Ahhh...Nino

Dear Madonna,

The Twosome Dance Event was another dance-filled weekend. In addition to my own classes, I "assisted" Nino Digiulio of Chicago with his. I also performed a demo with him on Saturday night, and Nino deejayed the Salsa/West Coast Swing room for late night dancing.

(He was a real class act in so many ways....recognizing me as the "local pro" and following up with a gracious thank you email this week. Check out his site: http://www.mayihavethisdance.com/)

I'm looking forward to a bit of a break, though. Tomorrow will be my first day off in nearly a month. I know, I know, it's not like I'm on a grueling multi-city concert tour, but c'mon...you've got people.

The weather has been awesome and I've been using any excuse to get out and enjoy it. But I do think it's time to deflate by balcony bed and get ready for Fall.

Julie

'Yes, I love Madonna!' declares Guy Ritchie

Dear Madonna,

So your hubby, Guy, is in town for the Toronto International Film Festival. You were missed at the opening and after parties, of course, but we all know you're on tour.

Great that his new film, RocknRolla, is getting good reviews, and he has been countering all the rumours about your rocky marriage by emphatically saying he still loves you. How sweet.

It's a short week for me. I'll travelling to Buffalo on Thursday for the Swing Niagara Dance Championships. My student dance team, which I've told you about, will be competing against a team from Ottawa. I'm also helping out with the hotel arrangements to give the Event Director, Maria Cirino, a bit of a break.

Hope you're having fun out there on the road.

Julie

The F-Word

Dear Madonna,

Time to Face up to it, girlFriend....you're Fifty. You're also Fit, Fabulous, and I suspect a little Frisky. (Ah, those menopausal hormones, eh?)

You've been getting a little Flak from your "John McCain as Hitler" reference in your show. Oh well, "F" 'em if they can't take a joke.

Speaking of your Sweet & Sticky tour... it's a pretty Fierce schedule. I was kind of hoping you could join us for our "So You Think You Can Dance" warm-up party on October 26th. We're all dressing up as Cat Deely and meeting for cocktails before heading down to the Air Canada Centre. But you'll be in Chicago.

And it would be FANTASTIC if you could make it to my 2nd Annual Benefit Dance on behalf of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) on November 11th. But you'll be in Denver. May-be I can get Rex Harrington to make an appearance....

Farewell For now,
Julie

You only got four days...

Dear Madonna,

It's just four more days 'til your birthday....you *must* be doing something special to celebrate.

Just for the record, I do have plans. I'm attending the Chicagoland Dance Festival and will be ensconced in the Crowne Plaza at O'Hare airport all weekend.

Also for the record I think your brother is a bit of a jerk. I don't know him, of course, and I haven't read his book, but from the sounds of it he's tried to slam your reputation and make himself out to be some kind of victim, all the while living off of you. That's gratitude, eh?

Gotta go. If I don't speak to you again before the weekend....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MADONNA!!!!!

Julie

May-be you can pull a few strings....

Dear Madonna,

I entered the You and Madge in Montreal! contest through Flare magazine this week. Strangely the very, very, very fine print says that "winner an guest must be available to travel October 20-24, 2008" but makes now mention of the actual date of your concert there. I had to go to the StubHub website to see that it's Wednesday, October 22nd, which is a relief because I teach Tuesday nights. And I'll be teaching Monday nights in October as well, for the Toronto Swing Dance Society.

So, yeah, that would be cool. And I'd love to stay at Le Germain. Are you going to be at the St-James again?

Looking forward to the Madonna-thon starting next week on Star!

Julie

Ripple Effect

Dear Madonna,

This is a picture of the grrrls/Followers from my student dance team, Ripple Effect. They performed for the first time at last weekend's Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships. In fact they competed, but there was only one other entry in that division (Swinging Air Force - a Lindy Hop team from Montreal) so both teams ended up with 1st place trophies: ours for West Coast Swing.

They certainly did me proud! I was also happy to see the first Eppie Awards go to (mostly) my students...all of whom had never competed before.

We've had an unsually wet July here in Toronto - accounting for a month of bad hair days - however the weather cooperated long enough for us to dance in the streets at the Beaches Jazz Festival this week, and Ben and Crystal had a stunningly beautiful day for their outdoor wedding.

My good friend Shelley is due to give birth to a little Leader or Follower any day now.

And what's up with you? That whole A-Rod thing seems to have died down, thank goodness. Do you have any plans for your birthday, yet? It's only three weeks away....

Julie

Caving in Cancun

Dear Madonna,

This is my favourite pic from a visit to a 'cenote' (sink hole) located south of Cancun, Mexico. It was a bit of an Ekhardt Tolle moment....contemplating the million years that have passed since a meteor fell in the ocean, creating this geological formation. We even turned our headlamps off and sat in total, and I mean TOTAL darkness for a minute or so.

Otherwise the trip was the usual (for my business) quick visit to see various hotels accompanied by too much to eat and not enough time to exercise, though I did manage to make it into the sea for a tussle with the waves.

And you....I heard you've denied the whole A-Rod thing, but that he hasn't and that his wife is filing for divorce. There's lots of speculation that you and Guy are divorcing, too. Meanwhile I keep reading about extra dates being added to your Sweet & Sticky tour.

It's good to keep busy. Me, I'm taking a full day of Burlesque workshops tomorrow.

Va va va voom!

Julie

(a.k.a. Diva Luscious)