Opening Night

There is nothing like being back stage the opening night of the ballet. Little girls running around wearing make up for the first time, big girls sitting in front of mirrors who are truly make up artists, bobby pins flying, excessive amounts of hair gel, and costumes neatly on hangers. I love it!

Ryan and I

The party scene when smoothly with only a few minor hiccups. When I was greeting one of our party guests, she gave me a hug and her bracelet stuck to my dress. Our extended hug made us look like long lost family.

Dancing in the party scene.

Little Angles

After the first scene was over, Dad and I hung out upstairs in the dressing rooms and helped Kristin, who was a circle mom (backstage helper). The ballet school hooks up a TV to a video camera downstairs so the little girls can watch the show. It is also very helpful because then the circle moms and back stage hands know when to get the girls dressed to go on stage. Since it was the first night, the timing of getting 9 3 year old angles, and 9 seven year old cookies dressed was a little under anticipated. Getting the cookies ready to go on stage was so rushed (not to mention their costumes are very elaborate), we forgot to put white gloves on them. Oops!

Clara and Fritz

(My children... ha)

At the end of the ballet Clara wakes up under the Christmas tree and finds out that the entire second act was a dream. After saying good bye to the Nutcracker, the curtain closes, people run around to make the stage look like the first act again, and then the curtain opens with Clara asleep on stage. In all the commotion of changing scenery, Clara's curly hair piece fell out and was laying in the middle of the stage! All of us were trying not to laugh from back stage and just as the curtain started to open someone was able to sneak on and grab the hair. Saved the day.

Good performance last night and now I have to run upstairs to put my curlers in for this afternoon's show. More funny stories to come, I am sure.