Dancin'

Last night, I saw part of the annual Tournament of the Bands, which is where area schools get together and each puts on their show with band and color guard. I don't tend to think these things are all that great, and I've said more than once that the idea of driving kids to perform at damn-near professional levels bothers me -- my daughter, for example, cares a lot more about making her color guard coach happy than any of her instructors. Yet I have to admit, two or three of them put on a glittering show -- lots of movement, lots of graceful segues. Even their music was good, and band music has to go far for me to think that.

My favorite was the school which was the only competitor for their division. They won every award for that division!

But the thing that stuck with me came after all of the performances, when the various high schools' representatives lined up on the field, waiting for the judge's ratings. And waited, and waited. Finally, in desperation for something to fill the time, the announcer started playing 'Cotton-Eyed Joe', and, as might be expected, many of the kids started to dance. Watching them, I was struck by the fact that even doing this simple, non-planned event, one school's representatives stood out. They were a delight to watch. Their movements were both graceful, and, dare I say it, elegant. It was most unexpected. I am a little reluctant to say this, because it sounds creepy, but: I'd have been willing to watch just those two color guard girls, dancing as the spirit moved them. They were that good.

It was pretty amazing.