I have some exciting news to share and I hope that you will help us out!

I entered the Turrentine Middle School Dance Team in the Degree Girl Varsity Award and we have been selected as a finalist!

They have a chance of winning $5,000!!!

The online voting period will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET on October 3, 2011, and continue through 6:00 p.m. ET on October 17, 2011.

Please visit the facebook site:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/DontFretTheSweat?sk=app_256649207684843 scroll down and find Turrentine Middle School Dance Team then click to vote for these amazing girls! You can vote once a day during the voting period!

Here is a video of the girls asking for help!

Kim Black
Turrentine Middle School Dance Team Coach

Over the years I have come to appreciate the gestures, the emotion, and the pride a parents feels on this special day. This week with my classes I stood back and peeked as little pink dancers climbed out of their cars and carried their bags. Moms were all smiles as they walked hand in hand with their ballerina to be. Girls would look at each other and rub each others leotards as if "we are princesses". I got down to their level and said hello and told them my name. I told them that they have been waiting their whole life for this day. I watched Mothers look at their daughters wondering what they would do next... will they walk in by them selves... will they listen... will they have an accident... will they just stand there... will they like class and so on and so on. I sometimes wonder if they will remember this day.

I want the Mothers to burn that image in their brain of their sweet little pink ballerina holding onto their pinky. The dancers all walked in by themselves and had a wonderful time. I felt such joy because classes went beyond my expectations. I invited Mommies in after class and heard the whispers as they could not believe their daughter did not run to them... but instead stood on her spot ready to show what she had learned. The little dancers performed their steps and said goodbye to me with a curtsy... and clapped like little ladies. Their Mommies clapped with smiles as big as Mister Sun. Their daughters then ran to them and gave them well deserved hugs.

You did it Mommy and you did it sweet dancer! I held back tears as I watched Mothers look at their daughters knowing just how proud they were at that very moment. I love making memories... and the first day of dance class is one of my favorites!

Love,
Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day 4 Turrentine Middle School Dance Team. Click for Photo Gallery

Yes, we got to bed kind of late last night but the girls decided they wanted to pack and clean before they went to bed. It was hard to get up this morning and even harder to wake the girls. I had a couple of girls say to me on our walk to breakfast...."Miss Kim, I don't want to leave"....what a wonderful thing to say. The 8th graders realize this is their last camp as a middle school team, the 7th graders are thinking ahead to next year, and the 6th graders are the ones that do not want to leave!

I think I braided 15 heads of hair while preparing for our final performances for parents. The energy was incredible as the music played and the girls saw their parents come in the gym. I loved after the warm-up how some of the girls came to give their parents a hug only to turn right around and go join their team. They performed their A, B, and C routines for ribbons. Shamani stole my heart when I saw her get nervous before she walked on. I could feel her pain...but it was a good kind of pain. She looked up at the parent filled bleachers....this was her first time doing anything like this. She was in position and her chest was visibly rising and falling from her nervous body. I saw her whisper "I am scared" while continuing to smile. I felt a huge lump in my throat and looked at her parents and wondered how they felt. The music started and so did Shamani. She worked through her nervousness and finished the dance with a smile from here to the moon. When she looked at her blue ribbon her little body shot at least 3 feet in the air. This is a perfect example of how camp is so good for the team. You work so hard to prepare for something like this and then when you do it you feel such a feeling of accomplishment. Shamani along with the rest of the girls all had that same feeling of "I did this".

After the performances awards were given out. I am so happy to announce that TMS Dance team received a SUPERIOR trophy for their performances. TMS Dance also earned the 110% Award which UDA describes as "the team that best exemplifies what TEAM UDA is all about-full effort and dedication to success". I was so proud of this award because this was one of their goals to earn. They received another spirit stick to go along with their super spirit stick. The captains received invitations to go dance in the Macy's Day parade. I was awarded the Coach Leadership Award for the third year. I was stunned because I truly did not expect it because I was surrounded by incredible coaches from other high schools. What meant the most was looking at the bleachers and seeing my parents stand up and clap....I will never forget that. I then looked at my girls as they grinned and clapped for me and thought to myself....I am feeling exactly how they are feeling after receiving their awards.....we are all doing something right! Thank you to Universal Dance Association for having this camp for my girls....you can count on me every year. UDA does an amazing job of teaching, team building, networking, and showing the girls a great time. I love you TMS dance team and thank you for making this camp unforgettable.

