Showtime - The Magic Toybox

Ready to perform in "The Lavender Story".

It was show day on Sunday for the DancePointe Academy and The ReelJig Irish Dancers.

We got to the Little theatre nice and early and settled into the boys dressing room to get into costume.
The younger boys didn't arrive until a bit later.

There was a bit of time before the rehearsal started and there were a few dancers practicing on stage while the music was being sorted out.

Salem had a bit of a practice of his jazz dance without his music then decided just to dance to the music that was being played and had a lot of fun with some ballet and jazz.

He seemed to entertain the parents in the auditorium and the other dancers on and off the stage.
I didn't seem that many of them had seen a boy dance like Salem.

Going Backstage.

The rehearsal was a bit chaotic and the show didn't start until about half an hour after it should have.
We both watched in the audience until a bit before Salem was to dance.

He was at the end of "The Lavender Story"which was between the Irish reels and the Irish hornpipes and jigs.  He really blew everyone away.

It was quite a buzz to overhear some parents say "That's Ballet Boy".

Jacqui was in the audience watching and was pleased with his performance.
Unfortunately she had to leave before seeing him dance in the second half.

Rehearsal time.

The second half was "The Magic Toybox which included both dance schools and Salem did his Krakowiak dance about three quarters of the way through.

People were very impressed with his costume when he was walking around and also when ducking into the auditorium to watch the other dancers.

His Krakowiak costume is very hot so he was getting very sweaty.

He performed his dance extremely well.  I don't think any of the kids had seen a dance like that before.
The boys definitely hadn't.

Watching the others.

He joined everyone for the final bow and stayed on stage for the trophy presentations as this was the end of year concert for both schools.

They put on a bit of an afternoon tea which was lovely, so we had some fruit and sponge cake with cream and strawberries to fortify us for our long journey home.

Salem was so tired, it was such a long day and it was straight to bed when we got home.

Rehearsal For The Magic Toybox

Having a bit of fun in the trees.

Salem has been invited to perform two of his dances at the end of year concert for Dancepointe Academy and the Reeljig Irish Dancers who are both based in Khandallah.

They are doing a combined concert, "The Magic Toybox", at the Little Theatre in Lower Hutt tomorrow (Sunday).  Should be a lot of fun.

Tree Ballet

Sharon Vanese, the teacher at Dancepointe, came along to see Salem dance at his lesson with Jacqui on Thursday.

So yesterday, after his Intermediate class at Waikanae Dance School, we headed off into Wellington and then caught another train up to Khandallah for a rehearsal with everyone else at the Khandallah Presbyterian Church Hall.

Outside the church hall.

We went there a little early so we could have a look around the village and have a hot chocolate.
It is really a lovely little village.  Salem had fun climbing and dancing in the trees.

Waiting!!!!!!

There was quite a long wait before Salem got to dance and he only did one of his dances, the jazz one.
There was the usual chaos in the waiting room, kids playing and being very loud, full of excitement.

Salem entertained many by practicing some acro.  Everyone impressed with his flexibility.

There were four young boys who were toy soldiers, they were wondering who this big boy dancer was.

It was a quick dash to the bus after he danced and we managed to get to Wellington Railway Station and on a train in just under 20 minutes.  We caught a very quick bus!!!!!