Hello fellow readers,
A post has been long overdue, it’s been a busy few weeks, but I am here to talk about my
recent swing dance weekend!
If you’ve read my first post about swing dancing - Swing On By! - then you’ve heard me
mention Balboa. If you don’t know the dance balboa, then feel free to visit the following
link, but the way I describe balboa is that it’s a close proximity dance that works very
well for fast tempo songs.
If you’re like me and prefer to learn visually what balboa is, see the link to a recent
competition I got to witness of a couple of my favorite dancers, Blake and Teni, who are
a major inspiration for me.
I’ve only been dancing balboa for a short period of time, but I absolutely fell in love with
the fluidity and subtlety of it. When I watched competition videos for the California
Balboa Classic I knew I wanted to get better. I’d been lucky to make a connection through
the swing dance community with the volunteer coordinator who encouraged me to sign
up as a volunteer for the California Balboa Classic 2020, so I did and I was one of the
lucky few that had the opportunity! I volunteered a few hours every day of the weekend
and in return, I got to attend classes and social dances for free.
The volunteer experience was absolutely wonderful. I love keeping busy and as a bonus,
I got to meet new people and make friends. Don’t get me wrong, I was extremely tired
for most of the weekend because of the previous work week, but I pushed through - with
lots and lots of coffee - and had a lot of fun dances, got to dress up in vintage clothing,
listen to amazing live bands, and witness some incredible dancers compete. I feel like I
learned some new techniques and moves along with discovering some personal dance
abilities. After the weekend, I was left wanting to expand on what I got a taste of over the
weekend, but it’s been difficult to manage my time to do so. I’m not giving up, I just need
to learn to adjust myself to the circumstances.
Photo credit: Skeeter
Location: CalBal 2020; Newport Beach, CA
One thing I know for sure, I had an incredible experience volunteering, but now that I can
afford to, I will attempt to attend California Balboa Classic 2021 as an attendee paying out
of pocket. In addition, I would love to continue to grow in the dance and be more
courageous to ask people to dance balboa with me. Also, I am so grateful to everyone who
gave me advice and danced with me, there’s no way I could improve without practicing!
Live every day to the fullest.
Love, Damaris
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