Classes Back Monday, 27th July

Hey Everyone,
Just had to post latest shot of my beautiful kids! ( they have driven me crazy in the holidays- lucky they are gorgeous hey!!) Thanks to Renee Brazel for capturing them so beautifully once again. I had a fab meeting with Miss Leesa, Miss Emma, assistant choreographer Phoenix and the Slack-Smith posse' at Grapevine Cafe'. Despite all the kids in tow, we are all so pumped for Term 3 and YES, Concerts are all decided and in production!!! Miss Leesa is very excited to be starting in a new studio in Orange and we wish all the Orange kids the very best as they settle in their great new complex. I have been madly searching through and finding new music. Lucky for me, Cale & Arch share my love for the Jackson 5- we have had an absolute ball dancing around the kitchen to the tunes that will be on my ipod and class playlists for Term 3. I warn you, I am in remix heaven, 90s will feature, i am still in tribute mode to Michael and there is a heap of new contemporary stuff i am working through!! Best wishes to Forbes kids dancing in Forbes Group day tomorrow! Can't wait to see you all very very soon!! Immy & Onny are pumped for the SYTYCD workshop on 8th August- me too- I am going to linger for a glimpse of Mr Tim-o-matic!!

FORBES - FUN & FRIENDSHIP

I have loved the text updates from Narelle, Tracey & Paris! I actually felt like I was there myself, even in some of the more dramatic moments (beautiful recovery I hear Paris!!) Congratulations to the beautiful Amber Bunt, Brandi McGuire & Paris Burns who performed with aplomb at Forbes in the Under 12 sections. Courtney Hart, who is recovering from pneumonia was unfortunately unable to attend but I know she was cheering on her friends at home ( as was Dr Miss Rikki, in her temporary set up Emergency Ward at "Lucernevale"!) Brandi danced amazingly in all her sections. Amber received 1st in her Classical, Highly Commended in her Jazz, and Merits in her Modern and Demi- Character. Narelle said that the standard was really high and that it was so good to see our girls doing some of their very best performances for the year. Paris was 3rd in her Classical ( and you didn't want to do a Ballet!!!) and 1st in her Contemporary, Demi Character and Modern Solo. Paris also qualified for the Ballet Scholarship and received a remarkable 2nd in the Modern Premiership ( against a very accomplished little girl called Tahlia- My girls tell me you are beautiful so well done.) The stunning Melissa McDonald received 2nd place for her Contemporary! Go Missy! The best thing is that all the dancers have commented on the new friends they have made and the good times they have had! We love hearing that!

MORE FAB FORBES RESULTS

And the good news and great times just keep coming from Forbes Eisteddfod! Well Done to all participants!Jade Bunt did a phenomenal job in her sections at Forbes. Meg Keizer received 2nd in her Jazz and a Merit for her Classical & Modern solos. Kacey Krisante received 2nd for her Jazz Solo. Emma Blake got 1st place for her Jazz! Well done Girls!!

I AM A REALLY GOOD KRUMPER

Thanks to Kara Catto for sending me these beautiful shots of Brinley in action!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL DANCERS COMPETING AT FORBES

Hey,
Sadly the Slack-Smiths won't be dancing at Forbes Eisteddfod this week! Poor little Cale and Arch have been unwell and we thought it best to sit this one out but have been absolutely buoyed by news of the success happening over in Forbes! Thanks so much for the text updates Darienne! WELL DONE EVERYONE! Special mention must be made to Superdad Bruce Catto who took his little princess Brinley over- its quite the man who will pin a hair piece and touch up make up!! Sure my David dressed up as Jennifer Beals for the DADS OF DANCE calendar but I think he safer doing that than attempting hair, make up and costume changes!! The mind boggles! So the good news is that the kids are having an absolute ball, being beautiful friends to each other, exhibiting excellent sportsmanship and as usual our Stepping Outers are being fantastic support to each other (Mums, dancers & dads!!)
Congratulations to Holly Keizer who got 1st in her Ballet Solo and 2nd in her Jazz Solo. I hear it was the very best she has ever danced and it would have been this fact that must have brought a tear to her Mum's eye! Good girl!! Plus her grandma was in the audience too!! As for me PRIDE STAKES- very high!Also big congratulations to Brinley who got a Medal for Baby dance and then despite her young age, a big 2nd place for her Jazz Solo ( krumping her way to glory and not needing Miss Rikki there to get her onto stage! Impressive!!)

And More

MORE PICS FROM SYTYCD TOUR

SYTYCD TOUR

I know many of our students kickstarted their holidays with a trip to the SYTYCD Top 10 Concert in either Newcastle or Sydney! We had a great trip down to Newcastle and awesome seats. I have to say stand out performer for me was TIMOMATIC- so am very excited he is coming to Dubbo on 8th August for the Workshop. WOW! Talk about Mr Charisma! Of course Dubbo Boy, Charles was also phenomenal and all in all it was a spectacular concert! ( We had great seats which meant Penny was ummmm very audible and special mention must be made to the obsessed teenagers behind us who I occasionally felt violent towards! How much do they love Charlie? Too much, I say when its being screamed as they draw each breath! I guess as Reg and I reminisced we felt the same last year when we had Henry moments. Timomatic- you nearly gave me a Henry moment and then I remembered my age!!!) My fave routines were Black saturday Tribute, Single Ladies, Halo, Love Story and the Jazz Medley! Celebrity spots included Julie & Bec Richardson, Tracey & Paris Burns, Narelle, Sophie & Jacquie Brabrook, Darienne, Holly & Meg Keizer, Leisa & Georgie erskine and of course the Rice Girls and travelling companions ( Reggie, Millie & Katie) and the formidable Slack-Smith women Immy, Onny & me!! Onny did some pretty impressive gangsta moves to entice Timomatic our way but then refused to pose for any pics. I stayed in the car and watched the throng descend upon the Top 10 ( age has wearied me- waiting for a Henry I guess!) Big thanks to Leisa Erskine & Darienne for hustling & bustling and making sure we got these incredible shots! Leisa was paparazzi supreme so big thanks!More pics to follow- guests have just arrived! See you soon

RAINBOWS

To quote Dolly Parton, "If you want to see a rainbow well then you gotta put up with the rain,"! It's been a long Winter and we here have had a long few weeks of illness and loss. We Slack-Smiths honour our Great Nan, great in so many ways who passed away 5th July but as Immy wrote in a beautiful tribute to her, "rainbows will remind us of her light." I have had a good first week of holiday to rest and reflect and help mend little Cale who has had a nasty and lengthy bout of the flu! Anyway, I think we all only need look up, locate our rainbows and see our pot of golds in our friends and our families to know how truly blessed we are!! Take care & happy Holidays.This gorgeous image is courtesy of Renee Brazel Photography.