Continuing the fashion show with Day 3 with theme, Sporty. We’ve been looking forward to this particular day since Pristine is most confident with her dance. She loves this song from Shakira and said she couldn’t wait to dance it on stage.
We’re proud of her for being so brave facing the crowd. Mommy could have never done even half as good!
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Another day, another fashion show. This time, the theme is “Trendy”.
A short video clip of their dance number to the song 4 Minutes by Madonna and Justin Timberlake. Pristine liked this song very much than the song they performed during the first day.
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There was an audition.
She was asked to walk, pose, sample a dance move.
Then she got in!
Pristine was quite busy during the summer vacation, modeling for an event here in Dubai for four days. Prior to that, they had training to practice walking and one song number for each day of the fashion show.
Here’s a clip of the fashion show, featuring their dance number. Pristine is that little one on the left (at the back)!
This is the 6th and last installment of Pristine’s modelling gig. You can read about Day 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 if you missed it.
Well, well, well, the Kids Fashion Week is coming to an end and the last day’s theme is Let’s Party! I didn’t know what to expect except that my mom told me they’d be dressed really beautifully today. M and I were surprised to see our 5 year old daughter looking like a 20 year old!
… minus shoes. She removed her shoes before going to the stage saying the new shoes hurt her. I was worried. Can she walk properly with her feet hurting?
And her turn was up.
Who said anything about new shoes and that they hurt the little feet?
When she came up on stage, the music played on the background was one of her favorites from the movie High School Musical. She was bouncy and dancing on the stage!
At the end of the show, the children gathered for a group photo. This is the point when Pristine always looks confused.
Then she starts playing with her dress.
When the kids were asked to gather at the center for a photo, Pristine learned her lesson and never let anyone push her around anymore. She positioned herself well.
Only to do this:
The new red shoes must have really bothered her after all.
Pristine had lots of fun during the event. She made lots of friends, gained confidence and most of all, was able to get busy for a month. Thanks to the Kids Fashion Week event (ran for a month including their training and practices) she was liberated from summer prison at home.
As the show wrapped up, I couldn’t see through my camera’s viewfinder properly. I was teary-eyed. My very confident girl, looking so mature with makeup and fancy dress still looked little among the crowd.
I like it that way. So little yet so poised and brave. I’m not ready for her to grow up just yet.
Day 5 of the Kid’s Fashion Week had lots of Hannah Montana and Camp Rock music! The kids were a joy to see all prepped up and very confident on the stage.
Pristine was asked to twirl an umbrella while walking on the ramp.
I didn’t get good shots of Pristine on the ramp because of the huge crowd near the stage. And also because I don’t have a camera lens that functions the way I want it to!
At the end of the show, the kids danced to Hannah Montana’s Hoedown Throwdown. Pristine’s been practicing the dance a lot at home. She like the music a lot. It was a joy seeing her dance on the stage, just enjoying herself and very oblivious of the crowd!
If only I could post the video of their dance here. But we recorded it using the conventional video camera, having a DV tape. You need to come to our house to see the video! LOL.
The kids after their dance number:
Photographers from local newspaper companies were there to take photos and the kids were ready for them. Afterwards, the Hannah Montana song was played again and they danced again!
They never seem to tired of that tune and kept dancing that the host had to say, ” a round of applause for the children, please” so many times!
At least for my kid.
The onset of summer in Dubai usually means, aside from the soaring temperature and hideous humidity that comes with it, exodus of expat women and children to their home countries or to more thrivable places.
We, however, did not plan on going anywhere during the course of Pristine’s summer vacation (from mid-June until school opens again in September).
Pristine’s last day of school was June 18, 2009 – that’s about 10 weeks ago. Up until the end of June, she was pretty ok at home, watching DVD’s (no TV channels installed in our TV), coloring books and practicing reading. Then came July. Luckily, she was chosen to participate in a modelling even so for 3 weeks, she practiced for a modelling show and did a modelling gig for a week. She enjoyed the time spent with her newfound friends and discovered her love for all things makeup and spotlight. No boring day!
Then came August. On the first week, she was resting at home, just watching DVD’s and napping a lot. On the second week, she was looking for her friends. My mom called almost everyone of her classmates in school and the kids living in the same apartment building but ALL of them were on vacation, including one boy who spends a lot of time at our home (his parents leave him at my mom’s care).
~ with one of her close friends, Eissen ~
Last week, she started asking my mom to take her outside, never mind the heat! And constantly asking when Eissen will come back and play with her.
A few days ago, my daughter erupted.
We are not used to seeing her having tantrums because it RARELY ever happens – only when she’s in pain maybe thought that is not even classified as a tantrum even because she only screams while crying. Suddenly, she was fed up at home. We couldn’t take her outside to the park because it’s too hot. My mom refuses to go out and take a cab on the way to the mall because it is too hot to walk outside and wait for a cab. We do take her out at night after our work but obviously, she needed more.
“I want someone to play with me! I don’t like being alone, alone, alone!!” <<repeated over and over while crying>>
My mother was very worried since this is the first time Pristine bursted out like that. It was such a sad sight to see. Tomorrow, some of her friends living in the same apartment building will be returning from vacation. Her loneliness at home should be eased a little until she’s back to school on September 6.
I’m counting the days.
Make us think – Dubai summer is a huge challenge for kids. We should have something going on next summer for her.
