Dance Camp... and (finally) a video!

Since The Little Gym has closed, and P still likes to dance, we decided to give Princess Prince and Princess Dance Camp with Ms. Debbie a try. (There were two princes in the class, and most of the activities and dances accommodated the boys quite well. Ms. Debbie and Ms. Melody did sometimes still refer to the camp as "Princess Camp," though, as did the flyers, posters, and registration forms. Fortunately, the three year old princes were oblivious.)

The camp was four days a week for three weeks, and the last day was a "Tea Party." The dancers showed us their new moves and wore costumes. P went as Buzz Lightyear, rather than a traditional Disney Prince. He wore the top half of these underoos with white pants.

Upon entering the studio, I helped P put on his "tappers" (tap shoes). Ms. Debbie passed out the fish crafts everyone had made on "Ariel day," and P decided his wasn't finished after all. While the princesses made their necklaces to wear during the dance, the princes opted out of that activity. (Jack was asleep in his Daddy's lap, and despite the manly looking wooden beads in the "boy necklace" bags, P declared that he "not like this".) P stretched out on the floor and got to work scraping the black coating off of the rainbow colored paper cut into the shape of a fish.

The class lined up for the first dance. To P's left is his new friend Maggie, in her pink princess dress. Ms. Debbie's at the front.

After I took the photo from the back, Ms. Debbie told us we could move up front. Instead of trying to capture P's moves in the mirror, I switched angles.

It was slow going at first. P stood in his spot while all most of his classmates danced around him. (A couple of students didn't even want to stand on an "X".) At least he was willing to stand up front... but it wasn't until the "You Can Fly!" dance that I can honestly say that P did any dancing.

I'm sure he danced at that point because he was comfortable and ready to dance. There is no way that P kept asking for a cupcake (because the tea party refreshments were already displayed on a table in the studio) and that I told him in a very stern voice that if he wanted a cupcake when it was time for cupcakes then he had better start dancing. I'm always a very patient mother. I'm completely comfortable with my child doing things and reaching milestones in his own time, and we certainly never use food as a reward in our family. (We really do try not to do that, but never is a very broad term, and I'm human.)

Whatever the reason, P did dance during "You Can Fly!" and the remainder of the "recital" portion of the tea party.

This is a really poor quality picture, but it is the only one I got of the two "princes," P and Jack. As you can see, Jack's still pretty sleepy.

The last "performance" gave each student a chance to show his or her "prince walk" or "princess walk." I didn't tape the entire dance, but here's the section when P does his "prince walk"... complete with sword!

At long last, it was time for P's favorite part of the tea party... the refreshments!

P and I had a great time together, and he's planning to take dance in the fall.