Sunday, February 22, 2009

Harlem Nights 2009

Harlem Nights is a big swing weekend that the USU swing club has in Logan every year in February. It is 2 nights of dancing, a day of workshops, and the infamous Hellzapopin' competition where the cash prize is $1000. Erik and I decided to go since we are swing dancers, and we go wherever there is swing dancing.

This year, I decided at the last minute, that I wanted to compete. For some reason, it hadn't occurred to me that I actually could. I figured I didn't have anyone to compete with since all my partners had moved away, so I hadn't worried about it, until someone called me out on the swing forum. So I scrambled to find a partner. I asked Wyatt, and he took about a week to decide, and then on Thursday night, decided he was too busy to go. So I asked Allan Ambrose. His wife is like my husband, they hate to compete, so I thought it was a perfect fit. Besides, Allan and I have competed every year together in the polygamy lindy contest at ULX anyway (and won) We dance well together.

So we got together and practiced during the Friday night dance, and during the day on Saturday. We were at a major disadvantage, because every one else that was competing in the advanced round, had been practicing for weeks. But hey, the cash prize was $1000, so what was there to lose. So we practiced some high flying ariels, and put together some sweet moves. Unfortunatly, I was so tired from dancing the night before, going to the late night dance, all the workshops, and practicing all the ariels for the competition, I was really really tired when the competition started. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through. My fatigue is obviously reflected in my dancing, so the videos won't show me at my best. We didn't end up getting to do most of the ariels that we practiced, and we didn't end up winning, but we learned a lot about competing. I am glad I did it, because I learned a lot about myself, what do do next year, and where I am at in my dancing.

Even thought we didn't win, It was a lot of fun to do the competition. It was a good motivator to do awesome next year, now that I have found a partner. Allan and I have decided to do more competitions together, and have found a couple that are amazing at Ariels to get together with, and help us perfect them. We are going to practice our dancing every week, and take home the prize next year hopefully. I am glad that I have such a supportive husband who lets me do all of this. He is fantastic. Unfortunately, he was sick most of the weekend, so he spent a lot of time in the hotel playing video games. But he did come to the Saturday night dance and film us. So here are all the videos from the Saturday night dance with me and all my dancing friends throwing it down.







4 comments:

Cory&SadieK said...

hey dancing queen. You looked awesome. I'm glad that you competed in the competition-it was a cool thing to do. I hope you are super happy and things at work are going better. love ya.

The Felsted's said...

Kristen! You are a rocking dancer! Wow! Sweet moves! Looks like you sure had a lot of fun! What a neat experience! Hope life is wonderful!

Marisa said...

That's awesome! Way to go!

Arielle said...

We should totally get together sometime. It will probably be easier for us if you came down here though. Just text cort or something and we can set it up! The video's were really cool too i enjoyed watching them.