Dance Festival

Dance Festival is coming up!!  If you are a first time parent at Manila, have you got a fun morning in store for you!!!  If you are a returning parent, you know what I mean! Dance Festival is a wonderful tradition at Manila that will be held this year on Friday, May 25th at 9:30am. This is also an 8:00 common start day. Each grade level performs a dance for the parents. They set up on the North part of the field. There is an area set up with chairs for parents, or some parents bring their own chairs and set them behind where the students sit. (Note... you may want to ask your child where they perform. With that many children, it is kind of hard to pick out your child.) The teachers choreograph the dance, and I know they try to have every child be seen and they also do a good job of having the kids face different directions. The kids LOVE dancing for their parents. All right, most of them love performing for their parents. It is really fun to see them all. Also, the teachers perform and I personally think that one is the most fun to watch! This event is pretty crowded, because it is the whole school, but there is plenty of space. If you want to get a front row seat, however, you need to plan on being there early. But if you get there too early, just remember there are three sides that the kids will be bringing chairs out and sitting in, so you can't set up your chairs there. Even if you are in the back, most of the time the parents that have a child performing in the grade level dance go to the front to record or take pictures. We just all need to remember that this is a fun activity and we need to be patient with each other when we are trying to get that perfect picture or video of our child! :) Some years, parents have checked their children out of school after the Dance Festival is over, but this year, we are hoping that won't happen. The first round of the talent show will be held this same day at 1:00 and we are hoping to have all students stay in school to support the other students. All in all, try to remember that this is a great way to celebrate our children and we are all there to have fun.