Truth About the Nutcracker, 2013

It's finally showtime!! What a wild ride the last 3 months have been. Zoe has put in so many hours of training, learning, and rehearsing. She even took her finals at school early so that she could have a few days off before the shows.

 Zoe started out getting ready in the big dressing room with all of the leads. However, she ended up moving to a small room next to the stage for the rest of the shows since she had quite a few quick changes to do.

 

 I can't tell you how much I adore these girls/ladies. They all hold a special place in my heart and I am so grateful that Zoe has them in her life!

Nicole had Zoe lead warm-ups before the first show.

Nicole always leads each show with a time for thankfulness and prayer.

A few behind the curtain shots before one of the shows...

{Brooke & Zoe}

These performers did a tech rehearsal, a dress rehearsal, and 3 shows. It was such an honor for Zoe to be cast as Clara!

I am also thankful that my photographer friend Sheldon sent me a few shots of the show as a sneak preview! I can't wait to see the rest!
Act 1:

I love the fun "Dolls" dance!

One of my favorite parts of the show is watching Zoe dance with Frank (who plays the role of Drosselmeyer). They share such a sweet moment and it was neat to see them dance together.

The "Angelic Host" dance is also a favorite!

Act 2:

 Spanish...

Clara at the thrown with Jesus and Drosselmeyer...

Arabian...

Flower Waltz...

Finale...

I love the look of utter joy on Zoe's face at the end of the show, with her friend Sonia lifting her up!

After the show, lots of photos with family and friends! Nicole gave Zoe a giant hug and told her that she had done a wonderful job and was so proud of her!

Cooper came to the Friday night show since he had basketball games on Saturday...

and her good friend Lauryn came too...

She was surrounded by so many friends and family the next day...and got lots and lots of flowers and gifts!

 

 We are so thankful that all of these people came to support Zoe!

I love this girl so much!!

I love how much these girls truly adore and support each other, not just on show days, but every day!

{Sierra, Zoe, Brooke, Hannah}

{Lindsay, Zoe, Sonia}

Brittany played the role of Clara last year and is truly an incredible dancer. She is stunning on the outside, and even more beautiful on the inside. She has spent countless hours working with Zoe and teaching her both physically and spiritually. We are blessed to know her!

{Zoe and Brittany}

Lacey and her mom came to the last show...

These dancers were exhausted, but still so excited and running on adrenaline after the curtains closed. We headed to the pizza place for a fun cast party!

What an incredible experience this has been for Zoe and our family. Proud is a word that we use often in our house, so sometimes I feel like it has lost it's meaning. However, I saw a whole new side to my precious daughter throughout the last few months. She has handled herself with grace, dignity, and a positive attitude. She managed her time better than I could've imagined, and balanced school and dance so well, even on days she was exhausted to her core. She always took time to be supportive of the other dancers, especially the little ones who looked up to her and ran to her every time she walked into the studio. Most importantly, she kept the focus of all of this on the Lord, not on herself. I truly could not be more PROUD of her!!