Happy Sunday dancers! I’m taking an uncommon break right now to chill on the couch to watch some TV and check in with you. I can’t chill too long because I have to do some extra work for the day job tonight. I am multi-tasking and also getting the laundry done at least. So what’s been happening?
Category: Competitions
A Review of Ballroom Beach Bash – a Smooth Redemption and a Standard Debut
I had a lot of reasons to feel stressed leading up to Ballroom Beach Bash. We had worked on our Standard routines for only a couple weeks at most. Tango was basically self-taught because we got the choreography the week before the comp, and then I was at a conference for 5 days. Because of that, my last lesson with Teacher was an entire week before the competition. When I went to the studio after returning from my conference for one last solo practice, I could barely remember any of the Standard choreography I had worked on so hard every evening after my meetings were over. And Smooth? We hadn’t touched that style since we competed at The Royal Ball. I felt unprepared and I felt disconnected from Teacher after being away.
It turned out that the fears causing my stress were unfounded, mainly because I acted on them.
Countdown to Ballroom Beach Bash: 4 Days – Practice Anywhere, Practice Everywhere
These countdown series are going to be more difficult to do when my competitions come so close together! It hasn’t even been a month since my last competition, and I’m already less than a week away from my next one. Like I said in my last post, #cantstopwontstop!
A Review of The Royal Ball – #CantStopWontStop
Hellooo lovely dancers! I am so sorry I’ve been a little absent on the blog. Things have been crazy! Nothing slowed down after I finished dancing at The Royal Ball. I didn’t even have time to jump on here to update you on how the competition went. Please allow me to remedy that now.
Countdown to The Royal Ball: 12 Hours!
Happy Friday all! It’s still light outside, but after I finish this post, I’m getting ready for bed. I’m waking up at 3am tomorrow to get ready for the Royal Ball! That probably sounds crazy to you, but originally, I was planning on a 2am wakeup call.
Countdown to The Royal Ball: 1 Week – Surrounded by Dementors
Wasn’t it just a couple weeks ago that I was finally admitting I don’t suck as a dancer? Well, the demons have exacted their revenge for being shelved. My private lessons this week may as well have been group classes with all of the dementors that joined me and Teacher (the demons hired dementors to find their escaped prisoner, get it?).
Countdown to The Royal Ball: 2 Weeks – Dressing for the Occasion
Does anyone know where February went? I saw it coming, but then it seems to have come and gone while I was in the other room or something. Or more likely while I was busy learning a new style of dance, and writing and managing my beta release of the Solo Practice Guide. It seems a little rude to not say hi to me, but whatever, hello to March!
A Review of Embassy Ball: It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times
Once upon a time, there was a girl who wasn’t great at much. At least, that’s what she thought. She was decent at some things and pretty good at others. Above average at best. But never quite enough to stand out, reach the top, or be remembered. Then came ballroom.
Dancing brought the girl to life! She started competing and began taking home first and second places right away. People praised her for her beautiful dancing. Her fragile ego swelled and she felt pride. She worked hard to improve her dancing and continued to win. Then after being away from the competition circuit for over a year, the girl returned. Even though she had continued to work hard and improve her dancing, she could not maintain those high results. Each competition put her lower in the rankings. Her ego began to feel exposed and vulnerable. And confused. She was dancing better than ever and felt amazing while doing it! How could she be placing lower than before?
It is at this point in the story that we join the girl, as she and her ego sort out the new reality.
Countdown to Embassy: 2 Days – Mind Games
The day’s almost here! I compete at Embassy Ball and the World Championships on Thursday! While Thursday is my only performance day, some of Teacher’s other students will be competing at both Embassy AND USDC, a.k.a. Nationals, next week. Stress levels were getting a little high, and so Teacher and his pro partner arranged a pre-comp gift for all of us. They invited sports psychology consultant Mario Soto to come to the studio and do a group session.
Countdown to Embassy: 18 Days – The Little Things
Excuse my language, but shit, is it really less than 3 weeks until I compete at Embassy Ball? It wasn’t even that long ago that I danced at Desert Classic.
It’s still weird to be doing a third competition this year and even weirder that each one has been only 2 or 3 months apart. Weird in a good way though.
It’s got me thinking about what’s changed or what I’ve done differently this year for these three competitions to be possible. I’m one of those people who get stuck on the idea that I just need that one big key thing to happen and then everything will work out. But really, it ends up being a bunch of smaller things that add up.
The Girl with the Tree Tattoo 