Showcase

Yesterday officially kicked off the competitive dance season:

 We had our Company Showcase, which is somewhere between dress rehearsal and recital. It's the first time the girls take the stage. Issa was more than a bit nervous, but she did so well.

She began her day with production:

 Then we had tap, which I totally forgot to photograph, before she moved straight on to jazz:

 My girl, though, she is a lyrical dancer:

 I cried when I watched her team perform their dance, and then I cried again during her solo:

Did she miss some steps yesterday? Yep. Was she thrilled with her performance? Nope. But...I was. Last year, I spent the entire season trying to get her out of her head. She loved dancing, but she had to fake a smile on stage. Yesterday, though, she wasn't faking. She loved performing. Her smile was genuine and not glued to her face. It made all the difference in the world. And seeing her light up on stage...that's everything.