JG LINE DANCE MARATHON 2009
EVENT REPORT

Well, the Marathon, once again, lived up to it's name. Over 120 DANCES TAUGHT!! That's why you can't do just one Marathon! The same people come every year BUT they bring everyone else with them and that's why it's been going on forever and I hope it goes on forever more. From the minute you arrive and catch the shuttle to the hotel, a short little trip with old and new friends always on board, until you walk in the door of the beautifully remodeled lobby to be greeted by everything to do with pirates and beautiful balloons and even the wonderful staff at the hotel, many who remember your name from year to year (truly amazing), you know you are at a party. I got there on Wednesday night, which I like to do every year because classes start in the early afternoon on Thursday and it's just more relaxing to stay up and chat with old friends and meet new ones and then get up and take it easy in the morning. There were quite a few people there on Wednesday night this year. There are no planned dance activities on Wednesday and that's on purpose. Jean says the event will turn into a year-long weekend if she keeps adding things. LOL. Not that we don't try to talk her into it. That's why this event is a must-attend event every year for those of us who love to go to events. As soon as you walk into the hotel, the registration desk and big, comfy lobby/bar area is RIGHT THERE so you see all your friends from the minute they arrive and all through the weekend. It's a great setup for a hotel. Even the restaurant is right there so you can hop in and have breakfast (under $10 for a full buffet and custom omelettes), lunch in the deli, and a buffet dinner ($12). Now those are GREAT hotel prices if you ask me and the food is really good. I think the same staff is there forever. They actually thank us for coming and are just so helpful and happy to have us there. There is always cold water everywhere and the lesson rooms are all conveniently located in one area of the hotel. The individual rooms are big and the sink area in the bathroom is nice for all our "stuff." It's just a perfect setup for a dance event. Of course this is The Marathon and some of the lesson rooms are crowded but the smart instructors, like Scott did in his class, told us to learn the dance and then he split the room to actually dance it at the end so that worked fine. After all, when you have this many people at an event and some classes are just packed because people want to take the lessons, you are going to be a little crowded. It kind of adds to the fun as far as I'm concerned and it has to make the instructors feel good to know how many people want to learn their dances. I know I would be thrilled!! The classrooms were decorated with balloons and adorned with big banners that Guyton Mundy painted. They were auctioned off on Saturday night along with the coveted puppet of the year (this year it looked just like Christopher Petre). Be sure and look at the pictures I took of the puppet and Christopher together. I loved it. There are also pictures of the banners.



Here is the list of instructors for this year and you simply MUST look at the little popups that Stacy did for each one. They are sooooooo cute!!
2009 jg Line Dance Marathon

THE MARATHON is not just a name for an event, it IS a Marathon. Here is the general schedule to give you an idea of how the days progress.

16th Marathon Tentative Sked pdf

There are lessons in five different rooms from morning until night, the instructors teaching all levels so that there is always something for everyone all day long. Click on SCHEDULE on this page so you can see all the classes that were taught and who was teaching them. I liked the way that Pepper did the demos. She lined up all the instructors for each hour during the day and one by one they did their dance so you could see, not only what was being taught in that hour, but it turned into a fun little event. I know it was probably nervewracking for the choreographers but it was fun for us!! LOL. The choreographers awaiting their turn were doing background shoop-shoop dancing to the peppy music and just making it fun and it moved very quickly because it takes awhile to go through 120 DANCES!!! Thursday is different from the rest of the weekend because on Thursday the popular dances from other people are taught and for the rest of the weekend you MUST be a choreographer to even be invited to teach at the Marathon and the top people from everywhere are there with excellent dances. They always put a lot of effort into introducing their new "babies" and we are never let down with the quality of dances introduced at this event. Jean doesn't even put the schedule out in advance so that the new dances are truly new and people aren't learning them before they get there. This is another reason some of the classes are crowded. No one knows until we get there what dances are going to be "must learn" ones and that also adds to the excitement of this event. Some of the newer ones are still being taught from previous times but the brand new ones are truly fresh and being taught for one of the first times at this event. Once everyone sees what they want to take that day, they start the classes and when you get tired of taking classes (or your brain just won't do another one), you can go do open dancing or practice the things you learned with friends, or get a Starbucks Coffee in the lobby or have a snack or take a nap or have a drink or just collapse in a chair. LOL. Because everything is so centrally located, it's just a natural thing for everyone to mingle on the couches around the hotel or chat with the instructors and take the time to just meet new people. Pepper did a FABULOUS job all weekend as emcee. She has this infectious giggle and just is so relaxed and keeps everything moving and goes with the flow when music is being cued up by Louie (how does he do it?). Can you imagine how difficult it is to get the music for 120 DANCES in order and played for the demos? It truly amazes me that he pulls this off. He didn't even have to yell at anyone this year. He also was up all night almost every night playing music until the last person was finally ready to go to bed at 5 or 6 in the morning and then did it all over again the next day. All of the schedules are posted on the doors so you don't have to scrounge around looking for your schedule or finding where to go. I would always suggest you get the full pass for this event because many of the workshops are paid workshops and I find that I always want to take a bunch of the paid workshops.

