What about prom, Blaine?

Last May was Olivia's Junior Prom. I don't really have much to "blog" about...I just wanted an excuse to share some of her prom photos with everyone! I'll give you a little back story about the dress...

As you can see from the posts about this past spring, everyone in the Howard Family was pretty busy. Shopping for a prom dress had to be done on a limited time schedule. Mom, Olivia, and I headed up to the mall one evening to start looking. We went to all the major department stores, found a few dresses she sort of liked but nothing that was really perfect. We happened to stop in Cache as we were leaving. It was close to closing time so Mom and I rushed around the store grabbing dresses. Olivia found two she really loved and Mom wanted to buy one right then and there, but I said we should wait for Dad's opinion. When we went back a few days later Dad walked in, pointed at the dress on the mannequin in the middle of the store and said "that one". Sure enough, that's the dress she ended up with!

From the front...

and the back!

The up-do

close up!

This style (mermaid?) looked so great on Olivia. The other dress she loved was also in the mermaid style. Olivia went with her friend Jeremy (owner of the infamous "Dragon Car")

Posing by the car

leaving for Prom!

and their friends Krista and Jeff..

Jeff, Krista, Olivia, Jeremy

For pictures they all met up at their friend Zoey's house. There was a huge group of kids and it was so nice to see everyone all dolled up!

Big group gathered at Zoey's!

Olivia, Krista, and Kelsey

Olivia and Zoey

Olivia and Matt-Junior Class Pres and VP

Olivia and Kevin

I can't really give you a running commentary of the night, but I do know that Prom was at the Quality Inn in Newark and Olivia said the dance floor was packed the whole night!I got a text from Olivia toward the end of the night telling us that she won Prom Princess! It was so exciting and the tiara was a nice addition to her collection. :)

Olivia-Princess and Krista part of the Court!

Olivia and Bruni-Prom Prince and Princess

Olivia's group of friends went to one of their houses for a pool/slumber party. It sounds like they didn't sleep too much but I know my caramel bars (or Caramel DeLites as the kids call them!) were a hit-my container came home empty. She had a great time with friends and everyone loved her dress. Prom was a success! I'll leave you with this lovely picture of Olivia and Krista posing in Wegmans on their way to Matt's house...I think they are the reigning "Miss. Wegmans" :)

Spring Sports Season

Dig! That guy has wheels! Attack! Something about a crease...?

I'm still getting used to lacrossee (LAX) lingo! When I attend Grant's games I mostly just clap for goals and refrain from yelling anything from the sidelines in order to limit the possibilities of saying something that would embarrass myself/Grant. This sideline restraint is not shared by most fans. Lacrosse fans are definitely NOT a shy bunch! I'm always amazed at the shouts of "GEEEEET HIM" "SMASH HIM" "KNOCK HIM OUTTT" coming from parents around me. I mean, geesh! You never know whose parent you're sitting next to. There were games when the refs told parents to knock it off. I haven't seen a parent thrown out yet, but I won't be surprised when it happens!

Grant played modifed lacrosse in the spring of his 8th grade year. I am totally showing my LAX ignorance as I write this because I can't even remember what position he plays! I know it's offense...attack? I snapped some pictures using our video camera actually, and they turned out ok.

Below is a video of Grant scoring a goal! He's number 3. The tall black socks and bright orange cleats make him a little easier to spot on the field. In order to see the video you'll have to visit the actual blog page (click the link at the bottom of the email) and if you want to see the video full screen, click on the little arrows on the bottom right of the screen. Grant was so happy that I caught this on film. We watched it on replay several times at home that night! The goal pass starts at around :30 seconds in...

Here's another video from lacrosse season. The best way to find him is by looking for the orange kicks. You can hear the wind blowing in this video and it reminds me of how cold it can be watching soccer and LAX! On some of the fields it feels like we are in a wind tunnel. My high school sports career was never this cold. Tennis could get chilly but if it rained or snowed we couldn't play :) and basketball is obviously inside! I can't imagine how your body adjusts to running/sweating/working hard in the freezing windy weather!

I actually really enjoy watching lacrosse and I'm looking forward to learning more about the game and of course, cheering Grant on at the high school this year!

Grant also played baseball this spring/summer with the community center. Dad served as the coach of the team. It is no secret in my household that I think baseball is boring. There. I said it. I know it's the All American Pastime and I should love it, but I really don't. The game is slow. And long. There are plently of other American institutions that I love: Sesame Street, Broadway, McDonalds... :)

I will say that is always more exciting to watch any sports team when you know the players. Therefore, I happily cheer on my brother in whatever sport he happens to be playing. These pictures were right after I got my new camera for my birthday!

Here's a picture of some of the team after their last game-Grant's hair was so long this summer!!!

Olivia also played a spring sport. She ran track (hurdles and short distance relays) but alas, I don't have a single picture from her season! I will have to do better this spring. :)

Ballerina Girl

Last May Olivia's ballet company produced Snow White. I always love to share Olivia's pointe dancing because I am very jealous! I only performed for a few years "en pointe" and was never as poised and comfortable as Olivia is. If you're not familiar with what a pointe shoe is then consider this: they are essentially made of a "box" (front end of the shoe where the toes are smushed inside) and a "shank" (no not a homemade weapon...it's the sole part of the shoe that shapes to your foot's arch when pointed) covered in pretty pink satin-deceiving little devils! 

