Our Annual Tradition: Dance Portraits

| Owen Sound Portrait Photographer |

In year’s past, this weekend is always an extremely busy one. In our household, this weekend isn’t only marked by Mother’s Day - it’s also typically dance recital weekend. My daughter Reagan has danced with The Guelph Academy of Dance for the past several years, and in an alternate universe, this would have been her 6th recital. We would be prepping hair, make-up and her jazz & hip hop costumes for the three big, sold-out shows that usually take place this weekend. But sadly, the year-end show has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s probably one of the bigger disappointments that these challenging times have brought about for our family. The dancers and faculty work so hard to put on the best show ever, each and every year. Although there is no stage, spotlights, or thunderous applause this year, she will be dancing with her peers in spirit. And - I am still so overwhelmingly proud of her … for her determination and growth this year, for how hard she’s worked, and especially for how she’s tried so hard to remain strong and positive during all of this. Not having a recital this year is disappointing for everyone for sure, but I suppose that this only means that next year’s production will just be that much more special!!!

Despite a cancelled show, we did what we’ve done for the past 5 years during this week - she put on her costumes, we did her hair and make-up, and we completed our annual dance photo shoot. Normally it’s a pre-dress rehearsal show tradition for us, but this time we did it just because, and I’m so glad we did! It provided us with a little bit of normalcy during these abnormal times.

And here’s a quick throwback to her very first year in Dance (ballet), 5 years ago!

Look how little she was!!

Did your little dancer miss out on her/his recital and dance portraits this year? Once non-essential businesses are given the green light to resume, I hope to offer a limited number of “petite” Dance Portrait sessions. These sessions will be short & sweet. They will focus on individual dancers, and will provide an opportunity for them to be captured in their formal recital costumes so that they have a keepsake of this time…even if they didn’t hit the stage as planned. All details will be released once the province announces that photography studios can re-open.