After getting your registration packets the weekend really starts. Everything is organized with all the information you need for the weekend and of course, the Marathon staff are total pros at doing this so it's fast and painless. All the lessons started at 2 pm on Thursday. This day is reserved for people to teach popular dances that are not their own but are dances that are being done and popular around the world. We pretty much keep up with everything in Florida but I think I took a class EVERY SINGLE HOUR the first day so I knew that I would be totally mind boggled for the rest of the weekend as far as remembering dances. You can click on the schedule above to see what was taught Thursday and what was taught as the weekend progressed. At the end of the lessons on Thursday there is time to grab a bite to eat, change clothes and come down for the HUGE THURSDAY NIGHT PARTY. This is always my favorite night of the weekend because it's just the beginning and I know there will THREE MORE DAYS to go so everyone just dances on Thursday night and greets friends we've all met over the years and I love seeing the expressions on the faces of people who have never attended a big event like this before. They are AMAZED!!

After doing lessons all day, you run upstairs and change or go out to dinner via the free shuttle and you can even go to the mall during the daytime hours if you want to get away for awhile. The shuttle drivers will tell you all the places they will drop you off and for just a small tip, they are very accommodating. The lesson part of the event is repeated every day but at night is when the pirates got warmed up. There were two large ballrooms with open dancing. Just to give you an idea of the size of the floor Jeff and Lynn Bartholomew laid 8992 sq ft of floor and the hotel laid @ 1000 sq ft of floor, which gave the event 10,000 sq ft of floor. The main ballroom was 5,280 sq ft which was a "mile" of floor - WOW!

On Sunday, Marathon volunteers set a record (for the Bartholomews) by tearing down and loading all their floors back on the truck in 3-1/2 hours.

The DJs are just fabulous and everything you could imagine was played all night long. I thought the variety was really good all weekend. If you wanted to switch back and forth between ballrooms, they were close and you could just go dance in one and then come back to another. Louie St. George, Big Dave, DJ Jam, Big Sexy Joey, JP Potter, and Debi and Gale just kept things hopping all weekend. All the DJs really tried to play the dances that were taught and there were short reviews in Big Dave's room each night, which I liked. The choreographer would do a quick walk-through and then we would try to remember how to do the dance. I always want to do it "one more time!!" There were all levels of dances this year and Jean made sure there were plenty of dances that beginners could enjoy and that people could take back to their clubs, country or not. I talked to a lot of people who had come to their first event and/or first Marathon and they were having a blast. There are also step sheet books (in a real notebook) that you can order at the time you register and they are a tremendous help with just trying to remember the dances you learn all weekend.