Love,

Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day 3 Turrentine Middle School Dance Team. Click for Photo Gallery

Day Three is almost done. The girls are practicing their dances right now with five other high school groups. Karena is with the 6th and 7th graders while the 8th graders are in the big lobby working on an extremely hard jazz dance. They competed tonight for their A routine and I am so proud to say that EVERY girl received a blue ribbon. You should have seen their faces as they looked in their hands at their hard earned blue ribbon. I think they are just so star struck with the high school groups that they do not realize that they can do just as well.....especially with their showmanship. Parents, you will see this tomorrow!

I have to make this blog post short since we have to practice because after practice we will have our traditional talent show directed by Dani. It is something the girls have been waiting for this all weekend. Sorry again moms, they might be up for a while tonight but I told them they can just sleep all day tomorrow!

Highlights for today were a great breakfast followed by a much needed review of all of our routines. We are now officially the loudest group in the cafeteria....we laugh nonstop. Six girls tried out for All American today and al six made it. They have the opportunity to perform in the Thanksgiving Parade in Philadelphia. We had our crazy day and dressed up in different sports themes such as football, baseball, soccer, you name it. Karena and I got into the fun and dressed as a TMS dancer....you know dance is a sport! I rocked pigtails while Karena rocked the side ponytail. Think about how we felt as we entered the gym and no other coaches dressed up! Oh well, that just made us rock it even more! The coaches did have a surprise for the girls. We secretly did a skit/dance that we performed after the girls performed the "fun" D routines. I thought the girls were going to jump off the bleachers when they realized what we were doing. I just hope and pray that Western Alamance Dance Team did not video it....and it shows up on facebook. Let me just say that Karena and I were divas. Taneia came up to me and said "Miss Kim you did gooooooood"...my favorite of all day was the girls telling me that "I looked young".....ha ha....now Moms you know what I was thinking in my head "how old do I actually look?"!

I had a great coaches meeting today and we all shared some tears talking about our girls. I have come to realize once again what an honor it is to be in the position. I get to touch the lives of 23 amazing girls. I get to be a part of their jokes, their stories, and their heart forever. What a gift of love to me from them as I watch them grow into beautiful young ladies. Thank you to the parents for giving your daughter this opportunity. Thank you to my husband for taking care of Jacob, Will, and especially Walker while I was gone. I have missed you all so much but you know how much I love this and are always supportive of me doing what I love to do. The best was to describe the feeling of coaching these girls is after I watch them learn, perform, or just have fun it is like a parent feels after hearing something good about their child.....I feel like I have done something right.

Love,

Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day 2 Turrentine Middle School Dance Team. Click for Photo Gallery

I woke up bright and early but no so bright eyed but definitely bushy tailed. I do not know why I even set an alarm clock because I anxiously wake up at 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:30 because I am so excited. I let the girls sleep until 6:15 and start down the hall quietly knocking on the captains doors. Becky popped up, Lilly starred at me like "really", and Carly looked like she was sleep walking as they joined me in the hall to start our tradition of singing "Good Morning, Good Morning" with birds flying over our heads (my husband tells me that I have birds flying around my head like Snow White). Most girls woke up easily but some girls were not phased by our loud poundings (Grace, Becca, and Olivia) on the door. I made sure every girl got a big warm hug from me since Mom was not there. We were ready in 30 minutes and sat down for our team meeting. I gave two blue ribbon awards out. The first one was my MVP of the day. This girl worked hard all day....not just at performing but at learning. She always had a smile on her face and encouraged others. She is just a bright ray of sunshine on our team. Our MVP of Day 1 was Delaney Rhodes. The next award was given by our captains....called The Captains Choice Award. They explained that this dancer perfected her dances and showed very well. She had improved so much in just one year and has grown into a powerful dancer with some fierce attitude (while dancing). Our Captains Choice Award went to Cameron Clark.

