Dance Dad Top 10

This past Saturday I attended a dance recital as a ferocious father. My oldest daughter was just one girl in a small army of Legacy Performing Arts Center dancers. I was just one Dad taking it all in. Without further ado, my Top 10:

#10: Snacks

There is nothing that calms a Dad's nerves like popcorn and Sour Patch kids. I had anxious Dad energy entering into the recital domain; a fish out of water surrounded by prancing piranhas. My 5-year-old and I strategized to snack hard out of the gates. Who knows, this performance could be as long as The Lord of the Rings. The anticipation was building as we each avoided the Yellow Sour Patch children. 

#9: Fellow Dads

Scanning the auditorium, I found comfort in Dad spotting - men who look more suited for the golf course, basketball court, or forest. We were scattered, flanked by family and friends more educated on the art of dance. We have a basic set of skills - clap, keep kids in aisle, escort to bathroom, open snacks, use firm eyes if needed, pick up snacks that land on floor, enforce 5-second-rule, smile and wave, state "No more snacks".

#8: Milk and Cereal

I knew at some point in my life I would be watching a bunch of girls dancing to the lyrical wonder that is "Milk and Cereal". "I don't want my Wheaties, Give em' to the needy"...genius. Unfortunately, the concession stands did not have bowls of cereal for sale. Always next year...

#7: Strawberry Fields

There was a hypnotic nature to this number. Lyrically, no idea what is going on. Dancing, no idea what I was watching. BUT, I liked it. And our family crushes strawberries, not from a field...from Aldi. My wife could write a remix called "Forever Aldi".

#6: Sugar, Sugar

Timely performance after we finished our Sour Patch Kids. Vegetable, Vegetable does not have the same power punch. Parents can all agree that cute little girls dancing to Sugar, Sugar is precious. Parents can also agree that children with too much sugar, sugar is a nightmare. 

#5:Intermission 

At the halfway point of this countdown, we have intermission. I remember when I saw Les Miserables in New York City. I was in 8th grade and I was flabbergasted when intermission was announced. "We can't have 50% more", I bellowed in puberty hell. I dreamed a dream and this wasn't it. The Legacy intermission - welcoming and gave parents social interaction. Almost in unison, all Dads asked if anyone had to pee.

#4: Blueberry Pie

If you have not figured it out yet, all the music was dedicated to food. This Bette Midler beat features the line, "Blueberry Pie, let's have fun, 'cause when all is said and done, I love you, yes I do..."  As a dance recital analyst, I dig deep into lyrics. In 1980 was Better Midler in a relationship with a pie? In 2022, am I taking this Dance Dad thing too far? 

I love blueberry pie. 

#3: The Gummy Bear Song 

I do not love Gummy Bears. This is one of the worst songs in the history of music...BUT those precious little girls! They took a horrendous song about a subpar candy and made a dancing masterpiece!

#2: The Grand Finale

The final performance was awesome. The audience was told it was going to get weird and it was super awesome weird. There were dancing avocados. It rained tacos. There were full grown adults in taco costumes. There was glorious acting and dancing by a cast of characters who deserve a lot of credit.  That troop of girls - the whole Legacy crew - put a lot of time, energy, and talent into the show. The final cuisine was delicious. 

#1: Green Onions

My 7-year-old's one and only number was Green Onions...AND it was my favorite!. It was my favorite because one day she will read this as a teenager and she will thank me for making her #1. She will appreciate my support for her, no matter what she wants to do with her life. She will realize that I am not an idiot, and making her #1 on this blog was a crafty Dad move. 

Thank you, Legacy Performing Arts Center - for the dedication, the memory, and the food cravings.

 

Good Days

The word "old' has squeezed its way between good days with generational consistency. Each generation has a way of looking back and describing a time when things were better; or at least one believes that things were better. The old bad days surely existed yet they rarely attract an audience. If you are fortunate enough to live a long life, there is a hope that you can look back fondly; recall goodness from yesteryear. That's pretty much this blog's intent - to capture some goodness that eventually will be days of old. 

In 1990, I was a co-founder of a lemonade stand meaning I was a 6-year-old who had to walk across the street to the neighbor's house, smile, and stand behind a table. There is entrepreneurial power associated with lemonade sales that has stood the test of time. There is no bad lemonade stand. Children customer service for potent yellow or pink sugar liquid is golden. In 2022, ambitious kids and kids at heart popped up a stand. 

This stand was special because the founding members of that 1990 stand were once again behind the table, 32 years later. A different neighborhood, a different generation, the same lemonade magic. Our collective kids (7 in total), blended marketing and antics for 3+ hours of business. I got to relive glory days with my old neighbors while my kids experienced lemonade glory in their neck of the woods. Glorious all around. The Brownstown community responded generously and graciously to the cause. The memory made will surely outlast the money. 

The following afternoon, my girls took to another stand - on the baseball field for the Johnstown Mill Rats. As part of their choir, Inclined to Sing, they belted out the National Anthem. It was a harmonious home run on a sunny afternoon. On that same field many sunrises before, I ran wild in parochial football majesty. Goosebumps pride watching my daughters sing and remembering pigskin pageantry. 

Watching Mill Rats baseball was enjoyable as youngsters played America's pastime sport. My eldest daughter retook the field in the 7th inning for a dental promotion - she cleaned third base with a gigantic toothbrush. This was the most thrilling dental work of her 7-year-old life. Thanks to the Mill Rats for providing Sunday afternoon entertainment. 

That evening we sat out on the Boulevard Grill deck, toasting to our weekend achievements. We have had many celebrations at this Southmont institution and now get to enjoy The Great Outdoors from their new perch. Same great food and service, new view. 

There is a belief that good news travels fast. Let's just keep it moving without worrying about speed. The kids will grow up fast enough. Us adults can benefit from slowing it down. Sip on some lemonade and let these good times roll.