Shock the Intensive

The morning after the competition, the girls participated in their first ever convention. This is a day filled with classes taught by master teachers in different genres where you learn new choreography and the have the chance to be taught by the best. The girls were excited, but didn't know why! :)

They were there for 4 1/2 hours and learned from 5 different choreographers, which means 5 different routines...it was intense!!! The girls did a great job keeping up and loved it the whole time.

Here they are right before warm-up with all the participants and choreographers. They the kids are sent to different rooms depending on their ages. Our girls were in the mini room. They had the chance to work with some big choreographers. This is Tina Cyphert, who has danced in many movies and T.V. shows and is the founder of a dancewear line that the girls wear all the time! (Katrina) Tina taught them a Jazz routine.

Next up, and most exciting, was D-Trix or Dominic from So You Think You Can Dance!!!! He taught them Hip Hop and was the most energetic teacher by far! The girls had so much fun in his class and want to take another class with him. How cool is that? :)

After a short break they had tap with Jason Luks, a top tap dancer and choreographer. Boy was his routine hard!! Our girls have not had that much tap, so it was a bit overwhelming, but they sure tried their hardest!

Moving right along was Jazz with Melody LaCayanga (who also was on So You Think You Can Dance but I don't remember her?) It was her birthday and the kids loved her routine too.

The last teacher was Ryan Cyphert for Hip Hop. He is known for his explosive hiphop choreography and it was so fun to watch. The girls also loved this.

They girls did so great and had fun at their first ever convention! :)

Star Systems Competition

It was the studio's first competion with all the group dances of the year and they did fantastic! They were entered in the intermediate category this year instead of beginner, so we knew the judging would be tougher...but we thought the girls would be ready for it...and they were!

We got there early in the morning to see the junior girls dance to "That's Not My Name."

Here are our four mini solos- Emma, Bailey, Natilei and Makenna

All 4 girls received a High Gold ranking and all 4 placed in the top 5!!! How exciting to just about sweep it! Makenna received 2nd overall, and did one of the best solos I've seen her do. I just love watching her on stage and she just loves performing! I have no doubt that she enjoys the limelight!

After solo, the girls had to do trio right away! They recieved high gold and 2nd overall! Grandma Berenz came to watch all the routines today. :)

After all the mini solos, we watched older girl solos (they did great too!) and then it was time for the mini's two group dances. First up was "My Momma Told Me" This was the first time competiting it and they rocked!

What a poser!

The conga line to the stage.

Warming up with Ms. Alyssa and Ms. Jaci.

Immediately after our first dance was a FAST costume change and then Rockstar. Both routines received a platinum! Overall the routines placed 2nd and 3rd.

A great competition day and I am so proud of all the girls!!!

Party on the Trail

Have you ever gone hiking with 17 people? Have you ever had 8 of them be 8 or under? This Sunday we did just that with the whole family. This included the Farmers (5), Taylors (4), us (5), Nana, Papa and Neena. Quite a group! We hiked to Wind Cave and had a great time doing it!

Here are the Elite 8. LOVE that we can do this kind of stuff with them now.

Also love that they all know how to pose for the camera!

Nana and Neena

We were quite the intimdating group to other hikers. One person asked if this was a school!

The kids are so used to me that if I say their name, they just look at me and smile! Pretty Julia!

Logan

Makenna

Cam

Izzy's first hiking trip (Michelle and Scott's dog). She did great.

Taking a snack break. Notice Morgan's cast (she broke her arm a couple of weeks ago). What a trooper she was hiking with only one arm to use!

Megan playing with Mom's camera.

Camden and Daymon

Cousin fun!

The grandparents and Morgan

Delaney did a fantastic job. She really walked most of the way up!

The hike leads to Wind Cave. We ate a snack here, rested and fed the chipmunks. This was the end of the ascent for the youngest kids and a few of the adults. After a rest, they all headed back down It was 1.6 miles to this point.

My sweet husband who is so excited that our kids are old enough to hike! :)

Some of us decided to hike the rest of the way up to the summit. This included the five oldest grandkids (Julia, Riley, Logan, Makenna and Camden), Greg, Christian, Dad and myself.

Here is Makenna at the top!

And Makenna and Camden

Papa and Riley

We climb all the way up to the top and what to do the kids do there? They play house! Wish I had taken a picture, but they found four rocks that formed a little square they could crawl inside of and they played a quick game of house. Silly kids!

Then we headed all the way back down. A long, exhausting and fun hike! :)

The Funny Basketball Player Guys

Well, Makenna didn't perform at the Globetrotter halftime show this year (she is on the competitive team now) but many of the girls from the gym did. I was needed to help with the event, so I was fortunate enough to take Camden! :)

When I asked Cam if he wanted to go to the game with me, he was hesitant until he remembered when he went 2 years ago and the "funny basketball player guys pulled down one of the guys pants and he ran around in his underwear!"

Well, that did happen again this year (I don't think they change much of their act) and Camden thought it was funny all over again. We really did have a great time together and he understood so much more of the humor. I love the fun little boy he is becoming! :)

Here are Camden, Bailey, and Bailey's brother Brock (who is the same age with Delaney and they are friends..so cute!)
You aren't supposed to take pictures at the game, but here he is right as it started....shhhh. At halftime Kinetic Energy performed and did great. Camden sat with Bailey's dad, Jeremy, so he saw the whole game and LOVED it. The whole time he was dying to get a real Harlem Globetrotters basketball. How could I turn it down when it was our special time out?!

He tried to dribble the whole way to the car! Jeremey gave him the wristband too, which he kept on the whole day!

What a fun time with my little guy! :)