Double Shot of Blues and Fusion in Valencia, Spain. Just like last year, it's a lot. Just like last year, there were ups and downs, for sure. But I'll tell it as honestly as I can.
On the way there, our flight from Manchester was half an hour late ... so we missed our connection in Frankfurt and were stranded there for five hours. I was SO GRUMPY.
But at least we know how to make time pass. <3
There was only an hour left of the social night when we got there, so I didn't take any photos, just tried to squeeze in as much dancing and hugging as I could.
My favourite part of everything is always Liam. I don't know how that can be real, but it kinda is.
After classes on Friday I went out for dinner with Miranda, Helene, Malcolm and Liam. They did their very best to look like sensible responsible people; you judge the results. :)
The evening venue - the opera - is oddly beautiful. It's big and grand and for blues dancing, I don't particularly like it; it's too big and grand.
These were my highlights of Friday night - the Down and Outs performance and the teacher demo. It all went downhill from there. I did some solo dancing to David Keogh's set, which I enjoyed, but other than that I didn't dance at all. I HATED the music in the blues room. I hated both bands and the one DJ I heard (I got there late and didn't stay until the end - I was fed up at that point). Frankly, it was so bad that I felt embarrassed for the organisers. I would have been more forgiving if this had been a smaller and cheaper and cosier event. This is NOT a cheap event and for that money, I expect better music, and I certainly expect BLUES MUSIC in the BLUES ROOM. The second band couldn't even play in tune - or if it was the shape of the room that made the music travel weirdly into my ears - either way, it was bad. Also, the sound was THE WORST. What on earth was the sound person doing?!
Annywayyy ...
... classes all weekend were awesome! I had a great time in class, got a lot of challenging material, and loved all our teachers. Invitational level in Valencia is for sure the highest level of learning I can get in a group class in Europe and I want to savour every bit.
Going for lunch between classes. The weather was fabulous the entire weekend. I needed that.
After classes, time for mix and match prelims. I wasn't super happy with my dancing in the prelims, but I wasn't unhappy either. I was nervous, though. I did so well last year, I unexpectedly placed 3rd, and was overjoyed ... This year I had expectations.
I didn't make finals, and was devastated. Like, I cried my eyes out, and felt like shit, like the worst blues dancer in the world. It's not that I thought that I deserved a spot in the finals more than anyone who did make finals; they are all absolutely fantastic dancers. It didn't feel like traditional jealousy, as such; my hurt was aimed at me, not them ... It's this: I felt that since I did so well last year, and I didn't do well this year, I must have become a worse blues dancer - all the dancing and practising and nerding out must have been for nothing - and it's because I SUCK. It's quite rough.
That didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying watching the finals though. Such fabulous dancing! And at events where I'm not the official photographer, I don't have to think about catching everyone on photo; I can do what I want. Meaning 90% Liam. :)
Ruth obvs did a stellar job as the comp magician.
After that, I had an amazing dance night; it was everything that Friday night wasn't. The music was brilliant throughout and everyone I wanted to dance with asked me before I even had time to ask them. It's a wonderful flowy feeling to be able to stay on the dance floor for as long as you want - as a follow I'll often spend more time looking for someone to dance with than actually dancing - and I'm aware of the luxury and privilege.
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