Dance

Dancing is now a big part of our lives.  Tristan has to move. In fact looking back it is obvious now that he should have been dancing up a storm from a much earlier age.   I have spent these past 5 years trying to get my little compressed spring to sit and write and do his work on his own.  Well, all I can say is, that to stay sane you have to work with what you have.

This school year I have been concentrating on movement and finding discipline in that process.  I figure that if he finds discipline in his body movements, meaning if every move he makes is intentional, this will carry over into his work. To this end Tristan has been working on his brown belt in karate, attending classes in parkour (where he learns to move his body efficiently over obstacles and land safely) and breakdancing.

Breakdancing has become a passion for Tristan, an outlet where he can really push himself, use all of his strength and show off at the same time.  It is a social dance where his fellow breakdancers are constantly showing their new moves.  He is making up moves and he has a whole new set of excuses for doing his math upside down! He has two mentors, Nicole and Luis who are his heroes.  He has two buds with whom he would breakdance with all day if he could (and play Minecraft!)

We were early

I think last time I was talking about dance on this blog, Tristan was preparing for his first dance competition (dance battle) in Westport last November.  His teachers are professional break dancers who compete and train almost every night.

They are amazing at what they do.  They also organize the coolest events. They have DJ's who break beats with their hands on record players using real records...remember those! The event was an ecclectic mix of people who love to dance. So much fun!

Warming up

Cool DJ

Nicole trying to relax Tristan who was so so so nervous!

Proud parents watching our kids dance.

Tristan was knocked out in the semi final with a tie breaker and was very pleased with himself.  The next night we headed out to this nightclub in Danbury to see his heroes in action.  Some of the best breakdancers in the world had showed up for a "crazy eight" battle and to celebrate Sweet Lu's (his teacher) 12th anniversary of breakdancing.  The moves were mind-blowing (and ear drum blowing).  It was great to see the action and Tristan was inspired. He kept saying, "dancing is my life" and "I am dancing...it is what I do."  So we are going with it.

Calypso cafe "crazy eights" battle with DJ Lean Rock in Danbury