Well, we certainly had a great weekend at the beautiful Opryland Hotel that is bigger than the rest of Tennessee. All they need is a landing strip and people movers and we would probably just stay there forever. LOL. It is a beautiful setting for a dance event as you will see from some of the pictures -- but enough about real estate and let's get to the important stuff. There were a lot of enthusiastic dancers who showed up for this first-ever dedicated social line dance event taking place at Worlds (at least in this format). I think almost every line dance event director was there or invited to be there and so many of our most talented choreographers and teachers that you would have to really work hard to have a bad time. I loved the line dance lobby concept because it had all the necessary things to both dance and socialize in a comfortable and inviting area and people would dance in the lobby and then go upstairs to the lesson rooms for lessons and then come back and dance and socialize the entire day. There were intermittent 30-minute teaches in the lobby area but spaced far enough apart that it never really seemed to slow down the momentum of open dancing and it gave those of us who just love to go to events and do lots of open dancing a chance to either take the lesson, watch the lesson, take a break or grab a bite to eat in the food court or one of the many restaurants. James Gregory and Big Dave did a great job of working together in taking requests and still coordinating with each other so that dances weren't repeated too closely and they made sure that the request list was there for the signing and they followed it. They both paid attention to what was filling the floor but at the same time gave those dancers who may not know a zillion dances YET to dance some of the ones they did know. I heard many good comments about them and it was appreciated.

The floor was just the right size and everyone just had fun all day long. One suggestion I would make for next year is that there be a welcoming party Wednesday night because many people arrived for the line dance weekend on Wednesday and weren't allowed to go into the main ballroom after 10 pm and I think a welcoming party would be a better idea next year even if it means upping the price of the registration a little to cover it. Most people stayed in the lobby area until around 10 pm and then would move into the very large ballroom to dance until the wee hours of the morning. The music again was very good in this room but the sound system was not the greatest. I heard comments from people who would have liked a little more light in the room and perhaps turning the tables so that they were facing the dance floor instead of having the ends of the tables facing the dance floor but other than that I think everyone was happy with the size of the room and the floor was very good and it was so nice and cool in there and I really LOVED that!!

During the day and also at night all of the DJs made sure that dances taught during the weekend were played so that we could get on the floor and be able to get them back into our brains. It wasn't a formal type of playing one after the other but they all made sure that they were played and I thought that was really a good idea and it gave us all a chance to look at some of the dances we may have missed during the previews that were held the night before the dances were taught and I really enjoyed seeing dances done that weren't taught but were just fun dances that you could learn or run over and ask someone to teach you. The lesson rooms upstairs were quite large and classes were well attended. Many of the most popular dances were taught more than once if people asked for them to be retaught so if two dances were being taught at one time you could still learn the dances. I liked having the vendors in the line dance area because it was fun to dance and shop and then be able to go down the escalator and hop into a restaurant or eat by the water in the food court at inexpensive restaurants with a good selection of food and drinks. I think I met more people at this event than I have at any event I've ever attended. It was just a very friendly feeling and people felt comfortable chatting with each other and introducing themselves to one another. I always tell you that every event has a special feeling and even though this venue and event is huge, it just didn't feel stuffy or formal. It was a little disconcerting to be just kind of having a big party and then go watch some of the really marvelous compeition and realize that we were having fun and were able, at the same time, to watch the best dancers in the world compete and perform things that are really impossible to do. I wish you could have seen some of the competition like the Superstar Line. I don't know how anyone could watch that and not realize that competition takes line dancing to a level that it hard to imagine for most people who have never seen it. I was also impressed in the show on Saturday that the line dancers were featured and enjoyed by the entire crowd so that both the line and couples dancers were able to truly appreciate what skills and fun they each bring to this event and all of us were just enjoying DANCE -- not line dance versus couples dance -- but just enjoying watching wonderful dancers DANCE. It is what I have always thought this event should be and I really felt it that night and it just made me happy.

I just want to thank everyone who worked hard to bring this together, and it took many people behind the scenes like Barry Durand and Judy McDonald and Jennifer and Jason Cameron and the entire UCWDC organization and officers who worked early on the scheduling and lining up the instructors and all the other people who set up the area and laid the floors and arranged for the sound systems and did all the things it takes to do an event and most of all the people who said YES when they were asked to teach and then did it with a great attitude. It was truly impressive to look around the room and see so, so many people who are truly important to line dancing who came together with optimism and just decided they were going to have fun and because they did that, we all had fun. I hope this was the first of many years of a truly social line dance event at Worlds because I really had a good time and you know..... it's all about meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. LOL.

