Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Tucson Dance Mom, The Saga Continues!



Leyla http://kccreativedesign.com/p666876526


 Dance team tryouts for 2012/2013 have come and gone and the results from the audition were posted the Thursday before Labor Day holiday weekend.   This year Leah, my middle child who recently turned seven, decided to try out for dance team.  My youngest, Alexandra is two years old, didn’t want to miss out on all the action so she turned in her diapers for a leotard and a pair of tights!!   Alexandra is having a blast every Saturday morning in a one hour combo ballet/tap class with Heather.  Who needs a vacation home, when you have three daughters whose home away from home is in the dance studio?  =) 


Alexandra



 




 I spent most of the summer focusing on our Photography and Videography Company; KC Creative Design. 



  




 The girls and I agreed that spending the summer focusing on dance technique, by taking more ballet classes, would be a good start to the new 2012/2013 dance season.  We found a nearby dance studio just 5 minutes away from the house in Civano.  We enjoyed meeting new people and working with the friendly professional staff at Ballet Rincon Academy of Dance.  The girls also took gymnastics once a week so they could work on getting some tricks.   The summer flew by and before we knew it we were back home at Dance Force One ready to start the new dance season.  Fall classes started at the beginning of August; two weeks before dance team auditions.  In past years auditions were held at the end of the year after the recital.  Dance Force One picked up some amazing new dance teachers and most of the talented teachers returned back to the studio.  The first weeks flew by and then we were getting ready for the Saturday team try outs.  Dancers started checking in between 7:00 and 730 A.M. Leyla had her childhood best friend, Ysa, spend the night.  Ysa was a big support for Leyla and for the entire family. She is an amazing person and is such a big help when it comes to dance team competitions and pretty much anything else in our life. We had the girls go to bed early so that they would be well rested.   Mommy cheerleader woke them up early to prepare for the day.  Charlie and I wanted to make sure the kids had enough strength to make it through the auditions so Charlie made eggs and I cut up some fresh fruit.  After breakfast the girls got dressed and spent at least 20 minutes stretching before we all piled in the car and made the trek to the dance studio.  This year the kids had to wear a leotard and tights, and have their hair pulled back in a bun.  All dancers had to have their right and left splits to make most of dances on dance team.  The ability to do both splits can make the difference between making the team or not.  This year the dancers were auditioning for individual dances, as compared to last year when the dancers tried out for a particular dance team. This year the instructors were able to choose who they wanted to perform in each of their dances vs. having one group of girls stay together for almost all their dances. 

 At the audition each child that registered was given a number which they displayed where the judges could identify the dancer and score them based on whatever they were looking for. This year I had two kids to be nervous for and when I found out Leah was trying out in the same room as her older sister I just about fainted.  All 7-11 years old tried out together; which I thought was crazy!!  Leah is so little and just turned 7 where as Leyla is a young lady who is tuning 12 next month. The difference in maturity and skill level is night and day.  I thought for sure that Leah was going to back out and not try out.  Heck, I would back out if I was her age!!  Parents were not allowed to watch so Ysa and I hung out together in the hallway and tried to peek through the cracks in the taped up windows…too bad April did a really good job this year and we couldn’t even see a shadow.  Leah stayed the whole time and even took her first 1.5 hr ballet class with Cory, who is an amazing dancer, and a fantastic but very stern, teacher.  My poor baby is used to taking three hours of dance classes a week and was now auditioning with the older girls and dancing over three hour in one day! Leyla, on the other hand, was having the time of her life and ended up staying until 3:00pm.  By the end of the day I was exhausted, which is ironic considering I wasn’t the one dancing.  Ha Ha. The older girls were so nice to Leah that I will be forever thankful to them all!!  Later that evening when little Leah got out of the car she said she could hardly feel her legs.   Leyla and I look at each other and started laughing.  I thought to myself “I hope she makes dance team or she will be devastated.”
Leah