We left for breakfast and I was so proud of MOST of the girls.....oj, milk, water, but Dani called her drink "Coke-juice"....oh well Mom and Dad....I tried! She was eating a healthy breakfast to go along with her brown juice. Becca had her cocoa puffs, Lillie W. had a 5 course meal, while I had to send Sommer back to get some sort of food....poptarts do not cut it with Miss Kim.

Off to class we went to learn our B routine. The 6th and 7th graders learned a cute hip hop dance while the 8th graders and Karena learned a challenging jazz dance. When we get back the older girls will teach the younger ones and the younger ones will teach the older ones. We will come back with around 6-7 dances when all is said and done. We left for lunch at 11:30 and yes....our girls were first in line.....Olivia was the first girl in our line! I have learned that Beyonce loves fries....and more fries so Miss Kim had to expand her palate and find something else today to go along with her fries. I am hoping to see her eat something green while we are here! Today they all left the cafeteria with ice cream cones. We had one hour after lunch and most girls gathered in three rooms and just talked, laughed, and rested. Some girls were in the Pretty In Pink room doing their make-up. Cameron, Becca, and Grace working on Taneia, Beyonce, Imari, and Shamani.....sorry moms.....I will make them wash it off before they see Daddy on Monday. Carly was collapsed on her bed sleeping like a baby. After a restful 45 minutes we walked back to the gym for the afternoon session.

The afternoon was packed with team building activities (the girls had to figure out how to flip a sheet while standing on it), technique class, A and B routine reviews and drill downs. Dinner was great. I love how the girls want to sit somewhere different every time. Karena is great with the girls sharing her funny stories. We came back with just enough time to freshen up and then we had to be back for our "C" routine by 6:10. I let the girls choose which dance they wanted to learn for the "C" routine and they split up into three groups. After the dances the girls did nice cool down and I joined them for a relaxing stretch. Our girls were awarded the super spirit sticks from another team which made our girls feel like super stars.
At this very moment the 8th graders are practicing their routines and the 6th and 7th graders have taken their showers (I promised them they could go first) and are settling down. The girls are all getting along with each other. I see 8th graders sitting with 6th graders, 7th graders with 8th and 6th, they are all mixing it up at all times. This is such a joy to see. They received a BLUE RIBBON for their home routine and the judges wrote that our team's biggest strength is their showmanship. I have heard from other teams all day "your girls are so awesome"...."we love your little divas"....."your girls work so hard".....this makes me so proud. The girls are learning that they can work hard and have fun at the same time even when they are dying to go to the bathroom, hungry, thirsty, sore, and tired....the end results make it all worthwhile.

Now off to the shower for Miss Kim.
Whew.

UDA Dance Camp Day 1 Turrentine Middle School Dance Team. Click for Photo Gallery

Wow.....what a day. It is now 11:10pm and I have counted all the girls, checked their doors, and wished them goodnight. Here are some of the highlights of our first day at UDA Camp.

We met this morning bright and early at 7:45am. Mom's vehicles were packed with luggage, pillow, decorations, and drinks. We all made a convoy and headed to camp. Once we arrived the girls unloaded and waited outside in anticipation for their room keys. I let them pick their rooms and the fun began! The girls started decorating with their own themes such as Hollywood, Zebra, Pretty in Pink, and Nutcracker just to name a few. Pizza was ordered and the girls enjoyed lunch while the captains and I went to a brief meeting. The girls and Miss Karena joined us and the pep rally was next. I had to go to a coaches meeting as the girls warmed up and started learning their first dance. I have to say that I was preoccupied sitting in the meeting thinking about what the girls were doing....especially my new girls. When the meeting was over I rushed upstairs to find the girls mastering their dances. I love seeing their faces after they finish...such a great feeling of accomplishment. During this time we were able to practice our home routine. I think the girls asked me what time it was about 20 times.....they were ready to go eat! Let me tell you.....when we finished those girls moved faster than I have ever seen them move.

