Daddy's Dancing!
The Teelin Spring Performances were this past weekend, April 27 & 28, and included a "Father/Daughter Dance" debut!
A recap…
Friday, 3:30pm: Dancers arrive at the theater for tech run through. A few hesitant Dads show up holding a kilt on a hangar, and casting furtive glances at other Dads, wondering who will be the first to don the dreaded garment…
Friday, 7:00pm: Approaching show time, half a dozen Dads are walking around the theater wearing their kilts, heads purposefully lowered to avoid eye contact with passersby. My two favorite kilt clad men seem to be seriously contemplating their camera equipment, which remains hung from their necks regardless of whether the cameras are actually in use.
Friday, 8:00pm: Showtime! Scott and ZandB busily distract themselves through the first act photographing the show from opposite sides of the theater.
Friday, 8:45pm: At intermission, all participating Dads head backstage to connect with their daughters for a quick rehearsal behind the closed curtains. TCRG and her two sisters lead the group with their Dad.
Friday, 9:00pm: Curtains open for the second act to a stage full of Dads (a handful of them in kilts, the rest in jeans) each wearing a matching t-shirt with their daughter(s). The girls are all grinning. The Dads are not quite grinning yet. Loud applause and catcalls rise from the audience!
The music begins... Dads and dancers take hands, point a toe, listen for the count… and the stage erupts into a colorful cacophony of well coordinated choreography! Everyone dances a simple step together, then Dads clap while girls dance a circle around their Dad, and girls clap (and audience chuckles appreciatively) while Dad dances a circle around daughter. Then all Dads for a ceili circle, daughters dancing around outside; reverse!
Friday, 9:10pm: Dads return to audience seats (or photography perch), and throughout the remainder of the show, there are more cheers from male voices than previously. The weight had been lifted! Fait accompli, the Dads seem to breath easier… and certainly have newfound appreciation for what their children are doing on stage…
Friday, 10:00pm: The show has ended, and the kilt-clad Dads now proudly strut their attire through the lobby, encountering many congratulatory remarks!
The next day…
Saturday, 6:00pm: Hangars be damned, Dads arrive at the theater wearing their kilts, eyes raised and smiling!
Saturday, 8:45pm: At intermission, the Dads who had participated the night before seem to be leading the rehearsal, joking comfortably with each other and with the TCRG!
Saturday, 9:00pm: This time, I temporarily abandon my duties as a backstage assistant, grab Scott’s camera and run to the audience, right as the deafening cheers arise……
Back home...
Saturday, 11:30pm: Exhausted dancers are all tucked into bed, and exhausted parents sit around the kitchen counter enjoying an adult beverage or two, recounting the weekend’s events. When asked about the pictures that I took during the Father-Daughter Dance, Scott and ZandB assure me that it will require quite a bit of work before those photos can be… er… properly formatted for viewing by ANYONE other than themselves. (Blasted male solidarity.) Instead, they plug a fresh memory card into a camera and start playing with photos of their current focus: Booker’s bourbon.
After two nights of dancing, I believe the thought of pouring a bit of bourbon directly on those tootsies was seriously contemplated…
A recap…
Friday, 3:30pm: Dancers arrive at the theater for tech run through. A few hesitant Dads show up holding a kilt on a hangar, and casting furtive glances at other Dads, wondering who will be the first to don the dreaded garment…
Friday, 7:00pm: Approaching show time, half a dozen Dads are walking around the theater wearing their kilts, heads purposefully lowered to avoid eye contact with passersby. My two favorite kilt clad men seem to be seriously contemplating their camera equipment, which remains hung from their necks regardless of whether the cameras are actually in use.
Friday, 8:00pm: Showtime! Scott and ZandB busily distract themselves through the first act photographing the show from opposite sides of the theater.
Friday, 8:45pm: At intermission, all participating Dads head backstage to connect with their daughters for a quick rehearsal behind the closed curtains. TCRG and her two sisters lead the group with their Dad.
Friday, 9:00pm: Curtains open for the second act to a stage full of Dads (a handful of them in kilts, the rest in jeans) each wearing a matching t-shirt with their daughter(s). The girls are all grinning. The Dads are not quite grinning yet. Loud applause and catcalls rise from the audience!
The music begins... Dads and dancers take hands, point a toe, listen for the count… and the stage erupts into a colorful cacophony of well coordinated choreography! Everyone dances a simple step together, then Dads clap while girls dance a circle around their Dad, and girls clap (and audience chuckles appreciatively) while Dad dances a circle around daughter. Then all Dads for a ceili circle, daughters dancing around outside; reverse!
Friday, 9:10pm: Dads return to audience seats (or photography perch), and throughout the remainder of the show, there are more cheers from male voices than previously. The weight had been lifted! Fait accompli, the Dads seem to breath easier… and certainly have newfound appreciation for what their children are doing on stage…
Friday, 10:00pm: The show has ended, and the kilt-clad Dads now proudly strut their attire through the lobby, encountering many congratulatory remarks!
The next day…
Saturday, 6:00pm: Hangars be damned, Dads arrive at the theater wearing their kilts, eyes raised and smiling!
Saturday, 8:45pm: At intermission, the Dads who had participated the night before seem to be leading the rehearsal, joking comfortably with each other and with the TCRG!
Saturday, 9:00pm: This time, I temporarily abandon my duties as a backstage assistant, grab Scott’s camera and run to the audience, right as the deafening cheers arise……
Back home...
Saturday, 11:30pm: Exhausted dancers are all tucked into bed, and exhausted parents sit around the kitchen counter enjoying an adult beverage or two, recounting the weekend’s events. When asked about the pictures that I took during the Father-Daughter Dance, Scott and ZandB assure me that it will require quite a bit of work before those photos can be… er… properly formatted for viewing by ANYONE other than themselves. (Blasted male solidarity.) Instead, they plug a fresh memory card into a camera and start playing with photos of their current focus: Booker’s bourbon.
After two nights of dancing, I believe the thought of pouring a bit of bourbon directly on those tootsies was seriously contemplated…
Labels: family
posted by Meg | 10:39 AM
2 Comments:
Yes it luuks leeke-a iferyune-a hed a greet teeme-a soore-a! Boot vhere-a ere-a zee bedgers? Børk! Børk!
Ah, Meg, I'm sure in the name of proper accurate journalism, a certain webmaster will be required to release a few photos of the event on a particular photo gallery. Besides, I saw them twirling their kilts earlier on. :)
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