Highland dance

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Yesterday was Isla’s first Highland Dance competition. It was a very small competition with only the members of our regional dance association invited to it.  We went up to a school in Lacombe and with one judge she got to try out this experience

I was so nervous for her!  She had a bit of a sore tummy in the morning which I think was nerves, poor thing.  But once she got going she was fine.  She watched a movie on the way to Lacombe and was ready once we got there.

It was a long wait until it was her turn, the piper had a hole in his bag and a cold so he ended up taking frequent breaks which made it a longer process.

Finally it was her turn, here she is lined up with her class ready to go.  And she was so excellent!

Isla’s first Pas de Basques

We have been preparing lots for her first competition and talking about what happens at a competition.  We decided to pretend that since this was our first competition we would make it a practice one.  We knew we were bound to make mistakes but that didn’t matter since it was our first try and we would have lots of time to get it right.  For our first try it was very successful.  She got two medals in her first competition.  In the above dance she got a fourth place.

And in this one she tied for 3rd.  One of the little girls in her class didn’t get any medals and was very sad, she thought that the judge didn’t like her dancing.  Poor little thing, I know that our time will come for this lesson as well, sure not looking forward to that!

After she danced at the Festival of Trees I asked Isla if she enjoyed it or not.  She said,”Mom, I got this feeling inside, that is like all warm and cozy kind of like I am in my bed.”  I was so happy.  I want her to like dance and want to do it and not push her in to something that I did as a girl that she doesn’t really enjoy.  But she likes it, she actually likes it!  After her first dance yesterday I asked how it was and she said,”Mom, I got that feeling again.”  Whew, I was so relieved to hear it.  So all in all it was a very successful day.