Dinner Time! The girls filled their bellies with lots of goodies....maybe some nutritious food somewhere.....I tried moms! The dessert table was a very popular section...that is all I am going to say. We headed back to the dorm to prepare for the home routine show. We had fun fixing hair and getting all pretty. I could tell that the girls were getting a little nervous about performing so Dani decided to show our spirit we would do a conga line as we entered the gym. Great idea Dani! Our girls showed their spirit and enthusiasm. This is a part of camp that I love. They feel the freedom to just laugh out loud, yell together, cheer together, and jump up and down.

The team routine was awesome! The girls did the best job ever. I heard Taneia say, "I want to do that again". They were just so proud of themselves....and so was I of them. After the showcase they did drill downs. This is sort of like Simon Says. You have to have intense listening skills to perform well. Our girls won lots of ribbons but Becky is by far our leader in this task. I bet she will give those high school girls some competition at the end of camp. I loved watching the girls try so hard with this exercise.

Camp ended and we came back to the dorms for practice, snacks, camp store, showers, more snacks, and hanging out in each other's rooms. It is happening. The same thing each year. They are bonding together. Today they have played together, danced together, eaten together, practiced together, and now they are sleeping. We came here this morning as 23 girls but as they laid their head down they are becoming a team. I am beyond tired but this is just so worth it. To be a part of one of the best memories of their lives is such a gift. Looking at the pictures you can see the happiness in their faces which makes these heavy eyes smile. Thank you to the parents for giving me the opportunity to teach your daughters. They are truly amazing.

Love, Miss Kim

New TMS Dance Team Members for 2011/2012

This past year has been filled with memories made and has ended with new ones to start. I have watched my eighth graders grow into beautiful young women ready to tackle high school. Lilli, Bethani, Katherine, Caroline, Tatiana, and Brittany, you have made me very proud and have been excellent role models for Turrentine Middle School and for the dance team.

2010/2011 TMS Dance Team 8th Graders - I'll Miss You!

Our year started in April with tryouts. We then had a great time at Dare Day in the park dancing as a team for the first time. Our yard sale came next and boy was that fun. We raised almost $700 that day and had fun dancing to our songs for cars passing by. I started to see a bond sprouting. Next came a very early morning at TMS for the group picture shot which would go on our sponsor letter. I loved seeing all of you dressed the same for the first time... I could see how proud each of you were feeling a part of something special by wearing your school colors. Our sponsors were very gracious, helping send us to camp. Our pool party and family dinner was so much fun. We were assigned big and little sisters. We took a thousand pictures and I did my annual flip off the diving board! Camp came the next week. Wow, is all I can say. You worked so hard learning four dances that would be showcased at football, basketball, and various community events. You worked so hard in class and I watched you evolve throughout the process growing in confidence and ability. It was very rewarding watching you compete for your ribbons and performing for your parents on the last day. To top it all off it was such an honor being voted Coach of the Year for the second year in a row... something that I would not be able to do without such great girls.

The next few weeks we prepared for our games cleaning up routines and learning band dances. We had so much fun on game days performing in the hot sun while the parents sat on the reflecting bleachers cheering on their daughters! I love the feeling of sitting up in the box holding the microphone against the cd playing with my buddy and cheerleading coach Mrs. Sarah Loftin watching you do what you love to do. You are so lucky to have this opportunity. I love watching you when you are finished and how you hug each other... it is a gift to me and to your teammates to show your emotion and love for your team.

Basketball season was next with many performances in that hot gym! We had so much fun with the "robot" dance and the crowd loved it! You received numerous compliments from staff, parents, and even the visiting teams. Lilli Canada was awarded the Sportsmanship award on the last game. The eighth graders and their parents were acknowledged for their dedication to the team. Our annual TMS dance clinic happened next and raised over $700! We had almost 50 girls from the community come and learn dances from our team members. The clinic dancers performed for their parents and won prizes. It was such an awesome day.