Two weeks passed before the list was posted and every day Leah asked if she had made dance team.  I was starting to feel like we were never going to find out.
It was late Thursday evening before the list was posted and luckily for me I didn’t have to drive 40 minutes to the dance studio to find out :=)  One of the other dance moms took a picture of the list with her phone and sent it to me.  The girls waited anxiously as the list downloaded to my phone.  We waited and waited and waited…. what the hell was wrong with my phone???  You have got to be kidding me!!!!  As soon as we all had given up hope and were off to bed my phone beeped and the download was completed with the dance team list.  
 It probably would have been faster to drive the 40 min to the dance studio.  The only problem was that for some reason the pictures came through as a video so I was not able to enlarge the screen which meant that the list was too little to read.  I forwarded the text to Charlie’s phone and he had the same problem so he emailed it to our email address and printed it out.  I practically had to use a magnifying glass the make out everything.  Between me and Charlie we were able to see that Leah made four dance numbers on dance team with the younger girls. Leah was so excited and was very proud of her self.  I tucked Leah in bed while Charlie continued to look at the list for Leyla.  When I returned to the room Charlie said he didn’t see Leyla name on the list. What??  Give me that list I said as I snapped the paper out of his hand, and I thought I was blind!!   Leyla’s name was right under Leah’s name and she made 8 dance team numbers!  Her worried face turned into a big smiled and she was very happy!!  Before I could say another word Leyla had fallen asleep with a smile a mile wide on her face and was probably dreaming of the lights, action, Show Time!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Reflection




The dance season came to an end with a little over a month off between seasons. Team try-outs will be here before you know it.  I have learned a lot this past year, and not only about bling, rhinestones, hair, or makeup, but also a lot about myself.  When this season first started I did not fully understand all the time and money that  parents need to invest when we have a daughter who is a dancer on a competitive dance team.  The commitment that is involved does not only come from the dancer but also from the dancer’s family. I should have known better since my mom did it when I was girl but it is not until you commit as a parent and family that it really hits home. 



There was many times this past season where weeks and months would go by and I never took the time to take care of myself or my health.  This past year I have been distant from friends and family while I concentrated on doing the best I could between my job, building a photography business, and six days a week at the dance studio.  I’ve been told I’m crazy!!  I won’t ever deny that I am in fact crazy and that I accept that about myself.  I take full responsibility for my actions and accept the consequences that come with my decision to support both my girls in dance.  I have to tell you that every tear shed, the late nights, the long drives, frustrations while rhinestoning, and even the way-over-the-top competition hair was worth it after seeing Leyla and her team dance their little butts off on stage.



This year I watched Leyla start the year quiet and reserved and blossom into a child with self-confidence and who believes in herself as much as I believe in her.  Dancing gave Leyla something to be excited about every day.   The friendships she made this year will always be remembered and be a part of her life as she becomes a young lady.   The long-distance drive to the dance studio that I complained about often in my blog was actually a blessing because it gave Leyla and I good mother-daughter bonding time.  The bonding time was way overdue and we became much closer this past year.   


As years pass and I get older more and more people I care deeply about have passed on.   This year, more than ever, I have a clear picture and understanding of how precious and wonderful life is.  My mom use to tell me when I was a child that the older you get the faster times goes by. I never really understood what she meant by that statement until now.  Days, weeks, months, and years seem to be on fast forward and I’m constantly asking for more time.  How much time as individuals are we willing to sacrifice away from the people we love for our jobs?  Since time doesn’t have a price tag and you never know when it will run out, I have decided not to waste another second trying to be everything and everywhere at the same time.  Through Leyla’s passion in dance I found my passion in photography; and found a career that makes me excited to wake up every morning. 



As of mid-July I am no longer an employee with Long Realty. I still work with them but as an independent contractor and have their support and blessing to pursue Photography full-time.   I have met some incredible people in the real estate industry and have enjoyed being able to offer career opportunities to individuals looking for more in their careers.  It is very rewarding to be a part of other people’s success and helping them build their dreams.  I love how it has worked out with Long because I am now able to make my own hours and will be able to make the time for my business and for everything else in my life. 




Wednesday, July 11, 2012