Competushion

What a year! This weekend officially ends Sydney's first season of competitive dance. She started practicing in July and has learned FIVE routines. Pretty impressive, in my book. And, I am pretty sure she could do each of them in her sleep. My favorite was when she was practicing her tap dance and yelling out at her teacher, Miss Jordan, that she (Miss Jordan) was a "Sweaty, sweaty girl" followed by evil laughing. This went on the entire routine, but she didn't miss a beat! 

She has had a competition (or as Sydney says, competushion) in West Memphis, Bentonville, and now this weekend in Little Rock plus a few other random performances scattered in there as well. She will have a recital on June 5, and then move on to next year (which actually starts in May with auditions.) Here are some things we've learned this year:  

• We must watch too much reality TV. At her first competition she spent the day before crying because she was scared of the judges. We couldn't figure this one out, so we went to the competition the night before to check things out. Finally, she told Mrs. Brittney that she was afraid she was going to get kicked off and sent home and everyone else was going to get to stay. Hmmm....wonder where that came from? Once she figured out that the awards ceremony consisted of only receiving medals, trophies, and ribbons, and no mean comments from Simon, we were set.

• Competitive dance isn't for daddy's. While mom is in the back, frantically changing costumes, hair styles, and makeup in sometimes less than 10 minutes, then dashing out to catch a routine before repeating the above, dad sits in the audience. And waits. Dad's are really only good for carrying bags in and out of a venue. But, we have learned that David can be somewhat of a good, patient waiter when he has to, and Sydney is thrilled that he is there. 

• There is NOTHING in the world like a five-year-old's adrenaline rush. Haven't experienced it? Ya' should. After her very first competition performance she came off shaking with excitement and said, "Mom, I feel pretty proud of myself!" I never want to forget the look on her face that day!

• Stage fright and my darling Sydney do not co-exist. It is impossible. Example: She along with a couple hundred other kiddos were sitting on the stage for an awards ceremony. There were no less than 700 people present. Everyone is sitting calmly, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Sydney, who had not had enough dancing after starting at 6 a.m. (it was around 7 p.m.) stood up and started grooving by herself. With 700 people to cheer her on, she kept going and going. The MC finally came over and danced with her. When her group won an overall award for one of their performances, they all came up to the front (usually it is just one person) and got to say their name in the microphone. When the MC got done, he came back and did an interview with Syd and kept telling her what a great dancer she was and asked her to show him her moves again. Of course, she obliged.

• Sydney is a star! She really shines up on the stage, and it isn't just a prejudicial Momma saying that - we are constantly stopped by complete strangers and told what a great job she did. One producer even told us she wanted to take Sydney home with her. You have to understand what a big deal this is - most competitions are sections of two to three hours of 2 minute performances, seconds apart. So, you do the math. And still, they remember our little Sydney. That little spunk she carries around in life definitely shows up on the stage. 

And, so today we leave for the last performance of the year. I can't wait to see what Miss Hollywood pulls off this weekend!