Event Report: Line Dance Showdown 2011
THE LINE DANCE SHOWDOWN 2011 IN BOSTON was so much fun!! I really like the new hotel with their modern decor. Everything was organized, as always, with Jen and Jason running the event with the assistance friends/staff who always seems to move effortlessly from getting everything organized, the floors installed, the registration moving rapidly, and then the next thing you know we're greeting each other and dancing our little feetsies off on the dance floor that they increased by 500 feet this year. This is one of those hotels with the registration and lobby in one main area so people were meeting and greeting as they arrived and were able to sit on the comfortable couches and around little computer tables all weekend long. In the lobby area there is free WiFi and there are three restaurants kind of all connected. There's a pub with burgers and wings and a light restaurant kind of selection and then two other restaurants that are nice and nicer than pub fare. Prices are about average for hotels and the food is very good.
I got in on Wednesday night (I would really suggest you do this next year so you can tour the city and just relax until dancing starts on Thursday). We went on the Duck Boat Tour of Boston on Thursday. It was super duper fun. We took the train in from the hotel (it was quite close and the shuttle takes you to the place to get to the train) and then we took the train into the city. The Duck Boat tour takes you all over the city and the bus turns into a boat near the end of the tour and you get to go into the water. Everyone bought the duck quacker thingies and quacked all over the city. It was fun and educational. There are a number of different tours you can take and I think one of them leaves directly from the hotel but I'm sure Jen will put information about it in the posts about next year. I would highly recommend you check them out before you come next year and go to Quincy Market and many other interesting and historical places in this really beautiful city. We had lunch and Cheers and some people went to the place that sold the huge hamburgers and we went to most famous pastry place in Boston (see the pictures). It kind of reminds me of San Francisco in the feel of the city and that is my favorite city in the world -- of course I haven't been everywhere in the world -- but I think it would probably remain one of my favorite cities. Thanks to our local tour guides were Mary O'Connor and Cat Springhetti who really know the area, it was even more fun except for the very last leg when we walked about a thousand miles to the mantra of "We're almost there!!"
Thursday night there was a very good crowd for open dancing and Lil Rob did a great job emceeing the dance previews at 10 pm. The dance reviews were held each day to give everyone the opportunity to see what was being taught and to choose the classes they wanted the next day. It was nice having them in the afternoon on Saturday so they wouldn't take up so much time on Saturday night. There were a lot of good dances, some I already knew and some I wanted to take/retake. I used to be able to pick out a few dances to mention but it's getting more and more difficult to do that so be sure and look at the REPORTS FROM OTHERS on this page and you can get an overview of the classes that appealed to different people. I agreed with most of them and was happy to read about the ones I wasn't able to take.
There's a mall close to the hotel and the shuttle bus from the hotel will take you to the mall and some of the other shopping areas if you just ask. And ESPECIALLY plan to go eat at LEGAL, the famous seafood restaurant in this area, which was really delicious and very close to the hotel at the mall. I took a picture of everyone's dinner so you can see what the menu looked like. It was yummy!! The "balloon people" were there led by Tina Foster and they, as usual, did a beautiful display of red-white-and-blue balloons with a big star to top it off. I also like the beautiful chandeliers in the ballrooms. The floors were great -- not as great as Jen and Jason's floors -- but really close. I have always liked the floors at The Showdown. The rooms, likewise, are quite lovely. I really like staying at the Marriott. They just do it right and the bedding is incredible. I took pictures of the facilities so you can get an idea of what it's like. The hotel was clean and fresh and everything was easy to get to and from. There were lots of vendors this year, too, which is always good at a dance events. I saw people buying lots of new shoes.
The lineup of instructors is always topnotch and this year was no exception: Craig Bennett, Scott Blevins, Amy Christian-Sohn, Will Craig, Dancin' Dean, Dan DeLisle, Zac Detweiller, Bracken Ellis-Potter, Tina Foster, Rob Glover, Steve Lescarbeau, John Lindsay, Jamie Marshall, Rachael McEnaney, Rosie Multari, Guyton Mundy, Debi Pancoast, Niels Poulsen, JP Potter, Sarah Preston, John Robinson, Amy Spencer, Cat Springhetti, Louie St. George, Daniel Trepat, Pim van Grootel, Roy Verdonk, Junior Willis, Amy Zack.
The schedule of dances is at this link:
http://www.linedanceshowdown.com/schedule-workshops
You can order the videos of every dance taught with a walk-through and you can also order THE SHOWDOWN on Saturday night. Just go to this link and CJ will get them out to you pronto!! He lists every dance on the DVDs so you will know exactly what you are getting and no one does it better than CJ!!
http://www.worldlinedancenewsletter.com/CJsVideos2009.html
Thursday and Friday nights were open dancing and, of course, everyone anticipates THE SHOWDOWN. The dinner leading up to The Showdown was sold out so remember to book it early for next year. It was a sit-down dinner and it was nice being "served" so we could just sit and relax before the big show.
This year there was a lot of talent and everyone did a great job. Guyton and Rachel won with the hilarious assistance of Zac, Paul and David. The other entries were Rob and Samangha, Robert and Deborah, Studio One Dance Team, Justin and Pim, Daniel and Roy. Think about entering next year. The winner wins $1,000 and remember -- RULES? THERE ARE NO RULES!! Get together with some friends and put together something. It will be fun and maybe you'll win next year. Jamie Marshall and Rob Glover did their always-excellent job of emceeing and kept the show moving as well as the dance previews all weekend. The raffle at the end of the evening was the choice of a BUNCH of passes to every event imaginable for the first person drawn or the cash and the second person got what wasn't picked by the first person.
Louie St. George kept the ballroom hopping all weekend (when does he sleep?) as well as Dan and JP in the beginner room, which was full all the time, too. Jen's staff comprised of Laura, Staci, Trish, Cat and Melissa were busy all weekend keeping registrations going and helping people when they had questions or needed anything. What a great group of friends they are and it shows that they don't just help but they care!! Big Jim was there just making sure everything was running smoothly as he helped at the doors and just helped by being there because it wouldn't be the Showdown without him!!
Choreography competition is always highly anticipated and watched. The winners were:
ABC - Rosie Multari ~ High Hopes
Country Newcomer / Novice = Lynn Martino ~ Eeney Mieny Miney Mo
Country Intermediate / Advanced = Wes Smith ~ Something Crazy
Non-Country Newcomer / Novice = Rosie Multari ~ This Life
Non-Country Intermediate / Advanced = Jane Boyd ~ Don't Want You Back
All I can say is it was another great LINE DANCE SHOWDOWN this year -- the 10TH ANNIVERSARY of this great event. Thanks, Jen and Jason (and Jaden) for always outdoing yourself. This was the biggest yet and I know next year will be even bigger!! Book early because the early-registration rooms sold out so make your plans now for next year. I have talked to so many people who have never been and told me they are going next year, so don't miss it. There are over 200 pictures so be sure and look at them and there are even more pictures on Facebook posted by a bunch of people who were there. Until 2012 -- QUACK QUACK.