Dance Recital Madness Again!

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Yes, it’s that time of year for one of the Big Three on my calendar!

Dance Recital Madness!

Kindergarten Kids doing Kindergarten Dancing … in a Kindergarten no less!!!

I’ve gone for the last 6 years … and probably have another 6 years plus 6 years left in me before I’m not invited anymore … but I’d still go anyway.

Highlights this year:

– someone could do a real cartwheel.
– I think they used the theme music from “The Prisoner“.
– no one had a meltdown on stage.
– there were “garlic ninjas” and “cabbages” … that’s quite rare.
– they let me write my name in English in the sign-in book … although I had to write it vertically.
– I didn’t get too mauled by all the kids.
– there were 5 sets of twins performing … I’m still waiting for another set of triplets like 5 years ago.

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note: I get to go to another one tomorrow morning. … pinching myself.

double note: the other of the Big Three are here:

Numata Matsuri 2008 / Numata Matsuri 2009

Kinder Olympics / When Was The Last Time?

Dance Recital Madness / Dance Recital Madness: Day 2 / Another Of The Big Three … Dance Recital Madness 2012.

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what I’m listening to now #23:  Bread … not the band … just the stuff sitting in the kitchen.

Dance Recital Madness 2012

At the end of February for the last 5 years I’ve had the pleasure of going to not one, but two kindergarten dance festivals.

I’m invited!

  

I even get VIP seating at one of them … while I just lurk around at the back of the gym at the other one.

  

At one, I get 30 or 40 kids sitting in the crowd calling my name … and I do my famous “walking down imaginary stairs” move … and sometimes “going down an imaginary elevator” move. I haven’t pulled out “rowing in an imaginary canoe” trick yet … maybe next year.

At the other, I just lurk … and get the occasional nod  … or low flying punch of recognition from kids who see me. This year one kid crawled through my legs without me knowing until the last second.

At one, half the parents wonder who the hell I am … at the other they wonder who the hell I am.

At both, parents keep looking around for a half Japanese kind of kid on stage.

At both, the parents seem to be getting younger.

At both, the kids seem to stay about the same age.

At both, I enjoy a couple of hours of kids in costumes on stage for the first or second or third time of their lives dancing their hearts out to a biased audience … with extensive video equipment.

note: I kind of liked the dinosaurs this year.

 double note: the other of the Big Three are here:

Numata Matsuri 2008 / Numata Matsuri 2009

Kinder Olympics / When Was The Last Time?

Dance Recital Madness / Dance Recital Madness: Day 2 / Another Of The Big Three

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Today #352

Today turned out better than I thought it would: I shouldn’t doubt Sundays.

Another Of The Big Three!

It was the best of times, it was the end of Februaryist of times.

One of “The Big Three” on my calendar has come and passed again … like gas … or wind … or farts. It’s also past … or over … or not happening again for another year.

Dance Recital Madness 2011 was a lot like last year and the year before but with different kids … or the same kids, but a year or two older … and with different costumes.

One kindergarten went with a colour theme: all the major colours were represented. Teal was overlooked.

The other kindergarten’s dancers’ costumes were colourful too, but they didn’t represent anything I guess.

For a week or two afterwards I say things like:

– “You were a super Super Ninja Shadow!”
– “I liked the Frog Dancers … a lot!”
– “Hey! Cowboy!” (enthusiastic imaginary pistol shooting mannerisms accompany this response)
– “You were the best raindrop out of the bunch.”
– “I really thought you were a Mexican!”
– “Next year I’m sure you will get to be a dinosaur.”
– “Nice cartwheel!”
– “I was a tomato when I was your age too!”

I wish I was 4 years old again: I’m sure I’d be the best raindrop.

 

note: the past “Big Three” are here:

Numata Matsuri 2008 / Numata Matsuri 2009

Kinder Olympics / When Was The Last Time?

Dance Recital Madness / Dance Recital Madness: Day 2

double note: I didn’t miss last year’s “Big Three“, I just took worse photos than this year’s … and thought I’d give it a break for a year.

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Today #143

Today I dropped the thermometer, but it didn’t get any colder for some reason.

The Numata Matsuri 2009

One of the “Big Three” events on my calendar has come and passed again for another year: The Numata Matsuri.

BIG THREE

Numata Matsuri

Kinder Olympics / When Was The Last Time?

Dance Recital Madness / Dance Recital Madness: Day 2

 

This was my 10th year of roaming the streets of Numata for 3 days in August … with a purpose.

It’s basically the exact same thing every year, but somehow that’s a good thing. It’s comfort food for the senses: like an old song, holiday decorations, or finding a few slices of yesterday’s pizza still in the fridge.

It ties the year together in a way nothing else can: not even a belt comes close! … or even a really strong belt.

I can’t explain it; it just is … like the word “is“.

 

Things I have learned over the years:

1. These 4 girls have not grown a centimetre since my first Numata Matsuri in 1998.

2. I can always find a place to pee within 50 meters of my current position.

3. I know which float represents my neighbourhood. It’s the one with the “funny wingy hat” thing.

4. I don’t let the “funny wingy hat” thing fool me. This is serious business.

5. Every year, the distance between where I am and where I want to go is populated with more people who want to talk with me … and slow down my progress.

If I’m with Mr. Badger  or Mr. Pettit, we don’t seem to move at all!

6. One toy will prove most popular and by the 3rd day of the festival every kid will have one. This year it was “The Frog“.

7. Beer has no affect on me at the Numata Matsuri.

8. The “Tengu Drummers” are amazing.

9. I take less photos and drink more beer each year … which has no affect on me.

10. The guy that cuts the ceremonial twine to open up Suga Shrine to the Dashi (floats) and Omikoshi (portable shrine things) is not a high Shinto Priest: he’s as official from the Suga Shrine neighbourhood that does a lot of planning for the Numata Matsuri. This year it was the guy that does the sound boards and mixing at the local auditorium. (I think he calls himself “Shigibom”)

11. If there are 2 nice women who want to talk to me, they will approach me at the same time from different directions … and I’ll always have a big mouthful of food in my mouth … and be standing by my girlfriend.

12. I’ll be standing under the big tree in the Suga Shrine grounds about 10 pm on August 5th next year seeing this … and holding my beer cup in my mouth while I do the tradition final clap with all the other lovers of the Numata Matsuri.

don don don … don don don … don don don … don
don don don … don don don … don don don … don
don don don… don don don … don don don … DON!

 

Maybe those girls in the great outfits (at the top of the post)  do grow up … but they probably never grow out of the Numata Matsuri.

I hope not; that would be a shame.

 

note: you are all welcome to come next year … but you are buying my beer.

 

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