Gracie's Dance Recital

For the past couple of years our sweet friend Emily (also mommy to Gracie's friend Sadie) has been ever so patiently teaching a little dance class for about a dozen kids 4 and under. Since almost half the class would be moving out after graduation this month, she decided that the kids should all put on a dance recital together, and since it fell on the 5th, it quickly evolved into a Dance Recital/Cinco de Mayo party. Mexican food and my little cutie in a tutu! Heck of a Saturday night! :)

A couple days before the kids did a dress rehearsal--they were so excited to be up on the stage. Gracie was totally distracted by it and her friends, so she didn't get much out of the rehearsal, but lo and behold the moment she was up there in front of people she just shone like a little starlet and really tried so hard to do all the dances. I was so excited and proud to see her really get into it!

Emily was really cool to them, treating them like real grown-up dancers by having a special talk with them in their dressing room, complete with a prayer and a pre-dance cheer. Then they split up into two groups and took turns performing. Afterwards each of the kiddos got to hand "Miss Emily" a rose to say thank you. To say it was adorable would be, of course, an understatement.

After the dancing all the kids and their families lingered for a Mexican potluck and some piñata bashing. It was a roaring success!

As we buckled her into the car, Steve and I presented Gracie with a rose. She looked up at us, starry-eyed with her extra special dramatic princess face, and told us it was lovely. :)

(Don't worry grandmas and grandpas, I will post video eventually!)