There was no time to celebrate...it was ANOTHER 4am start to get from the hotel to Orlando Airport, to catch a 7am flight to Chicago, and then on to Toronto!
Our studio was invited to participate in the 1st Olympic Stars Dancesport Championships held in Toronto, Canada. Being the only studio to attend from the whole of the United States, we got to represent the country.
Just as well, because one of my colleagues won the Top Teacher Award, and one of our students won the Top Student Award!
It was a whirlwind tour because we had to fly back the very next day on another of those awful 7am flights. Although I didn't get to go and see Niagara Falls, or experience the 287 (?!!)-shop malls, we did have the most hospitable welcome from our hosts, and we look forward to the 2nd Olympic Stars Dancesport Championships next year.
Sunday, 12 October 2008
2nd Place at United States Championships Sept 2008!
As you gather from the title, we did rather well!
After the time I had taken out of training, I hadn't planned to attempt the United States Professional-Amateur Championships in Orlando, Florida this year, but after training for just a couple of months, we thought, 'Why not?!'
It was a good attitude - I have a lot of competition experience, but never before at the National level. I didn't really know what I was in for, so in some ways, I was perhaps less nervous than I might have been.
Nationals was interesting...unlike other competitions, there was never a break in the events, so until we took that first step in the Waltz, we had no idea whether the floor was 'sticky' or 'smooth'. Being spoilt at our studio in Sacramento, where we have the largest and smoothest floor in town (its bamboo, and its gorgeous to dance on!), we realized instantly that we'd have to adjust the way we moved in order to do anything on this floor, which was really sticky (I heard a fair few complaints from others too).
That, and in order to get through the number of events, they split the floor into two halves, and so we had to 'fold up' our routine just to make it all fit! It was definitely interesting.
Our first event was at 8 in the morning, and our last event was at 2.30 in the afternoon. We had the customary wait of a couple of hours before the awards for our events were presented (pictures to come!!!), and it was all over for the day....for that day, at least....
After the time I had taken out of training, I hadn't planned to attempt the United States Professional-Amateur Championships in Orlando, Florida this year, but after training for just a couple of months, we thought, 'Why not?!'
It was a good attitude - I have a lot of competition experience, but never before at the National level. I didn't really know what I was in for, so in some ways, I was perhaps less nervous than I might have been.
Nationals was interesting...unlike other competitions, there was never a break in the events, so until we took that first step in the Waltz, we had no idea whether the floor was 'sticky' or 'smooth'. Being spoilt at our studio in Sacramento, where we have the largest and smoothest floor in town (its bamboo, and its gorgeous to dance on!), we realized instantly that we'd have to adjust the way we moved in order to do anything on this floor, which was really sticky (I heard a fair few complaints from others too).
That, and in order to get through the number of events, they split the floor into two halves, and so we had to 'fold up' our routine just to make it all fit! It was definitely interesting.
Our first event was at 8 in the morning, and our last event was at 2.30 in the afternoon. We had the customary wait of a couple of hours before the awards for our events were presented (pictures to come!!!), and it was all over for the day....for that day, at least....
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