The highlight of the weekend, of course, is the show and parade on Saturday night on the ONE MILE DANCE FLOOR!! Pepper and the puppet were bantering throughout as people were introduced and between acts. They were so funny. We were treated to TWO WORLD CHAMPION performances, one by Brian B. and another by Daniel Trepat. I remember the first time I saw line dancers that could move like these two and how in awe I was. I always wonder how other people feel the first time they get to see these amazing performers. Pepper and Johnny 2 Step did a cute little routine and there was a group performance by Jill Babinec, Cato Larsen, Nancy Morgan, Bracken Ellis Potter Frank Trace, Daniel Trepat (The Sparrow Cyclers) and another skit by and Big Dave Baycroft, Shaz Walton, Dee Musk, Dan McInerney, Rob Glover (The Houligans). We also had The Pirates of Dance. There are pictures online of most of the groups. After the show was open dancing until the stroke of MIDNIGHT and then the parade started. I always wonder how these people get through security with some of the elaborate costumes. I hope we get lots of good pictures because I could never put in words how good they were. There are some pictures on my site but I will try to get others to add so you can truly appreciate them. People just saved all their pirate shirts and hats and "stuff" to enjoy Saturday night and it is just a great, fun time.

We had the COOKIE PARTY and it was so much fun. I would like to tell you I made the cookies but NOT!! They were delicious and we had music and dancing and just socializing. It was so great to meet you all and thank you for coming to just enjoy such a wonderful group of teachers all in one room and thank you, Jean, for organizing it. Jean's adorable 4-year old granddaughter, Paige, handed out the 'Bootie Bag' filled with candy, tattoos, charms, ruler and more candy! You know I love cookies and instructors!!! There were some good seminars this year, too. Michele Burton and Michael Barr taught an instructors' workshop and Michael was kind enough to share some tips with us at the cookie party. Pepper Siquieros taught a free seminar about Security and Social Networking (what a great idea, Pepper). There was a welcoming party for staff and volunteers and to top it all off, on Sunday evening there is a pizza party near the pool. I left before that party but the people who stayed loved it. Now, I call this a MARATHON FUN WEEKEND. If you haven't been, you should go and if you have been I KNOW you will be back because we all come back. Jean and her staff did an amazing job of running this huge event and I just want to say thank you for a weekend I look forward to every single year.

I wrote this paragraph for last year's report but I will say it every year and I hope you will really think about it, not only for the Marathon, but for every event you attend, whether you have a perfect weekend or have a little problem here and there:

I hope the next time you go to this event or any other event you will take the time to write a review and to personally thank the directors and their staff for allowing us to have such a wonderful experience. I want you to remember that there is so much to do -- from negotiating with the hotel, hiring the instructors, worrying about getting enough people to pay the bills and knowing that if they don't come they are going to go in the hole, getting the instructors from the airport to the hotel, deciding on the decorations, laying the floors (which is a massive job), getting all the brochures done leading up to the event, organizing the vendor spaces, setting up all the sound systems, making sure the hotel staff is doing what they need to do for a dance event, planning the hospitality room for the instructors and volunteers, arranging for things like the Cookie Party and the welcoming reception, planning everything for an entire year, getting the registrations posted and confirmed, dealing with a million questions and doing the schedule, which is also not easy, as you can imagine, cleaning everything up afterwards and making sure that any problems or issues are dealt with during the event. Every time someone will come up to me and complain about some petty little problem they had during any weekend I just look at them and think DUH!!! I'd like to see you pull this off!! LOL. I remember the days when there were NO events to complain about. Fortunately I didn't have to say DUH to myself this weekend because no one was complaining about anything to me.

CO-EVENT DIRECTORS:
Adele Plantamura (Co-Event Director & Scoring), Pepper Siquerios (Co- Event Director & Emcee)

BALLROOM DEEJAYS - Big Dave Baycroft, Debi Bodven, Gail Erskine, Tim Hand, 'DJ Jam' Jim Henning, JP Potter, 'Big Sexy' Joey Smith, 'Wildman' Louie St. George

WORKSHOP DEEJAYS - Rick Dieter, Speedo Deskins, Bill & Mike Lorah, Hal Payne, Brenda Smith, Mike Thompson

JG PRODUCTS - Cindy Judy, Carolyn Nantz, Susan Puruleski, Barb Reber, Kim Swann, Carol Tichnell

