OKAY, LONG STORY SHORT. Gotta get ready for the big dance at the Hyatt Resort & Spa in Poipu. Traffic wasn't as bad as the day before..maybe because it was Saturday. Got to the Hyatt in plenty of time. Lani and I were pretty excited because coming to Kauai for the Kauai Ballroom Dance Club 7th Anniversary was a new experience for us.
The Ballroom was BIG and the dance area was the largest square-shaped dance floor that I've ever seen.....a dance floor that is best for exhibition and competitive dancing and including social dancing. But wait...gotta check in at the Reception Table (RT) for table assignment.
The Hanapepe Chapter was in charge of the Picnic and the Ball this year. So it wasn't a surprise to see Alton and Lynette Miyamoto who we met at the Picnic manning the RT, along with Mike and Lisa Martin, and Cornelia Works.
Okay, back to the ballroom. The sound system and the dance music was top-notch...you know da kine dat you can hear and feel da beat and rhythm deep inside you. I looked for the DeeJay to congratulate him or her for such excellent selection of dance music. But no such luck until Glenda Tamashiro told me that there is no DeeJay and that the music is coming from the I-Pod located on the side of the stage. What a genius idea by choreographer Roy Tamashiro of Hanapepe Chapter to program the dance music on a media equipment.
General dancing continued non-stop throughout the evening with short breaks for the showcase of exhibition dances by the Hanapepe Chapter, Dance Magic 808, the Lihue Chapter, a solo by Richard and Lynn Nakamura, an impromptu West Coast Swing by the Kilauea Dance Club, North Shore Dance Club, and Koloa Dance Club, and a speech from the Kauai Mayor who also sang "The Maui Waltz" as dancers got on the dance floor. There were few seat-warmers at this event but even they couldn't resist the call of 'The Electric Slide'. Even the Mayor got into rhythm of it.
EmCees for the event were Tony Romo and Elisa Delgado. Tony, an elegant speaker kept the program moving along smoothly while Elisa handled the music during the Showcase.
Blessings was said by Napua Romo and it was time to hit the buffet line. The music was non-stop, so those who waited their turn to get to the buffet line were burning the dance floor with full vigor.....the swing, the cha cha, the hustle, the mambo, the Viennese waltz, the quickstep, the merengue and the list goes on and on because the music never stopped.
The Showcase of Exhibition Dances went very well and I could see the long hours of hard work and practices paid-off in the performances. The colorfull costumes worn by the dancers really added flavor to the exhibition dancing. Congratulations with a big mahalo to all of them and also to the Hanapepe Chapter of the Kauai Ballroom Dance Club Anniversary Ball Committee for bringing enjoyment and entertainment to this wonderful event.
The Hanapepe Chapter danced the East Coast Swing choreographed by Roy and Glenda Tamashiro. The dancers in the routine were Collin Dana & Paula Schultz, Tomas & Adela Chavez, Taylor Campbell & Lynn Jackson, Dan & Cornelia Works, Dennis Lo & Violet Bucao, John & Brenda Visitacion, and Roy & Glenda Tamashiro.
Dance Magic 808 danced the Internationall Quickstep choreographed by Richard and Lynn Nakamura. Dancers in the routine were Noli & Wowie Boado, Richard & Lynn Nakamura, Ed & Candy Matsuda, and Larry Arinaga & Candace Yap.
The Lihue Chapter danced the Rumba choreographed by Ken & Ellen Kitabayashi. Dancers in the routine were Medina & Bryson Cabalteja, Marites & Tom Yano, Doug Duvauchelle & Jeanette Bonilla, Eddie & Fely Ibanez, Millie & Juanito Duarosan, and Ken & Ellen Kitabayashi.
Closing the Showcase was a Solo International Foxtrot & Tango Medley by Richard and Lynn Nakamura of Dance Magic 808.
The Kauai Ballroom Dance Club 7th Anniversary Ball, and Picnic was very well planned by the Hanapepe Chapter and I believe everyone was hep to the music and dance. The buffet was onolicious and all the people in attendance were very friendly.
A big mahalo to Grace Takabayashi and Marie Laderta who kindly shared some of their photos of the Picnic and the Ball on this blogsite.
Eleven o'clock came along real soon and it was time to leave the Hyatt for the trip back to Wailua. We did think about stopping for coffee at Big Mac but after a night of good fun and vigorous dancing and socializing with friendly people we gave a second thought to bettah "no need caffeine" this time. Well dat's all fo' now till the Kauai Ballroom Dance Club 8th Anniversary Ball next year! Aloha and keep on dancing!
(Left click on photo to zoom in)
