mascara until they were done. 

As I watched them jump right into their moves, I could see on their faces everything their teacher told them.  It was awesome.  Every ounce of their training came right into our hotel room, and I got the hugest kick out of watching these two girls give it there all.  I even welled up a little bit.  (ya, I know...no surprise there).

So after they were done, we finished the makeup and headed over to the convention.  The teachers always like to run through the dances before they go on stage.  They will give their last minute critiques and pep talks and send the kids in line to get ready for their dance.  At this point, there is nothing more you can do....but pray.  And pray we did!!!

As I watched Speedracer, my heart was racing.  I screamed and whistled and clapped as hard as I could as tears started forming.  The emotion was too much to contain.  This is a big deal.  One mis-step, poor leap, wrong move or inadequate facial expression can cost these kids what they worked for.

The energy was great, and the girls were on the mark....almost........

After Aspen was done with that dance, we ran to each other, I picked her up and she gave me a big red kiss mark on my cheek, which I wore the rest of the competition. 

Then it was time for Beetlejuice.  A cast of 39 kids doing about 5 different dances all balled into one performance.  THIS...is a big deal. 

Two hours worth of makeup (by two people and misc. helpers) and the stage is set.

Once again, we pile out to see this performance.  This one is a lot to look at. There is stage performance, dancing, timing, young kids older kids - everyone needs to be in their place. 

And then the music started......

The bugs came across the stage to set the scene....Beetlejuice rose from his grave, the zombies came out to greet him, the Lydias came to deepen the storyline, the football players lined the stage, .....everyone in their places at the right times.  It went off beautifully.  Expressions - CHECK, Dance moves - CHECK, Timing - CHECK CHECK CHECK.....  

And as we watched, we knew this was a good performance.  .....and then that was it.........

Our last performance of the day and the year.....  A bittersweet moment. 

Some of us moms looked at each other with "that" look.  The look when reality sets in.  And then we went to greet our zombies and dead folk to give them hugs and high fives.

Beetlejuice received a Platinum award.  YAY team.  (I'm still confused on all the awards so I won't go into great detail....suffice it to say, everyone was happy).

Aspen's dance got High Gold.  A good mark but not the best.  And sadly, that is what they focused on.....not the best.  Tears were had, and hugs given.  I found a couple of the kids wanting to place blame for why it did not happen.  I stopped my own child right there. 

This is a team effort and the team either succeeds or doesn't.  In this case, the team did well, just not well enough.  It took some talking, but we got through it. 

I was proud to see my daughter cared so much, but sad to see her hurt little heart.  You never want to see your kids sad.  But the facts of life are.....it happens.

We packed up our stuff and had a relaxing night with friends.  It was a great night reflecting on all the hard work of these kids.  They are growing, developing, but most importantly....aspiring...

They will grow from this point and work harder next year.  They, too, will reflect on this weekend and think about what could have gone differently (if they didn't "win").  Or they will revel in the joys of their hard work.

It was a great weekend charged with emotion.  And now, it is time to pack up my cappuccino machine and put it back in my kitchen where it belongs.

Until next year......

Happy Tuesday!!