Back-to-Back Dance Convention Weekends

The competitive dance season is off to a whirlwind start. We had back-to-back full conventions, meaning that Serafina participated in classes during the day and competitions in the evening.  She's on six (SIX!) teams this season. 

First up was Hollywood Connection.  She performed two routines on Friday night, Ballroom and a jazz number with her age-group, Superteen Jazz. I'm the "team mom" for Superteen and because the team is older kids, it's a pretty easy gig.  Though I did end up sewing up a hole in one pair of pants and pinning another right before they performed.  

Here's Serafina and her friend Mandy in the dressing room waiting to do their Ballroom routine. They looked so cute in their matching PJ pants under the ballroom costumes. 

This is a super fun routine with heavy Latin dance influences. 

Next on Friday night was Superteen.  They perform to a Paula Abdul song I had never heard of called "Vibeology".  Their teacher calls them "her Paulas". 

Saturday morning, Serafina had dance classes at the convention center.  We went home about mid-day, but returned for more competition after an early dinner. 

The first routine she performed that night was her Contemporary routine called "Who Am I?"  

Then it was time to change into her Show Jazz costume.  Last year, I absolutely hated the Show Jazz costume.  This year's is significantly better, but since they are dancing to Tina Turner's Proud Mary, I kind of wish they were gold.  Since she is one of the older, more skilled dancers on the team this year, she is featured more than last year. This is a fun, high energy dance. 

Also fun and super high energy is the PC Hip Hop routine.  This is always an impressive number because of how many dancers are on stage.  I really like this one, especially since Serafina is in the front a lot of the time. 

The final routine she performed was called Drop It.  The team is Senior Hip Hop Crew.  She was asked to join this summer and is the youngest on the team.  This a fast, complicated dance and she does an amazing job holding her own.  The costumes and glasses are a bit strange, but the overall affect is very cool and this routine scored really well. 

Award ceremony selfie.  All the teams did great, but the two hip hop routines scored really high and took 1st in their categories. 

Superteen Jazz took 3rd which was clearly a surprise to Serafina and Anya. 

On Sunday, we were back for more classes and I had to hang around the convention center and hotel because there was a 49ers playoff game directly across the street so driving in and out was not possible.  I did get to see some fireworks and a fighter jet flyover right before kickoff. 

There was a lot of celebrating the weekend accomplishments on Instagram following such a fantastic first competition weekend. 

We have never experienced back-to-back competition weekends before, so when we had to go right back to it this past Saturday morning for LA Dance Magic...ooof.  We had a 6am wake up with classes starting at 7:30.  She was done at 1pm, and after just a few hours at home, we were back at the convention center at 4pm.  She competed all six routines on Saturday night, with the last one taking the stage at close to 11pm.  When we finally got home at midnight, Serafina didn't feel well.  Shocking right?  Go figure that an 18 hour day would take a toll on her.  In the morning, her throat was hurting and she was exhausted.  She skipped classes and slept in.  She felt bad about missing part of the convention, but it was the right decision.  

This competition doesn't provide the downloadable pictures like Hollywood Connection so the only thing we've got is this adorable shot of Serafina and Ananda cuddling in the dressing room waiting to perform the big group hip hop routine. 

Tracy and Maya visit

On Monday, Tracy and Maya flew up to visit us as one last final bit of fun before winter break comes to an end.  It was Maya's birthday last week (she turned 13!) and we celebrated with her Monday night.  She requested brownies.  

On Tuesday, the weather was a bit gloomy so we decided to have some indoor fun at the roller rink.  

Tuesday night Leo gave us a private concert.  Here he is tuning up (or possibly down) before playing Voodoo Child.  Tracy was impressed!  

They headed home today and my kids go back to school tomorrow.  It feels like this break went by in the blink of an eye!  

 

New Year's Eve

I took Leo to his first Orangetheory Fitness class on New Year's Eve.  It was a hard class, but he did awesome.  It was my 1,200th class.  I'm not kidding.  I've been consistently going since December 2015 with a unfortunately long break because of Covid.  Here we are with Coach Nate.  He's my favorite coach there and Leo liked him too.  They chatted about video games after the class.  

Continuing the tradition of Serafina and Sunny ringing in the New Year together, Sunny came over for NYE. Here they are being goofy in my kitchen.  

Here they are looking gorgeous in my entryway. 

I made a delicious vanilla cake from my new baking book I got for Christmas. I tried to give it a cute sprinkle star, but it ended up pretty off-center.  Oh well.  

Toasting the New Year! 

Serafina giving me some classic teenager side-eye for having the audacity to toast her.