HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Lots of Health, Happiness, Love and Success to all of you!
Merry Christmas!! Wishing you and your Dear ones a beautiful Holiday Season!!
I love learning!! It never stops! Just spent three amazing days in London with my teachers... and next week - joining Nadia Eftedal’s Holiday Ball & Camp in Beverly Hills. Excited!!!! :))))
I had such a great time at Holiday Dance Classic! It was a lot of fun as always and bigger than ever this year! Nearly 15,000 entries, quarter and semifinal rounds in most Pro-Am events, World Champion class panel of adjudicators, numerous Professional and Amateur divisions and a MAGNIFICENT SHOW Sunday night to wrap up this amazing event! The biggest names in the history of American and World ballroom dancing stepped on the floor to participate in it. The numbers were skillfully put together and the audience was absolutely delighted. We laughed, we cried, we were shocked, we were amazed.. - NOBODY stayed indifferent. Click on the link to have a taste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqKTFXR8Cmw. Congratulations to the organizers and we all look forward to another magnificent Holiday Dance Classic next year!!
Thanksgiving...
I have been blessed in my life to meet a lot of BEAUTIFUL people.. I have so many THANKS to give! Those who’ve been with me through my tough and good times: Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! Happy Thanksgiving!
My thoughts on Ohio Star Ball...
Ohio Star Ball this year was so much fun!! Great dancing, bubbly atmosphere, seeing old friends I haven’t seen for ages, meeting new people...
One of the biggest highlights of the weekend - watching my students compete. I find it very helpful as a teacher to see how they dance at the actual competition rather than just at a lesson. I see a more general picture of their dancing, their nemesis come out more pronounced, I get a chance to compare them to the rest of the competitors. I am now fully loaded with ideas for my upcoming teaching trips! Get ready my Dears!! :)
Another highlight - I loved the Info Channel at the Hyatt playing non-stop videos from the “older” Ohio Star Ball Championships. Nice authentic technique, good mechanics, beautiful original choreography.... I was mesmerized by some of the Tango amalgamations.. so intricate, so different... so unexpected and surprising... so TANGO.... Also, some beautiful holds with NON-BROKEN man’s left wrist highlighting Man’s leader role in dancing... and ladies creating their shape in accordance with their Woman’s role of the active following.. I was impressed...
Live competition and show on Friday and Saturday nights was no doubt the main highlight. Lots of energy.. handsome shoulder lines and beautiful swing, incredible speed and endless flexibility. This time around I caught myself watching gentlemen more than ladies though... Why is that? We have some good man dancers out there right now! :) Ladies, cherish them!!
Last but not least.. Costumes.. It is so nice to see when a couple think through and skillfully combine their costume details maintaining the same theme yet keeping lady look like a lady and man look like a man. I appreciate it a lot... And ... for ballroom people: Ballroom hold is sacred.. I believe one has to be properly dressed to put arms into a ballroom hold, show or competition doesn’t matter..
For those who stayed till Sunday night.. the last final highlight - Party at Char Bar. Thanks everyone for the great time!!!