Hey Kids! Let's Put On a Show!

Still a performer. Sort of.

When I was growing up, back in the day, we loved to perform. Me, my sister, and our best friend might spend a morning rehearsing, making tickets, and setting up the venue. In the afternoon we would go hand out tickets to the lucky neighbors, make up programs, and finally perform. Yeah, we weren't union, we did it all. This went on probably from the time we were six or seven, until we were maybe eleven or twelve and the self-consciousness set in. Also, these tended to be summer events...what with all that time to kill and the backyard being our staging area. Our performances generally consisted of just a song or two. We'd simply sing along with a record and perhaps work in a few dance moves. Mostly it was all three of us together, although there was the occasional duet or solo piece for variety. The neighbors, both other kids and grown-ups, were extraordinarily kind as far as I can remember. They came when they could and sat there nicely watching and applauded at the proper time. Sometimes my mom provided some popcorn and Kool-Aid for our guests.

Did anyone else ever do this? My own children did not, so much. Although perhaps this was because I had mostly boys. They didn't dance and sing for the neighbors, but there were impromptu wrestling matches and things, often done for my benefit I assumed. Perhaps those displays of strength and power from their skinny little bodies were their way of expressing themselves. Also, one time, when Social Animal was in second grade, he had washers on an old pair of shoes for the class' River Dance performance. He taught some of the moves to Girlie Girl, who was about four and happened to have tap shoes at the time. I still remember them dancing on our tiny porch, the porch light their personal spotlight. Handsome Lad loves it when someone will watch him skateboard. He's getting very good and I guess for him that is also a kind of performance...an art.

Are you now, or have you ever been, or will you ever be...a performer? We should talk about it :-)