From a swinging bachelor who could never stand kids in his heyday, to a grandpa who can never see enough of them, I was thrilled to be invited to my granddaughter Cassandra’ first recital at C.W. Post College. It was a glorious Saturday morning that my sun−addicted wife begrudgingly gave up to witness the debut of a new prima ballerina, Cassandra Santa Maria, the gorgeous red−headed five year old that my son Carl and daughter−in−law Lori gave us. Grandma Sharon had to give up her sunning and shopping Saturday to witness Cassandra’s introduction to the ballet stage…and happily, she was magnificent! There were no other five−year−olds on that stage. If there were, we never noticed them; confirmed by Frank and Dolores Augustine, the non−biased other grandparents of Cassandra.
The Tilles Center of Performing Arts, a 2,200−seat state−of−the−art theater, was full with other grandpas and grandmas, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers and neighbors who shelled out $24 for each coveted seat. When your child goes to dancing school and has a recital, every blood relative you can invite, cajole or threaten has to come. Sharon and I had our share of seeing recitals; most of them held in non−air conditioned high schools on the hottest of days. We suffered for three hours to catch three minutes of twirling, turning and leaping of our darlings.
But the show that the Techniques Dance Studio put on that Saturday was so great that, after the opening number that boasted four dozen tap dancers that would make the Radio City Rockettes proud, I gave a thunderous YEEEEAAAAAH’s that gave a lot of the older folks near heart attacks. Especially Brandon’s Abronowitz grandparents who sat right in front of me, they nearly jumped out of their seats from the roar. Brandon was in a tap number “5 Guys named Joe” and was the best of the lot. When he came to visit his relatives a dozen strong, he received his just accolades from his family. Sharon cautioned me not to give any more YEAHS less we would be calling 911 for multiple emergency ambulances.
Those of you that have heard me YEAHHHH know I’m not exaggerating. Just ask City Councilman John C. Liu who was honored at the Progressive Democratic Club and jumped when I roared at his introduction…he was impressed!
So after the stern warning from my wife, I didn’t YEAH anymore, even though all the numbers deserved them and would save my last YEAH for Cassandra. Incidentally, Techniques studio has been voted Long Island’s Best Children’s Dance Studio for 2009, and this was their 13th Annul Recital. The show was so well put together that Sharon confessed that despite missing the sun, even she was so glad to see it, and that was before Cassandra’s number.
Whoever was responsible for the music for the 53 numbers should apply for the “Dancing With the Stars” orchestra, who play the worst non−danceable music I have ever heard. Techniques music was great. The choreography was great, the dancers were all great and the mix of numbers was fantastic. I can’t wait for next year’s recital when Cassandra will do tap and ballet. Cassandra told me, “I knew it was you, Grandpa, I heard your YEAAHH!”
