LINE DANCE SHOWDOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, 2009
Hope you enjoy the report. I know I forgot things like who won the fabulous 50/50 drawing with the alternate prize of a TON of passes to upcoming events but others will be writing in and I needed to get this sent before it was time to write another report. The main thing is that I HAD A BALL!!!! If you haven't attended the LINE DANCE SHOWDOWN yet, you simply need to be there next year. I promise you will love it.
I had a great time, as I ALWAYS do, at the Line Dance Showdown. Everything is always so relaxed and it just a great, fun event with dancers from all over the world. The rooms are nice in this hotel and the ballrooms and lesson rooms are large with good floors and I love the chandeliers. The Thursday night party was huge and we just danced until the wee hours of the morning. Friday night was even more crowded and we stayed up even later. We pretty much ate at the hotel in the bar and restaurant and there are restaurants closeby if you prefer to go out to eat. The rooms are nice and everything ran smoothly. I'm not writing too much about the hotel and all that stuff because I want to get this out and I am so far behind with work it's either hold it over or write a lot. This event is really all about THE SHOWDOWN!! It was terrific as usual. There were six performances to entertain us. What a lot of work goes into this production. How often do you get this quality of dancers showing their stuff and competing against each other when they have an opportunity to be totally creative AND win big bucks? Be sure and look at the trailer below that CJ was nice enough to share and you will get a real feel for the performances. Thanks to Jennifer and Jason and their hard-working staff who make this look so effortless every year. You did yourselves proud. I can't wait to go again next year. Louie and all the DJs did a terrific job of keeping the floor full playing anything and everything and Rob Glover and Jamie kept things moving as the MCs as only Jamie can do!! It was so much fun seeing everyone and even getting stuck in the bathroom because I couldn't get the door open and had to CRAWL under the door to get out couldn't dampen my fun -- although it wasn't one of the most fun highlights for me. I kept thinking, "Hum, I know just about the time I'm crawling under this door someone is going to come in and think I'm really drunk and I am never drunk!!!" Where were all you people when I needed you???!!!! I wasn't the only one, either. I talked to some other people who shouldn't have chosen Door Number 2. LOL. The banquet was packed and the food was delicious. What else can I say? It's just a great event every single year. Even the weather wasn't very cold this year. Stacy danced all weekend with a broken toe and didn't seem to be any worse for wear. Diane Poole's luggage got there early in the morning on Friday, after having gotten lost on the way. Thank goodness!!! Of all the people to lose their luggage, Diane is probably the last person I would want to have to explain this to. LOL. Sheila Morre said it took her longer to get there than it took the people from the UK because of her travel delays but she made it and had a wonderful time once she got there. This event is always like the party of the year and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.
CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE THE TRAILER FOR THE SHOWDOWN PERFORMANCES -- the complete show is available with the videos. I'm waiting to get the complete list from Jen and then I will ask Stacy to add it to the report. http://www.worldlinedancenewsletter.com/
CHOREOGRAPHY AND NON-CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION:
I am also waiting to get this list from Jen. If any of you who entered have videos of your dances, you can ask me how to submit the sheet and video to our site and we'll publish them in the NEW DANCES section. I thought all of the dances in the choreography were very good so I hope you will be able to get them seen.
DANCES I LEARNED OR SAW AND LIKED (in no particular order).
AND REMEMBER. CJ does a great job producing the videos. You can order them from him. I have posted short demos of some of the dances with music but the videos he sells have the actual teach at the event so they are well worth the reasonable price. You will have them quickly and be happy with the product. Here's where to order them . http://www.worldlinedancenewsletter.com/CJsVideos2009.html. You can order any of the videos from past events at this link, too. We do this page as a courtesy for CJ because he just is the best at doing videos and I appreciate it.
