Reese's First Dance Performance

(L to R) Kris (Marisa's mom), Marisa, Mrs. Judy, myself, and Reese in the front.

Dancing with Mrs. Judy...

Being introduced...

Excited to be in her dress

Reese and myself, as we were waiting to go back to the place to dance.

A few other people from my dance school, McCafferty School of Irish Dance, performed at an assisted living facility today. Reese agreed to dance and do the step she knows, with the bribery that she finally got to wear her dance dress. I wish we'd had a video camera soooo bad, but you'll have to do with still shots. Reese danced sooo well. And it was her first time to do it for an audience that didn't solely consist of fellow dancers and maybe some of their family that happened to be at the dance studio. So we weren't sure at all if she would even do it, for real. But she got up there with Mrs. Judy and did her reel step. We're all so proud of her. She was on time, on the right foot, and it was just excellent.

She's been watching me dance for 2 years now. Going to class with me almost every week (as my parents went too). After a while, she started making up her own dances consisting of bits and pieces she saw us doing: leaps, sevens, lead-arounds, etc. So, last fall/winter, we had some spare time after class, and Mrs. Judy decided to start teaching her a reel step, the first step you start to learn in Irish dance. At least with Mrs. Judy. She can't start "official" classes until this fall, when she's about to be 5 (Mrs. Judy won't "officially" take them until they're 5, short attention spans and all). So she learned it, bit by bit, with this invaluable one on one time with Mrs. Judy. Once she got the steps down, we started working on technicalities. Kicking her hops up to her knee, working on her turn-out, being on time. This child dances constantly now, and she can't wait to start this fall. And I know the 2 years she's been watching me, and this one on one time with Mrs. Judy will help her so much, as this afternoon attested to. She did wonderfully, and she was a real hit.

I'm proud of you, Reesey!