Over the next couple of weeks we met and learned our lyrical dance for our performance in Alamance Citizens for Education's (ACE) Stage Struck event. You danced beautifully, and even earned a special recognition for participating for the past four years (since Stage Struck was first started). By doing this performance we are able to apply for grant money which goes on to help fund the next year's team. What a great program ACE!

2011 TMS Dance Team Stage Struck Performance!

Our year ended with a party and cookout. We shared our thoughts on each girl and what they meant to us. Our captains gave a speech and handed off their responsibilities to our new captains. Remember our motto "be the best you can be" at all times. Keep dance in your heart and please know that I love you so much and feel blessed to have had this opportunity to be your coach.

Tryouts came and I was blown away by the amount of girls that wanted to tryout. We had 38 girls audition, the most ever. What a compliment this is to our team and our school. Our judges had a hard decision to make... all three of them. We narrowed it down to 23 girls. I told a story to the girls before auditions... one that I tell every year. I was a 6th grader at Turrentine a long time ago... I tried out for cheerleading and did not make it... I tried out for basketball and did not make it... so I started taking dance classes. Dance has become my life. It brings me happiness that I cannot explain. I now teach children of the little girls I taught 26 years ago. It is just so rewarding. I told the dancers "if one door closes another one always opens". I truly believe in that. Not everybody can do everything. You have to work hard and make tough choices and hard decisions. It is part of life. I told them if they do not see their number on that poster to just know in their heart there is something else waiting for them... they have to go and find it.

New TMS Dance Team Members for 2011/2012 Having Fun During First Practice!

The new team is amazing. I have 7 rising 6th graders, 5 rising 7th graders, an 11 rising 8th graders. We have already had two practices and the new team is so eager to get started making their memories. We have a yard sale lined up for Saturday May 21st, a sponsor letter going out soon, pizza sales, and maybe even a windshield washing event with Krispy Kremes! Lots of excitement building for summer camp, pool party, Crop walk, dance clinics, and performances! Our captains Becky, Lillie, and Carly are ready to lead this great group of young ladies to the best year ever! Turrentine Dance Team is something special and we will shine more than ever this year!

Love,
Miss Kim

As we're getting ready for dance recitals and summertime, I'm excited to announce that I've added 2 new designs to my products! "Ballerina Mommy" and "Ballerina Maker"! These are available in several different colors and styles of t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, water bottles, etc.

Ballerina Mommy!
If you're a proud ballerina mom, then show off your pride with these!
Click image to go to store.

Ballerina Maker!
If you teach dance and you love turning little girls in to ballerinas as much as I do, then show the world with one of these items featuring my "Miss Kim" fairy!
Click image to go to store.

Keep Dancing,

Miss Kim

P.S. I'm hoping to have a new DVD by fall, so please help me by telling others about my current DVD and other products! - Thank you!!

UDA Dance Camp Day Four!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Today was the last day... mixed emotions from everybody. Girls are excited about evaluations but sad about leaving. I cannot help but look at my rising 8th graders and tell them to savor every last minute of this experience. I told my girls each day that this was their last day (1, 2, 3, and 4) and they could never get it back... to make the most of it.

Last night after I made my blog post I was invited to the first annual "TMS Dance Talent Show" complete with commercials. I have not laughed that hard in a very long time. I never knew of the comedy in some of these girls... nor the nerve! My little bits were hilarious with their skit and costume. Dani and Brittany with their commercials were over the top. I am convinced that I will see Dani on some reality TV show in the future. My models were quite impressive featuring their products... did Lillie really say "can I just have the Pringles"? I will never forget that night and it was totally worth the one hour less sleep.

Each girl showed up in my room starting at 6:15am with their brush and bobby pins (or Jimmy pins Dani?). I created at least 14 perfect poofs and ponytails while the other 5 did their own hair. The girls packed up their room and we headed to breakfast. The girls did a number on the French Toast Sticks leaving their mark at the Wake Forest dining hall... they waved good-bye to the staff and told them "see you next year". The staff liked us because we ALWAYS cleaned up our area. We went straight to the gym for warm up and our parents started to arrive.