REGISTRATION - Lynn Bartholomew, Lesley Brown, Gina Donoghue, Sheila Lavallee, Meredith Kilmer, Steve Lescarbeau (Co-Ordinator)

SUPPORT STAFF -
Jeff Bartholomew (Man with the Floor), Richard Dieter (Ballroom Co-Ordinator), Fran Chelius (Volunteer Co-Ordinator), Kermit Dukes (Photographer), Clay Edison (Assistant Ballroom Co-Ordinator), Mike Garr (Videographer), Misty Campbell & Laurel Nicolosi (Videography Assistants), Brandy Posey & Sandy Lemonds (Hospitality)

VOLUNTEERS:
Beth Beach, Blaine Blevins, Merete Brandli, Susan Briggs, Melissa Daum, Teresa Davis, Kathy Dieter, Diana Dionne, Carly Dobmeier, Mechele Earley, Lynne Flanders, Claire Garr, Dustin Hall, Marty Hargett, Judy Kennedy, Jillian Lamberty, Becky Lorah, Sherron Mahs, Bonnie Mathews, Siri Nesset, Neta Perry, Glenn Phillips, Savanah Posey, Barbara & Hubert Powell, Danita Roelofs, Carol Shackelford, Ivy Stuart, Erik Svendsen, Barry Taylor, Leslie & Mike Thompson, Jeff Tichnell, Arlene Verity, Jim Webb, Wade Vick

SECURITY
Dale Beal, Dean Craft, Shannon Frost

There are DVDs being sold of every dance taught.
Go to website www.jgmarathon.com for order form:

DVD Only
Package A - Workshops Only - $85
Package B - Workshops, Show, Parade - $100
Includes s&h for N American shipping.

International rate - contact Jean jean@jgmarathon.com
Should ship within 3-4 weeks.
Check or MasterCard or Visa only

mail order to
Jean Garr
2018 Remington Oaks Circle
Cary, NC 275 129

I sent a couple of these when I was at the Marathon but have added reports from others. As the Marathon reports come in I will send them and they will eventually be posted on the site in case you miss any of them along with the pictures. The choreography competition results are posted at the bottom of this e mail. Enjoy. I'll send the information about how to order the videos as soon as I get it and you can also get the information on Jean's site at: http://www.jgmarathon.com

Keep the reports coming because, as you will see, there were lots of "favorite" dances and the favorites are all over the board.

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY FROM ME
Thursday & Friday morning at the jg Line Dance Marathon

Well, we are having a great time. Yesterday I took REDCOAT TIGER, Maggie G., taught by Nigel. It was a cute date with some tricky timing in the music but everyone enjoyed it. I also took Lou Ann's Class for Isolated and she did a great job teaching this dance. I also took ADDICTED taught by Lou Ann. We stayed up kind of late to dance last night but wanted to rest for today so went to bed around 2 but tonight we'll make you proud. LOL.

This morning we watching the demos and OH MY GOODNESS!! There are sooooooo many good dances. I cannot possibly choose just a few so I'm going to be doing a little survey. So far, the hands-down winner from the people I asked who saw you demos as Scott's new Sing dance called COOCHIE BANG BANG but it is by no means the only good dance I saw today. There are enough good dances just for Friday lessons to keep everyone busy and happy for a year. Most of the dances are quite doable with a few advanced ones thrown in for good measure. Three of the "newbie" instructors to this event are Dan McInerney, Rob Glover, and Daniel Trepat and they are all big hits. You are just going to be so impressed with the dances coming out of this event. I'll put the note on for where to order the videos and you will definitely use them. I can't imagine what is coming for Saturday and Sunday.

I'll send tomorrow the dances filling the floor because I've been writing them down but did I bring the list down with me this morning? Nooooooooooooooooooooo. I had breakfast this morning with my British friends and Dan and I ate grits together -- he even wanted a second helping!!! I knew I liked that boy. I just love grits!!

