Next year is our last dance recital...:(

[kacaju]

Oh my...we went to dd17's dance recital, watching her dance on pointe, it dawned on me that next year is her last year, and I started to cry. She is an awesome dancer and when she started dancing at age 4, I never really thought she would still be dancing at age 17.

I was so proud to hear the dance school owner call her up and thank the *newest member of our staff this year* and give her flowers. The owner has a lot of teen helpers...my DD is the only one she made a teacher. DD taught two tap classes this year. I went to that show to watch *her girls* they did so well!!

Next year I need to bring a box of tissues...besides her dancing in all the numbers, she will also be doing her Senior Solo!

 

[Reddy]

it is like you blink & they are grown -- why do kids ages make me feel old??

congrats on having a wonder dancer

 

[skater]

I know what you mean. My DD graduates next year and I've already sobbed twice . Sounds like you have a great daughter!

 

[princesshannahsmom]

I understand how you feel, BUT, I can probably tell you, your daughter feels pretty sad too!

I started dancing when I was 4, continued dancing (even through chemotherapy treatments) until I was 19. I didn't even realize that my last recital was my last recital. The teacher I had been with all those years, evidently got VERY ill and we received letters in August that she would not be reopening her studio. At this point, I was an assistant teacher, after being an apprentice teacher for several years. I was DEVASTATED!

I was in college, but, I planned on continuing and opening a studio of my own some day. I taught and danced for two more years after that at different studios, but NO ONE was like that previous teacher, and I lost the drive to continue. I regret that now, but it was devastating learning I would not be with that teacher anymore.

Your daughter will probably feel quite empty after her last recital, especially dancing as long as she did, it almost becomes a part of you! Maybe she can take some classes on the side while she is in college to keep that little piece of joy in her life.

 

[kacaju]

I understand how you feel, BUT, I can probably tell you, your daughter feels pretty sad too!

I started dancing when I was 4, continued dancing (even through chemotherapy treatments) until I was 19. I didn't even realize that my last recital was my last recital. The teacher I had been with all those years, evidently got VERY ill and we received letters in August that she would not be reopening her studio. At this point, I was an assistant teacher, after being an apprentice teacher for several years. I was DEVASTATED!

I was in college, but, I planned on continuing and opening a studio of my own some day. I taught and danced for two more years after that at different studios, but NO ONE was like that previous teacher, and I lost the drive to continue. I regret that now, but it was devastating learning I would not be with that teacher anymore.

Your daughter will probably feel quite empty after her last recital, especially dancing as long as she did, it almost becomes a part of you! Maybe she can take some classes on the side while she is in college to keep that little piece of joy in her life.

You are so right!! She already is torn. She wants to go into nursing. She is funny, we live in NJ, Rutgers is in our backyard. So of course, like many kids around here she doesn't want to go the Rutgers...too close to home.
Anyway, she did High School of the Arts and this year they had a professor from Mason Gross who was their teacher for dance.
Now she is reconsidering Rutgers because she is thinking of majoring in nursing and minoring in dance.

 

[TxAnn]

My 4 year old who is my youngest child and only dd recently started her first dance class. I hope she has as wonderful of a dance experience as it sounds like your dd has had.

 

[Pigeon]

I'll admit to being terribly unsentimental, but when my dd reaches her last dance recital, I'll be doing the happy dance. Not that she's grown up, but that I don't have to go to another recital.

 

[abbyndrewmom]

I started to cry at my DD recital last night as well. She is 13 and this was her first year as a teacher assistant. She was on stage with the kinderdancers and it brought back the memories of her first recital 10 years ago. I can't believe how quickly she is growing up, I have no idea how I will make it through her last recital.

 

[crazymama]

Oh my...we went to dd17's dance recital, watching her dance on pointe, it dawned on me that next year is her last year, and I started to cry. She is an awesome dancer and when she started dancing at age 4, I never really thought she would still be dancing at age 17.

I was so proud to hear the dance school owner call her up and thank the *newest member of our staff this year* and give her flowers. The owner has a lot of teen helpers...my DD is the only one she made a teacher. DD taught two tap classes this year. I went to that show to watch *her girls* they did so well!!

Next year I need to bring a box of tissues...besides her dancing in all the numbers, she will also be doing her Senior Solo!

I feel your pain! My DD is 11 and dance is a HUGE part of our lives between classes, performance/touring troupe, chronic fundraising, competitions... yada yada yada. She loves it and I mostly love it although there are times during the year that I think I need my head examined. I, too, will be very sad when I sit at that last recital.

