CSC!!!!!!!!!

Wow, the Canadian Swing Championships, wow. WOW. What a beautiful event. Very fun, atmosphere, very elegant setting. Not what I was expecting. Not being much of a "party" person I was worried I might feel out of place, but that was not the case! There was something--some activity, some food, some atmosphere, some group of friends, some moment--there was something for everyone at CSC. It was also a pleasure, spending the preparatory week hanging in Montreal and working again with Dominique Blouin. I can't say I was surprised, because I've known Dee and the Montreal scene for a while now, and I know that quality and finesse are simply the way of things. BRAVO!

Edmonton, Canada, Yes Please!

I wasn't ready for the quality of this very rejuvenating trip. Great people, great music, very swingin. It was also the first full weekend for which Giselle Anguizola and I were hired as a partnership. There are many great things about Edmonton as a dance town. Firstly, the city itself has that perfect balance of opportunities and intimacy, much like Houston where I started dancing, that allow a swing community to simmer. Edmonton is not so small that the scene is mired in its own style and self importance, but not so big that dancers with special interests fracture into untenable sub-communities. Secondly, and amazingly, the live music was fantastic! This is such a stumbling block for medium sized swing scenes, because you don't just have to find jazz--you have to find SWING. Thirdly, there are local professional swing dancers working in Edmonton. It is EXTREMELY rare that any but the biggest dance Meccas can support local, full-time, jazz dancers. If it happens at all, it is usually a case where the dancers leave to work--as with Kevin StLaurent and Pittsburgh, but not so in Edmonton! Lastly, all the people, from the beginners to the pros, were lovely and had great attitudes as students. I'm sure this is the true secret to Edmonton's success. A special shout out to Reed and Sierra with whom Giselle and I stayed. That was a trip I won't soon forget! Thank you!

Italy

Swing Brother Swing 2011 was awesome!
Sylvia did it again!!
Got to see and dance with my friends in Italy!
Ryan and Jenny were here this year!
Great playing music, late night with Deebs!
Joel Plys, you're the man!
Dances were fun!
The contests were out of control!!

Followlogie

I had a great time at Followlogie, which was also my first trip to Montreal! Thanks everyone for all the awesome dances, and thanks to Dominique for inviting me. My favorite part was the beautiful movie palace where the Saturday dance and show were held. Bravo! Above is a picture of me in the show, performing "You're Easy To Dance With." The detail on the wall in the background was continued throughout the entire building. I can't wait to go back for the 2011 Canadian Swing Championships--coming soon!

Lonestar Championships

I won first place in the Lonestar Championships' Charleston contest. However that victory was completely eclipsed by the wonderful social dance experiences I had during the weekend. Thank you to everyone with whom I danced, I was honored.

Lindy Focus

Lindy Focus has come and gone, and this year was as fantastic as ever! I won first place in the slow dance contest as well as the invitational Jack and Jill. My favorite part of the week was dancing with friends who I rarely see. However I also had a particularly good time in class this year. These students were awesome!! And congrats to everyone who performed in the New Years Eve show; it was one of the greatest jazz dance shows I've ever been a part of! The photos in this post are from my winning dances. Much thanks to my contest partners, Annie Trudeau and Giselle Anguizola.

September-October-Explosion!

Wow. I've never been busier as a dancer than I have been this Fall. I had six straight travel weekends of dance event work, followed by only a brief interlude before the astonishing Catalina Jazz Dance Festival! And now I'm off to Italy again, after which I will enjoy two weeks of training with Dominique Blouin, a fabulous Canadian Balboa and Jazz dance expert. Also within that string of events was the first large-scale workshop weekend I have taught with no partner. I frequently teach alone in New York and the North-East, but Lindy producers don't often request such a thing, so a big thanks to Lara Willars and San Antonio for giving me that chance. I saw a lot of smiles down there! I can't wait to see the Texas folks again at the Lonestar Championships in January!!