Miss C’s second ever dance recital is in late May, the culmination of weeks and weeks of lessons where scuff-toed pale pink ballet shoes meet stage smiles and parents and grandparents set up every digital recording device known to man and jockey for the seats with the best vantage point for dance documentary.
Unlike her winter dance recital, which was just casual dress as normal during class, this is the big daddy recital where the girls will prance around in special costumes ordered to highlight each class’s performance. Miss C’s costume should be ready to pick up at her weekly afternoon ballet, tap, and jazz class, as pictures are being taken next week. It’s a teal satiny leotard with a detachable flouncy tulle ballet skirt and enough silver sequins to fashion an evening bag. She’s been talking about it for months and if it’s anything like her love of shoes, she’ll find any excuse to wear her dance costume out and about this summer so don’t be surprised if you see us at Publix and she looks like a mini Vegas show girl.
I’m new to this dance performance mom thing and it was never so apparent to me as we were getting ready for her recital in December at a local high school gym. The girls had to wear their hair in pig tails and I’d brought some pink lipgloss to put on Miss C. However, I realized I had entered an experienced stage mom zone when several of the moms whipped out special makeup bags for their little girls with an impressive array of blush, eyeshadow, and every conceivable shade of pink lip gloss.
I don’t want to go all Toddlers and Tiaras, but I may put a little sparkly eye shadow on Miss C for her recital. Wait a minute, should she wear a little makeup for her dance portraits next week? I guess so. I just dry the line at spray tanning my little girl.
I remember my dance recital instructions:
Blue eyeshadow ONLY, except the older girls, who could wear brown
No Gum
No panties on stage (I didn’t follow this one)
Hair pulled back and out of the eyes
Ah, the rules of dance recitals. Ours are a mile long: hair slicked back in a bun, no bangs, no “flyaways”; no underwear under costumes for pictures or shows; make up is mandatory so they can be seen from the stage; blah, blah, blah. It goes on and on. You would think these kids are the Rockettes rather than a bunch of 5 and 8 year olds (in my case) who will most likely just stand on stage and eat their dresses (as mine did the first year).
Here are my Cliff Notes for you from a 4th year recital mom – Do the hair and the makeup for pictures, dress rehearsal & the show; bring a bag with extras like safety pins, bobby pins, hairspray, lip gloss, etc. and don’t forget the dance shoes! I don’t even want to tell you THAT story 😉 Good luck, recitals are not for the faint of heart 😉
I hope my little girl has an interest in dance! Those little ballerinas are just too cute!
I always thought I wanted a little girl in dance, but I’ve noticed noticed the make up bags at my niece’s recitals. I can’t even do my own make up half the time! When did KIDS start wearing it?
That said, the glitter eyeshadow is pretty cute on little girls in ballerina outfits…=)
Nothing is more exciting than the first dance recitals!!!! I started dancing when I was 3 and danced my little booty off until I was 19! Let me just say, that is a lot of dance rehearsals, competitions, and recitals. The one mandatory article of makeup at EVERY function: RED LIPSTICK! We were told so it was so “you could see our beautiful faces from the audience”, but I really think they just loved seeing how dumb we looked! Tell your daughter good luck, but don’t say “break a leg!” I had the pleasure of slipping on a 4 year old’s urine when I was 17 and fracturing my ankle. Ouch!
I hope we get to see pictures from the recital!
Baby Girl’s dance teacher sent home a book, actually only three or four pages, of very detailed instructions. Including what color makeup she is supposed to wear on stage, how her hair is to be parted, and the fact that we need to drown our kids in sunsreen between now and the recital so that they don’t get a sunburn because “sunburns hurt”. Ummm K.
whew. I have a 9 year old daughter who has NEVER shown the least interest in sequins, tutus, tiaras or makeup. she’s a dedicated tomboy, and her “style” is to wear mismatched sox and racer-back tank tops to school. Her one concession to girliness: leopard print leggings!
have to say, I would have gotten a kick out of the dance recitals. but like it says in “the power of small,” you really have to enjoy the little things of life… for us, it’s watching our daughter dive into the mud to stop a soccer ball just inches from the goal.
Lisa
I’m looking for a replacement lip gloss ( the original one is from clinique and was called pink champagne). I can’t seem to find one that is frosted and baby pink (not hot pink) I’m fair skinned and even a slight hint of color looks really dark on me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
The reason for the make up is that the stage makes their faces very pale. Think theater. Neutrals look good. Sparkles are fun for the kids if they allow it. Red lipstick looks best on stage and black eyeliner.
It can be really fun, we have been doing the dance thing since 2001.
Why dont you try MAC? They have better lip glosses than all those brands! and cheaper too,