Holiday Dance Classic

So, we just got back from the Holiday Dance Classic competition in Las Vegas. It was a bigger competition than we thought it was going to be. There were 12,000 entries. It was BIG. But our students had a great time and for some, it was an eye opening experience.

The night before, we were in the hallways of the Luxor talking about doing everyone's hair and make up and seeing who I had to do and who could do it themselves. An older lady walked past and wanted in on the action. She asked if I could do her hair and make up. I figured what the hay- she brought over two other ladies with her the next day and the day after. I made $220 doing hair and make up. Nice. Made some good friends too.

American Rhythm was first up on the schedule.
I was touched in this competition. There was an older gentleman who danced who only had one eye, a younger guy who was blind, and a lady in a wheelchair. It was beautiful to watch the power of dance.

This is Pam. She is an amazing person and a joy to be around. She did really great in a rather big division. She is joy.


This is Jeff & Sandy, a cute couple who decided to compete together as opposed to with Martin and myself. They had a blast here at their first competition. They've only been taking lessons in the last 3 months. They did great! They are wonderful people who I got to know better at dinner. So glad they found our studio!

Glade did really well. I don't have all of his placements memorized. I will have to post those later. Our first round was a bit shaky, but I think it was nerves and a lack of practice for us before hand. Once we got into our groove and we enjoyed ourselves, his dancing improved. I had a lot of fun dancing with him.


I was fighting a cold the entire time we were there. I've had it off and on for over a month now. I am getting so tired of it. On Thursday when we danced Smooth, I was SICK. I had a fever and was fighting everything not to throw up. I had no voice at all. It was bad. I had to buck it up and got on my fake eyelashes and my body bling, and went out there and did my best for Glade. Once I got out of the dumb hotel room and out moving, I did start to feel better. I borrowed Pam's beautiful lime green dress. It was a little big for me, but I made it work. Isn't it gorgeous?

This is Christine. She is always fun to be around and always so happy. She lets me play around with her hair at the competitions. Isn't is awesome?!


Martin introduced me to Mary Murphy. (Annoying judge on So You Think You Can Dance) If we weren't trying to get her to help us out with getting a competition here in Salt Lake and schmoozing her, I would have asked her not to be so annoying on TV, so my husband would watch SYTYCD with me and not have to fast forward through her. LOL!

Watching the Amateur Standard on Friday night was a difficult. It was a bad flash back to my competition at Nationals my Sophomore year. In the finals, the shortest couple there had to withdraw because the girl's neck couldn't hold up. It was flopping like mine had. I cried for her. I knew how it felt. It's scary. Especially because my neck is going out again. I'm going to the Dr tomorrow and have been going to the chiropractor the past little bit. I am trying to find out once and for all what is wrong and how to fix it. Wish me luck!

I am glad to be home and to be feeling a little better. Our next competition will be the Emerald Star Ball in Los Angeles in May. It will be my first time to L.A. It was a fun week.