We went to Snowball, which is a dance event in Stockholm between Christmas and New Year's. Short version: I had a blast. It was amazing. I want it all, all over again.
Longer version:
Obviously, I traveled with my crew. Because they're the best. <3
There was music everywhere. And when it wasn't live, like this, the hotel played soul and funk in the lobby at all times, so I wanted to dance constantly, even just moving through the lobby. YES
Dancing happened, and a very tiny amount of dance photography from me, just for fun:
The music was ridiculously good. My favourites were probably Hot Sugar Band and Stockholm Swing Allstars, but there was nothing I didn't at least like. This is Joakim Falk Blue Devils who played in the blues lounge - and they played actual danceable blues! Hallelujah. I was definitely not at the Snowball for the blues (I go to so many places where there is more proper blues to be had) but I still had some great moments in the blues lounge!
I got to spend an afternoon hanging out with my dear friend Ulrich, who lives in Berlin. It was just so lovely and perfect taking the time to go for a fika with him in the daytime and not just sit around noisy dance floors and chat.
And there was a fast feet comp:
Normally, too many comps just take up time and space from dancing, but this one was short and sweet and energetic and fun and musical. It was a delight to watch!
I looked like this:
Since I couldn't capture the actual dancing properly in photography (I mean, beause I was busy doing the actual dancing myself!), here are words:
The dancing. Omg, the dancing!
I was worried before the event - what if I won't get to dance - what if no one wants to dance with me - what if I'm the worst dancer in the world and there will be five follows to every lead and I'll have to try and hunt down leads to dance with (which, by the way, I HATE) - but I decided to go anyway. I've been before, but it was years ago, and I've changed, and my dancing has changed, and why not just give it another try, when everyone says it's so great.
It was so great. It was everything that people had told me, and more. The music was SO GREAT. The dancing was SO GREAT. I didn't have to sit out one single song if I didn't want to! And the level was really high! Balboa especially, but the late night lindy (between five and seven in the morning) was pure bliss too.
And this is the weirdest bit: People seemed to think I was really good.
And I'm so not used to it.
Back home I am absolutely nothing special; I'm a perfectly okay dancer in lindy and balboa, nothing more. But at the Snowball, there were nights where I felt like everyone I danced fell in love with me a little bit, while the songs lasted. And they were some great dancers! Great dancers who kept asking me for more and more and more! By the end of the week, I'd more often dance three of four (or six or seven) songs with the same person than one or two, just because it was So Much Fun. With almost everyone.
Gah. I do understand that not everyone had this experience. And that it was probably just luck that I ended up at the Snowball at exactly the right spot in my life - dance wise and happiness wise. And I'm grateful.
More here.
the Bird and the Bee | I'm Into Something Good
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