okay lets see...how much of what I have to say do any of you want to know?
I arrived tuesday night it was a five and 1/2 hour drive from chicago in the wind and rain...I stayed at the courtyard marriot 33 w spring street and it was about a three block walk (dh is marriot elite member) it was a nice hotel and I recommend it...adequate workout facilities and pool...large room w/ separate office area for a reasonable price....the bathroom counter space stunk for early morning makeup session though...wednesday I just wandered around...I was surprised how few music vendors there were and found the selections of waltz and foxtot to be underwhelming....everything in the restuarant there was delicious and I found the service there to be awesome...I did not find the same to be true at the bar....my first impression of the ballroom(regency) was simply that it was twice the size of what we usually dance on....I sat and watched a good part of wednesday and was stunned by how large the heats were...I visitied deirdre who made all three of my dresses b/c they need to be altered
cool: I am shrinking)...and was sad to discover that she had to leave due to a medical situation at home...I also discovered that I would be dancing against one of the women on her website who is her assistant...that was kind of odd for me..that night my pro and his other student got in and we all were supposed to have dinner together but he was running late so he needed us to pick up his meal...the staff could have been a bit more trusting about this ...I mean I ve paid 2000.00 to be there am on the superior pkg...I dont need to steal a 10.00 meal for goodness sakes....had my hair done that night by linda doyle...loved it was the first time I've had someone else do it...worth every penny...they were so crowded they were only off btwn midnight and 4am every day...saw larinda that day but she was pretty busy...also id my workout and used the hotel jacuzzi
got up thurs at 5 am put on my josh groban "let me fall" had tea...put some bengay on put makeup on grabbed dress and off I went...happily discovered that one could walk across the street and use passageways all the way over to the hyatt(later learned the hard way that that doesnt include weekends)..of course getting used to people thinking I am a hooker walking around in fishnets and that kind of make up and jewelry at 6am....was fairly calm going in....my pro has only been there twice other than as a vendor and had never gotten a call back so that was his goal....we danced against 23 in 4 heats of 2 different levels and I got called back to the semis in three and the finals in three...I was pleased, he was elated (for half a second before he started getting really intense
) ...we hoped his other more experienced studend would get called back as well...so they ran to practice but the schedule changed slightly and they got called for their heat and were no where to be found and missed thier first heat....they were very upset...they seemd to recover after the first few but no call backs...this sort of ended the excitement for me and it got quiet at the table...it was abummer b/c she has been a real mentor to me
okay; things I bought: one piece of dance art and some note cards, latin earrings (large teal hoops) waltz cd...two pair of shoes on clearance (international court shoe and a black latin for social)...also contributed to the new tux fund for pro...
I think SD called that day to say he wasnt coming...I was very bummed but it was nice to chat...I thought he sounded bit shy and very kind...I did manage to finally dance well enough to take some good pictures (ie be in good enough frame that the poses looked quite good if I do say so myself) ...so I bought a buttload of pictures from both days....wont have em til december though...read bob powers rules for dancing in dance beat...everyone should read them...also was smart enough to order my video early and to not pay for every freaking heat I danced...saved alot of money there and still taped plenty including the call backs
thurs night was a reapeat of wed except with more stress b/c the next day was standard which I havent been dancing as long (10 months of smooth and 4 for standard) ...had dinner w/ the gang had my hair done...spent all night the first night having nightmares that it would fall and of course it would have taken a natural disater for that hair to fall...hair was 50 bucks each night and however much you wanted to spend on do- dads to put in there...ummm I am embarrassed to say how much i spent on do-dads...but it was worth it...I looked like grace kelley when I walked outta there...
so fri morn walked over to hyatt with my boss who arrived and was rooming w/ me...she got me into ballroom....anyhow, I was a bit tense b/c we had done better than expected the day before and katherine schaffer was there who I have had coaching with and love love love love love...not to mention that my pro thinks she walks on water ...anyhow, against folks who I know have been doing this longer, I got called back on every heat I danced which was ten...unfortunately pro was over being enthused and was just in intense mode so I just sort of tuned him out b/c at the last comp that really got into my head and made dance too cautiously....cant tell you on a public forum what one coach told me to think when this happens...but it worked
and bummer again, pro's other student did not get called back that day either...it also dampened any celebration that I felt like having....there were some awesome dancers that night and If i learned anything that night it was all about extension....large extension...I am really excited about this.....also wathced pros other student dance am/am with her husband and that was fun just to watch the ams and see some of the difference in the mood and feel and dancing
saturday i had a horrible back ache probably b/c I slept and slept and slept... the highlight of this day: (since this is such a long post) were dance camp with pierre allaire and some latin guy who would be mightily offended that I already dont remember who he is...pierre is the best though...learned so much there ...that night of course was the big show...there was not a big group production number which I miss from years past and btwn technical glitches and television tricks we got so far behind that I was misereable before it ever started...had a gin and tonic but was still miserable...was surprised that peter and julia did not make the call backs from friday other than that I thought most of what happened was about right...but what do I know? hunter and maria were clearly disappointed... I was glad to see jackie josephs and jessie do well b/c they are locals to me....and as I said mq, the dude who won latin gets my vote (his number was 300) for the eye candy award....am sure he knows it....anyhow, am sure this is all useless ramblings to you serious people out there but promises are promises...end of report
It sounds like quite a time.