Lindy Focus XI - Balboa Comps

We're in our final day at Lindy Focus in Asheville, NC and getting ready for the New Year's Eve party tonight. (I'm trying mobile blogging, so hopefully the formatting isn't all wonky!) Chris and I are having a blast - we've done a couple contests, dancing a bit part in the show tonight, and I took my first burlesque class ever (from Sharon Davis/"Bonnie Fox" (if you look her up on YouTube, please note it's NSFW!!)) I actually took the night off from dancing last night because I was so tired - I know I missed some great music and dancing, but I'm feeling WAY more human today. :)

My dad emailed me last night that he found some YouTube footage up from the weekend already - here's a clip of Chris and me dancing in the Balboa Jack & Jill - in J&J contests you're paired up with a random partner. I'm up first dancing with Marshall, who I've not seen in years, and Chris dances with Lana, a gal from Kiev whom we've never met before this weekend!

We also competed in the Underground Lindy Focus Championships - Balboa Edition (at 2:15 AM!!) and made it to the final four - everyone jumps onto the floor and the judges give out challenges, and they tap out couples until they get down to 6 couples. We had to do Pure Bal (chest-to-chest the whole time), No Basics, Slow Bal, and Lots of Spins - the challenges were actually really fun and a good way to loosen up for the finals! Here are the first 2 rounds of the finals - We're in the second group out on the far side in both videos.

There are a TON more videos already up from the weekend, if you want to see more search for "Lindy Focus XI".

Happy New Year!! Stay safe and don't drink and drive, and I'll see you in 2013!

Christmas Parties

Merry Christmas! I just finished up an insane month at work, and I'm on vacation until NEXT YEAR! :) We're taking advantage of the time off from work and flying out to North Carolina for Lindy Focus, which is one of the (if not THE) biggest swing events in the US. It's the first time Chris and I  have been to this event, and will be our first time on the East Coast together. I'm going to *try* to blog while I'm there, but if I don't you'll know it's because I'm running around having fun!

Because we're going out of town we didn't decorate at home this year, but we've gone to a couple Christmas parties. I wore a new me-made Beignet skirt to a Gingerbread House party last Sunday, but I'm a bad blogger and didn't take any photos of it. But here's our sugary creation - every team gets the same basic house kit and creates a different scene. We got 3rd place with our "Broadmoor Abbey", mostly because Chris invented a ridiculous story about the Stonehenge-esque light bouncing through the stone windows. It sure wasn't the Gummi Bear statuary that won!

Wednesday night was my office Holiday party - there was an office decorating contest, and I wanted to share some cute creations we made. Not award-winning, but pretty fun for a couple hours with wrapping paper! If you want that giant measuring tape behind me, it's available as a printable download here.

We did NOT make the Hot Dog cut-out - that came with the sliders food station, but I thought it was pretty exciting. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one at the party who used it.

And the obligatory photo-booth pics!

Happy Holidays - I'll see you soon!