Dance Concert Professional Shots

One of the most wonderful parts of the dance concert is having the chance to relive it all over again when the photographs become available for purchase - and then one last time when the video is sent out. I love looking through the shots and although they are very expensive, I always get a few... and may have gone a little crazy this year.

I loved this lyrical troupe dance so much. It was so graceful and emotional.

I 100% cried when Maddie was lifted up, almost as if she was flying above the others. I'm such a sook.

So, so beautiful!

Their senior ballet class this year performed a routine where the younger girls were waiters. They had giggled so much about the costumes and eventually suggested to their teacher that she get them moustaches. It was too cute for words. Our first year without a tutu or flowy skirt, but I thought this dance was amazing with such a good story.

Little waiter Madeline.

Dancing with your best friends is always the best part.

Jazz troupe was just the most powerful epic dance and I am so sad that it will only ever be done once and never make it to competitions. They just absolutely owned the stage and I loved every second of it.

Our girl, constantly front and center.

She's just an absolute doll.

I just love this photo of her and Madison, it is everything you need to know about them, when it comes to dance, they will not be separated or beaten, at anything. haha.

Madeline took on a second jazz class this year with some of the older girls and loved it. Sub-senior Jazz. This dance was awesome. So glad she decided to do it.

She is amazing! I could seriously watch her all the time.

I showed a few of these shots to Jakes mum afterwards and we had a laugh together, apparently he had been bragging the day after the concert to anyone that would listen about how awesome his girlfriend was is and how she had won a trophy at the concert and so on. Yep. We know. She's pretty amazing! So proud to be her mum. ❤

ahead of the game - step up dance academy concert 2021

after weeks of practice and stage rehearsal and dress rehearsal, our step up 2021 end of year concert: ahead of the game, went off without a hitch. this year madeline was in three dances and i was so proud of her, she did an incredible job!

in her ballet class, she was placed front and centre for their "dance of the sugarplum fairies" and danced like an absolute superstar. all her hard work has paid off and grandad's insistence on putting her in ballet was clearly worth it. she has such a natural grace and it shows so well in ballet. it may not be her favourite, but she is so good at it.

her contemporary dance to "take it to the heart" was stunning. our girl had a little solo part and was lifted in the middle of the dance. i honestly don't know where she gets her grace from, as i am so uncoordinated, yet she moves with perfection.

the girls have had the most amazing teacher in miss amelie and love her so much. it's so fun to see.

seeing them all smiles back stage before they went on was the best. they all love dancing in their little squad.

their last dance for the evening before the finale was their "singing in the rain/ umbrella" jazz mash up.

❤

side of stage all ready to go with the lovely miss amelie.

the time came for presentations and we snuck in the back door to the empty top seats to watch. 

kaz and i were thrilled to see our girls take out a class trophy each and a medal for their lyrical troupe.

madeline took out the jazz technique trophy and was thrilled to pieces - as jazz is her favourite! she was so happy to be recognised for her efforts.

well - another year is done and dusted. i am sure madeline and madison will be dancing all through their break - but we are officially on break - until school starts next year! ❤

step up concert 2020: lights, camera, action!

today we went to our first step up concert with a difference, for the first time the dancers got to watch their concert at the same time as everyone else! due to the threats looming of lockdown and restrictions, our studio owners came up with an idea that would alleviate the risk of anything going wrong and our end of year concert being cancelled at the last minute. the entire concert was filmed piece by piece and joined together, and the dancers got to watch it all - on the big screen at ace cinemas in midland. they honestly thought it was the coolest thing ever and to be honest, so did we!

this little champion took home the mckinney family perpetual ballet excellence award and i am so damn proud of her. she always puts in 110% for dance and it's paid off - and look at that smile! all the perpetual trophy winners were notified a few hours before and asked to arrive early to walk the red carpet and have their photo taken with miss kylie and miss jacqui. i didn't tell her and when they greeted her with her trophy she was blown away. it was the best.

the show went well and these two loved it, pointing out their best shots and the dances they liked the best. i really, really loved that they got to see it at the same time as us, it was just so fun for them.

and madison got a class trophy too so of course then we had to have more photos on the red carpet. i love their friendship, it's the best thing ever. lucky madison has a cool mum too, so i scored as well.

well, this concert done differently, was certainly a hit! oh and we won the raffle too. a beauty pack. score! what a night.

this girl is definitely going places... i guess we just have to sit back and watch!

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(edied to add:) the best bit? we booked our seats at the first concert screening of two, and a few days before concert screening two? lockdown. thank goodness we got in when we did, as the second one never went ahead. what a blessing that we got our turn. now we just wait on the dvd so madeline and madison can watch it on repeat. send help.

rebel heart: 2019 step up dance academy concert

there is nothing that makes me prouder than watching madeline dancing on stage. i actually can't believe how graceful she is (does not get that from me) and watching her knowing how much hard work and practice goes into it all, just makes it that much sweeter.

tonight was her dance schools end of year concert - this years theme was "rebel heart" and our sweet girl was in three dances this year

first up was her primary ballet class - who performed the spanish dance

complete with fans and all. so cute! i loved their red tutus.

some wonderful mums and dance teachers even posted some backstage shots, so we got to see it from all angles. haha

next up - her lyrical troupe. they did the same dance they performed at the april and october competitions - stand by me.

same dance meant same costumes, which was fine by me - one less costume we had to buy haha

our cute lyrical girls with their teacher miss georgia

finally - maddie was part of a large ensemble consisting of multiple ballet technique classes in together. we all looooved this costume, a white tutu with a coloured swirl around it, different ones depending on their level in the class - purple (junior), blue (senior) and gold (advanced/en pointe)

i take my hat off to whoever put this dance together - it had all kinds of elements and separate dances within it and somehow it all came together. i have to admit that even on stage rehearsal night i was a bit worried. for no reason apparently.

look at these cuties backstage - having a good time!

it was a great show and i loved it! seeing how much works goes into one evening is incredible and i am in awe of those who put it all together.

the only sad part was having to say goodbye to madeline's beautiful dance teacher miss georgia. she is moving to queensland next year to study and i know she will be so missed, not just by our girl, but so many of them. she has been such an incredible teacher and really nurtured madeline and believed in her, even selecting her to dance in the lyrical troupe. she taught her in ballet this year and last year and then in the lyrical as well this year. miss georgia we will miss you!

what an amazing year at dance. can't wait for the next one!