NYCDA Dance Convention

Last weekend was a big one. Maddie had her first Comp/Convention of the season. We LOVE conventions, the classes and teachers are always amazing and it brings a lot of studios together. Maddie just loves loves these so much!
We drove down to the DIA Crown Plaza on Friday and met up with most of the Company for a nice dinner. Then a few of the girls met up for swimming. We turned in fairly early so that Maddie would have a good night sleep. It took us both awhile to fall asleep with all the chatty girls but once she zonked out she slept really well. Its always nice to be at the hotel so that she and I can get a little extra sleep!!
She woke up excited and ready to go on Saturday. We got her hair ready for competition knowing we would have to do some fixing later after all the classes. She LOVED the classes. They had Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet and Tap. Her favorite was Hip Hop and the Tap and the Jazz lol
After dancing from 9-1:30 I think, we went up to the room to get ready for the comp portion. They only competed their Tap number and these girls did so so well! They were up against some really big company's that dance everyday for hours a day.
After competing and watching hours of dance they had the awards. The girls ROCKED IT! They got 3rd OVER ALL... huge deal. They got Gold and also took 1st in Tap. For special awards they got best smiles and best stage presence!! Their scores were amazing and the comments from the judges were all really good too.. just a little cleaning up here and there to really make it perfect!
Sunday was all about classes again. They relearned the dances from the previous day and added on. Maddie was really bummed that they didnt do Hip Hop again but she did really great keeping up and learning the choreo.. they move so fast I was amazing at how fast she was picking it up! The second day they did contemporary which she has not studied yet, so the movements and skills are different and I cant WAIT until she gets to take these classes because her body and emotions work so well for this style!
After another long day of dance there is a after meeting where they give out awards and scholarships.. not very many though. It was a long process and we were so ready to get home afterwards!
It was such a fun weekend and Im always so proud of her after we leave these. She does not whine and complain, there is no crying about being tired, and there is no faking injuries, all of which I saw a lot of! I always love seeing Maddie walk away with new skills, dance knowledge and confidence!!

Maddie loves the older girls and the older girls love Maddie!

In our bed after a LONG day!

A little pep talk before they went on!

And some down time inbetween cheering on the "big girls"

WOOT!!! A trophy!!

Yaa the girls and their mommys were all pretty excited about this!