When 8 Year olds hit the stage

Not sure what you were doing Sunday afternoon but I was dragged kicking and screaming to the James Hay Theatre in Christchurch to see my wee girl take part in the performance "Sleeping Beauty". In the past I would have preferred to boil my head in a boiling pot of hot lard than attend something like this.

Now this does not just happen. This is the culmination of weekly Jazz lessons at Sumner, there are the expensive shoes and all the gear, there are the hours of dress rehearsals, preparation of the hair (buns, hair ties), the late nights, the grumpyness, the excitement, the waiting around, the stress of it all for an 8 year old.

To be honest I was not looking forward to what turned out to be a two and three quarter hour production. So as ready as I was ever going to be, we headed off.

To be honest it was an amazingly elaborate affair. The costumes were impressive, there must have been over 200 kids ranging in age from 2-18 involved and with training in Jazz and Ballet.  Sure the last 30 minutes tested my endurance but overall it was pretty cool and those kids did a second performance afterwards.....I politely skipped that one!

So what did I learn. This sort of thing is an awesome experience for kids. It involves challenge and fitness and all those skills such as listening, team work and coordination. I am impressed Caetana stuck to it and loved it. Then there is the fact that you would have to either be a saint or very well paid to pull a production like this together.....I shudder to think about it!

There is of course the fall out of a 1030 finish for an 8 year old on a Sunday night before school. That involves parents all around town being punished by angry tired kids!

Maybe I am losing the plot or just beginning to understand life?

Kendall