I started off the weekend taking HIT THE LIGHTS by Francine Sittrop, taught by Dancin' Dean. This is a fun, lively little dance and I really liked it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD-YRjMgavw
I really liked PRYAMIDS OF SAND by Amy Spencer and the boys. It's a very smooth dance and got a lot of attention for this talented, relatively new line dance choreographer. I didn't get a chance to take her class this year but she's an EXCELLENT teacher so if you ever see her teaching anywhere, take a class. I don't have the video or sheet but I'm sure we'll get it. If you haven't had her teaching at your event, you should consider it. Her classes are always large and excellent.
There were some good technique classes this year. What a treat to have such wonderful dancers share some of their knowledge!!
Brian B taught CHA CHA TECHNIQUE AND SPINS AND TURNS . He does such a great job of breaking down difficult body moves.
Lee Easton taught HOW TO WORK YOUR BODY.
Rob Glover taught HIP-HOP/FUNKY/B-BOY
All of these classes were well attended which I think says a lot about line dancers wanting to learn better technique. I hope this will be a trend at events because we have some people that are just excellent at teaching these technique classes.
Scott's Dance BROKEN GLASS was filled to the max and for good reason. This is another really great dance by Scott and wasn't THAT difficult. I know it will feel great once I get it mastered. It was one of my favorites of the weekend. The step sheet is on our site under
http://www.worldlinedancenewsletter.com/newdances.html
Guyton's ANGELS ON THE MOON was a favorite of many people I talked with. I am taking this class at the next opportunity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS_leRJLjmc
A lot of people already knew IN THE A, a really funky new one of his. I enjoy watching these but don't usually try them. It WILL be done at the events though and a lot of people either knew it or leaned it this weekend. I watched Guyton teach this dance and it's pretty amazing how much he got through in a short amount of time and made it look pretty easy. Actually the footwork for this dance and the arms aren't difficult. I think this one is do-able for most people.
John Robinson taught a nice dance called O. I didn't take the class when he reviewed it Sunday morning but I sat through the class and watched and I liked it a lot. I'll post the video as soon as I get one.
Ginger Kozlawski http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlxq65B_cMw
and Amy Christian-Sohn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlxq65B_cMw
both had dances to the music from Slumdog and both of them are good dances -- Amy's is easier and captures the flavor of the movie and music and looks great on the floor and Ginger's is a little more difficult and also captures the flavor. It was pretty much an equal split floor for the two of them. Some of the UK dancers were doing Maggie's dance so I guess you have a lot of pick from for this music.
I took Steve Lescarbeau's class for HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID. What a cute dance this is. I had seen the video before I went to Boston and liked it. I love the music and it is interesting enough that I think Steve is going to do very well with this dance. Any age or level would enjoy doing it so check it out. This is a very smooth, dreamy-feeling little cha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHZSrKveku0
I got lots of good feedback on INVISIBLE by Junior Willis and I WILL take this class in North Carolina if I haven't learned it before. I've been hearing about this dance since it first came out a little while ago. Beautiful music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sThim0P7qk
Jennifer Cameron taught ALL SUMMER LONG by Daniel Trepat and Pim Van Grootel. I know many of you don't know that Jennifer is not only a great event director, she's a wonderful teacher and was a dance competitor for years. She had GREAT teams and I'm always bugging her to get another team together because I miss team competition. I wish a lot of you would do that. She had a really good turnout for this class. I would like to see her teaching at more events!! It was good to see people other than the few of us who had been doing this dance on the floor. It really is a good dance and I don't get tired of doing it. I think Daniel is teaching this at the Marathon and even if you don't want to learn the dance, you'll love watching him teach it. He's so CUTE!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKdWLONEfFg
BLOW YOUR MIND by Paul McAdam was my favorite of the ones he taught. Love the music!! http://www.yipee.sg/video.asp?unique_id=13875&video=choreo_demo_video
FEEL filled the floor and was taught again at this event. I wanted to take the class again but there were two things at once that I wanted to do and someone is teaching it in our class. I love the music for this dance as well as the dance.
STING ME by Pamela Leader and Ray Crum is one of those dances that, every time I heard it played, I asked "What dance is that?" It's another one that filled the floor and has been done in California for quite some time. It's definitely one you should look at. I know I'm learning it before the next event.