The girls performed their B and C routines and received high marks. During the final drill downs our very own Lilli made it to the final 3!!! Go Lilli... that girl has incredible focus and listening skills! Awards came and our team was awarded a superior trophy, 110% award for our spirit and energy, a spirit stick, and leadership pin to our very own Bethani, and I received the Coach Award! After the awards the girls headed back with their parents to visit Camp Store Sarah who stayed open just for us! The girls loaded up with their parents and left UDA. As I closed my door I thought to myself what another wonderful camp. If this is any indication of how our year is going to go then we will be over the top because I feel we are starting so high already.

This morning I was so excited standing out front waiting for moms and dads. It gives me so much joy to watch the parents watch their girls. I guess you just have to be a parent to understand the pride you have in your child watching them have so much fun doing something they love so much. You are able to see your child growing inside and you are just so proud of the person they have become... I guess as parents we all need and want that little validation that we did a good job. I also feel that way as a coach and when I see the girls perform it reminds me of why I do this. I left my husband to take care of all four of our children... 17, 16, 13, and 5! That is a lot of laundry and food! Thank you to my family for letting Mommy do what she loves to do. Thank you to the staff for making my girls feel like they are so special. Thank you to Miss Karena for being my extra set of eyes and ears... and for having so much fun with the girls... they love you! We all hope to see you as the next Cinderella at Disney World... now go and make that dream happen! Thank you to the other teams that were at the camp... you gave my girls something to reach for and you embraced them and they felt like you were their big sisters. Thank you to UDA for giving my girls the chance to make the best memories of their lives. We will be back next year. Thank you to my parents for being so supportive and helpful. Thank you to my team for giving me the chance to be your coach.

I love you,
Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day Three!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

The girls moved a little slow this morning... some even overslept...but I made sure to serenade them with "Good Morning"... that helped the sleepy dancers... so did me pulling their covers off! I had to resort to drastic measures while others just popped onto their feet. The morning classes were reviews of all three routines learned so far. The instructors conducted a mock evaluation so that the dancers knew what to expect. The girls asked me a hundred times what time it was and when was it time to go to lunch!

Lunch and dinner always consist of two main concerns... where we are going to sit and how creative you can pour your ice cream. This is very important at camp. We have nice cones that are perfect circles, then there is the tall blob, and then there is the straight sticks pilled on top of each other. Topics of conversation today at the table were how many pieces of pizza the girls have eaten, how many pounds of ice cream has been consumed, and if Miss Kim minds if they drink a soft drink. Again, these experiences help me learn each girl's personalities.

After dinner we had "A routine" evaluations where everyone earned a blue ribbon. I was so happy that everyone was excited and not too nervous. They all smiled and had a fabulous time. Grace charmed the judges with her smile over and over and over. I have to say I did have some tears watching these girls jump with happiness seeing their blue ribbons. They were just so proud.

Tonight at the big sis little sis meeting with their big sis Kath we talked about our tree. Our motto on our tree is "Be The Best You Can Be and Always Make Miss Kim Proud". The leaves are filled with each girl's individual goals and the roots are my goals for the year. UDA All Americans were announced and I am very proud to say that Bethani, Carly, Lillie W., Katherine, and Becky all made All American. They were presented with a metal and information about the parade that they can perform in.

I am being invited right now to the talent show so I must end quickly. The girls are squealing with laughter and I now I am in for a treat. I just thought to myself... memories are being made right now. They will think back when they are older about the best times of their lives... and I bet this will be at the top of their list. Today has been filled with hugs, tears, laughter, and so much more. These are what memories are made of.

Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day Two!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Wow... 6:00am came so fast! I jumped out of the bed and quickly got myself ready. Around 6:15 I made my rounds stopping at the peace, love, and dance room. I started singing "good morning... good morning" until they opened their door. Miss Kim can dance but Miss Kim CANNOT sing so the doors were opened pretty quickly. I gave every girl a big ol' hug and told them good morning. I think the sweetest thing in the whole world is a sleepy child's face... I know dancers... you are young ladies but you will always be my girls. We left right on time and were the first ones at breakfast. Let the feast begin. There were eggs, bacon, pancakes, doughnuts, pastries, fruit, oatmeal, you name it and it was there. I made my rounds making sure everyone had something healthy on their plate and something good to drink. I loved hearing all the behind the scenes stories such as Dani transforming into a supermodel and posing in several outfits for Miss Karena.

After breakfast we broke into two groups. I took the All American girls to learn their routine while Miss Karena took the rest of the group back to brush teeth. The All American dancers were chosen by asking the 8th graders first. Three 8th graders wanted to try out which opened up three additional spots. I asked for volunteers and Lillie W., Carly, and Becky raised their hands so they will join Lilli C., Bethani, and Katherine in the All American tryouts which will be held tomorrow afternoon. When we all arrived for the first session of camp we were surprised by two teams which brought us goodies! How sweet of them. It really made my girls feel special... just a piece of candy can do wonders.

I went to a meeting which was very interesting. All the girls were given personality tests. After taking the tests they gave them to me and they were a Directing Tiger, Entertaining Robin, Steady Teddy Bear, or a Cautious Snake. We had to take them too and I was a Robin. I was really amazed at how true to life these evaluations were. Even when we went to lunch three snakes sat together while robins grouped into one large group and so on. Tigers take charge and love new challenges, Robins are motivating, do not like to be controlled, and make friends easily, Bears do not like change, listen more than talk and have great eye contact, and Snakes do not like making mistakes and are very detailed oriented. This was a great tool for me to use when I am teaching, dealing with certain situations, and just being a better coach overall by knowing how each girl learns.

When I finished my meeting the girls had finished learning their B routines. Some learned a fast paced pom routine while the rest learned an incredible jazz dance. They had a trivia game after and TMS dancers answered two questions correctly and won prizes! The girls raced to lunch like usual and filled their bellies. I laughed at one dancer when she asked me if it was supper... guess she thought it had been a long day. The dancers did enjoy a nice 45 minute break after lunch and some girls actually took a little power nap. We headed back to class with spirit in our step. The girls made a tunnel for all the other teams and cheered them on as they entered the gym. During this session they rehearsed their dances and then did something really incredible. The hit TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" is honoring National Dance Day and having dancers across America show them how they are celebrating. UDA has become involved by filming their dancers performing the hip hop dance. Our girls were filmed doing the dance and are keeping their fingers crossed that they will see themselves on the upcoming Wed night show. Who knows? Even our little Becca yelled out from the huge crowd "Hey So You Think You Can Dance"!

We finished our evening with dinner, another routine, then rehearsal, and now bed. My specialty awards tonight were "Race To The Finish Line": Maya Williamson and "Most Spirit": Carly Cates. The girls were fading fast at the last dance and these two girls kept up their energy to finish with a bang. Good job. The confidence levels in my girls are skyrocketing... doing things that I know is out of their comfort zone. There are feeling free to be themselves and have a ton of fun. They do not mind being the loudest, trying to dance the biggest, and just walking up and talking to a dancer they have never met before. There is even a high school team from Virginia that has adopted our team... they said that they just love what we do. This sort of thing happens every year. We are connected through dance... it gives us the chance to be the best we can be and do what we love to the fullest.

Good night,

Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day One!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

What a day! We began our journey this morning departing at 8:00am. Girls eagerly hugged their moms goodbye and we boarded our cars with "UDA or bust" on our minds. After touring the Wake Forest campus for around 20 minutes because Miss Kim could not find her way we finally located the registration desk. The girls unloaded their bags and started there journey to their suites. This year I had several parents who helped me until Miss Karena arrived. They helped with my van, my luggage, paperwork, you name it and they were there... I almost convinced a couple of moms to stay but their daughters might not have liked that. The girls had one thing on their minds... DECORATING! Themes are just amazing this year. Christmas, Casino, Pretty In Pink, Candy Land, Rainbow, and Rock and Roll to name a few. After decorating we walked to Subway and filled our bellies. Quite a few bees joined us so we decided to eat at our dorm. The girls had a thousand questions... what do we do first... when do we go... are we the youngest... will it be too hard... and so on and so on.

