SUDC 2006

Another weekend gone and another dance comp has passed. Don't worry. This ain't going to be a long entry. Nothing much to report on the competition.

First, the team captain made us leave London ridiculously early to travel 25 miles to Farnborough where the comp was being held. We left at 6.45am!!! (or maybe 7am but still!!!) We arrived at 8.00am. Was a little kranky for arriving even before the hosting team (Southampton) could set up the hall. Walked around and found a cafe with Mike and Alison so had a proper breakfast. Got back to the hall at about 10 past 9. Offbeat went on at 9.30am. London came 3rd out of 6 which was ok.

After that they pushed the team knockout to before the ballroom section because Cambridge hadn't arrived yet due to an accident on the motorway. We were up against Southampton first. Safely knocked them out. Next was Bath. Rumba, Cha and Tango were picked out. I was told to dance the Rumba. Saw Bath toss out their best dancer (this guy who competes in Advance). Ran off the floor to teach the guy who was dancing tango just how to do a link and close cause he had NEVER danced Tango before. Thankfuly Alison could back lead. Knocked them out and faced Oxford in the finals. We came in second.

In the Ballroom section me and Jo made the semis which is really good considering we are a 'latin' couple and spend a considerable amount of time on latin. Still, I doubt we'll do as well in IVDC in the Ballroom section since it's going to be a Vienesse Waltz.. my second worst dance next to the Foxtrot. Also, I dont think some teams came in full strength. Oh well...

In the Latin section, we made the semifinals again which was okay. I have to admit, we both felt a tinge of dissapointment not making it into the finals. Though both of us had tried very hard not to let Sheffield (or even Leeds-Keele) boost our hopes, I guess there was still a slight build up. I guess, we were hoping that we would at least make the finals. It didn't matter if we came in last, but making the finals would have been great. I was worried we'd get knocked out before the semis though, seeing that we made the semis for Ballroom. Oh well... Liz and Yoni and Peter and Ly did superbly well. Peter and Ly won the Intermediate Ballroom and Liz and Yoni came second in the Intermediate Latin. Congrats to them! Also worthy to note are Finbar and Afsenah and Rob and Jane making the Novice Latin finals.

By the team match, I was getting a little confused. In the semis of the team Cha I couldn't hear the music properly. I started on what I thought was the correct beat (it was) but I really couldn't hear it properly. I actually had to watch other couples to get the beat off them cause I was worried I was embaressing myself dancing it off time. Jo said I was dancing a little too fast as well... which only frustrates me cause I don't usually have this problem. I think some of the music played that day was really rubbish...

Anyway, on the way home I felt quite ill. The bus driver wasnt helping with his crap driving.. same thing with the bus on the way home. Was in quite a state when I got back. Really felt like puking. But got rest and feeling a whole lot better now. Coughing like mad still though... oh... I also accidentally slapped Jo on her butt when she spun out at the end of one of the dances... was quite funny... hehe..