Looking Back - Part 2

Dear Madonna,

More highlights of 2010....

At the Michigan Classic I danced in the Advanced Strictly Swing competition with Nelson Clarke, who was amazing - as usual. We made one enormous error - pictured above - which we wouldn't be able to repeat if we tried, but the judges liked our performance, or perhaps our recovery, and gave us my first (and so far only)  "picket fence" win.  Thanks, Nelson!

I brought home two beautiful trophies from the Liberty Swing Dance Championships, and made multiple trips to the podium at Kansas City, Swing Niagara, and Sea to Sky. So, yeah, it was a great year competitively - and I don't dare start thanking all my Leaders in case I forget someone.  I also got to dance "spotlight" at a number of events this year - always a huge (albiet terrifying) thrill.

Apart from all the travel back and forth across the continent to rehearse with The Meat and attend dance events, I actually had some memorable business trips:  to Regina (where I flirted with Mounties and went to my first Riders game), to beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia, and to Atlanta - where I fulfilled a life-long dream to dance in a cage, like Go-Go Girl.

West Coast Swing in Toronto continued to flourish in 2010, with the Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships (TOSH) taking place in July, "Hustle/Salsa/Swing" nights that were launched at 6 Degrees, and WCS Wednesdays which ran for about six months at Alleycatz.  Still going strong are Elaine's dances in Ancaster, and the Toronto Swing Dance Society provides ongoing support and encouragemnt to the greater Swing community.  And of course Tuesday nights at the Dovercourt House remain my most passionate focus: providing valuable instruction and a fun and friendly dance environment for WCS dancers of all levels.

Diva Productions hosted a workshop (with TSDS) to welcome John Kirkconnell to Ontario; Vancouver's loss has been our gain.  Our annual CAMH Benefit Dance was well-supported with generous donations from West Coast dancers, and a grand prize courtesy of the Toronto International Swing Dance Championships.

Oh, and all the home projects I had planned for 2010 that didn't get accomplished?  I'll get around to them this year for sure.

Julie

Looking Back

Dear Madonna,

I came across this picture recently from one of our Salsa Burlesque performances, in February or March, I think. It made me stop and realise what an incredible year it's been for performing, travelling, competing....

On the heels of my turn as "Ginger Von Plume" with GoDanceMambo and the girls, I started rehearsals at the National Ballet School to take part in the Flash Mob at the Eaton Centre in April.

Then in May, at SwingDiego, I met "The Meat", and embarked on the journey that would culminate in competing at the US Open.



Who knows what 2011 will bring, but I'll be ringing in the New Year at an event near Boston, New Year's Dancin' Eve...and I'm packing my purple boa ;)

Julie

The Time of My Life

Dear Madonna,

The Meat was holding out on me.  The week before the Open he went for x-rays of his elbow and knee and was told by his doc that he had hairline fractures in both joints. Of course he didn't tell *me* that until after we'd danced in both the Semis and the Finals - that's right, we made Finals, and actually opened the Saturday night show! 

For my part, I got some very, very sad news that Saturday morning. That, coupled with lack of sleep and perfomance anxiety, had me feeling extremely fragile all day. I would have burst into tears if anyone had looked at me the wrong way - although you wouldn't know it from any of the pictures. In each and every shot I'm grinning ear-to-ear, and appear to be relaxed, confident, and (thanks to Dana's make-up artistry) quite glamorous. That in itself deserves a medal, don't you think?

In retrospect it was a bit disappointing to finish just outside the top five, but I think we were very lucky to take 6th in a field of 15 couples - some of whom were seasoned competitors, and *all* were great to watch - once we had put our piece on the floor and I was no longer too nervous to take a look at the other routines.

Sadly. my love affair with Chase was cut short when a younger woman caught his eye:

The entire event seems like a bit of a dream, now. We saw such incredible peformances - from Showcase, to Classic, to the wildly talented Junior divsion - and laughed at the (very cool) floor sweepers and the antics of the Pros during the Swing Challenge. My peeps back in Toronto and those who were attending CASH Bash in Cleveland sent their love and support and have assured me that I made Toronto proud.

So what's up next?  The Meat and I can take part in the Masters Tour starting with the America's Classic in January....

I've already booked my flights!

Julie