Monday, June 25, 2012

Millennium Dance Sport Comp @Tampa, Florida by Marie Laderta

We are here in Tampa with our teacher Lucas and Yanna and some fellow students competing at the Millennium Dance Sport Competition. Today is day #2 of the comp and we have a grueling schedule, competing from 7a in the morning till past midnight. Record entries of over 15,000 this year. Was told this is the second largest comp to Ohio Star Ball. Who knows, we just like the hospitality the level of dancing, the spectacular aura and great lengths the organizer Michael Chapman puts into this competition. This is our 3rd time at the Millennium. Divino Ritmo students were dancing under the lucky stars, or should I say, the Auspicious Fire Dragon - Here in a celebratory shot, Paul won 1st place in the 3-Dance American Rhythm Championship. I got lucky and won 3rd place in the 3-Dance American Rhythm Championship, and David Easa who danced his own age group took 2nd place. Anna Mae Schwartz took 4th in her age category. Edward Nishimura did not compete in the Rhythm "Championships," at least not this year, but garnered 1st and 2nd places in all his American single dances (NONE of his heats were uncontested, he had competition even as a New comer!). We were very grateful considering we danced our hearts out! We danced until nearly 1am this morning and started again the 2nd day of our dance marathon... Ran into many nice dance afficionados we met over the last few years like seasoned competitors and Dance Patrons Josie Lee, Judy Sargent, Deborah Berinovsky, professionalForest Vance, Judges Peter Eggleton, Marianne Nicole, Dennis Rogers, Sam Soldano, Colin & Joyce Hillary, and many more...and some who just come up to us and say they remember us!!!!:) now that is heart-warming! Aloha, Marie, Still Standing or should I say "dancing" from the Millennium.