As per the request of one of the DanceNet readers, here are copies of the past ramblings of the DanceNet Webmaster.
And, of course, this event is close enough to Boston so people can just drive up for the day and save money by going home at night (lunch-only passes are available). That puts a damper on things if you dance all night and have the 45-minutes or an hour ride home to Boston.
Next year, I'll remember to bring a large cup for coffee. The ones in the kitchen are way too small for our needs after an endless night of dancing. It was amusing to see how many people showed up for breakfast with coffee from Dunkin' Donuts.
The Auditorium is a great place to hang out because it's air-conditioned and quiet enough to take a nap, even if there's a class going on in there.
Unfortunately, I missed Sylvia's Balboa 1 class because I was waiting at home to pick up two teachers at the airport (who decided to rent a car anyways after landing in Boston), so I wasn't psyched to take any of the other Bal classes.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I got out of Ben & Sheri's "Permutations of Lindy" class (beg/int). They took a bunch of basic steps and showed how many different ways they could be used. It was a surprising amount of information that could be used on any dance floor (even on West Coast Swing, I bet). By the time the weekend is over, I will have taken or sat in on all of their classes.
Likewise with Jane Ford from DC. I only see her at Beantown once a year so I try to show up for her classes. Since there weren't enough guys in the West Coast swing class, I ended up being "the lovely assistant" in the class. And it'll be time for my yearly Hustle lesson on Sunday.
I really don't like taking workshops that focus on a routine (because I won't remember to use it ever). I do like general dance technique classes because they focus on the little things that make our dancing better.
For some reason there were two sets of teachers who were named "Matt & Laura".
Someone went and argued with the kitchen staff about whether or not they could get three veggie egg-rolls instead of two (just go back into line a second time! They allow that!). The kitchen staff isn't paid enough to deal with difficult people and they only do what they're told to do; they're not given the responsibility of making executive decisions that override the rules they're given. And when someone makes it difficult for the hired staff, it falls on the event's promoters to deal with and resolve the issue. We as customers for this event aren't paying enough for a 5-star hotel service.
I must congratulate Tony & Aurelie Tye and their entire Beantown staff for their effort in bringing off a successful event. I know I wouldn't want to do it.
One comment from one teacher stands out in my head.
During one of their classes, Ben Yau talked about the first time he met his partner (and wife), Sheri. He said that the sides of his head were shaved back and that he more or less had a mohawk with the hair spiked up, not to mention earrings and baggy clothes. He said that Sheri talked with/danced with him anyways....because he was a good dancer.
PS: Important lesson for camp attendees: don't sit down on the couches with open bottles of water after a lot of dancing and staying up all night. It's really easy to nod off....and if you're holding a bottle of water....well, you get the picture.