Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  Preschoolers doing the chicken dance wins the cuteness award every time. Middle School students hitting the sass of All That Jazz takes the right on attitude prize. Everything in between in brings smiles and tears in equal numbers. For all that earnest endeavor.

The Mountain Movers Spring Recital took place last Saturday, May 11, in the Nederland Middle Senior High School auditorium because the program has outgrown itself.

Director Angela Delsanter started the dance program for kids nine years ago, with six students. On Saturday, 58 dancers from preschool to middle school took the stage and tapped, twirled and tip-toed on the hardwood floor. They were donned in brilliant shimmering colors as well as angelic white costumes that had them looking like dandelion parachutes floating on the air as they pranced and pirouetted.

The show began with the middle school ensemble performing Feel It Still, their movements precise, their focus on the music and what they were saying with their bodies.

They were followed by three preschool dances that brought out the best in their abilities to jump and spread their arms and push their gymnastic abilities. The kindergartners enacted Feeling Good, finding their rhythm and getting the audience to join in on the beat that clicked with the tapping of their toes.

The show’s finale number herded all of the kids onto the stage, each group making their entrance and then all of them taking a final bow.