Day 4 of the Kids Fashion Week is all about the beach. Naturally, the kids were in their bathing suits. I pity them for wearing skimpy suits and exposing so much skin especially inside Dubai’s mall where it’s freezing.
The dressing room is far from the fashion show venue. The kids had to go out in the basement parking where it’s hideously hot and hellishly humid then come inside the freezing mall.
I captured a photo of the kids looking like this:
It’s really a wonder no one was sneezing as they came up the stage. I wish I had brought Pristine’s bath robe to cover her up. Poor girl.
But afterwards, the kids ran to the stage and maybe felt warmer. The fashion show started on time and the kids are getting used to the drill. They all wait for their turn to come the stage, amazingly calm as ever.
Can you see a hint of purplish-black spot on the right side of her forehead? That was the bump she had. Hadn’t been for the beige concealer, it really looked scary.
But the show must go on…
After the show:
The kids after the show, competing as to who gets to be in the center! Right after taking this photo, I saw my daughter getting elbowed and pushed back by butt (really!) by the girl next to her. Being non-confrontational (to a fault!) kid as always, she never elbowed back or said anything and just turned back in defeat and looked for another place.
My husband was so upset since he took the video and saw the entire kid drama.
Pristine had a long lecture that night. We (most especially, my huz) explained to her that she should not let people (even kids) elbow her like that. Everyone needs to stand up for himself/herself. She doesn’t need to elbow back but has to declare her own place without violence.
I just wish that girl’s parents gave a lecture to their daughter too. That hurting other people in order to reach the top (or in this case, take the center stage) is not a good thing.
Here’s another installment of the Dubai Kid’s Fashion Week that Pristine participated. If you’re tired of seeing my daughter’s face from Day 1 and Day 2 of the event, either bear with me or go read another bloggy. Heh, I need to post these photos and stories for my other family members scattered around the globe and hmm, just because I want to.
Where was I?
Oh, Day 3 of the Kid’s Fashion Week has the theme Fun n’ Funky in which I found my daughter with a beehive on her head. And a tinge of yellow color in it.
Whoa. Who-s-that-giiirl?
Comment of the day: “Mom, how come you didn’t buy hairspray before?”
She still looks a little bit nervous but managed to get up there and do her thing.
Still Ms. Pouty, though.
Pristine and some of the girs on the ramp:
Some of the kid models after the show:
Great show. I am still amazed at the children. There were no crying and tantrums. All of them just love the camera and the camera loves them!
Before the show, we saw the kids on the lobby, in full make up, giddy and ready to take the stage.
On the left is their trainor, whom they love so much. Eveyday, the kids compete as to who holds her hand on their way to the stage!
Day 2 of the Dubai’s Kids Fashion Week has the theme: Sporty. I am amazed how the kids get very involved and actually loving the spotlight.
Near the stage and waiting for her turn, I caught my daughter talking with a fellow kid model older than her (10 years old). What could they be talking about? Pristine asking for any modelling tips?
I’m sure that one of the things the older kid model said to her was, “don’t slouch like your mom!”
After their little talk, she was feeling ecstatic. And not slouching anymore.
On the ramp:
The kids in their sporty outfits.
Day 2 ended with Pristine a little bit nervous on the runway. She did not smile at all. Does she know that models have to deliberately pout?
Thank you very much to all who read and commented about my drivel yesterday. Pristine’s contusion was mild afterall, that’s why she didn’t cry. The doctor said everything will be fine except that she’s going to sport a purple line in her forehead in the next three days. I still feel a little bit bad but also a little relieved.
As promised, here’s the background story of Pristine’s participation in a fashion show.
Every year during summer when the temperatures rise and sales drop and go slow, Dubai holds a shopping event called Dubai Shopping Surprises to attract more people to the malls and shop. But shopping is not all there is during DSS, there are lots and lots of events aimed for kids (who can’t go play in the park in the sweltering, hellish heat). One of those events is the Kid’s Fashion Week where they select and train kids to catwalk and model for big kid fashion brands. The thirty minute fashion show stretches to 7 straight days with a different theme each day.
Honestly, I didn’t expect Pristine to be chosen as there were hundreds of hopefuls who auditioned (I heard there were more than 250 – and they selected 30 children). She was selected and invited for a closed door interview (no parents allowed inside!).
The 30 selected new kid models, aged 5-10 years old were trained for 6 days (6 hours/day!) by a professional model trainer and they had so much fun. It was a great summer activity for them!
Anyway, the Kid’s Fashion Week kicked off last Friday at 6:30 pm in Deira City Centre and here are some photos taken during the big event.
Pristine and her friends:
That little girl on the right had Lays Potato chips with her but the trainor gave her a break. Enjoy the Lays while you can little girl, coz you won’t be able to touch it when you grow up and become a professional model! 🙂
During rehearsals:
The show starts. She looks nervous while waiting for her turn to come up the stage. The Lays girl is behind her. Aren’t they adorable, all dolled up, or what?
On the stage…waiting for her turn.
The big moment came.
Just like during practice…go on…
Nervous smile…
The show finished quickly. Some moms were scolding their children for not walking more beautifully or not smiling wider. Me? I am just too happy that she has built up the confidence she needed to be able to come up on the stage, walk through that ramp, however short, stop and pose and still managed to give a nervous smile, even in front of a crowd.
I would have fainted already if it had been me.
Kids Fashion Week runs until Thursday at Deira City Centre from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm.
Finding Backroads 