Being a Dance Mom

Back in fall when enrolling Emry in her dance class, we had the opportunity to allow her to join the “b-Boppers” group, a young dance team to get the littlest girls interested in furthering their skills. Usually this little team would take a great deal of dedication since they represent the studio at parades, half-time shows, etc. But with Covid, those sorts of things weren’t going to happen. The cost wasn’t too great a difference from regular class, especially as she would get nearly another half-hour of instruction a week plus a couple more weeks per session. The instructor I really like was in charge of her class, and she would be working Emry (and the other girls) hard to fine-tune the things they were learning. All told, it was an opportunity we felt would benefit Emry. And it has. I guess I just didn’t know how much it would demand of me.

 

First, of course, is getting Emry to practice. Honestly, that isn’t usually difficult. She’s happy to pull out my laptop and run through her routine several times every other day or so, especially before a performance. (And is she ever psyched to be allowed on a real stage this weekend for her first dress rehearsal!) It’s helped greatly that her instructor (Miss Kelsey) chose a song she loves – Minnie’s Bow-tique.I can’t complain about that part at all.

 

The costume is also cute and she really likes. But the things that go with it, well…

 

From pictures I’m sure you have seen that Emry’s hair is…let’s say unruly. It curls, it doesn’t part in any precise location, and it seems to grow in at random lengths so she has natural side bangs that some girls might envy. All of this adds up to being very difficult to put in almost any hairstyle, especially a bun. Which is exactly how she must wear it, of course: a low bun with a left-side part. At least we have one thing going for us: if you can actually find it, her natural part is on the left. With a great deal of water, I have figured out how to get that done. But the bobby pins are about to be my undoing and I should probably get another can of hairspray to be on the safe side. It’s going to take a lotof it to get all those curls and random lengths to lay down for an hour.  I’m really hoping the headband Minnie ears will help!

 

And if the bun wasn’t hard enough, there’s the make-up. Earlier last year my abhorrence of youtube finally dawned on me: why do I need to watch a video when I can read the instructions or story three times as fast? What a waste of time! But I’m going to need youtube for this one. If you know me at all well, you know I don’t wear makeup. And I have a very elementary idea of how to apply it. In fact, we had to go out and buy the red lipstick, grey tones eye shadow, and pink blush. Emry is beyond delighted, while I am simply hoping she won’t turn out looking like a clown. 

So we will practice. She will practice her dance. I will practice the hair and make up. Perhaps by the time competition arrives in April and her final performance in May, we will both have it down. But more likely she will be fine…and I will need more lessons!