Day 35 - 40: Dance Camp, Church, Beach Day & Relaxation

This team from a Cincinnati dance studio called Encore Performing Arts came to the Dominican Republic to teach the girls in the San Pablo community a handful of different styles of dance, including tap, ballet, lyrical and jazz. With only 4 days to teach 7 dances, the girls separated the younger girls from the larger so that the dancers in middle school could teach the "littles" when the high school dancers could teach the "bigs."

Here are some of the photos of a few of the team members with local kids they bonded with throughout this week.

 


With around 4 - 5 hours of practice each day, the dance girls and the locals did their best and pulled of a very nice dance recital. The song that one of the girls danced a lyrical dance to was called "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors (video below.) The song in English is posted here.

I was really excited to see how the dances would end up. But I was a little more excited when some of the girls asked me to sing with them at church "Holy Spirit" by Kari Jobe. The video is sideways unfortunately, but since it was a live version that was being played, the song was over 6 minutes long; this clip was taken out of that 6 minute video.

Today was beach day, so we spent the day lying on the beach chairs while watching the waves roll in. Some of the girls on the team and I were able to connect really well, so they got me out on this banana boat where we raced on the waves (don't worry we fell off and couldn't get back on a few times, all the while getting salt water in our mouths and having to spit it back out.) The video below is of my boat floating in before the driver flipped us off. Three groups of girls went out on these banana boats and went on a ride that was only $5 (I am on the middle of the banana boat in the left photo with a red life jacket on.) 

These group of girls were so funny and bright to be around. I am very thankful for the chance to have met them. These girls, between the age of 16 and 17, were very awesome to be around. From left to right, there was Makayla and Cameron in the front row and then Grace, Shelby, Me, Cameron, Zoe, Kennedy and Natalie in the back row. I hope to be able to make it up to Cincinnati to hang out with them soon. 

It isn't an actual beach trip without sharing a Virgin Pina Colada right out of a pineapple with friends! (Cameron and I pictured right.)

This was the lunch many didn't want to encounter this trip, but this white fish hit the spot after playing in the water for two hours. Red Snapper fish with a salad, white rice and tostones (or fried plantains.)

Beach day #3 this summer was spent around friends that I am happy to have made. I miss them already as I got up at 5:30 am today with them as they left to board the bus for their 8 am flight this morning. I really hope to keep friends with them for years! I love you girls so much!