February 24th, for Barney and I was
so busy as we prepared to host the 2011 Ft Wayne Dance For All. As I peered through the curtains, snow was falling like a scene from your favourite Christmas movie. Roads were covered and at that moment I whispered a silent prayer that all our guests would arrive safely. This year celebrates the event’s 16th anniversary. In earlier years, the event was known for its big show team competition held on Sunday afternoons with categories in Line dance, couples, fi rst-timers and demo teams.
Barney and I became directors
for The Ft. Wayne Dance For All in 2009. The decision was then made to move the event to the beautiful Grand Wayne Center in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Grand Wayne Center is a perfect facility and offers the convenience of being adjoined to the Hilton and offering a skywalk from the new Marriott Courtyard across the street. Guests simply walk from their hotel room to the ballrooms.
Although the weather had everything
moving slowly outside, the hustle of preparing six ballrooms, over 33,600 square feet and laying over 10,000 square feet of fl oors began. Sound systems were being wired and checked. Pre-registration packets, event shirts, step booklets and dance tees and jackets were being organised so that once a guest arrived at the event, they picked up their envelope and were off to dance the night away during the Welcoming Party.
The Welcoming Party began promptly
at six pm, allowing guests to warm up to some of their favourite dances before demos began at eight pm. It took just short of two hours to demo over 120 dances scheduled for the weekend. Over the next two and a half days, approximately 650 guests had the opportunity to choose from Line dance, two-step, west coast, east coast, cha-cha, night club two step, waltz, foxtrot, hustle, salsa, lindy, pattern partner or to take four hours of clogging. The National Teachers Association offered Dance Fundamentals I, II & III.
LineLessons.com held Beginner classes all day Friday to allow fl oor split dances during open dance that night. Returning
again in 2011 was Larry Harmon’s special class, High Tech DJ –Dancing To Your Computer, where you learn about music software and using your laptop for music during your class or for Djing. So you can see, this event is truly like no other!
New in 2011 was Zumba for dancers
who wanted to start the day off with their blood pumping! The schedule mixed both Line and couples classes to allow all guests to mingle as they moved freely throughout the center. The choreography competition was held Friday afternoon where new dances, in six different divisions were put on the fl oor to be judged and scored in hope of becoming one of your new, favourite dances. Before the choreography awards were presented, Big Entertainment recording artist, Rachel Holder took the fl oor to sing her new release ‘Chocolate’. Guests joined me to dance my new Line dance ‘Chocolate’, which was taught earlier in the day. Rachel had the room rocking with her version of ‘Cowboy Sweetheart’ and ‘Keep Your Hands To Yourself’ as dancers joined in with an old fashioned Tush Push and Sho’Nuf!
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