It’s Star Mom sign up time once again! This year Dance Magic is giving Star Moms a huge incentive – the first two moms to sign up for each show will not only get a chance to buy their tickets first, but this year we will be able to pick our seats as well! Since Dance Magic shows sell out every year, this is a huge bonus for our Star Moms! This way I get to be backstage for one night, and then watch out front on the second night!
I love being a Star Mom, it’s one of the highlights of the dance year for me. I’ve been backstage every year for 10 years now, ever since my daughter was a teeny tiny Maid Marion ballet dancer. Wow does that seem a long time ago – she was so cute! Being a Star Mom changes over the years, I remember being backstage with all those little Maid Marion’s 10 year ago and they were adorable! So excited, some of them a little nervous, but all of them completely entranced with all the hustle and bustle of backstage at Festival Hall. My job was to calm their nerves (and sometimes calm their excitement!) and make sure they were entertained for the evening. This is a much easier task than you may think! There is so much excitement backstage, dancers rehearsing, pictures to take with friends, the show to watch on the big TV screen – all I really had to do was keep an eye on them and make sure they got to the stage on time! Of course, a little pep talk backstage is always good too, and a big hug when they run off at the end!
Now she’s a senior dancer, and I still get a thrill each year when the show begins and we move into Festival Hall for a week. 10 years ago we only had one Take, now with four Takes (8 shows in total!) some of our senior dancers, like my daughter, are dancing in all 8 shows! That can make for a busy schedule and it really helps if they have Star Moms backstage to give them a hand, make sure they have snacks and water, help with some quick hair and costume changes – and even give them a little pep talk backstage just like I did when they were little!
I think it is such a privilege to get to be backstage with my daughters. I get to share in the excitement of the show with them, I can be there to lend a hand – or just for moral support. But most of all, I have 10 years of memories that I share with my girls. Memories of seeing one as a tiny ballerina, her face glowing as she watched the senior dancers rehearsing in Festival Hall. Memories of standing in the wings, tears of pride running down my cheeks as I watch her perform with all her heart – and with a smile so big I swear you could see her from the very back row! And this year I will have the absolute joy of seeing her receive her 10 year award on stage, and while I am looking forward to watching that moment from the audience, I am even more excited for the nights that I will be backstage, sharing in all the fun with her – just like I have done every year for the past 10 years.
Oh and I forgot to mention the best part – the other moms! I have developed the most wonderful friendships over the years with the other dance moms. When our girls were little we would see each other every night at the studio, now that they’re older and we aren’t needed at the studio as much, we don’t see each other as often throughout the year. But for 2 weeks at the end of the year, we all move into the Memorial Centre together – we spend a week watching dress rehearsals, and then another week backstage with our girls. We get tickets to the same show nights and arrange our Star Mom schedules so we can all be backstage together, it’s just the best time!
Being a Star Mom is an experience I look forward to every year and I would not miss it for anything! So be sure to sign up – only the first two moms each night are given first crack at picking out their show tickets, and you don’t want to miss out on that!
In other DM news, our Daddy Daughter Dance is rapidly approaching – only a week and a half to go! This past weekend was a super productive one, filled with lots of crafting and fun friends – and one teeny tiny baby Birkley whose sole purpose was to distract us from our task. And she did such a good job! It is nearly impossible to work on anything with that cuteness in the room. Here are a few pictures of the crafting fun:
Multi-tasking Mom!
Birkley even had her daddy joining in on the fun!
Look at the tiny cuteness, just hanging out with her toys while mommy works!
It’s going to be a fantastic evening – and there’s still a chance for you to get tickets! Post a picture of your “daddy and daughter” in their favorite dance pose, to facebook, twitter or instagram – tag Dance Magic Red Deer in the picture and you could win tickets! Get creative, post as often as you like – the more you post the more chances you have to win! This is going to be an event you don’t want to miss!
Other things happening at our favorite dance studio include Mommy/Daughter Zumba on Saturday mornings at the north studio. Here’s a quick peek at all the Zumba fun… don’t miss out next week!
Check out our website, or the January newsletter for more information on Spring registration, photo weekends, show dates and Takes – and Star Moms!
See you soon – Happy Dancing!!!
