Day 19.162: Exile #2's Sunday Column #556

Exile #2 writes...

This has historically always been one of the busiest weekends of the year. Exile #3’s dance school usually has their dance show this weekend, often involving Exile #3. For probably a decade, however, it has also involved Exile #1, who films, edits, and reproduces videos of the show. Exile #3’s birthday is usually on or around dance show day, too, and to cap it all off, Father’s Day usually rounds off the weekend.

This year was not too different. Exile #1 filmed the show. Exile #3 went to watch and cheer on the dancers, we celebrated Exile #3 on Saturday evening, and today we celebrated Exile #1, mostly by letting him have a very rare lie in, and the opportunity to choose an evening outing. He chose Biddeford Pool and, although we had had a rainy, thundery afternoon, this evening was absolutely perfect.

Day 19.124: Rainy drive to…line dancing?!

Exile #4 and their friends had arranged a pre-graduation gathering at a line dancing club for visiting family. Exile #3 decided against it but the rest of us went and had.a great time even if the volume of the music was not conducive to actual conversation with the other family members. 

Day 18.179: Busy busy

The reason for our ferry trip to dinner yesterday is that it's our twice-a-year executive management visit this week. Today was another good day of all day meetings with them. Good but tiring. When I got home, it was back to trying to get the dance video finished. Again, all going well, but still a bit to do.

Tomorrow, I have a couple more meetings before things get back to normal and then a car test drive. I'm not quite sure what we were thinking.

Day 18.161: Show day

Finally - a dry, sunny, not too hot Saturday. How did I spend it? Inside a dark auditorium for the most part. It was the end-of-year dance recital, and I am still videographer of choice. I kind of fell into it and I'm never quite sure how we got here, but it's a challenge I mostly enjoy twice a year (a small winter show and the big summer show).

It seems I have successfully done my task for today by capturing and then backing-up the video files. The majority of the work lies ahead with the editing, but the stressful part (there is really no way to recover if I fail to get the footage) is over.

Day 18.092: Spring Fling

What spring flung at us this morning was a few inches of snow - it carried on for a while after I took these although it eventually turned to rain. 

Nevertheless, E5N1 got dressed up to attend the achool’s Spring Fling dance this evening.

I guess in Maine, spring can look a lot like winter. 

Day 18.084: The fun “Goes” on

It was show two tonight followed by the cast and crew’s late night trip out for dinner. This show is so good - funny, moving, spectacular singing and dancing, and well-played in every role. 

Hard to get or find a good shot of E5N1 but here’s a still from a promo video shot at the dress rehearsal I believe. 

Day 18.083: Opening night

Opening night for the musical was a huge success. In addition to E5N1, we know a good proportion of the cast either from previous shows, because they are E5N1’s friends or - for a number of them including the lead - because they danced at the studio with Exile #3. She joined us tonight and caught up with several of them after the show. 

Day 17.340: Exile #2's Sunday Column #504

Exile #2 writes...

Here’s another photo of E5N1, courtesy of his school Facebook page. Underneath this gloriously hideous holiday sweater he had two thermal layers, and a fleecy jacket. It still wouldn’t have been enough for me! I had many, many layers on, thermal and otherwise, but still needed to curl up with a hot water bottle when we got home!

Exile #1 has spent the afternoon today in his side hustle as dance videographer. He is currently at the slightly nerve wracking data transfer phase but is hoping his now years of experience will make for a quick editing process!

Day 17.290: More dance

After dropping E5N1 at a local high school stadium to support his friends in their marching band festival, Exile #2, Exile #3 and I went into Portland to see this dance show this evening. It was great and so good for Exile #3 to be out and about.

Day 17.284: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #496

Exile #2 writes...

After a busy couple of days of pepping, E5N1 got to sleep in and stay in his pajamas all day. Not so for Exile #1 and myself. We spent the morning at church and then after a quick lunch headed out to Exile #3’s old dance school for their Fall Into Art event. We were honored to have been asked to perform a few songs before each of the two performances. This came with the distinct advantage of being able to watch the dance shows - a very nice way to pass the afternoon.

Day 17.157: Dance show day

I spent most of the day at the dance shows for what I still think of as Exile #3's dance school. I was doing the videography as I have done since 2018. I stepped into the role at a time of rather low expectations after a previous show's video had been a complete loss. However, it's safe to say that the staff, dancers, parents and I all have rather higher expectations at this point.

Show day is stressful - just one chance to get a well-exposed, in focus video of each dance. The processing will go on for some time - some pan & zoom, color adjustment and titles, but it seems like the raw footage is of acceptable quality - phew!

Day 16.342: Time to edit

My Saturday excursion (including my Santa selfie) was to record the winter dance show. For the third year, this was a rendering of A Christmas Carol in a show called Bah Humbug!

It’s a great show with dance, drama and even puppets:

I have the footage, and now the real work begins. 

Day 16.156: While I was editing…

While I’ve been editing the dance video on the computer in the basement, various things have been happening behind me from time to time. Some of them have been a little strange. 

Day 16.154: Also seen at the parade

Here is a photo of "poop-hat guy" and a few freeze-frames from little videos (all by Exile #2) from the parade. The Shriners in some of their little cars and (a first for us) little trucks and a shot of the hosts doing the Birdie Song dance (apparently called Danse des Canards in French).

As Exile #2 pointed out - quite a different vibe from the Memorial Day parade.

Day 16.151: Dance show

It's a strange twist-of-fate that finds me doing the videography for the dance show three years after our dancer graduated from it. Originally, I offered to synchronize the soundtrack music with someone else's video because I knew I could do that. Soon after, I found myself doing both the camera and the editing. And now, here I am still doing it when I no longer have a student in the show.

It's a great dance school and it was an excellent show (I saw it twice). I'll be getting even more acquainted with it as I edit the video over the next several days.

Day 16.058: Last dance…

…class was tonight. We’ve had a lot of fun and learned a few moves. 

Photo of two people dancing from pexels.com

Day 16.030: Getting in the swing

Tonight was the the third of six swing dance classes we're taking with the local adult education organization.

We're learning some moves - we now have five elements that can be strung together (at least in theory). I'm not sure how much it looks or feels like dancing at the moment, but we're having fun.

Day 16.016: Back to school

After dinner, Exile #2 and I walked down to E5N1’s first Maine school for the first in a series of adult education swing dance classes that she bought for my birthday. 

We had fun and even learned some things. We’ll see what five more sessions can do for us. 

Day 15.344: Cookie; Holiday show

I’m currently in the middle of editing the video for the winter dance show. This was a lovely thank-you on the day - a spectacular decorating job. Since it was gluten free, I could share it with Exile #2 as well. 

Day 15.280: Dance show

A few pictures of Exile #3's dance at the show yesterday, it was great!