Dance Festival

Today was the day of the bi-annual dance festival at my kid’s elementary school. Each grade learns a different dance and then they perform them all for each other and for the parents. This year I had two kids involved, Link and Gleek. Kiki attends a different school and so didn’t get to participate, but I did check her out of her school so that she could attend. This is my fourth time attending the dance festival. It is always hot. The sun bakes the metal chairs and the pavement. The crowd swelters, everyone trying to locate their child among the hundreds out there dancing. The grass and the playground are cooler. That is where Patches spent most of his time. He didn’t care all that much about dancing. Kiki did though. She wiggled up front and sat down on the front row so she could see everything.

Link and Gleek were both very excited for this festival today. They were demonstrating their dances for me last night. Link got to do a mexican Machete dance. Naturally they didn’t use really knives, but imagination can do a lot with pvc tubes. Gleek got to do the electric slide. Her prop was a pair of sunglasses that she got to keep afterwards. Enthusiasm is not the same as rhythm. It is always amusing to watch these ensemble dances. Most of the kids are close to the right move, but everyone is peeking at their neighbors, trying to remember what comes next. No one cares though. The parents are all there to love their little darlings and the darlings themselves are glad to be doing something besides math.

After the festival was over, I gathered my crew in the shade of a tree and we just enjoyed the gentle breeze for a moment. Then we headed home and all the kids informed me that they deserved ice cream sandwiches. I agreed. So I dropped all the kids at home and left Kiki in charge while I left to get ice cream. The plan was that they would all change into bathing suits and I’d turn on the sprinklers.

I was gone for 15 minutes. In that time Patches had an accident in his swim suit. Kiki was grossed out by the resultant mess and called me for help. Then Gleek couldn’t find any of her swimsuits. She has three, but they were all awol because she persists in wearing them as often as possible. I returned home and resolved all the crises, then there was splashing and the eating of ice cream. I got to sit with my neighbor and visit while we watched our kids splash together. 8 kids, one sandbox, and a hose. There was a joyful mess.

I feel singularly unmotivated to get anything done. Hopefully I’ll find some motivation in time to cook dinner, but for now I’m just enjoying the festival day.