Per usual, the cast arrived early on first day to load in the trucks. With only a couple of injuries, we set everything up pretty quickly. When that was done, we met with Bruce Sampson. Being our first director in the South, he wanted to get to know us better, so we had an impromptu sing around. I love it when we do that because it reminds us how talented our friends are. When you get on tour, you pretty much hear or see your friends do the same thing every three days and though they’re really good at those things…well, I’m sure you can figure it out.

Anywho, we started workshop with one less cast member (he got sick). We sang. We danced. We ate dinner. We sang. We danced. We heard a lot of new accents. We went home. I know there are a lot of talented kids in every town, but really, as a group these kids are super talented. Jaws dropped many-a-time during blue dance circle. We have started to realize how big cheer and tumbling are in the South. I have to say, I don’t mind that one bit.

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Day two started with four less people and a lot of bows (we girls like to follow new trends). One down fall of tour is how quickly sickness spreads among the group. We met, covered the tracks of the missing people and got right into warm up with the kids, then classes. I go to blue classes, next poetry, then drawing. The kids were a little apprehensive but went through it with a good attitude. I love classes.

Unfortunately, half way through the day a cast member got an emergency phone call from home. It kind of changed the dynamic of how we worked with the kids and each other. We realized that every moment counts and not to take anything for granted. Those words sound so cheesy, but in situations like that you really understand them. And thankfully, we always have Lion King to express them.

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Things ran pretty smoothly third day. We came in early, walked one person out of the show and had lunch. We ran our show and then let the kids in. Ran their show. Yada, yada, yada. We all did a show. Seriously though, the show went great. Like I said before, these kids are super talented. Round off, back handspring, back lay out does not happen in every opener. Phenomenal.

I sell merchandise after every show and I hope what I saw in Watson continues in every town. Whenever two kids came up to the table and one kid bought something the other couldn’t afford, the first kid always offered to share. I pretty much have never seen kids be that nice to each other in my life. Their parents weren’t even with them, so I know their jestures were genuine. It makes it even cuter when they offered in their little Southern accents. Thanks ya’ll!