Category: The Student Perspective

This Time, I Did Cry

5 Comments

I’m just going to get straight to the point with what I want to share because I can’t think of a good lead-in. Teacher had another surprise for me at the end of my lesson on Friday: a second anonymous sponsor. This one didn’t just pay for my lesson; they wrote Teacher a check that covered over six lessons!

It was too much this time; I had to go sit in the bathroom so I could cry. I sat in the stall for so long, the motion-sensor light went out on me! Even now, thinking about it, I’m a little teary-eyed.

Continue reading →

Eyes Up! Fighting My Own Nature

2 Comments

“You dropped–” 

“I KNOW!”

That was Teacher and me at my last lesson. I was the one yelling in frustration. 

It was the first lesson after the practice rounds on Saturday. Teacher had gotten comments back from the studio owner. I love getting these critiques and to my relief, there was nothing surprising. There is something comforting about learning that there isn’t anything major that you’ve been doing wrong that both you and your partner were unaware of. All of the comments were things Teacher and I have discussed and worked on before.

Continue reading →

Keeping the Faith

3 Comments

Hello my lovely readers!

Just a quick post tonight. I just finished up some work for the main day job. It’s been a busy week (and it’s only Wednesday!) with an extra project for the main job plus side work from the second job. That did not stop me from getting to my dance lesson tonight though.

Continue reading →

Interview: Elizabeth Thomson and Nicholas Barkley, From Boots to Bling

2 Comments

In my continued effort to bring you stories from other ballroom dancers besides me, I’m happy to introduce you to an American Smooth amateur couple, Elizabeth Thomson and Nicholas Barkley. They have backgrounds that you would not expect to find in ballroom and share an important message. This month, we get to learn how they got started in ballroom and formed their new partnership.

Continue reading →

Post-Comp Lesson and Planning Through Fear

2 Comments

As promised, I’m returning to share the details of my first post-Beach Bash lesson and my plans for what’s next. I would have normally had my lesson on Friday, the day after we competed (no, I wasn’t going to take the day off), but Teacher asked if I would move to Saturday so he could fit in other students’ lessons he had to cancel on Thursday. No problem, I’ve been there! So I took the opportunity on Friday to go out to a celebratory dinner instead (if I have to take a break, it may as well include delicious food!).

Continue reading →

Interview on The Dancing Housewife Show

Leave a comment

Hi everyone!  A little while ago, I was honored to be interviewed for the Dancing Housewife podcast. The episode aired today!

the-dancing-housewife-podcast

We talk about the inspiration behind my Dance Diaries series (including my personal experience behind the infamous “Friendly vs. Friends” article), the origins of my tree tattoo, and of course, my ballroom dancing.

You can listen to it on Google Play, iTunes or Podomatic. You can also access it directly on The Dancing Housewife’s blog.

Thanks for listening!

The strength to walk away…

Leave a comment

It breaks my heart, but she speaks the truth. For some, pro/am is like a tease and after so long, you’d rather the real thing or nothing.

BCBallroomdancer's avatarBeyond Cancer Ballroom Dancer

I walked away from dance yesterday.

It was and continues to be the hardest thing I have done.

The worse part is that I am not walking away from dance, I am walking away from pro/am.

I don’t want to keep pretending that pro/am works for me any more.

I used to think that at least pro/am gives me an option for dancing and that it is better than not dancing at all.  But I was wrong. At least if I am not dancing at all I don’t know what I am missing.  With pro/am I am constantly stuck at the side of the dance hall by myself watching amateur couples practice and work with their partners.  I am constantly reminded of what I lack (a partner), and I am forever on the outside of the dance community.

I don’t really have control over my dancing.  Budget is the first…

View original post 772 more words