 

[LovableGluttons]

My DD started dancing at 3 and now, at 12, she is developing so much grace and poise, she is amazing!

I'm torn about dance. She goes on pointe next year. Sure, she's prepared for it for 8 years, but I worry about her feet.

She's beautiful to watch, she dances around the house incessantly!

I'll be a blubbering mess for her last recital too.

Sorry OP.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Very Sweet! Congratulations to your daughter for a job well done and I hope she has a great final year next year.

 

[momof1princess]

I'll admit to being terribly unsentimental, but when my dd reaches her last dance recital, I'll be doing the happy dance. Not that she's grown up, but that I don't have to go to another recital.

i feel the same way. DD13 LOVES ballet, but she inherited her daddy's sense of rhythm (aka NONE) and doesn't take it seriously or practice, so she hasn't advanced for 4 years. i feel we're wasting her time and our money, but she refuses to give it up. it's an expensive hobby for a kid that doesn't progress. i'm hoping that when she sees how difficult balancing marching band and ballet is, she'll give up ballet. yes, it's good exercise, but it would be cheaper for us to join the YMCA.

 

[Talking Hands]

Oh my...we went to dd17's dance recital, watching her dance on pointe, it dawned on me that next year is her last year, and I started to cry. She is an awesome dancer and when she started dancing at age 4, I never really thought she would still be dancing at age 17.

I was so proud to hear the dance school owner call her up and thank the *newest member of our staff this year* and give her flowers. The owner has a lot of teen helpers...my DD is the only one she made a teacher. DD taught two tap classes this year. I went to that show to watch *her girls* they did so well!!

Next year I need to bring a box of tissues...besides her dancing in all the numbers, she will also be doing her Senior Solo!

And next thing you know you are going to see them dance professionally or in my case watch my daughter play as a professional.

 

[Pigeon]

i feel the same way. DD13 LOVES ballet, but she inherited her daddy's sense of rhythm (aka NONE) and doesn't take it seriously or practice, so she hasn't advanced for 4 years. i feel we're wasting her time and our money, but she refuses to give it up. it's an expensive hobby for a kid that doesn't progress. i'm hoping that when she sees how difficult balancing marching band and ballet is, she'll give up ballet. yes, it's good exercise, but it would be cheaper for us to join the YMCA.

My kid is pretty good, and gets a lot out of the lessons. I have no complaint about that. I just find the recitals interminable. The high school auditorium is not air conditioned, and it's often about 95 or so. The recitals go on for 4 of the longest hours in recorded history.

It seems like the teens each take a dozen classes and have a dance for each class. So you watch the same half dozen kids over and over again. Very tedious.

The other thing that frosts me is that they have costumes that the kids cannot put on themselves--they require safety pins in difficult to reach places, and the anchoring of miscellaneous headgear. Maybe the teens are OK, but the younger kids are not. They expect the moms to be in the dressing rooms getting the kids changed, and the kids are forbidden from arriving in costume. So I spend most of my time in the dressing room and running back and forth.

When I was a kid and took dance lessons, the teachers helped with the costumes, which weren't nearly as elaborate. At our place, the teachers are all in multiple dances and don't help the kids.

One year the normal venue wasn't available, and the place they used instead was half as big as what they needed. I couldn't even get back in the auditorium to see my kid dance.

 

[Kitzka]

You are so right!! She already is torn. She wants to go into nursing. She is funny, we live in NJ, Rutgers is in our backyard. So of course, like many kids around here she doesn't want to go the Rutgers...too close to home.
Anyway, she did High School of the Arts and this year they had a professor from Mason Gross who was their teacher for dance.
Now she is reconsidering Rutgers because she is thinking of majoring in nursing and minoring in dance.

Is she at the high school of the arts in Morris county in denville? I know a few kids who go there. It's a very talented bunch there.

A very talented young man from our area did not want to go to rutgers for dance or anything. He got into rutgers for dance, mary mount in NYC and nyu. The reason he choose rutgers is they gave him a full scholarship including full tuition, room and board. He goes into the city often to take class at steps, broadway dance center but is double majoring in dance as well as business.

He loves it. H been there for 2 years and doesn't regret his choice at all.

Lara

 

[MELSMICE]

Oh my...we went to dd17's dance recital, watching her dance on pointe, it dawned on me that next year is her last year, and I started to cry. She is an awesome dancer and when she started dancing at age 4, I never really thought she would still be dancing at age 17.

