Recital Season

With the end of June--summer vacation!--fast approaching, I'm seeing recitals appear all over the board. My own recital is two days after the last day of school, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm ending this ID year with a bang--a feis and the recital all in the same week. I'll be practicing like crazy for these next few weeks, and I'm sure it's the same story for many dancers as they hang up the ghillies for flip flops.

Personally, I love the backstage feel of recitals and shows--feis-esque, but instead of competing against your peers, you're working with them. I see five-year-olds running around in curlers and leotards, moms chasing after them with hairspray before they have to go greet Granny and Pops outside in the auditorium. I see prelim dancers confidently adjusting their friend's wig and lending a forgetful dancer some sock glue. I see unity as the team dancers--myself among them--all sit together in their formations and nervously run through their steps, whispering reminders and tips as they prepare to grace the stage.

The recital is the one time a year when you can really see the school as a school, and it makes all those sweaty practices when you were sure that this time your legs really were going to fall off worth it. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's run around in a dazed, hysterical frenzy the day of and telling anyone that does or doesn't care that "My recital's tonight! Tonight! And I think I forget which way I'm supposed to skip for the lead around!" This short rant is most often accompanied by a sharp tug of the hair and a frustrated groan (It was worse the year I wore curlers to school. There was no hair for me to tug, so I substitued by digging my nails into my palms. I didn't realize I was bleeding until two hours later.)

After the recital I won't know what to do with myself. I know I should enjoy the two blissful months I have where I won't suffer from shin splits and blisters and cracked toes, but part of me will be looking ahead to see what dancing endevours will take place next year.

Excuse me. I have to go practice for my recital.