Yar...Thar be dancers!

The dance studio J works for took home all sorts of trophies for her "Alice and Wonderland" number last weekend at the competition. (Remember? Painting the poles?) She brought home some audio of the critiques which we listened to whilst building our 2nd bookshelf, and I learned that it is ultimately the best criticism when the judges say nothing at all. (I guess it means that they are in to it. The few comments they would start to say would just sort of …end. Kinda cool, actually.) It reminded me of one recital I attended way back in ‘93, which had a funny ending.

I was dating a gal who wanted me to go watch her friend’s dance competition at MGJH. (Strangely enough, the same auditorium that I saw J’s first directing/’ographing effort the year prior- West Side Story. Kismet!) Apparently it was a "high end" dance studio that caters more towards putting on theatrical numbers, rather than just a bunch of kids in tights flopping around for medals. Their main theme for the 17-18 year old set was "Hook" and they had onstage this YUGE repro of a pirate ship (Rich parents=Rich sets) which all the dancers flipped and flapped and did dance #’s around the score of that crappy, crappy movie.

In true pirate-y fashion, a majority of these gals were dressed as wenches, complete with the "off the shoulder bodice", corset, kerchief, and skirt. A s I watched this (insert sarcasm) fascinating show, I coulda swore I saw one rather endowed dancers…ahem, nip. I whispered this to my date, which only inspired a shhh! And a well placed elbow to my arm. So, I kept on watching (And yes, checking the aforementioned busty pirate wench when she came into view) until she came prancing across the stage, performing a running split leap "Russian"…and when she landed "FLOOP" out she comes. (Yes, that way.) And I swear to God, all of the camera flashes in the audience went off almost simultaneously...A veritable cacophony of flashes. Ironic huh? Flashes at a flasher. Well, poor girl went sprinting off stage…never to appear for the remainder of the show. My date was, agog. I was a-laughing my butt off. Yo-ho.

I told this to J and she said, "Well. Shit like that happens. It’s not all eyelashes and tights."