A little bit of magical wishing dust
A half dozen little princesses wearing pink tutus and sparkly tiaras sit in a circle listening intently to fairytales. Each older princess takes a turn telling her magical story, while the younger ones chime in with excitement.
After the tales, the princesses grab cupcakes and punch while the pizza cooks in the kitchen. With magic wands in hand, they get ready for crafts, colouring and more make-believe.
The girls are here for a My Little Princess Party, an event organized at Kirsty Provan’s house in North Vancouver.
After completing Studio 58, a competitive theatre school in Vancouver, and with her love of children in mind, Provan started My Little Princess Parties this spring.
Wearing an off-the-shoulder poofy yellow dress and her dark hair in a half-bun, Provan plays a stunning princess.
She gathered three other friends — all professional actresses — to play the other princesses, including Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.
“Each girl has her favourite princess, one they associate with,” says Provan while taking a break from the launch party.
“The way princesses are portrayed, they can be seen as weak and relying on men, but they are also powerful and tough.
“We want to encourage girls to be strong, independent and brave.”
Seven-year-old Nora Kopsa, sitting beside Provan and also dressed in yellow, agrees, reciting a long list of her favorite princesses.
Provan, 25, worked as a nanny and a daycare teacher to pay her way through theatre school.
Hosting princess parties is her ideal job because it combines her two passions; acting and working with children. It all started with private requests for dress-up parties, she adds, and eventually turned into a full-time business.
“Kids grow up so quickly, especially in North America,” says Provan. “It’s important they take time to play and use their imagination.”
Princess Parties includes a tea, birthday cake, a princess birthday song and a magical gift. For more information visit mylittleprincess.ca.
mgarstin@northshoreoutlook.com
twitter.com/michaelagarstin
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