We did our headcount and headed to our camp opening. I attended a meeting while the girls had their first warm-up. They split up and learned two different dances. I went back and forth to each class making sure all the girls were doing ok. I saw smiles on their faces, bounces in their steps, and screams coming from their lungs... they were finally at camp. After learning A routines we had our home routine practices. The girls listened to the criticism given by the UDA instructor and immediately looked even better than before. Then the instructor said the magic word... time to eat!!! I laughed so hard because of one particular dancer that is generally always last... run to the front of the pack... briskly walking to the dining hall. Nothing was getting in her way. The girls found themselves in a wonderland of food not knowing which way to go first. Some started with dessert while others ended with dessert. One tiny little girl put away almost an entire plate of Oreo delight! The girls sat all together and laughed until they could not laugh anymore. They cleaned their area well because TMS Dance Team would never leave a mess!

After dinner we quickly changed into our uniform for our home routines. Girls lined up in my room as I poofed several heads of hair. We had several photo ops as we traveled back to the gym. The girls danced their dance in front of filled bleachers... and they did it like they were pros. I appreciated Western Dance Team's girls cheering my girls on... thank you! The girls did not seem nervous at all to me which made me feel like a million bucks. After home routines they got to start their drill downs which is basically a dance version of Simon Says. Bethani, Lilli C., and Cameron were winners for TMS bringing in 8 yellow ribbons! We headed back to the dorm at 8:30pm to practice. We practiced for a full hour outside in our common area. I am so proud of my girls not going and laying down... instead they worked and worked hard. I saw an intense desire to do well from some of my dancers which made me feel so good. Showers began around 9:30 and some girls started to call parents when all of a sudden... the fire alarm went off! It was 10:15 I think and all of us learned a lesson (although it was not my team)... when flat ironing one's hair you should look up and make sure you are not directly under a smoke alarm! We made it back to our rooms around 10:30 to finish our showers.

We had a short meeting to talk about the day and what was upcoming on Saturday. I gave two awards... Hardest working: Becky Thomas... .Biggest Dessert: Cameron Clark!!! I did a bed check and door check and all is well tonight. I had one dancer a little homesick but that quickly passed when her roommate told her she could sleep on her air mattress with her. That made me have a little tear... my team is coming together... helping each other out in ways they never thought they would. Today these girls danced together, ate together, cheered together, laughed together, sweated together, and now are quietly sleeping together. The bond is forming. Thank you UDA for this opportunity to show these girls what being a team is all about.

Goodnight,

Miss Kim

Getting To Know You!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

In past couple of months TMS dance team has had about four practices. These practices have been filled with technique, learning, and working on our home routine for dance camp. It has not given me a chance to get to know my girls except what type of dancer they are. Well, that all changed Tuesday and Wednesday night! We had our annual covered dish supper with moms and dads. We prepared for camp and answered all the camp questions. The main thing the girls are worried about is the food and the showers... and if there are enough of both! The storm was quite intense so the pool closed early before we got a chance to swim. I knew how important this time was for the girls so we planned for the next night after dance. After dance team practice we headed to the pool. I love this time because this is when I really get to see the girl's personalities. We went off the diving board... yes... WE.... I did my flip again for them! The girls went down the slide... all of these were picture moments. They made their dancer circle in the pool and then took pictures with their big sisters and little sisters. I was so happy about what I saw in the pool... all of my girls were talking to each other... no little groups... all together. I see a team forming... not just on paper but through each other. Seeing relationships grow between girls that might not have ever been friends. That is what a team is... coming together through something we love.

UDA here we come!!!

Miss Kim