I went to my first Boston Tea Party Swing
Dance Conference - so fun!!
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Got there on Friday afternoon, bought Comfort suede dancing shoes, took 4 hour long workshops, had a brief rest, my roomate (another unschooling mom) arrived and we chatted for a couple hours. Then danced from midnight till 6am. No kidding!
Saturday - Up at 11:40am ish, took part in the Newcomer Jack and Jill contest. Attended a couple of workshops. Rested. Watched various crossover dances (Lindy and WCS). Danced again midnight till 6am. I especially loved it when I felt a dance went well...like when I could keep up with the moves or was able to dance with someone more advanced who could lead me through new steps and movements - that was awesome!! Though I am a newbie, I did ask people of all levels to dance if I wasn't asked. My goal was practice and fun!
Sunday - Up at 10am (woke up feeling sleepy, but not tired enough to go back to sleep). Got things packed in the car to go home. Took 3 awesome workshops - loved all of them! Watched finals, did some social dancing and headed home at 6:30pm.
Now I want to go to the Gold Room even more! There is a lesson and then social dancing every Monday night in Portland. Hmmmm....will need to adjust my schedule and see if there is a way to do that...at least in the warmer weather and after Jim's busy season.
Dance Conference - so fun!!
There was a Jack and Jill contest where you get randomly paired with another dancer and dance three dances. I started learning West Coast Swing since January, but decided to give it a go. I placed "alternate" which means that if one of the people who got called back didn't show up, I would take their place. The young people whom I take WCS classes with on Thursday evenings placed in the finals!! Awesome!!
Dance 1 was my best. I had danced a bit with Craig in a workshop and he moved at just the right pace for me....he focused on basic moves that I could keep up with. I think it looked good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwBFK6aMnU
Dance 2 I stunk at. My partner had awesome moves and gave cues fine. However, I need to learn how to better understand how to respond to the cues and learn more movements and styling and have all that feel natural. I wish I had been able to keep up. Knowing this will motivate me to keep working on it. The more partner dancing I can do, the more steps I learn and practice, the better I'll get because it will feel natural and I'll understand how to respond to the cues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFokojMbvOY
Dance 3 - I Love One More Night by Maroon 5, but didn't move well enough to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BmSRa8l6MI
I'm so grateful for my friend's wife who taped the dances!
And I'm so lucky to have a sweet and generous husband who makes it possible for me to do the things I love the most! And for my kiddos who support me as they know how much I love to dance! :D
And for my friend Eileen whom I got to visit and share the experience with!
Dance 1 was my best. I had danced a bit with Craig in a workshop and he moved at just the right pace for me....he focused on basic moves that I could keep up with. I think it looked good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwBFK6aMnU
Dance 2 I stunk at. My partner had awesome moves and gave cues fine. However, I need to learn how to better understand how to respond to the cues and learn more movements and styling and have all that feel natural. I wish I had been able to keep up. Knowing this will motivate me to keep working on it. The more partner dancing I can do, the more steps I learn and practice, the better I'll get because it will feel natural and I'll understand how to respond to the cues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFokojMbvOY
Dance 3 - I Love One More Night by Maroon 5, but didn't move well enough to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BmSRa8l6MI
I'm so grateful for my friend's wife who taped the dances!
And I'm so lucky to have a sweet and generous husband who makes it possible for me to do the things I love the most! And for my kiddos who support me as they know how much I love to dance! :D
And for my friend Eileen whom I got to visit and share the experience with!
---
Got there on Friday afternoon, bought Comfort suede dancing shoes, took 4 hour long workshops, had a brief rest, my roomate (another unschooling mom) arrived and we chatted for a couple hours. Then danced from midnight till 6am. No kidding!
Saturday - Up at 11:40am ish, took part in the Newcomer Jack and Jill contest. Attended a couple of workshops. Rested. Watched various crossover dances (Lindy and WCS). Danced again midnight till 6am. I especially loved it when I felt a dance went well...like when I could keep up with the moves or was able to dance with someone more advanced who could lead me through new steps and movements - that was awesome!! Though I am a newbie, I did ask people of all levels to dance if I wasn't asked. My goal was practice and fun!
Sunday - Up at 10am (woke up feeling sleepy, but not tired enough to go back to sleep). Got things packed in the car to go home. Took 3 awesome workshops - loved all of them! Watched finals, did some social dancing and headed home at 6:30pm.
Now I want to go to the Gold Room even more! There is a lesson and then social dancing every Monday night in Portland. Hmmmm....will need to adjust my schedule and see if there is a way to do that...at least in the warmer weather and after Jim's busy season.
