Regan's dancing

This has been a big year of dance for Regan.  She kept up with her ballet and hip hop classes.  She spent 1/2 the year also doing a Contemporary dance class and then we invited to add another ballet class to her schedule - a pointe class! She's loved it all and looks forward to continuing dance at her new school next year which seems to have a strong dance program.

Regan also auditioned for a regional fine arts festival where kids from schools around the region come and spend the weekend together.  There were choir, orchestra, drama and dance teams.  They had to learn a full dance program in 2 1/2 days for the performance - good experience for them to rehearse 8 hours a day (the kids were ready to collapse by the end!).  This year the festival was in Dubai so we were able to go and watch the final performance which was all so well done and inspiring.  The dance performance had a "Rosie the Riveter" theme which I loved!

I didn't take many photos as we'll get a video soon of the whole show.  This was the grand finale of the hip hop recital.  

Always ends with a very positive message!

The theme was a Michael Jackson tribute

Daniela and Regan - all "Michael Jackson-ed" out

Regan got very close to her dance class this year.  Lots and lots of tears as they prepare to say good-bye to Regan...

Allie, Regan and Zoe (Allie and Zoe are dear friends who came to cheer Regan on - and so did three good guy friends who also came and thoughtfully brought little gifts of Mountain Dew and Doritos all wrapped up in a nice gift bag!).  Regan really does have fabulous friends here.

This year there wasn't a ballet recital (they are doing a larger one in December that we'll miss...), but they did do a lovely demonstration day for the parents.

Regan on the far left

Regan and her tough Russian ballet instructor.  She expected them to work very hard but had a bit of soft spot for the earnest hard working ones!

There was no pointe performance but here is Regan getting fitted for her new rock-hard, torturous looking pointe shoes.  And we had to drive all the way to Dubai to do this as there is no place in Abu Dhabi to get fitted and buy pointe shoes (we often tell our Dubai friends that Abu Dhabi is fabulous but then things like this happen and we realize that Dubai really does have a few things that we just don't have...)

Kids from schools throughout the region (Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Dubai, Doha and maybe one other location..).  Not only was the dance performance great, the other performing arts were very well represented.  The drama program was completely inspiring with a theme around making the world a better place and being a hero.  Students highlighted some of their own heroes from Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malala and others.  It was an original program and so uplifting to see such global kids all getting along.

Our little dancing Rosie the Riveter

Regan and Deanna

And then this happened.  Regan's teacher was freaking out thinking Regan broke her ankle but it was just a sprain.  Regan was in a lot, a lot of pain but was much better the next day.  I can't remember if Meredith is face-planting because I am taking a photo or some other reason!