4th Weekend in July - Our July Dance Competition

While everything else was going on in July, J and I were also getting ready to compete in our ballroom dancing competition that month. All year long we work towards these events. When the competitions get closer, we work THAT much harder!!

Up until now, I had been competing in Bronze Level International Latin: Intl. Cha Cha, Samba, Intl. Rumba, Paso Doble, and the Jive. In ballroom competitions there are four classifications: bronze level, silver level, open level, and gold level. Most people traditionally start out competing in the bronze level.

My instructor and I were still planning on having me compete in the bronze level for this competition. About a month or two before the competition, we decided to go ahead and start working on my silver level routines in preparation to compete in the silver level at our next competition in January of 2011. I went ahead and memorize the Silver routines to help us prepare that much faster. So in the months leading up to the competition, we worked on both the bronze level routines and the silver level routines.

The day before the competition, my instructor called me and told me that his student who competes in the Silver level had to back out of the competition at the last minute. He also told me that according to the heat lists, I was going to be dancing uncontested the entire day. He suggested that since I already had the silver routines memorized, I should go ahead and compete in silver level the next day now that the spot was now open. He and I both knew that I already had the routines memorized. Even so, I was VERY nervous about this! However, I knew that if I had stayed and competed in bronze level the next day I'd be getting first places... but only because I was competing against myself. So, I decided to go for it.

I was very proud of myself. So was my instructor. I placed higher than we anticipated for my first competition in silver! I even placed higher than those who had already been competing in this level. I'm very excited to continue to work and improve in Silver! I've got 5 months till my next competition.

J also did VERY well with his students as usual. All of his students danced beautifully! Overall, it was a great weekend of dancing!

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My instructor and I are pictured here getting ready to dance the International Latin Jive.




J and one of his students dancing Bronze level American Smooth.



My friend, and one of the instructors at the studio, dancing Professional American Rhythm with her dance partner. They placed second in their division that night!!! So proud!




After we were finished dancing, J and I watched the professional America Smooth, American Rhythm, International Latin, and International Standard competition rounds.