Collette's First Dance Performance (And the Video!)

Collette had her first dance performance this past Saturday.  I was so excited to see her, and also a little bit apprehensive about what she may or may not do in front of a crowd of people.  :)  She is not at all shy and quite the talker, and often in her dance class I need to remind her (repeatedly) to be quiet, pay attention, not touch anyone (as in not hug her little friends, not touch/compare outfits, hair accessories, etc.), and listen to her teachers.  So I was a smidgen nervous about her behavior in the group dance.  But then I had to remind  myself-- she's three.  No one is expecting perfection and I need to just be happy that she is having fun, and not stress over the rest. 

They had their dress rehersal last week.  All of the girls had matching tutus, wings, and wands, and they were fairies dancing to Tinker Bell music.  Their teacher said they could wear whatever color leotard and tights they watned to, and encouraged a variety of colors.  Collette fell in love with these purple tights at Target and begged for me to get them so she could wear them for her dance performance.  She said, "They match my wings, Mommy!" How could I argue with that logic?

Warming up... Collette definitely wins the award for enthusiasm in her class!

 

Practicing their dance:

Friday evening I painted Collette's nails with the new polish she picked out, and Collette did her whole dance for LL perfectly, since he was working the next day and couldn't be at her performance. I bribed encouraged Collette to do her routine just like that tomorrow, and told her if she did, we would paint her toenails, too. :)

Saturday morning-- ready to dance! :)

 



My friend Nancy sent me a link she found for a Tinker Bell style bun. 

So naturally, we had to try that one for her performance!

I think it turned out cute. 

Cute little fairy.

 

These are two of Collettes little buddies in dance class.

They were so cute together!

And now... what  you've all been waiting for... the dance!

(It is about 5 minutes long, including the introductions-- just as a forewarning)

(Okay, I have been trying forever and I cannot figure out how to embed this video.  Somehow my YouTube and blog are not working together.... so here is the link to it.)

Collette's Dance

I am so proud of my little girl.  And not just because she danced well.  I'm so proud of her enthusiasm, her love for life, her outgoing little personality, and her fearlessness.  She is the youngest girl in her class, started half way through the year, didn't know a soul, and had never tried any sort of organized activity before.  And none of that phased her.  She jumped right in with both feet, made friends, learned her routines, and was proud of each new skill that she mastered.
And she's three. 
 She just amazes me.