I'm not going to mention every person who taught every dance because there were just too many and I didn't get there until Wednesday afternoon and there were lessons taught from the first day of the event but here's the link if you would like to see the schedule of dances taught http://www.ucwdcworlds.com/line.pdf or you can go to the link and see all the information about the event http://www.ucwdcworlds.com/

Now for the dances. I saw some that I really liked but there were just so many dances taught that I could never have remembered all of them enough to write about them. I did an informal survey Saturday and most of the dances on this survey were ones that I liked and thought stood out, so here they are (not in order of anything but just in order of notes I made in my notebook):

ONE, by Junior Willis. This is an easy little dance to uplifting music that was very popular. I had a lot of fun just following it on the floor but it has all the makings of a big hit easy dance.

ECLIPSE, Bracken Ellis. Very nice dance by Bracken to beautiful music. Bracken always brings interesting dances and they always feel the way I think dances should feel when you master them.

STITCHED UP, by Donna Shea taught by Rona Kaye. I just loved this dance. It's to music that is soft jazz but it's just one of those feel-good dances and I hopped on the floor every time it was played and it was requested a lot.

SO FINE CHA, Max Perry. I really liked this dance and lots of people in my little survey liked it, too.

LOVE STONED, Joey Warren, Guyton Mundy, Heidi Hollan and Megan Olson. The advanced crowd loved this dance. I was too duh to take it but it looked good on the floor and people told me they really liked this one.

BABY BLUES, taught by Marilyn McNeal. This is a cute dance to East Coast-type music.

ROCK THIS PARTY, Simon Ward, taught by Arline Winerman. I think this was one of the big dances of the weekend. It's fast, it's fun and it ROCKS to East Coast-type music!! One of my favorites of the weekend.

STILL DIRTY, Rachel McEnany. This was also one of my favorites of the weekend. Funky but no tags/restarts and it was easy to learn. I think this is going to be a hit.

SAMBACHA, Barry Durand. This one was the pick of many I asked and the music is GREAT!

ANGEL, Guyton Mundy. This one was another hit of the weekend for Guyton. It was just a surprise to walk in the room and see Guyton do an arabesque. It kind of makes you stop and go -- well, I didn't know what to do. LOL. Beautiful music and not too difficult. He taught it a couple of times over the weekend and it was a floor filler.

INFINITY, Robin Sin. This is a good dance and was one of my picks from Tampa. I just love Robin. He is the nicest person and just fun to be around and when we smile we look like brother and sister. LOL. He's always out there dancing and having fun and never sleeps!!!

ROLLER COASTER, Mark Cosenza. This was a favorite with the beginner/int dancers and you don't get scared when you do it like the ones at Busch Gardens.

MADHOUSE TO THE MAX, Doug and Jackie Miranda. This one was very popular and showed up on my little survey often. I wanted to see it because it's been consistently moving up the weekly survey.

PRETTY LITTLE STALKER, a cute easy intermediate dance by Rob Fowler. How could you not do this dance with a name like this?

RUDE BOX, Rob Fowler. This was one of my picks of the weekend. I just love doing this dance and it fits the music perfectly.

MADE 4 U, Todd Lescarbeau, taught by Rona Kaye (she knows how to pick good dances). I loved the music to this dance. It reminded me of Syncopated Love music and it just looked like a feel good dance.

LITTLE STAR, Maurice Rowe. I already knew this dance but it was played a LOT and it's just a great little dance if you haven't learned it yet.

BOO BOO'S BOUNCE, Scott Blevins. This was a hit dance this weekend. It's really pretty easy and the beat of the music really makes it even easier to learn. I think this is going to be a very popular dance. It was requested many times and filled the floor both day and night. There is a consistent 1-2, 1-2-3-4 beat throughout the music so as long as you're facing the right direction you will look like you know it even if you don't. Oh, except the last four counts but by that time you can catch your breath and do it all over again.

BREAK FREE CHA, Scott Blevins. YIPPEE!!! Scott did such a good job of teaching this dance that I got to throw away my GPS system. I can even end up facing the right direction almost the entire time. This is another dance that fills the floor and I love the music and the restarts because you really can't miss them unless you are the only person dancing at that time because the music stops with you!!

CROWN ROYAL, Frank Cooper, taught by Kathy Hunyadi. I HAVE to learn this dance. Every time I see it on the floor I want to be doing it and I need to take a class to do it. It's one of those dances that will continue up the charts because it's an excellent dance.

SAY HEY, Teresa and Vera, taught by Arline Winerman. This is a fun, easy dance that filled the floor each time it was played. It's being done already all over the UK but has just been taught in the U.S. Barry Durand did a dance to this song that is fun, too. I took his class for it and I like both of them so you can take your pick.

MY GREEK NO. 1, taught by Dancin' Dean. This is a really cute novelty-type dance with a Greek flair. People can't do this without laughing. Of course, I can never take Dean's class without laughing and it always makes me happy when he's where I am. I just love Dean and I love watching him dance!!

ROCKABILLY RIOT, Kate Sala and Robbie McGowan Hickie, taught by Arline Winerman. This was another fun, easyish dance with music that makes you get up and dance. This was on the list as many people's favorites. We had done it before we left and all of us thought it would be a good dance to teach at Worlds and it was!!!

