Dutch Dancing

Another year, another Tulip Festival has begun. According to the local newspaper, the Holland Sentinel, there are fewer high school kids doing Dutch dance this year. Nevertheless, the dancers still put on a good show last night! 

It can't be easy, kicking your feet as you go around in a circle - while wearing wooden shoes. 

Here, the "boys" are dancing in circles around their girl partners. I put the word "boys" in quotation marks because the vast majority of the "boy" dancers are girls wearing boy costumes. 

Take a bow, ladies. And you've got some cute Dutch folk costumes there!

More energetic kicking! I don't know the rules at the other area high schools, but I know that our daughter's high school considers Dutch dancing a spring sport. Thus, it counts toward the gym requirement the school has. With all the practicing the Dutch dance teams do, plus the performances during the Tulip Festival, it's just as big a time commitment as the sports teams - and just as much athleticism is involved! 

The Tulip Festival continues for the remainder of the week, with visitors cruising the tulip lanes via car or tour bus, musical performances at different venues around town, three parades - and, of course, more Dutch dancing!