Ill Tempered Fowl

After dropping the girls off at the front of the Kennedale Performing Arts Center I was forced to park in a far off lot since parking was at a premium with SUVs from AR, OK and TX as far as one could see.  I was hiking back to the auditorium when a big guy got out of his truck making the same parking lot trek.  Upon first appearances he was approximately 6’4’’ 240 lbs, bikers T-shirt, large tatted up arms, scruffy goatee and wrap-around black sun glasses.   Picture the ‘Lone Rider of the Apocalypse’ from Raising Arizona.   I figured that I’d reach across the suburbia geek to Road Warrior cast member chasm.  

Me:  Glad today is the last day of competition (we had made the hour trip from home to the competition numerous times this week).

Tough Guy:  Yep, a long drive.

Me:  Where’s home?

Tough Guy:  Killeen. 

Me:  Wow, that is quite a commitment to drive that far throughout the week.

Tough Guy:   Yep, but if it helps to build my daughter's self-esteem, it’s worth every penny!

How great it is to be completely surprised by a situation.  I would have never guessed upon first look that he would have taken the conversation down that path.  It was then I realized we weren’t so different.    I prefer to think of us both as tough guys.  Well, kind of, sort of.

We spent the past week at the Dance Showcase USA national competition.  Two daughters, 13 dances and all the bobby pins that can be jammed into heavily sprayed hair buns.  The competition committee regrouped the classification of dances, which both surprised and disappointed us seeing that it meant a number of our team dances would compete against each other for just a few spots in the, wait for it, THE GRAND SHOWCASE FINALS, FINALS, FINALS. 

Side story, as I was standing in the crowded lobby of the auditorium I heard a father trying to console his daughter who had finished in first place during the preliminaries, but then finished fourth in THE GRAND SHOWCASE FINALS.  The father said, ‘Honey, you were awarded the national championship on Thursday, this is just a chance to give some other kids trophies to make them feel better!’.   So I said, ‘Go ahead and believe what your father says if it makes you feel better, but today is what really counts when you are competing against the best selected dances for trophies that are twice the size!’   Ok, so I really didn’t say that, but the evil twin father in me sure was thinking it.  With an silent maniacal laugh as I twist my imaginary handle bar mustache. 

Back to the core blog story.  Our studio had two dances qualify for THE GRAND SHOWCASE FINALS, but unfortunately our other dances didn’t make it, especially a parent favorite titled Angry Birds.   The Angry Birds routine dated back to the previous year's dance recital.   In competitive dance you get to see the same routines again and again and again, but during recital you see for the first time the dances created during the many other classes the girls take throughout the year.   While traditional ballet can be formal and even stuffy at times, Angry Birds delivered a breath of fresh ballet air where their instructor encouraged the girls to see what ‘tricks’ they could do while on pointe shoes.   The end result was a recital routine that we parents absolutely loved and we pretty much demanded that Angry Birds be competed the next season.   During one event this spring a judge provided the following feedback in his critique of the dance.  “When I heard the name of the dance announced I thought oh no, this is going to be cheesy, but then you started the performance and the choreography and your execution was such a creative surprise and so entertaining – loved it!” 

At the national competition an area of the lobby was setup to hock pictures and videos of the dances and it was there where a couple great Angry Birds stories came to light.  While a flock of our dancers were looking at pictures, some other moms looked over their shoulders and had asked 'Were y’all in that dance?' Replying with yes, the women then said 'Man! That was an awesome dance! It was so unique and different! It was so cool!'   A little later one of our parents and daughter was searching through pictures when a stranger came up to the table and fumbled through the event program searching for information and then requested that the videographer play the Angry Birds dance.   Noticing his awkwardness, the worker asked if his daughter was in the dance to which he replied, “No, but I’ve brought my wife here and told her she just had to see this dance!”  At that time a couple other random parents spoke up and said, “I saw that dance and loved it.”   Talk about building self-esteem – having multiple random strangers request a viewing of your dance makes the girls stand just a little taller – even taller than pointe shoes raise you up. 

So after all of that, here are two dances for your viewing pleasure.  My daughter is the yellow Crane with an attitude.  Just before the dance starts, you can hear me yell ‘attitude encouragement’ from the back of the auditorium.  While my daughter gave me the 13 year old eye roll when I asked if she liked me yelling before her dances, a couple of her teammates told their parents that they get psyched when I yell – so I figured one eye roll and a couple positive votes was a go sign for a national competition chance to crow.   Though I had pre-warned the strangers who came and sat right in front of me, you should have seen them duck when the shock wave hit them.

Angry Birds:  http://youtu.be/wVrCK4nTwEk

The second video is the Danza Española (or as I called it, Dancing in Spanish), a more traditional ballet including both my daughters.  This dance finished second at THE GRAND SHOWCASE FINALS.  The only team to beat them was an Arkansas based team that was a little older and performed a fantastic routine.  Also, we were ecstatic that our girls beat the team dressed like waitresses from the Titled Kilt, shaking their scantily clad backsides to the song Timber.  Queue the maniacal laugh. 

Sarah starts the dance in the front middle of the little ones.  Alex starts as the fourth fan dancer on the far right.  

Danza Espanola: http://youtu.be/LhOWKZmT9lU

But wait – there’s more.  Proof they can perform a non-ballet routine, here is their jazz dance which is both Charlie’s Angels and NRA approved.

Bullet Proof:  http://youtu.be/cPm9vMGPm_Q

Ms Jennifer and Ms Rebeca, thank you for everything you have done for the girls.

 

Finally, as a means of staying sane throughout the competition season I started a list of songs, that if used, should instantly disqualify the routine.  Ideally, with a big Gong Show style hook removing the contestants from the stage.   Among our team parents it simply became known as, ‘The List’.  If you don’t think songs can become a complete beat down, try sitting through three, 12 hour days of competition. 

The List

Little party never hurt nobody
Send in the clowns
What's a girl got to do
Puttin on the ritz
Hot chocolate
Car wash
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend
Material girl
My boy friend is back
Rockin robin
Sassy girl
Do the conga
God bless Texas
Grease lightning
We're in the money
Its raining men
My strongest suit
Popular
Any song using a top hat