Riot and Frolic

I watch a lot of dancing.  And more than that, I watch a lot of Really Good Dancing.  I watch so much Really Good Dancing, that while I enjoy watching all levels of dancing, I'm rarely Excited watching dancing.  

I was Excited to watch BBDC this year.

Taking on a slew of new dancers (shout-outs to Gary and April Dahl, Justin Carlson, Nicole Greibrock, Bonnie Inveen, Lisa Vogel, Tsha Marie, and Andrew Winett joining the veterans Christine Hallberg, Chris Kempainen, Julie Jacobson-Kendall, Deanne Michael, Jay Larson, and Shane Haggerty) and new choreography, the group performed three pieces, showing a huge range of ballroom styles from dark and emo Waltz to campy and silly Cha Cha.  

My favorite piece happened to be the longest, so lucky me.  "Waltzing Over Moon River" (choreographed by Lisa Vogel and Deanne Michael) started out slow, a couple doing very basic figures to, you guessed it, "Moon River".  A lady behind me said, "I can do that"…   Lady, just wait.

Next, Bonnie Inveen and Chris Kempainen performed a gorgeous duet that reminded me of the athletic, yet beautiful dancing that one would see at a ballroom dance competition: she twirls! he looks studly! they dance!

Then Waltz got funky.  

April Dahl stomped on stage in her combat boots to drive Gary Dahl "Crazy" (dancing to the Aerosmith song; see what I did there?).  Besides her ability to dance like a bad-ass in boots, I have to say one of the highlights of the show for me was watching April  throw herself sideways at Chris and then LATCH ONTO HIM in one of the group numbers.  Awesome.

I often tell people there should more aggression in their Waltz: more drive, more impulse, more "HOO-AHH", less pretty.  That's where The Lisa Show came in.  Taking the stage for "I Put A Spell on You", a very dark, large ensemble number about death, and the foreboding "Que Sera Sera", Lisa Vogel's work both on stage and choreographically was spooky, aggressive, and fun. Lisa's hard not to watch as she's a great dancer and has the accolades to prove it.  Her effortless movement was distracting and Exciting.

Next was guest artists Tsha Marie and Andrew Winett from California's "He Said… She Said" piece, where I went going back and forth from thinking "Oh no, this is going to get un-Minnesotan real fast" to "MORE BURLESQUE".  The whole piece hovered somewhere between the two and in the end, I wanted it to cross the line from Minnesota Nice to Too Sexy, especially when all the ladies came up with chairs.  In the meantime, I loved Tsha's amazing red dress, the attractive cast numbers dancing the ensemble numbers, and Andrew's just-woke-up messy hair and shirt and well, just about everything about him.  

Rounding out the show was the campy, over-the-top, and completely entertaining "Red Riding Hood" starring Deanne Michael as Little Red, Jay Larson as the naughty Wolf, and Julie Jacobson-Kendall as the boozy Grandma.  Dancing to thoroughly modern music from Jack White, the lady protagonists attract the attention of, woo, and then defeat the debauchously saucy Jay Larson.  It was funny, cute, and completed the wide arc of dancing that the company showcased.

Bravo!

Keep up with the company here.  Give them money here.  Go see their show here, next year.

Two years ago: Things I Like, in which I list things… that I like.
 

Ballroom dancers are an odd bunch.  Sterotyped as "Dancing With The Stars" wannabes while spending much of your income on a very subjective sport/art/pastime will make you quirky… and awesome.

Here are some signs you have gotten in the "swing" of things:

1. You can no longer get funky.

2. You call your sad attempt at getting funky as "freestyle dancing", but it still feels a lot like Cha Cha.

3. You have to think hard about what size you wear in non-dancing shoes…

4. …which you call "street shoes"…

5. …because all your dance shoes are in international sizes…

6. …for which you have a complicated AND COMPLETELY LOGICAL rotation of practice, performance, competition, and social dancing pairs.

7. You cringe at most dance scenes in movies… [even the ones with J Law and Will Tippen]

8. …but THIS movie was legit about invigilating, not to mention EVERYTHING ELSE.

"NO NEW STEPS" – Strictly Ballroom

9. You have a list of songs that NO ONE ELSE CAN DANCE TO, because you claimed them as your future Showdance songs.

 10. You count out every new song you hear, hoping for a new practice song.  

11. You refuse to add up how much you spend on lessons, floor fees, costumes, makeup, and the like, because… ouch.

12. Pedicures are worthless: they have a short life and remove all those hard-earned calluses.  

13. People "love" or "hate" you by giving you an X… or not.

14.  You only own black socks.

15. You Shazam songs in the elevator.  

16. You know fishnets are not only for Halloween costumes and hookers.

17. You own a lot of makeup.

18.  The next person that tells you you should be on "DWTS" is going to get this:

Boom.  Happy Friday.  

One year ago: Ideas I Like, in which I blow off things.

Two years ago: Chai It, You Might Like It, in which I make drinks that aren't coffee.

Hi.

Long time no see.

Let's get down to business:

– at the beginning of December, we signed a lease on this place:

ye olde Oddfellows Hall

– after we got some money, we spent the last two weeks in December turning that space into this:

la nouvelle Mill City Ballroom

– but let's face it, we didn't do most of the work:

St. Paul is exempt from child labor laws, right?

– our help was generally over-dressed and couldn't reach the 12' ceilings.

they also wore their shoes on the wrong feet

– The high parts were up to us.  

totally not awkward or scary painting position

– On January 1, we opened Mill City Ballroom.

delicious design by Gretchen

– A River/Rainbow Banshee (weird inside joke, I digress) helped me cater the shindig, because I didn't have enough on my plate already (see what I did there?).  

food on a stick – a Minnesota tradition

– People came.  People danced.

more than our estimated 22 people

– We danced, too.

life is better upside down

– 10 days later, we went to the Snow Ball Dancesport Competition where everyone won everything and the whole weekend was delighful and well-organized. 

The G and his ladies

 - our token male for the weekend, the fab Marty.

he's a gentleman and a scholar and a goofball

sparkles not included in day to day performances

– to finish off the weekend, our friend got stuck in an elevator and we called in the calvary. 

yes, firemen

– 8 days later, we hopped on a plane, boarded a cruise ship, and danced and played with a bunch of charming people for our "working" vacation.  I don't mean to brag, so I'll just show you these:

Puerto Rico kicks ass

Half Moon Cay ain't bad either

So, how's 2014 treating you?  Are you going to come visit our ballroom?  Are you planning vacations to escape The Vortex?  Are you eating bon-bons and watching soap operas?  I LIKE ALL THOSE IDEAS.

Two years ago: Jobs I'd Be Bad At, in which I describe horrifying jobs.