Yuletide Ball Championships

We went down to the Marriott in DC to cheer on Studio One in the Yuletide competition. From left to right are our competitors; Richard, Rommie, Laurie, Agnes, and Bill. This was only the second time that we have attended a competition. Our hats are off to any and all that have nerve enough to strut their stuff in front of judges.

We also saw a contingent from the Strictly Ballroom studio. We took lessons from there for a couple of years. They have excellent instructors and a full range of group and private lessons. Melissa and Mike, the owners of Stricly Ballroom, are pictured below.

A Gathering at the O Club

We had so much fun on Xmas with Janet and Jeff at the Dance Factory that we made a date to go to the Wednesday night dance at the Ft. Belvoir Officer's Club. They have a buffet dinner and dancing from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM every Wednesday night.

We sat down at a table for 4 but kept seeing other couples that we know coming through the door. Soon we had filled a table for 8. We had with us Janet and Jeff, Ron and Marlene, along with Paul and Sharon. We had a great time dancing, eating, dancing, conversing, and of course dancing.

XMas at the Dance Factory

We were sitting on the couch Christmas evening watching a movie when our good friends, Janet and Jeff, called to invite us to the Dance Factory. We didn't think that there would be much going on with it being a holiday, but we are always up for a dance.

Dance Factory is in our old stomping grounds, Arlington, VA. We lived near Ballston in the mid-80's after being stationed in Hawaii for 4 years. That was just when Metro finished the Orange Line. That part of Arlington has sure changed since we lived there. The developers would take down a block of 6 bungalows and put up 18 townhouses.

Dance Factory has a full schedule of classes during the week and dances Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. We had a great time. They have a good floor and sound system. The people were very friendly and we saw a wide spectrum of dancing expertise.

Then there was an older gentleman that wore a velvet coat and bow tie. He didn't dance much, but he did like to crack wise.

"Did you hear the one about the insomniac, agnostic, dyslexic?"

"He would stay up all night contemplating the existence of Dog."

Holiday Party at Studio One

Studio One had its Holiday Party Friday night. They pulled in a pretty good crowd. Everyone was in a festive mood and a good time was had by all. It was Pot Luck and people brought in their favorite dishes. It is a fairly close knit group without being "clique-ish". Newcomers are always warmly welcomed. This isn't the type of studio where a first-timer sits and watches others dance. Our instructor, Richard Benjamin, is a big believer in dancing with people other than your regular dance partner. For the gentleman dancing with other people helps identify areas where a lead needs to be developed. A lady learns to be receptive to different kinds of leading styles. My partner and I dance so much together that most of the time she reads my mind and compensates when my lead falters.