Dress Rehearsal 2007:

So last night was dress rehearsal for the recital which will take place this weekend. I am equally excited and nervous. On bare-stage rehearsal, I goofed in one spot, but kept in time with the rest of my dancers. So I was really nervous that I would repeat the same goof in the dance at the same time.

My hip-hop number is the one which causes me more grief, as this is my first year doing hip-hop. Plus I don’t feel that comfortable with this one STUPID step which I am POSITIVE that Justin Timberlake and his doofy N’Sync pals did. So anyway, my hip-hop song is GET ME BODIED by Byonce, and out costumes are black and white…it is a tube/halter top with black & white streamers hanging and black track pants (velvet) with white stripe down the side of the legs. Plus we have a string choker, and gloveletts. I had missed the rehearsal on Sunday afternoon, so was really freaking out last night, because I didn’t know my spots on the stage. But then I decided to just eyeball my fellow dancers, as they knew where to stand, and so be it. So there we go, ambling out on to the stage in the dark, heads down, awaiting Beyonce’s “Woooo” to kick off our dance. And off we went, lines formed, moving as ‘sassily and saucily’ as we could per our instructor’s command. Everything in my mind clicked, and I knew when to move, where I needed to be, and managed to keep in time with everyone else. The only bad thing I noted was that the tie in on my costume seemed to be flying all over the place, and although it didn’t UNtie, felt like it had. (My instructor) Caron was pleased, said we nailed it. And mom even said that I looked real good, that the step that I HATE with the passion of a thousand suns, looked like I had it right.

My tap dance was next, the ultra-fast I know my heart is in good condition number to Patti LaBelle’s ‘Stir It Up’. Mom was sewing me in to this costume as well, and I kept practicing to make sure the boobies stayed where they were supposed to be. Because you know: (A) nothing like waiting for the last minute to sew the straps, and (B) why wear a bra? No matter what mom did, my left boobie felt like it was trying to escape, so we wound up safety pinning the straps to one another, which was hidden by my hair anyway. At the last minute, my instructor Cristen changed up entry spots slightly, bringing my line closer down stage. My friend Mary was upset because now she wouldn’t be able to hear me count us out, but Cristen counted her line out. As I waited for my entry, I saw one of the girls on stage pin fly off her costume. Then my group was out shaking our money-makers, and trying not to pass out from exhaustion. WE ROCKED. I can’t say anything other than that.

So this weekend is the big event. And sure I’ll be nervous before each performance. But I KNOW now that I can do this. We look great as a unit, and I know my stuff.