Dance Competition Season... 2013

First experiences ever being a "real" dance Mom.

Sure, Brenna's been dancing a couple years now, but this is the first year it has gotten serious for us. 

Competition season is in full swing.  

Last weekend Brenna had her second of four competitions and I must say #2 was much easier on my nerves than the first, BUT for some reason things didn't play off quite as smoothly as the first.  

Prior to the first competition I was a wreck.  Anxiety THROUGH THE ROOF.  As a control freak myself, not knowing what to expect on comp. day was not sitting well with me.  I felt very un-prepared and we were still two weeks out from competition.  As comp. day drew closer my nerves continued to spiral out of control.  

You can read more about this HERE.

I was put as ease about this competition stuff very quickly.  Brenna's first competition was FUN!  I learned very quickly that my fellow dance Mom's were all just AMAZING.  If there was the slightest struggle with anything or any of the dancers, the Mom's were quick to pull together and settle the issue quick.  

Brenna and Jocelyn heading out for their first competition together.

All smiles after their second dance and our first competition.

Posing for their 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Taylor, who came to watch them perform.

Trophy time.

I admit, I've watched that dumb Dance Mom's show on T.V. and I was really stressed about the possibility of experiencing that sort of cattiness.  Though I knew better, those crazy dance mom moments that play out on T.V were still in the back of my mind.  

Our group of dancers, Mom's, and teacher's couldn't be any more opposite than that Dance Mom's show.  

I learned that we are a family, and that first competition I felt I finally found my place among them all. 

Can I just say, I LOVE OUR STUDIO and all the people involved in it.  Maybe it's the small town effect, but I must say that every single person is sincerely there for all the right reasons.  It doesn't matter which girl shines bright in the spotlight at any given moment... every parent, student, and teacher's heart just swells with pride watching every dancer do their very best. 

It's very heart warming.  

Anyway, back to the competitions.  Last weekend was our second competition.  Our studio did AMAZING!  Though I had quite the hair fiasco that morning that may have pushed me to tears... the rest of the day went smooth and Just Dance Studio walked away with many first place trophies. 

Our little Gems (Brenna's team) walked away with first place trophies for BOTH of their dances AND they both took a platinum ranking.  I'm still learning about what all this means myself, but I'm catching on.  In case you don't know every dance is scored on a point system.  Where your total points fall determines your ranking.  The ranks range from Silver to Platinum.  Silver being lowest, Platinum being highest.  Needless to say, to have both dances rank Platinum was AWESOME!  Not only did they take First in their age bracket, they even walked away with a first place overall (which means they scored highest of all dances in that catagory).

DOUBLE AWESOME!

Warming up.

I love this girl SO MUCH!

So beautiful

Ready for dance two...

Proud Mom, Tired Mom.

Silly girls.

Dance party on stage.

I'm so very proud of our girls. 

Their team spirit is like none other I have experienced.

These girls truly love each other and LOVE dancing together.

They mesh well, and it shows out their in the spotlight.

This weekend is our third competition.

I'm so excited I can't stand it!

And to think this once made me nervous....

Dreams of a Dance Mom

Brenna's first dance competition is fast approaching and I am feeling the stress of it all.

Last night I dreamed over and over and over again that no matter how hard we tried we just couldn't make it to the competition prepared.  With each disaster I would wake up, shake it off, and fall back asleep only to be welcomed by the same type of dream, different scenario, but same outcome.  I would wake up and repeat. Over and Over and OVER this would happen.  

Needless to say I didn't sleep well. 

When I woke up I told Brenna, "Mommy is a nervous wreck about this competition stuff!"  I began to tell her about the various disasters that would get in our way of her very first dance competition.  Like the heavy traffic that didn't seem to have an end in sight... for as far as the eyes could see were red tail lights with no other route to get where we needed to be.  Like how I forgot to bring the hair and make-up supplies necessary to pull off the required hair and make-up.  Like how when we pulled her costume out of the bag is was the wrong costume entirely.  Like how we went to put on her tights and ALL THREE PAIR were covered in holes and resembled Swiss cheese.  Like how I overslept and we didn't have time to get her to the competition in full hair and make-up ready to perform.  

In each scenario the outcome was the same.  We let her team down, they lost, all because we weren't ready.

That's a lot weighing on your shoulders. 

Being a "competition dance mom virgin" I am sure that I am WAY over thinking things.  I'm sure that this competition stuff isn't nearly as intimidating or stressful as I am assuming it is.  I'm sure that all will be fine, BUT still what if??

Come Friday night/Saturday morning I may need someone to bring me a brown paper sack and remind me to breathe.  

We are one week away from Brenna's first competition.  For the most part I am VERY excited and anxious to watch these girls' hard work pay off.  I know I'll be a blubbering idiot in the stands, but that's okay.  Us moms are entitled to those moments when it comes to our kids.  Brenna has worked SO very hard this year and I know sitting there watching her shine in the spotlight she so deserves will be a moment I will never forget.  I'm so proud of her and all her hard work and dedication.  She has far surpassed my expectations of what kind of dancer she could be at such a young age.  Much of that she is responsible for through being so committed, but the amazing teachers at her studio hold a great deal of credit as well.  I'm grateful they have been able to challenge her and push her to limits that she is completely capable of reaching. 

As I had that conversation with Brenna about how nervous I was she looked at me in a way that she just couldn't believe that I was making such a fuss.  She politely says, "Mom, you think YOU are nervous... I seriously think I might go out there and throw up." 

Oh dear.... what if???

No. I can't even go there.  

Any guesses what I will dream about tonight?