Inside the shoe Olivia wears a toe pad-which is a very thin "cushion" over her toes. Back in the day I used straight-up lamb's wool that you shaped to your sore little piggies...not fun. When you "break in" a pair of pointe shoes you have to get them just right. If you break them in too far they won't support your foot properly. The shank could break or soften too much. Therefore, Olivia usually has two pairs going on at the same time-one for rehearsal and another for performance. It's tough to get them in perfect condition! Professional ballerinas can easily go through a pair each time they perform. Olivia's last a little longer-but after a weekend of rehearsals and performances more than likely, a pair will be what Olivia fondly calls "dead" :)

Olivia's regular ballet shoes, pointe shoes and toe pads airing out after a rehearsal!

Considering of the stress of pointe shoes, ballet is a very impressive (and in my opinion beautiful) art. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos from Snow White. I've also included Olivia's lyrical dance from the recital in June. 

Olivia and her friend Mariah posing in the dressing room (Olivia is in the big tutu)

Olivia and her friend Trevor (Prince Charming)

As the gypsy

Olivia with her friend Sierra (Snow White)

Here Olivia is a gypsy sent by the Evil Stepmother Queen to kill Snow White in her cabin. She gives her a poisonous comb but the dwarfs come to Snow White's rescue.

 

Olivia dancing as a Bridesmaid at Snow White's wedding to Prince Charming!

More Royal Wedding merriment...

One more short sequence from the Royal Wedding...

Here is a very cool scene from the forest.. Olivia is one of the creatures in the long tutus.

Lastly, here is Olivia's lyrical group number from the June recital. "Lyrical" is a dance studio's version of modern (or contemporary if you watch So You Think You Can Dance!) that is essentially free flowing ballet to pop songs.

Next up on the blog is Grant's spring sports season! Stay tuned...

Honk...if you love musicals!

One month after FAME closed Grant's production of HONK! Jr. went up! It was a busy winter for me. I haven't worked on the middle school show since Olivia's 8th grade production of Seussical Jr. but one of the teachers needed a break and Grant asked me to consider helping. It was a great experience-the whole family was involved. I co-directed the show with a teacher at the middle school and held rehearsals one night a week and on Saturday mornings. Dad designed the set and facilitated the building with the help from many parents. Mom and I worked on costumes--trying to come up with creative ways to make kids look like farm animals without actually wearing beaks and feathers! :)

The cast of Honk! Ducks, chickens, frogs, geese oh my!

 Honk is a retelling of the Ugly Duckling. Ugly, the young (*spoiler alert!!) swan thinks he is a duck and feels left out on the farm with his duckling siblings. He gets lost on his way home and ends up on a journey meeting all kinds of interesting friends. Grant played Greylag, the militant goose, who along with his wife Dot and gaggle of goslings, promise to help Ugly find his mother.

Grant channeling his inner Maverick...er I mean Goose! ;)

Greylag and Dot

Greylag instructs the goslings and Ugly

Geylag talks with the Cat

Off on a wild goose chase

Captain Greylag

Grant and his friend Andrew (who was the father Duck in the show)

Below are some clips from Grant's scene and song. Enjoy! ♫

Baby Remember My Name

You've seen the movie, you remember the TV show...but did you know there was a musical?! The producer of the TV series, film and subsequent reality show, developed a musical in 1988 based on the same theme -students at the New York City's High School of the Performing Arts. The characters are different, but resemble some from the original movie.

It was a really challenging show to select. As the choreographer I had to incorporate classical ballet, modern, 1980's hip hop, salsa and of course some good old fashioned Broadway style jazz. The majority of the cast had little to no previous dance training. I welcomed the challenge and was SO proud of the kids! They worked hard in rehearsals-sweating their behinds off and pushing their bodies to the limits. I don't think I was one of their favorite people many nights, but after watching the DVD they were all smiles! Hard work pays off. It is a truly gratifying experience to choreograph high actors. I look forward to it every winter.

FAME jazz hands!

Olivia shaking it out during FAME

This year Olivia was cast as "Iris Kelly" the serious, graceful ballerina transfer student. This broke her trend of being cast only as characters that end in "ie" or "i" (Tessie, Kellie, Gertie, Minnie, Bambi, Nellie) :) She was in pointe shoes most of the show which was fun for both her and me! Sidenote: Including Olivia we had FOUR ballerinas that were able to dance en pointe! What fun!
 

Dancing in "The Junior Festival" rehearsal scene

 

Pas de deux

Because most of her scenes took place in the dance studio or during a rehearsal, Olivia was in a leotard and tights for most of the show. She did, however, get to rock two pairs of my old leg warmers. The kids really got into the '80s theme. There was tons of hairspray and blue eye make-up backstage!

"The Junior Festival"

With Krista and Mariah-ballerina buddies!

Iris Kelly

There are more pictures saved here if you click on this LINK
The rehearsal shots are mostly from photographer Jim Miranda and the backstage pics are from Olivia!

Below I compiled some of my favorite dance moments from Fame. Most of them feature Olivia so I thought it would nice to share here. Enjoy! ♫