(photos from my freshman-year collage…can you find me?)  🙂

My parents met Folk Dancing at BYU and it intrigued me.  I love dance and tried-out my first semester.  Four years in a row I performed with the Folk Dancers at Christmas Around the World.  We did American Contras, a Japanese Fan dance, a Western line dance, and I can’t remember what I did my last year…:), I think it was a Hungarian suite. 

My second year I joined in the ticket selling competition and won…selling the most out of the entire Folk Program (about 200 dancers).  The third year (or was it the second? I think it may have been both)I also got involved with decorating the trees that filled the Marriott Center Stage.  (Those tree lighting skills Scotty taught me have sure come in handy these past few Holidays!)

It was a magical time.  I learned to get projects and papers done way in advance for all I wanted to do during rehearsal was watch all of the other dances.  I remember spending an entire rehearsal peeking through the crack of the side-stage entry…until dancers would come running at us and my friend and I had to move (I think it was Brandi Blaser and I that were peeking…)  

It was a time to share with teammates and the performances always brought a rush of joy.  This year the kiddos and Gigi were able to go and enjoy the show together.  It was special in that it was their first performance to watch from the audience…as it was mine.  Their faces of wonderment told me that we’ll be going again.  🙂 

Congratulations to Mary Bee, Ed Austin, the entire staff, current folk dancers, alumni dancers and musicians, current folk band members and Russ Wood, the announcer…it was a fantastic show!  Scotty, the tech and stage has come a long way in the past ten years….oh, I’m getting old…but yes, the last time I danced in CAW was exactly 10 years ago!  So fun to see Ben Blaser, and Gary & Mindy Larsen for a brief moment…and yes, Ben, next year I need to come to the breakfast!  🙂  xoxo to all of my Folky Friends.  Thank you for the memories.  Love to you all!

One of our favorite friendship and performing books is Angelina’s Christmas by Katharine Holabird.  We’ve been reading it nearly everyday since we went to see Maile in the Nutcracker…the perfect warm up to CAW!  🙂

Have you been to CAW?  Do you have a favorite holiday performance that you traditionally attend?