Perhaps this isn't quite what we expected...
Sometimes life can really surprise me. Really.
As I mentioned a couple of posts back, I've been working with Ryann on a song to perform for a beauty pageant. Our family has always held the same general opinion of beauty pageants- they're alright for young ladies in search of scholarships and such, but it's quite ridiculous to place the pressures of beauty pageants on small girls, toddlers and infants.
Kim firmly believes this and Ryann's grown up with the knowledge that we (meaning The Family) find such things inappropriate for girls her age. But when offered the chance to compete in the Talent Only group (and wanting to give Ryann a chance to 'make it or break it' on her own) Kim leaped at the opportunity. Not wanting Ryann to get out there and completely humiliate herself I agreed to work with her. Then, as usual, I became obsessive in perfecting the song and routine.
Saturday was a whirlwind day. I started the day on the wrong foot, waking half an hour late and rushing to take a shower and scurry to the church for choir practice by 10. At noon I ran out (while Phil was still explaining the process of auditions for solos in the Easter cantata), choked down a sandwich and rushed to Sharon's for the pageant.
Between Kim and I we got Ryann 'done up'. Kim found a dress in the junior's department at Dillards, a beautiful strappy sky-blue number. (*cries* The nine-year-old should not be wearing a junior's size 3! And she shouldn't be wearing women's size 6-6 1/2 shoes either.) The little girl looked very nice. Her makeup wasn't overdone, just light 'stage' makeup.
We sat in the audience for awhile and watched the 'formal wear' and 'casual wear' competitions, clucked about the parents who had entered their not-quite-one daughter (who was very fussy) and waited for the call for the 'talent competition'. Ryann was up and down, a bundle of expected nerves. Right before the end of the 'casual wear' I took her to a room to run through the song one last time and warm her voice up. I was half afraid she was giving everyone an early glimpse at her performance. She was projecting like she has never done before. Then I walked with her to the line-up, left her and went back to sit in the front row of the audience.
Ryann sang beautifully. Not that I was expecting anything less. :) She fidgeted quite a bit while waiting for the music to start and practically ran off the stage when she finished the song, so I know what we need to work on now.
Results were... out of a possible 30 points... a perfect 30!! In addition to a perfect score she snagged the title of Talent Queen, complete with rhinestone tiara. ;)
*dances*
She's cleared and has a paid trip to state-level, talent only if she wishes. I think she's decided to go, which means working harder on this song. In addition to this I've managed to snag two more voice students. Maybe this beauty pageant thing isn't quite that bad after all.... ;)
As I mentioned a couple of posts back, I've been working with Ryann on a song to perform for a beauty pageant. Our family has always held the same general opinion of beauty pageants- they're alright for young ladies in search of scholarships and such, but it's quite ridiculous to place the pressures of beauty pageants on small girls, toddlers and infants.
Kim firmly believes this and Ryann's grown up with the knowledge that we (meaning The Family) find such things inappropriate for girls her age. But when offered the chance to compete in the Talent Only group (and wanting to give Ryann a chance to 'make it or break it' on her own) Kim leaped at the opportunity. Not wanting Ryann to get out there and completely humiliate herself I agreed to work with her. Then, as usual, I became obsessive in perfecting the song and routine.
Saturday was a whirlwind day. I started the day on the wrong foot, waking half an hour late and rushing to take a shower and scurry to the church for choir practice by 10. At noon I ran out (while Phil was still explaining the process of auditions for solos in the Easter cantata), choked down a sandwich and rushed to Sharon's for the pageant.
Between Kim and I we got Ryann 'done up'. Kim found a dress in the junior's department at Dillards, a beautiful strappy sky-blue number. (*cries* The nine-year-old should not be wearing a junior's size 3! And she shouldn't be wearing women's size 6-6 1/2 shoes either.) The little girl looked very nice. Her makeup wasn't overdone, just light 'stage' makeup.
We sat in the audience for awhile and watched the 'formal wear' and 'casual wear' competitions, clucked about the parents who had entered their not-quite-one daughter (who was very fussy) and waited for the call for the 'talent competition'. Ryann was up and down, a bundle of expected nerves. Right before the end of the 'casual wear' I took her to a room to run through the song one last time and warm her voice up. I was half afraid she was giving everyone an early glimpse at her performance. She was projecting like she has never done before. Then I walked with her to the line-up, left her and went back to sit in the front row of the audience.
Ryann sang beautifully. Not that I was expecting anything less. :) She fidgeted quite a bit while waiting for the music to start and practically ran off the stage when she finished the song, so I know what we need to work on now.
Results were... out of a possible 30 points... a perfect 30!! In addition to a perfect score she snagged the title of Talent Queen, complete with rhinestone tiara. ;)
*dances*
She's cleared and has a paid trip to state-level, talent only if she wishes. I think she's decided to go, which means working harder on this song. In addition to this I've managed to snag two more voice students. Maybe this beauty pageant thing isn't quite that bad after all.... ;)