Maxine's Maldivian Dance

Maxine's dance

      It was a glorious afternoon at Hithadoo Stadium when Maxine's preschool performed their  dance.  Each child had been assigned to bring ten balloons.  On the way to the stadium, I saw one child in full costume on the back of a motor scooter, holding up his ten yellow balloons.  The balloons were then tied to the fence behind the grassy area where the children danced.

Makeup session

     We had gone ahead of time to the house of Maxine's friend, Janna, where  Janna's aunt provided Maxine's first makeup job.    

      Fourteen schools were scheduled to perform, with Saeedhiyya being the 7th.  Each school wore different, sometimes elaborate costumes.   It would have been like Little League, where you sit for three hours waiting for the five minutes when your child is up,  but  the spectacle and the children's excitement made the time go by easily.  There were about 300 proud parents in the stands, with lots of children who are well schooled at patient waiting.  Maxine  watched all the dances intently, and moved along with the music.

Maxine and Janna

     When it was Saeedhiayya's turn, the children milled about offstage, slipping their shoes off as  the teachers lined them up and directed them onto the grassy stage.  The dance was long, about 4 minutes, and complicated, with kids moving in all directions but mostly together.  Maxine kept right up, beaming the whole time, and singing the words in her version of Dhivehi.   We all had a wonderful time.

Me acting like a grandmother

Member of the Hokey-Pokey dance team