"Moonlight Clowns"
Believe it or not, I have been sewing, but nothing has been in the “interesting to blog about” category. Made a few pairs of HP Marrakesh pants to wear around the house and also made up Vogue 8936 but my serger won’t do a coverhem so that project is on hiatus until I get it up to New Hampshire to be serviced. In the meantime, Bunny has inspired me to make up McCall’s 6116 shirtdress in seersucker to wear in Florida next week for ADA. American Dance Awards Nationals is kind of like a big convention; between the dancers, parents and teachers it’s about 3,500 people. ADA happens at big resorts; this year it’s at the Caribe Royale in Orlando. The people watching is pretty good and I need to takes notes for a dance competition version of fashion tribes. People come from all over the US and Canada; this year I want to look more polished. Not businesslike, but definitely not flip flop casual. Of course the indoor temps will be air-conditioned Arctic and outside it will be in the 90′s and meltingly humid. And then there is all the dance stuff we need to schlep…
A national dance competition requires much much more than just vacation clothes. Between Abby and Emma we have 18 costumes and a raft of accessories: stage makeup, eyelashes, hair clips, earrings, hairspray and gels (for that slicked back dancer hair, no wisp
"Positive Affirmations"
ies allowed), wigs, hairpins, hairnets (to wear under wigs and for making a ballet bun) dance tights and dance shoes. Plus a couple leotards for the dance classes they take when they’re not competing. Add to this is regular clothes, bathing suits and evening clothes/shoes for two awards banquets. We’re lucky this year in that they need only their tap shoes and ballet slippers.
Oh – and only their costumes, dance shoes and accessories can go into our three carry-on bags because we can’t risk lost baggage…ALL of our regular clothes need to go into our checked bags, and of
course the airlines now charge checked bag fees. There are also weight limits; ballet slippers weigh nothing, but tap shoes are heavy – that’s 4 lbs right there for two pairs of tap shoes.
So my challenge will be to look good for 8 days with as few of my own clothes and shoes as possible. Stay tuned!
Wow . . . and I thought packing for a trip was a challenge! Sounds like you’ve got it figured out. Good luck to all . . . hope you have fun!
I really like knit dresses for trips where I don’t need business clothing. Easy to pack, don’t weigh too much, comfortable to wear and easy to throw on.
Sounds like a fabulous excuse to be fashionable. Enjoy your time and if you are in the running, may you win some awards!!!
I’m looking forward to hearing the all ASAP. You bring much joy to your daughters world.
I so love your posts about your daughter’s dance competitions. Brings me back to my own dancing days.
Good luck with the packing! I’m with Ann – knits are probably your friend in this case.