I'm just taking a quick break before taking HUSH HUSH from Dee. I was going to take Shaz's BEAUTIFUL but you couldn't even get in the room. I'm also taking Max Perry's AIN'T TOO PROUD OF CHA CHA. I am taking Neil's I'M YOURS. I think this dance has the chance to be a huge hit because the music is really cute and the dance is easier and doable and every age and level will like it. For sure am taking Scott's COOCHIE BANG BANG and running from that class right to the cookie party and then -- and then I forgot what else.

I heard that Kathy Hunyadi's dance called SAN FRANCISCO CHA was full and who doesn't love that long, about If you're going to San Francisco? I remember when that song first came out, Bucky and I were driving to San Francisco and were in Haight Ashbury at the height of the hippy movement. I couldn't take that class because the song makes me cry but I hope it's a big hit for Kathy. Diane Poole is sitting here with me and she liked BEAUTIFUL, SAMBALERA, SO PERSUASIVE, FAIRYTALE, I'M YOURS, COOCHIE BANG BANG and LOVE SONG but that's not all. She had to leave and couldn't finish telling me her list. I also liked Junior's HOW DO YOU SLEEP, Steve Lescarbeau's HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID, Rob Glover's SAMALERA, Will Craig's LOVE SONG, Dan Albro's DANCE OFF MY BLUES -- sexy little number to Delbert-type music -- might even be Delbert. Daniel Trepat's RESPECT, Junior's INVISIBLE. People are standing around and here's their picks. ALL SUMMER LONG, Daniel Trepat, HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID, IN CONTROL, LIFE WITHOUT YOU, MOJO RHYTHM. I'll finish my survey and send you some more picks later.

I wanted to tell Kathy Brown thanks so much for babysitting Lola for me and Candy for checking on Lucy. Kathy was supposed to come and teach but got laid off from her job so decided she better stay home and find a job so if you know of one tell her about it. She lives in the Tampa area. I talk to so many people who have lost jobs so if you know of any in your company, let me know and I'll post it in a little "jobs" section of the newsletter. Anyway, Kathy is being kind enough to send this out to everyone so a great big THANK YOU!! I'll check in for tomorrow. Give Lola a kiss for me. I MISS HER!!!

SATURDAY FROM ME
We stayed up until around two last night but many people stayed up much later. Demos are first thing in the morning and I wanted to be up for those and once again, there were WAY too many good classes to take them all. I've been going to the Marathon for many years and I can honestly say this is the year that has the most best dances hour after hour. Everyone is saying they just don't know what class to take next. I really suggest you get the videos from this event or at least find all the step sheets and give the dances a look. It's pretty amazing. Stacy will be posting the entire schedule when we get back so you can see everything that was taught. This morning I took Daniel Trepat's Travelin' (a very cute Elvis-type dance) with great music and easy enough for any class to do but with lots of attitude. He also taught another one called Funky ??. I'll have to get the name for you but it was also easy and cute and he had an enthusiastic class. What a wonderful addition he has been to the Marathon this year. Can't wait to see him perform in the show. I also took Niels Poulsen's CUBAN KISS. Loved, loved, loved this dance to great Latin music. I talked with someone who took Ruben Luna's class, IF I COULD CHANGE and they were raving about it. I'll be asking others about the classes they took so I can give you a report on some of the classes there was just no way I couldtake. It's only early afternoon so others classes are to come. I needed a break but all my friends are in taking Scott's Food Chain. I want to do Roomba and Broken Glass so decided to take a little break or I won't remember any of them. I also would like to learn EASE ON DOWN by JP Potter and Rachael. Looks easy but cute. Maurice Rowe is going to be teaching GOTTA GET THAT this afternoon and I plan to take that class and at the same time is Daniel Trepat's I GOT THE BLUES, which I also want to take. I'm also taking Shaz Walton's MAGIC which looks excellent and I love the music. At the ame time Max is teaching one of the my all-time favorites TEXAS. What a treat to bring this one back. Guyton is also doing ANGELS ON THE MOON but I am going to wait until the Florida Fun In The Sun to do that one of Guyton's and also learn FOOD CHAIN. There were a lot of good dances like Johnny Two-Step's new waltz, HAVE THIS DANCE. Very interesting dance. I thought Dee Musk's COME TO ME has all the making of a classic dance that everyone will be doing soon. Every dance I've seen of Junior's this weekend has been just great. I want to learn all of the ones he's teaching. Will Craig is another one that has at least three really excellent dances. I think he's going to enter the choreography competition and from the people I know competing I'm glad I'm not judging. Watch for the results of that because I can guarantee you they will all be good ones. Dan Albro brought some great country ones and he and his kids are even the musicians for some of the music. How cool is that!!! Michael Barr taught Fiona and two people just told me they loved it. Just got another report about Bracken Ellis' SWEET AND TENDER AND SOUL MUSIC. They liked both of them. See what I mean? Too many good dances, too little time!! Oh, another tip, RESPECT, by Daniel Trepat.