I was so proud to hear the dance school owner call her up and thank the *newest member of our staff this year* and give her flowers. The owner has a lot of teen helpers...my DD is the only one she made a teacher. DD taught two tap classes this year. I went to that show to watch *her girls* they did so well!!

Next year I need to bring a box of tissues...besides her dancing in all the numbers, she will also be doing her Senior Solo!

Congratulations to your DD!

I'll admit to being terribly unsentimental, but when my dd reaches her last dance recital, I'll be doing the happy dance. Not that she's grown up, but that I don't have to go to another recital.

i feel the same way. DD13 LOVES ballet, but she inherited her daddy's sense of rhythm (aka NONE) and doesn't take it seriously or practice, so she hasn't advanced for 4 years. i feel we're wasting her time and our money, but she refuses to give it up. it's an expensive hobby for a kid that doesn't progress. i'm hoping that when she sees how difficult balancing marching band and ballet is, she'll give up ballet. yes, it's good exercise, but it would be cheaper for us to join the YMCA.

I can guarantee there are many reasons why your DD wants to continue dance & probably none of them have to do with the actual learning of the steps themselves.

I bet she has made some great friendships through dance. She probably has a great time in class. She can relate to others in her classes that share a similar interest. She enjoys her instructor(s) and they can relate to her well. It's also somewhere she can go & leave any stress she might have about school, home, friends, etc. behind. She can just go & dance & not think about anything else but enjoying the feeling of dancing. IMO, you can't put a price tag on that.

I have a group of recreational teen dancers. I do not teach them any more but I have known them since they were 3. They dance opposite our competition team dancers. They love coming to class. They have the best attendance record out of all our classes. They are never going to be stars. Some of them just don't "have it" but they love it. They are drama free in their class. It's great for them.

This video tells a great story about why people dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tmmzQFmwrY&NR=1

 

[momof1princess]

Congratulations to your DD!





I can guarantee there are many reasons why your DD wants to continue dance & probably none of them have to do with the actual learning of the steps themselves.

I bet she has made some great friendships through dance. She probably has a great time in class. She can relate to others in her classes that share a similar interest. She enjoys her instructor(s) and they can relate to her well. It's also somewhere she can go & leave any stress she might have about school, home, friends, etc. behind. She can just go & dance & not think about anything else but enjoying the feeling of dancing. IMO, you can't put a price tag on that.

I have a group of recreational teen dancers. I do not teach them any more but I have known them since they were 3. They dance opposite our competition team dancers. They love coming to class. They have the best attendance record out of all our classes. They are never going to be stars. Some of them just don't "have it" but they love it. They are drama free in their class. It's great for them.

This video tells a great story about why people dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tmmzQFmwrY&NR=1

i'm sure this is true. unfortunately, there's only ONE other girl in her class, and they've been in the same class together for 5 years now, so they know each other very well, and they do tend to goof off. their teacher is a college student, and she doesn't maintain order very well, i'm afraid. i know she enjoys it, that's why we're still paying for lessons, it would sting a little less though if she made at least a smidge of progress.

 

[kacaju]

Is she at the high school of the arts in Morris county in denville?

We are in Middlesex County

MELSMICE Thank you for that video she enjoyed it!!

 

[princessmom29]

i'm sure this is true. unfortunately, there's only ONE other girl in her class, and they've been in the same class together for 5 years now, so they know each other very well, and they do tend to goof off. their teacher is a college student, and she doesn't maintain order very well, i'm afraid. i know she enjoys it, that's why we're still paying for lessons, it would sting a little less though if she made at least a smidge of progress.

I would be unhappy with the situation as well. It is stunning to me that there are only 2 girls in the class. Mabye she would do better in a class with more girls who are more serious about advancing thier technique? Sometimes a little peer pressure is a positive thing in this respect. I know when one of DD's friends gets a skill she has been working on, it pushes her that much harder to work on it.

I started dance at 4 and danced through college. DD is 7 and started at 3. She LOVES being at the studio, and dances 3 days a week now. I cried at my last recital, and I am sure she will as well. It marks the end of something that has been a big part of your life for as long as you can remember, and, at a good studio, it is like leaving a part of your family behind. Truly bittersweet.

 

[MELSMICE]

We are in Middlesex County

MELSMICE Thank you for that video she enjoyed it!!

Isn't that a great video. I played it at my recital pre-show. Actually, it opened my show.

Got it from a great man in the dance business, whose conference I will be attending this summer.