Shakira and Niamh, Pretty Much the Same Person

I have been waiting months for this performance to happen.

Niamh’s class was one of the classes doing a dance performance at her school’s International Dinner Night. The night features performances from half of the classes at John Stanford International School, plus performances from the school’s BOC Kids (Bilingual Orientation Center). The “dinner” part of the night went away this year because norovirus was served for dinner the last 2 years. Ewwww. Having seen the entertainment provided by the kids, I doubt the pot luck was the reason folks went to the event.

One of Niamh’s teachers is a Zumba instructor, so she was the natural choice to choreograph the 1st Grade Spanish Class performance. The music she chose was Waka Waka, by Shakira. I have been listening to Shakira since I studied in Ecuador, which was way before Hips Don’t Lie, the song that made her famous in the USofA . I’m a huge fan.

Though Niamh and I listened to the song over and over and over, memorizing it in both Spanish and English, Niamh refused to let me see her practice the dance.

I know its really good to practice things more when you’re at home, Mama, and Jaya practices at home, but I just don’t want to. There is a reason we call her Lazy Legs.

Needless to say, I was very excited to see her class walk on to the stage and hear the opening holler of the song begin.

Needless to say, I was less than thrilled with my seating choice to video the performance once I realized Niamh was almost totally blocked from my sight, the lights were so bright that the kids faces were all blown out, and the 3rd grade boys I had positioned myself next to were very gassy.

Try to spot Niamh. She is second row, center stage, wearing a dark blue skirt with lighter blue belt. Featured in the front row are 3 of her besties, Hayden, Drew, and Jaya. Jaya is really enjoying herself. She practiced a lot.

Bueno, Damas y Caballeros, les presento El Primer Grado de Espanol y su interpretacion de Waka Waka!

Even though I couldn't see Niamh clearly the whole time, I had a HUGE smile on my face and tears in my eyes the whole time. There is something about watching my own kid and her friends on stage that confuses me emotionally.