Everyone is just having a great time. The hotel staff is the best, as they always are. I think they keep their staff forever. They even know some of our names. Last night we had the Cookie Party and the welcoming party and both were just great. Thanks, Michael Barr, for sharing a little of what you discussed in his teacher's seminar yesterday. I will also be adding the information that I handed out when I get back and I think you'll find it very informative. The cookies were WONDERFUL!!! I don't know who made them but I want them to come home with me. LOL. Wait until the see the pictures of Jean. She just look terrific and I made sure to take lots of pictures and not only Jean but wait until you see Scott Blevins. He looks amazing. He has lost a bunch of weight and is running every day and he's moving around like the Scott I saw a few years ago. He's just energized and on a roll. Lou Ann Schemmel is another one who looks great. Now I'm motivated to go home and get back on my DIET!!! LOL.

Looking forward to the show and parade tonight and a late late night of dancing. I probably won't write again until I get home but hope this gives you a little snapshot of the wonderful time we are having. Wish you were all here and get our those dancing shoes because you have some wonderful dances to learn AND one of the best things about the dances is that there are ALL LEVELS. I would say the super hard ones and super long ones are in the minority but all of the dances are interesting and fun to do rather than just a lot of work. I think all of us are just wanted to enjoy the dances more and work a little less and I think you're going to be very happy to see that many, many of the dances fit that description just perfectly. The music choices are really good and the run the gamut from country to you name it.

Thanks, again, Kathy Brown, for keeping everyone posted a little at a time. I'll write again after I get home.

COMPETITION RESULTS:
CHOREOGRAPHY PRO CHALLENGE WINNERS
3rd place - Junior Willis, Invisible (won $50.00)
2nd place - Shaz Walton, Beautiful (won $50.00)
1st place - JP Potter, Bracken Ellis-Potter & Rachael McEnaney, Ease On Down the Road (won $75.00)

CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION WINNERS
BEG/NOVICE COUNTRY
3rd - Ooh Ooh You, Ginny Sheridan
2nd - Taking Time, Lynne Flanders
1st - Back It Up, Janis Graves & Lindy Bowers

INT/ADV COUNTRY
4th - Backyard Boogie, Lynne Flanders
3rd - Bring It On, Ferrel Mazzatto
2nd - Too Much, Lynne Martino
1st - Time That I Would Take, Lindy Bowers & Janis Graves

NON-COUNTRY BEG/NOVICE
4th - Through the Fire, Ephraim Kirkland
3rd - Sixty Minute Man, Terry Pournelle
2 - Wishing Star, Mae Neihouse
1st - Hippy Dippy Mambo, Sue Ann Ehmann

NON-COUNTRY INT/ADV
5th - Eat Mo' Grits, Terry Pournelle
4th - Hot Note, Donnie Trail
3rd - Light On, Sue Ann Ehmann
2nd - Welcome To the World, Susan Puruleski & Lawrence Allen
1st - Bad Influence, Jo Kinser

ABC
3rd - Ricki's Song, John Huffman
2nd - Shine, Janis Graves & Lindy Bowers
1st - Jai Ho, Amy Christian-Sohn