US Open 2009 – Update #3
I’m having so much fun I’m shaking, on the verge of tears every minute just from plain astonishment and joy! So much history!
Last night’s dancing was FABULOUS! The energy in the ballroom is just crazy! So many cool people: Juniors! Lots and lots!! Sebastien and Blandine and Verane from France arrived last night, SO tired and SO excited! Verane said “I ehm hom! My say-cond hom!” The Russian couple is here – forget their names it’s something in Russian – we saw their routine twice this year – and every guy last night said WOW that Russian girl she’s GREAT to dance with wow wow! Some crazy wonderful and crazy hilarious Korean ballroom-dance pro teeny tiny stick of a 4’10″ woman with a name that sounds like “Korea” who’s SO funny what a goofball! who kept shooting one or two legs straight up in the air like skinny spikes, doing crazy dips and drops and 14 gazillion spins on a dime, and making the funniest goofy faces! Hilarious! She spent a lot of time dancing with the crowd of young black kids from DC, omg they themselves are a marvel to watch with their knees-on-the-floor multiple spins and skids and slides and crazy-ass lightning-quick funny made-up-on-the-fly stuff. People say this Korean lady named “Korea” is from around here, they know her, and yes, she IS crazy funny. She talks to you, well at you, really fast, laughing and gesticulating wildly, and her accent’s so thick you haven’t the faintest clue what she’s saying. They say when she teaches she shouts and barks orders in a gruff raspy voice like a drill sargeant.
Master of Ceremonies Robert Royston is here! With beautiful Nicola and their kids and his Mom! Looking forward to meeting his Mom! Robert says his poor hurty arm is gradually improving. He’s now supposed to move it but it hurts. Last weekend at VSO he was out of his sling for a good portion of the weekend – doc says no more sling now, get it out and move it around. Ow.
Several injuries we heard about last week: Sarah’s foot is broken! Kyle says she’s hurting but they’re planning on dancing anyway – they just love the Open, can’t not dance at the Open. Torri hyperextended her shoulder but Brennar says it’s all better and they’ll be dancing. Parker hurt his neck in Tampa, bad, so they missed two weeks of practice. So instead of the new routine they’ll be doing the old one, which they’ve changed somewhat and changed their costumes, so it’ll look a little different. Ron says there’s a word for all of these injuries and last-minute chao: OpenMeltdown, which usually happens in the two weeks preceding the event when the stress just builds up and people’s brains and bodies implode. There’s also OpenWeight which is what you have to get to in order to squeeze into your tight costume, and OpenEating which is the opposite of eating. And OpenFever which starts in September of every year. You know what? I AM IN OPENHEAVEN. I am just Open EXPLODING! This is the funnest thing in the WHOLE WIDE OPEN-WORLD!
There will be 85 routines this weekend! 85! hahahahahahaha 85! 25 in Classic alone. Registration was super easy, completely well organized. And we knew EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE LINE AUGHGHGHGH! So many friends! It’s like all the people who are really REALLY as crazy passionate in love with this as we are all ALL HERE TOGETHER in one building – WOW the energy!! But registration was seamless. Tyoni runs this like a business, because, well, it IS a business. She’s like the Ross Perot of the west-coast world. She’s got a director in charge of The Ballroom – meaning EVERYTHING that pertains to the ballroom. A director in charge of Registrations. A director in charge of Food. A director in charge of Competitions. And they’re all women! Bossy, competent, grown-up, take-no-prisoners women. Very cool!
Trey and Tori Ellington, those two uber-beauties, are doing their first routine together! How cool is THAT? Angie Cameron and Doug Rousar are doing their first routine together! Can’t wait can’t wait can’t WAIT!!!
Competitors’ Meeting now! More soon!
Love Liza