My very own Tony Danza

I've always wanted a daughter. There are a variety of reasons, but probably somewhere in the top five is for dance recital cuteness potential. Isn't that the reason everyone wants to have a girl?

I had been wanting to put Penny in a dance class since she turned three, but everywhere I looked was so damn expensive and Penny is... Penny, so I wasn't sure I wanted to invest $50 a month for her to whine and cry for 45 minutes a week (see: The Great Soccer Experiment of 2013). So I found a class at the Maryland Heights Community Center for $48 for 12 weeks and a recital at the end- perfect!

Penny wasn't into dance class in the beginning (tap shoes being too noisy and all), but much to my delight and surprise she started to really like it after three or four classes. Her best friend Ellis was in the class too, which was a wonderful/terrible idea depending on the week. Some weeks they would do well and help each other and listen to the teacher, and some weeks they would run in circles holding hands and take turns falling to the ground, and basically act like they were in a room by themselves. Their teacher had more of a marshmallow fist and less of an iron fist...

Anyway, we all persevered and tonight was the night when all that 'hard work' paid off. But before tonight, we had the dress rehearsal on Saturday. Their teacher was being paid by Disney to only have her students dance to Frozen songs, so P's class was doing a ballet routine to Do you Want to Build a Snowman? and a tap routine to Frozen Heart (or The March Song in our house). There was  a little bit of dancing at the rehearsal:

Notice that she isn't wearing an elaborate costume; one of the parts I was really dreading about the recital (besides the very good chance that P would not get on stage and dance), was forking out a bunch of money for a costume that she would only wear once (the child's equivalent to the bridesmaids dress). So I was very happy when the teacher asked us all if we had pink leotards, pink skirts, and white tights (we did) and told us that was all we needed for the recital. (Ellis's were in the wash.) ;)

And a whole lot of bowing. Penny was REALLY into the bowing at the end of The March Song.

Did I say the end of The March Song? I mean at any time during the song or most of the song. But look at that form!? She could put a Chinese diplomat to shame.

I didn't get many (any) good pictures of the ballet routine, but got a few from the tap dance.

She had a real sense of urgency about getting on stage.

They never practiced with their winter accessories, which made me nervous, but it worked out just fine!

Bow Down is her favorite Beyonce song obviously

And then it was over. And I didn't make a hysterical crying scene, although I did get pretty teared up.

For me? Flowers after the show (and look at that belly!)

She was very happy to get her flowers, her husband should really buy her some more often.

Ellis was also a flower fan (and look at her hair! So cute.)

Guess who was feeling left out?

Some of her classmates, it was fun watching them become friends on their own. Also, when will Penny grow?

Headed to Fro-Yo with Vivi to reward a job well done! 

I've already signed her up for classes again this summer, she has really liked taking dance class and I want to keep that momentum going as long as I can. If she sticks with it and still has an interest in it a year or two from now, I'll probably switch her to a studio (the older kids dance routines left much to be desired), but right now the community center class is just right. And now I can mark this off my list of reasons to have a daughter! (It's sandwiched between shopping buddy and someone to take care of me when I'm old.)