On Thursday last week Simeon and I travelled to New York City to compete in the Manhattan Dancesport Championships! It was a whirlwind trip.
Hey, I tried something new and interesting this time. Instead of just writing about our trip, I made a travel diary vlog entry about it! I’d love for you guys to watch it and let me know what you think. I did everything myself, from choosing the music to the story-board, even the cutting and editing! And honestly, I had fun with it!
Anyway, we left for the Big Apple after a long day of green renewals, errands, and teaching. Our red-eye flight became a bit more comfortable with an upgrade to first class. Thank God for MVP Gold status! By the way, just a side note – Hayden, you were amazing! One of the best flight attendants we’ve ever had! We will definitely be calling Alaska Airlines to let them know how amazingly you treated us!
Anyway, the Manhattan Dancesport Championships had already begun on Thursday, but our events were scheduled for Friday and Saturday. As we were down in the ballroom getting ready, the emcee announced that in was the 20 year anniversary of the Manhattan Dancesport Championships! Simeon and I hardly believed it!
The organizers of the Manhattan Dancesport Championships are Gary and Diana MacDonald. Those two are an inspiration to Simeon and me on many levels. They were 10 times National 10-Dance Champions and the first American couple in American Dancesport history to win a world title. They were not just 10-dancers, but great competitors in the individual styles as well, making the national finals in both styles! No one has done that since Gary and Diana. In our young dancing days, Simeon and I dreamed of doing the same. And as we prepared to open a studio, we studied how Gary and Diana ran theirs. We also dreamed of being to able to open and run a studio as physically large as theirs, but also as attractive to prospective teachers.
Needless to say, when Gary and Diana came out of the back with their iconic Michael Jackson costumes, we were riveted. They gave a great performance for the audience of the Manhattan Dancesport Championships. Gary’s moonwalk is still perfectly on par. The next night they did another dance, their Rumba show. After nearly 20 years of retirement, Diana can still control her splits with expert precision.
I wrote more on the day to day doings of our trip to the Manhattan Dancesport Championships in my USDC Preparation Week 2 summary, which you can read here. And please let me know what you thought of my first travel vlog entry! I am proud of my handy-work. But if you like it or have anything constructive to tell me, please comment below! I would love to hear from you!
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