Ahh...I Love Sparkles

I am seriously getting tired of the same old-same old purple font. I think teal will be a nice, refreshing change...like when someone gets a glass of ice cold water on a hot Summer day.

Same with the background. Even though I only had the red and green reindeer background for about two weeks, it got old quickly. I love sparkles so much better!

Tomorrow is The Nutcracker dress rehearsal. I am very excited! I will tell you all about it (and the actual performance on Saturday and Sunday) as soon as possible,

Please tell me what you think of my new updates to my blog! I'd love some comments!

Oh, and in case anybody wanted to know, I have passed all of my classes with an A or higher...except Pre. Algebra. Mrs. Kobza hasn't recorded the final grade before winter break yet. I'll tell you as soon as I know!

Thank you for reading this post, if you did, as I very rarely post on my blog.

Rylie's Luau/Nutcracker Cast List

Rylie had a blast at her luau, but she definitely had some trouble being with all of her friends. She had invited so many people from different areas - from church, from dance classes, from Tracy...anyway, it was fun.
She got THREE Webkins altogether (and one looks like Brandi!), and had a blast going through this American Girl activity book she got from Madison & Hanna. Madison and Hanna stayed afterwards and we had pizza and played lots of Nintendo games! We even put on a little skit for our parents. (Which is no surprise. We put on skits every single time we get together.)

And now...the moment you've all been waiting for...THE NUTCRACKER CAST LIST CAME OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not stop squealing and screaming when I saw it on the email inbox! So here are our roles:

Rylie: Wind-Up Doll, Chinese Tea, Rose
Comments: Rylie really wanted to be a wind-up doll, and so she's really happy she got the role! She has been Chinese Tea every year we've been in The Nutcracker, so she's practically memorized the dance!

Jordan: Ballerina Doll, Butterfly, Rose
Comments: I consider the Ballerina Doll a "lead role", but Mom says it really isn't. My reasons for saying it is because the Ballerina Doll gets a little solo in the doll dance. The butterfly is a new role, and I have no idea what I do there.

Ms. Deborah (my dance teacher) also wants my parents to be in The Nutcracker! She wants Mom and Dad to be party guests in the party scene and Dad to be a hip-hop dancing soldier! Dad can't dance to save his life! He won't be alone. Some of my friend's dad's are going to be a soldier as well...better sign my dad up for dance lessons!

That's about it for now. I just got an idea for a poll! Which lead role in The Nutcracker sounds most fun to be? Please vote!

The Nutcracker...Pure Torture!

Oh, boy. Do you guys know how hard it is for me to see the emails regarding CDT (Children's Dance Theater) auditions and not be able to go to them???? Pure, pure, pure torture. I am dying, dying, DYING to be in The Nutcracker again. (I keep, keep, keep repeating things three, three, three times. Help, help, help! I can't stop, stop, stop!)

I miss everything: the beautiful costumes, the fun rehearsals with friends...even staying up until 11:00 p.m. to practice the night before the show. AAUUGHHH!!!!!!! I might go INSANE if I don't somehow get to perform in The Nutcracker again!!!!!!

Okay. Now that I've got that off my chest, I can act like a more reasonable and sane person. Sorry about all that, people. I loved being in CDT every year. Here are some fond memories about it:

In 2006 (the last year I was ever in The Nutcracker *sniff*), I was a wind-up doll. I wore a red tutu that stuck out in the back and was droopy in the front. Katie Low's tutu was the exact opposite. Anyway, we had these red felt stickers on our cheeks that were supposed to make us look more like a doll. They made my face itch.

I remember during rehearsal one day, something wasn't working - I don't remember what it was - and to help pass the time, I played with some of the little boy party guests. They opened up my cardboard box and stuff like that. But on the performance...

One little boy, named Shane, asked an older boy named Joey if he could open my box. I felt nervous. What if Shane opened the box...? Luckily, Joey told him not to, and he didn't. Phew!

I remember the 2005 season as well. I was the super-rush-costume change girl during the party scene. It all happened this way: I was assigned the role of an elf. During August, the only rehearsals scheduled were for party guests. Rylie was a party guest. So I was just waiting in the studio lobby, bored, and kind Ms. Deborah (dance teacher) said that I could come in and practice with them. I became a boy party guest.

Now, the children (boy and girl) party guests do a dance first, then there is a 1-minute dance for the adult party guests. Then the elves have to do a dance. I had a one minute to change from boy party guest to elf. Easier said than done, of course. I usually missed the very beginning of my elf dance.

The very first year I was in The Nutcracker I wanted to be a snowflake. This was my first year actually taking ballet (other then a ballet and tap combo class when I was 5). A snowflake is a character for advanced dancers. I chose snowflake because I thought asking for the role of Clara or Sugar Plum Fairy (lead roles) would be too much. Needless to say, I didn't get the role of a snowflake, but I contented with the roles of a girl party guest, angel, chinese dancer, and gingersnap.

Thanks for letting my pour out my sadness and memories on you.