Le Spectacle

Sunday was what has been by far, the greatest day of Marie-Césare's life..... if you ask her.  It was the day of her spectacle.  The day that we have had on our calendars since January.  The day that we had been talking about during every lull in the conversation since March.  And the day that we had been counting down the days for since the beginning of May.  

Her teacher, Camille Pauget, is a highly accredited classical ballet teacher and has been dancing since she was a small child.  She is a bubbly, sweet, sympathetic girl....not much older than me.  Her dance class is just behind the Moulin Rouge at Cité Veron....and from the entrance of the school you can watch the back of the Moulin spin 'round and 'round and the long-legged can-can dancers come in and out for practice. 

I met the entire Lachaize clan at La Cigale, one of the more famous theaters in Paris.  It is certainly not the Opéra, but the design by Phillipe Starck has attracted performers from all over the world such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Allman Brothers, Iggy Pop, Prince, Eric Clapton, and Coldplay.  The line outside was extraordinarily long and packed full of parents with their cameras ready to aim and fire.  People were pushing and shoving to get the best seats in the house.  In fact, just as we sat down a woman in front of us began yelling at a man because he took one of her places.  She was yelling at him asking why he couldn't see that they were her seats and that he took a seat of a 65 year old man, aka, her father.  It went on for 5 minutes or so and finally a man a couple of rows back lifted his voice in a heavy French, "Heeyyyy Ohhhhhh!" He explained that they shouldn't be so petty at a child's dance recital and that it really is no big deal.  This whole she-bang should have surprised me, but it didn't.  In fact, I was surprised the seats weren't numbered to avoid the already evident debacle.  

Camille came out and introduced herself and said her piece, and just as she did, I heard a faint sing-song noise.  The entire theater was quiet and at that moment I realized that somehow my iPod was playing Jimmy Buffett's "Why Don't We Get Drunk", one of the more embarrassing songs of his collection, yet still a classic Buffett.  I haven't heard the song since his concert in Nashville, and I can't say that after it was playing in the silent theater that Sunday that I ever want to hear it again.  I was hopeful that people couldn't recognize the words as I fumbled around in my purse for my iPhone.  I was almost there and must have hit another button when Ke$ha's "Tik-Tok" changed the tone.  Strike number two.  My face was beet red and I sunk down in my seat as I was embarrassed not only by the fact that everyone could hear, but also by my poor music selection.  

My phone was on silent which was the weird thing, but needless to say after that I turned it off.  

All the dancers came out wearing white leotards and tutus, pink Repetto tights, and light pink demi-point ballet shoes.  Everyone's hair was wrapped tightly into a chignon, including Marie-Césare's.  Camille's oldest age group seemed to be no older than 15, and only a couple of them actually had promise to be a prima ballerina.  

The theme was Alice au pays de merveilles.  Sort of a twist on Alice in Wonderland.  Marie-Césare and her class were starfish, fish, and little red crabs in a dream that Alice had.  Marie-Césare was an étoile de mer, and her best friend a crab.  She danced beautifully, even though the entire class was glancing off to the side to follow Camille who was posted up and hidden by the heavy red velvet curtains.  Every now and again you could hear her clap, as to keep the girls in time...even though it didn't make any difference.  

It reminded me of all those years I danced and dressed up in all those poofy, tulle laden costumes.  The sheer amount of hairspray used in my hair was enough to clog the universe for years.  I enjoyed many years at the Art of Dance with Judy Copeland-Tetz.  Jazz, ballet, tap....I learned them all.

The dances continued on for a couple of hours, all while Alice winds herself in and out of her wonderland.  

The "legumes."

Champignons.

Servers at the "non-anniversaire."

Camille and Marie-Césare at the end of the recital.  We can certainly all tell who's the favorite.  

Since we started in true French fashion, 30 minutes late, we finished around 5:15.  I was to go to Alison's birthday surprise celebration at 5:30, and what do you know, I was late....true parisienne style.