Pulling it All Together - 3 Weeks from Competition

I'm in the last few weeks of preparation for my first dance competition and I can finally feel the pieces falling into place.  Backing up just a bit- when I first decided to compete in July I did not even know 3 out of the 5 dance styles I would be performing.  So I had to learn the dance and the routine at the same time.  This was fairly daunting for me and luckily my instructor, Brian, talked me into following through!

The first few weeks were spent getting comfortable with Cha Cha and Night Club.  The last few weeks have been spent primarily on Waltz which hands down is the hardest dance I have learned to date.  For Waltz to look truly beautiful it must be danced with a rise and fall that coincides with very specific footwork.  My instructor, Brian, really helped me to understand this crescendo feeling by likening the Waltz to the movement of a pendulum.  The first step originates from a position where the body is low to the dance floor.  You must reach heel to toe, and then rise up to the second step, where the pressure is just on the toe, and then finish again low to the floor with a toe-heel foot movement.  These steps create the sweeping beauty that most of us know as the Waltz.  I finally started to at least get these concepts in my last lesson which was very exciting!!!

Me with my awesome instructor.

Time was also spent tweaking my West Coast Swing, Cha Cha, and Night Club.  In West Coast Swing, Night Club, Cha Cha I am still just working on keeping enough tension in my dance connection and improving my arm lines.  In Two-Step I am continuing to refine my turning skills specifically ensuring that I keep my arm in at a 90 degree angle so my turns are tight and clean.  

The best part of the lesson this week was that I finally felt like my dance routines were coming together.  What seemed like a mess of jumbled, dance moves to me a few weeks ago is actually cleaning up quite nicely.  I have 3 lessons left to continue to refine my dance technique (not that I am counting or anything).  My goal is to perform at my best on competition day and beat at least one person!