blues in the hudd part I

So, Blues in the Hudd in Huddersfield, Yorkshire two weeks ago ...
- Had the LOVELIEST dances. I know, I say that after every event I go to these days, but blues dancing is just so, so much fun right now. Also, Rosie really found some fabulous musicians! I always say I am a snob when it comes to live bands, but this time I had nothing to complain about, three nights in a row!
- Learned so much fun stuff in class! Yay Leigh and Dáire and Ruth and Mike, please never stop doing what you do and being who you are.
- Had the LOVELIEST chats with my UK friends. ... Until I stopped understanding them, sometime around Sunday afternoon. I completely ran out of English and was literally just ... staring at people trying to talk to me. Ha! I was one of very few non native English speakers at this event and it dawned on me that how English speakers talk when they travel to international events is VERY different from how they talk at events in their home country. DUH. I also realised I am not half as good at English as I think I am - always good to get a slightly more realistic view of your abilities, isn't it?
- Had a couple of interesting culture shocks. :) Like when people wondered what weird things I had attached to my coat pockets and I was like "don't you wear reflectors in the winter, DO YOU WANT TO GET KILLED?!?!". Or when someone answered "I'm ok" when I asked them how they were feeling and I got worried (in Swedish you'd use anything other than "good" only if there's some kind of catastrophe going on). Or when someone said that they "FUCKING LOVE" dancing with me (and then apologized - I must have looked offended - but I was just surprised, it's not a compliment I've ever gotten before ... but I have to admit I was quite delighted :)).
- Placed second in the switch & match comp (!!!) and won a pass to Crash, so apparently, you'll see me in Delft in February, yay!

All in all, one of my favorite events I've ever been to! Rosie (a lovely friend of mine - you've seen her here before) did an amazing job organizing. And I have been to a couple, after all. :)

Also, I took photos! 'Cause I was the official photographer and everything! Here are some favorites from the classes (I'll save the photos from the social dancing for another day, because there were just so many favorites. :).




















People have asked me if I never get tired of taking photos of dancers. I can only answer "at least not yet" - I don't know what I will feel in a few years. But so far, I'm enjoying it so much. Just look at all these beautiful faces and expressions! How could I not love capturing them?