Dancing with the Stars!

I have been waiting to publish this entry because I wanted to get some video of Spencer dancing off of my daughter's phone and I finally got it!  So, here goes . . .

Back in January, the principal of my kids elementary school asked me if I would teach ballroom dance to the 5th and 6th graders  and get them ready for a concert in March.  I had done the same thing for Kohler and Kelsey when they were at Quartz Hill Elementary but we started in October and had more time to learn the dances.  This was going to be a challenge---to teach over 100 kids the cha cha, waltz, and the swing with two sets of partners all within 9 weeks.  Yikes!   

Here I am with my microphone attached to my blouse during a lunchtime rehearsal with the kids to polish up before our concert.  It was so much fun watching Spencer each week.  I just love that kid!

During our dress rehearsal, we had a fog machine being used as a special effect and it set off the school smoke alarms.  We had to evacuate the building!  It was crazy!!

The kids were ok because it was sort of exciting for them but I was going nuts because we were wasting precious dress rehearsal time!

 March 7th - SHOWTIME!!!  The kids performed two assemblies and an evening show.  They were absolutely amazing!

 Here is Hailey with her friend Alyssa (the principal's granddaughter).  Alyssa did a special dance with her grandpa during the show. It was really cute!

 There is Spencer with the hot pink sash doing the cha cha!

 There is Spencer again with the hot pink sash and a different partner.

 Ahh . . .  the WALTZ

Here is a small clip of Spencer doing the waltz set to Taylor Swift's song "Crazier."  It made me cry almost every time watching Spencer dance to this song.  Look for him dancing in this video---he is wearing a pink flower and is easier to spot towards the end of the video clip.  I just loved the feeling of this dance.  It was so innocent and sweet watching these precious kids dance.

 In between dances, all of the audience would get up and participate in fun group dances like the cha-cha slide!

 Our principal, Mr. Hallock, wore a funny hat because he was the "Time Machine Master" (dances from "then and now") and he danced with the kids every time.  He was such a great sport!

 I choreographed dances that were set to music from the past and then from the present to show the kids that the same good ole' dance moves are still fun to dance today.

 After the kids performed their three dances, they invited the parents up to dance the "Gangnam Style" dance which is super popular with the kids these days.  Of course, Tom got up there and outshined ALL the parents with his crazy good dance moves! ha ha!

Here is the whole group!

This little boy, named Max, is a super awesome kid.  He has some challenges in life and will probably never be able to play sports like most boys.  But Max came after school and during lunch to work on his dance routines and I'm telling you---there wasn't a harder worker with a more positive attitude than little Max.  He gave me such a big hug at the end of the show and told me I was his "best dance teacher ever!"  He warmed my heart each week.  

The very next day, we threw the kids a pizza party and handed out dance medals as awards to all 100+ kids.  It got a little crazy but was super fun!

Melissa Perkins (below) and Janie Scholes were other moms who helped out and it was SO awesome having them there for all the rehearsals.  They are amazing women and I am so blessed to know them!

I am the luckiest mom in the world that I can do fun things like this with my sweet kids, especially while they are young.  This will be a great memory for me that will last a lifetime.  Who knows?  Maybe at Spencer's wedding reception he will save a waltz or a cha-cha for his mama?!