get your jazz hands out

the bean has been working hard with her jazz dance class for months on perfecting their routine for the annual recital.  i've sat in on enough of their rehearsals to where i could practically do it with them - although nobody wants that, heh.

we'd already done a trial run on her hair, makeup and costume the week before, when we all met at the studio to do their official recital portraits.  remember the car selfie?

this time, it was a group car selfie.

while the hub joined the growing line at the entrance, i took her around back to the dancers' entrance. of course, before i let her go, i grabbed this:

we checked in at the table, and then she was gone.

VIP style, suckas.

no, but really though.  we snagged second-row seats right in the middle.  they were the closest spots we'd ever gotten for any of her dance recitals - this being her fourth one.  can you believe that?

mama wan joined us for the show, too.

it was an entertaining show - the dancers are all really good from this studio, and it was fun to watch them.  i do have to admit that sitting that close is a little awkward at times, because while you can see every detail from that distance, like a sequin falling off of a costume or facial expressions...so can the performers.  you know?  so we all had to plaster perms-grins on our faces, which was a little weird.  but it was okay.  i really like watching the dancers' feet anyway, especially during complicated tap routines.

there was a demonstration of taiko drumming, which is a new class being offered for the summer session.

intermission time!

the bean's class was fourth in the lineup after intermission was over.  like i said, i've seen this routine a bazillion times - but it's so much more awesome with the girls up onstage in full costumes and everything.  i was so excited, and even a little nervous, and i kept tearing up like the sap we all know i am.  they scampered onto the stage and lined up in their positions, ready to go.  our girl is second from the right.

these girls are so pro, man.  the music began ("in the mood") and they swung right into that routine like it was second nature.  well, i suppose for them, it really was.  i was so proud of the bean, i could hardly see through the tears.  she was doing such a great job - they all were.

and then...it was over.

after two full hours and over forty numbers later, it was finally over.  we'd seen a lot of the same dancers used over and over in most of the routines, and while they're all fantastic, they could easily cut the recital down to an hour and still be able to feature every dancer in the studio.  they each came out, hand in hand, to take a bow.

my one major annoyance was this woman, who was of course seated directly in front of me.  she would lift her hands up and wave at the dancers, most of which probably had no idea who she was.  it was so irritating, and when the bean came out to take her bow, just as my mom picked up her camera to take pictures, she started waving again.  total cockblocker.  i leaned forward, tapped her on the shoulder, and asked her really politely to stop waving so that we could take photos.  she put her arm down for about a second before she did it again.

i exchanged angry glances with my mom, waited a few more seconds, and asked her again.  i promise you, i was completely polite with my request despite my annoyance, and she turned her head and said something that i couldn't quite make out, but from the body language and the tone of her voice i could totally tell that it was something rude.

RAGE.  damn, she was lucky i didn't yank her stupid hair out of her damn head and smack her on her stupid face.  i'm getting all riled up just thinking about it.

we made our way out of there soon afterwards and headed off to the side entrance to pick up our little dancer.  the old lady and her manfriend had brought flowers, which she happily accepted.  he's one of her favorite people, and he probably has no idea that he actually has TWO girlfriends.

the hub was already in the car, so i got a post-show photo with her, just the two of us.

she's decided to do another year of jazz, so after a bit of a break for summer, she'll be at it again in august to hone those skills and start working on the new routine for next year's recital.  and then we'll get to do this alllllll over again!