black and white Wednesday - recital weekend

Our Saturday started early with the ballet classes from Grace's dance school

 participating in a dress rehearsal for Swan Lake.

(Swans waiting their turn to perform).

Right before that Grace had her hair and nails done

so she was ready to go!

We arrived at our local high school where the performance was held in their PAC.

I was one of the chaperons for a room of 7 and 8 year olds.

My husband, Will and my parents were out in the audience to see Grace perform.

(Grace and 2 of her friends playing a 20 questions game before it was time to go on stage.)

The dance school presented "Under the Sea,"

that's why the backdrop looks that way.
Here the girls are on stage for tap.

Next back to our room, with a change of shoes to wait to go on for jazz.

The girls got along extremely well and found plenty to do.

They really had fun and had such a great attitude.

Then it was time for the swans to get dressed and ready for their dance.

Also for girls to converse or listen to music...

There were ballerinas playing their DS games.

Or with "Squinkies."

You could feel the excitement in the room build,

and then it was time for the swans to line up and wait their turn...

to go on stage.

Grace's class was the first of many that danced

in this performance of Swan Lake.

It had dancers in age from 7 up to high school seniors and adults.

Several of the school's teachers performed and did solos.

It was truly breathtaking to see so many beautiful swans on stage at one time in the finale!

Unfortunately I didn't get a shot of all of them together.

It was almost exactly a year ago that Grace

asked if she could try dance again.
She tried it at age 4 and didn't want to leave me to go into class(she would cry),

and I didn't push it. (not my style)

This year she's taken Ballet and a Tap/Jazz combo class and thoroughly enjoyed both.

What dance has done for her self confidence

has been nothing short of miraculous.

Grace has gone from a shy little girl to someone who has no difficulty

whatsoever performing in front of an audience.

We both have made many new friends through this experience and

Grace is taking Ballet this Summer.
What is most important is that she loves it and is having fun.

Now Will is asking to take a Hip/Hop class in the Fall. ;)

On a personal note, this has been just precious for me

to share these moments with Grace, getting ready for the recital

  and volunteering backstage.

I'll always treasure the memories of these 2 days
 and I'm happy I was able to capture the pictures
 for her to look back on someday.
I plan to make her a special album.

We couldn't be more proud of our little girl!

I post processed all of my images using Florabella actions from the Luxe II collection.
For the color versions, Florabella's "Angel."
And "Blush" for the Bl/Whites.

Please take a look at more beautiful black and white photography at Lisa's
blog, The Long Road to China.