LAST MINUTE, Rachael McEnany and Joey Warren. This dance would have been a huge hit this weekend but it was done late (get it? LAST MINUTE?) or I think that's why they named it that. It is a really, really nice night club 2 to BEAUTIFUL music. I really would like to learn this dance so hope it's being taught in Boston.

UNFAITHFUL, Craig Bennett, taught by John Robinson. This was a lovely dance by Craig and John did his usual fun teach of this one.

I SEE, I SEE, taught by John Robinson. Cute vaudeville-type dance with hats and kicks. John was on a roll this weekend. I think someone gave him cheerios before he got there. There is nothing more fun than going to an event when John is on a roll. I loved it. It was hysterical to see him raise his eyeglasses over his head when BEER FOR MY HORSES was played and it came to that part that says "Raise your glasses high." That cracked me up. John gives the saying, "He marches to a different drummer," a whole new meaning. He entertained me all weekend.

DISCO ROUND, Kathy Hunyadi. Guess what kind of music? DISCO, of course. Fast and fun.

HOLDING BACK THE OCEAN, Peter Metelnick and Alison Biggs. This was a very popular dance to beautiful music. I saw it played many times this weekend.

CRYING DOVES, Guyton Mundy, Rachel McEnany and Joey Warren. This was much easier than I thought it was the last time I almost learned it. It was popular and the class was full.

HOW SWEET IT IS, Sondra Cronk. This is to that classic song and is easy and just flows like the song.

SECRET, Johanna Barnes. This was the pick of a LOT of people in my little survey. I think I was eating ice cream when she taught it but I'll learn it before Boston. Johanna gives a lot of thought to her dances and she got some well-deserved recognition by winning with her dance GEEK IN THE PINK (done many times this weekend and I never get tired of doing it). Congratulations, Johanna!!

HOTLINE, Shaz Walton, taught by Nigel Amon. This was introduced at the Tampa Event and is a really good dance. Shaz and Ben's Dance, SEXY BACK, was done a bunch of times and I was happy about that because I can do it. LOL.

DIVER-SITY, Barry and Dari Ann Amato. This is an excellent dance and I'm learning it on my own. I don't know where I was during the class but I wasn't where I was supposed to be. People keep telling me about this dance.

RUB IT IN, Funky and I gave it four stars but I can't remember what it looked like. I must have liked it though because I don't give four stars to just anything.

DON'T YOU WISH, Amy Christian. This is a DARLING little dance that you could teach at any club. It is so cute and so easy and looks so fun on the floor. I loved meeting Amy and hanging out with her. What a beautiful girl and fun besides!!! She is a real gem and I hope you get to meet her in person.

BAD GIRL GETAWAY, Kathy Brown. This one is going to be a hit for Kathy. I had at least five people tell me it was one of their favorites.

CRY TO ME, Paul McAdam, taught by Rachael. I didn't see this dance but it got three votes in my little survey.

A LITTLE SOUTHERN COMFORT, Guyton Mundy. This is a really FAST, fun, dance to country music and I just loved it. It is so much fun to do and I love when Guyton does these fun little dances that will appeal to everyone. It was one of my favorites.

The dances that got the MOST votes in my survey were STILL DIRTY, BOO BOO'S BOUNCE, ANGEL, ROCK THIS PARTY, BREAK FREE CHA, RUDE BOX and HOLDING BACK THE OCEAN. I only asked about 20 people so it's not an official survey but I would have to agree that those were the ones that people jumped on the floor to do. There were so many good dances taught this weekend -- a few that had been around but people hadn't had a chance to learn yet and many new ones that are going to get attention once the above ones are learned. I thought the quality of dances was excellent and there were just so many instructors and they each picked great dances to teach. It was so much fun to see everyone dancing together and meeting new people and just having fun dancing. I don't know what's planned yet for next year but I'm sure we will know soon. I know many of the instructors probably wished they could have taught more but I really don't think this year was as much about teaching as it was just getting everyone together in one place and sharing our love of dance. It's been a long time -- if ever -- that the people we love to take lessons from or go to their events or dance with were all here at one time and just hanging out and having fun and I think that's really why we all go to events so whether you taught one or two dances or a bunch, I'm just glad you were there. I know I missed dances and I missed people I should mention because I always manage to do that but it's Monday!! and I'm tired!!! I'm counting on all of you to fill in what I missed and to write about some of the dances I missed so that everyone will take a look at them to teach in the months ahead. I think there were some dances that might not be mentioned here that are going to be very popular dances but there were just too many for me to keep track of. There are a TON of pictures on the website and I'll list the vendors that were there so if you want to buy something you will know how to contact them. I wanted to get this written as soon as possible because I think I'm the slowest person doing this. It is overwhelming to sit in front of the computer and say to myself, "Okay, Carol, remember everything you did this weekend," when I can't remember what I had for breakfast. I do remember that it was a wonderful weekend and I wish I were doing it all over again next weekend. Put it on your calendar for next year and you won't be disappointed.
Carol Craven
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