What a weekend!! Since Julia's been doing Elite Performance Challenge for six years, I thought it would be fun to finish off her solo competition career by competing in their Nationals. We were free those four days so hey...why not? So I entered her two solos...The Chain for the regular senior competition and Find Me for the senior title competition. They asked for a head shot and a short bio (I decided to skip the fact about her loving Chipotle this time 😉)...
This is me asking my girl to pose with her picture and her humble self feeling a little embarrassed. I told her no one knows us so who cares!! Sometimes you just got to do things like this for the memories...
Friday was her dance portion of the competition. She competed in the title round first with Find Me. Then about two hours later she competed her self-choreographed solo The Chain. This is her in the dressing room not long before she had to dance...cool as a cucumber...AND she decided to rechoreograph part of The Chain about a half hour before taking the stage! I guess it's many years of experience and the tremendous confidence she has with herself now...
It was by far her best performance for The Chain!! She was fantastic!! We had to wait until the next day, Saturday, to hear how she did and if she placed. Turns out she won an Elite Platinum trophy AND she placed second!! Out of 54 solos...Amazing...
1st Keegan Scesny - How I Wish I was Clay
2nd Julia!!
2nd tied with Amia Serio - Letter to God
3rd Amber Palmer - I was Only Falling in Love
4th Ashley Morris - Say You Won't Let Go
5th Nina Palmer - I Surrender
6th Briana Craig - Billy Jean
7th Julie Coughlin - Breathe
(and the rest don't know who they were)
Then we had to go back again on Sunday for the Championship Showcase to find out how she did with her title solo Find Me...
All the girls competing for title got to present special awards throughout the showcase. Julia presented for Best Choreography.
And then the moment we had been waiting for all weekend...
She won!!! So well deserved!!! She was absolutely beautiful!! She dances with such beauty and ease and takes her time with every single movement. She is a story teller.
Julia peaked at the most perfect time...her senior year. It's been slow and steady and so worth the wait...
Title Winner - Julia!! Find Me
1st Runner Up Samantha Marion - Marionette
2nd Runner Up Julie Coughlin - My Mind
Nina Palmer - Creep
Brooklyn O'Connor - Body Love
Kylie Walsh - Believe
I have loved doing these extra dance competitions with her all these years. It was something very special that just she and I got to do together. Of course it was fun when she won something but honestly...it won't just be the trophies and placements I will remember...it will be all the other things like...
the long car rides talking, playing loud music and singing to the Backstreet Boys...
the belly laughs at the competitions from pure exhaustion...
the overnights in the hotels...laughing and talking before falling asleep...
and then waking up at the crack of dawn to do her hair and makeup...
the times of consoling her when she felt she didn't perform her best or when she didn't place and her friends did...
and all the wonderful joyful moments of celebrating when she performed well and received a special award, high score or fantastic placement...
I will miss absolutely every part of it.
We have just one more studio national competition to look forward to...and then it's on to her next chapter of her life...college...and a new competitive college dance team. It will be a whole new awesome experience for her.
I couldn't be more proud of the beautiful young woman she has become. She will go on to do so many more amazing things with her life...and I can't wait to see..."WHAT NEXT"!!!