Scott has been teaching Jo's Dance, WHY DID YOU LIE? I really liked this one. It would appeal to all classes and high beginner/int classes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPqUnMHgy4c (teach)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiL2uQ72Nzk&feature=related (demo)
I took Neville's class NO NEED TO RUSH. It was requested a lot and I liked this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNKNUFTXR0g
I wanted to take ALIVE by Neville but my brain wasn't after taking four classes in a row on Saturday. http://www.yipee.sg/video.asp?unique_id=13900
Paul taught BLOW YOUR MIND. Cool dance to cool music, which I enjoyed learning but then wasn't too good at dancing it when we danced it later. I'll have to work on this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewNlWHdkPy8
I retook the lesson on I SPY. Love the music and dance for this one and it's very do-able. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7chRQPi4XI
I also liked GET INVOLVED by Paul McAdam. Can you say FAST!! http://www.yipee.sg/video.asp?unique_id=13876&video=choreo_demo_video
Dancin' Dean taught Paul's Dance EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. Another of Paul's that we have been doing in Tampa and it's a really good dance. Nigel had taught this in our class and we've been doing it for awhile.
SHATTERED by Tom Clemons was a popular class. Maurice had taught this one in Tampa and it's always popular here in Tampa. Love the music for this one, too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W5crzG4j_c
Johanna Barnes brought back NAUGHTY. If you didn't learn this one the first time around, you should give it a look now. It's just a fun, sexy dance to do. I couldn't find a video for this one but Johanna needs to do one so you can see it.
Amy Spencer brought back SKIPPIN. I love the little wavy arm movement in this dance and it's really do-able for everyone. It's not fast and it's not difficult but just fits the music perfectly. Like I said, Amy is a choreographer to watch. Her classes are large and people pay attention to what she is bringing to events. She's a person who brings something new and fresh to line dancing but does it in a way that appeal to the young people as well as the people who might not want to do some of the funkier dances. She makes the funky painless and it just makes anyone doing her dances look good. If you want to REALLY be funky you can and if you just want to enjoy the dance and incorporate the arm movements the way she does, you look good doing it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYo6dEoBuXc
DEAR LIFE, Guyton Mundy. I really enjoyed learning this dance to beautiful music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9KNlYwQEDo. One of my favs of the weekend.
ROB GLOVER taught Hip/Hop/Funky/B-Boys Technique. He incorporated his technique in the SHOWDOWN so well that he and his business partner WON!! What a great routine performed to perfection!! I truly enjoyed it.
FEEL by Scott Blevins. This one has been out for awhile but it absolutely fills the floor and I think people keep taking the class just because they want to keep doing the dance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4283iGJxaH8
NOTICE THE DANGER by Guyton Mundy. Everyone jumps on the floor when this one is played. It always makes me happy to see how creative Guyton can be and this is a perfect example of taking a contra dance and bringing a whole new slant to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=N2obmO2enAc
SOME THAT WERE DONE BUT NOT TAUGHT:
Louie played a really good mix of old and new dances and kept the floor filled. I loved being able to dance one of my old favorites with Dan McInerney, JUST GET SAVED. Not to mention the fact that Dan is an undiscovered treasure here in the U.S. He's a great choreographer and one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. I hope you will take a moment to meet him at the next event he's at. I don't think he has been invited to teach here but he should be on your lists of potential instructors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=NwWAQMzhl1Q
I LOVED the new dance, ISOLATED, by Debbie McLaughlin - adv. Although it wasn't taught in Boston, Debbie was nice enough to teach it to a few of us and what a beautiful dance. She might enter it in the choreography competition at the Marathon so be sure and take a look at it. There's a neat little turn in it that just looks so great when everyone is doing it together, plus she's a great dancer and makes every dance look fabulous. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avG8rEOGQzI
POKER FACE by Craig Bennett is one I've been hearing about and filled the floor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIJ48i4aisg
ADDICTED, by Rachael M. I REALLY want to learn this dance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcISlPYNtPw
Carol Craven
www.worldlinedancenewsletter
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