Unforgettable...

In a word... The only way to describe my experience.

Friday Morning

Here, from left to right, is my teacher's adorable professional partner, another student dancer(Ellary), my teacher & me.

It was an early morning, after a really late night, and the troops were raring to go - what better support can you ask for than your own cheering section?

Ellary & Me

Why Ellary has a special place in my heart:

Ellary, another student dancer from our studio, was my dear and newly adopted friend who talked to me from take-off to landing on my "bus" (airplane) ride.

I warned her that I may not be pleasant company.

She sat next to me anyway.

She didn't have to dance until Friday evening.

She was up early Friday morning and came to support me anyway.

How could you not like this girl?

And we're off!

I came for the experience and to have a great time. And except for a fleeting moment of nausea right before we walked onto the ballroom floor - that's exactly what I did.

One of our cheerleaders calls out our number

"134! 134!"

I was already having fun, but now I am addicted.

This is so exciting!

I am dancing!

You can't even see my face, and you can still tell I am smiling.

I don't think I ever stopped smiling. I would have loved to pull a few of those sassy expressions that I saw other dancers make - but I wasn't thinking of that. I was thinking I was having a good time, and that makes me smile.

A Little Mambo

And that arm is about to loop over my head.

A Little Swing

You have no idea the photographic genius that goes into timing a photo to capture the warp speed moment of this pose.

The next day

(sans make-up and basketball hair),

it's my turn to break out the pom-poms while other dancers in our group (Lauren & Jo) have their time on the floor.

***

Seriously, five women dancers total
- one man.
Why, again, don't more men dance?

***

Okay, I skipped a couple of things...

I went into this competition with one expectation - to have a good time.

Along with my good time, I got 13 first places out of a possible 17.

One of which happened to be the overall championship for my level. (Totally unexpected!)

Here, we celebrate as we leave the floor having just received 5 first places for our first five dances.

The other four of seventeen dances were second places.

One of which happened to produce a check for a prize. (Also totally unexpected!)

A Few Momentos.

The competition cup, my championship medal, and a bracelet.

(What gives with the bracelet? Well, as if the experience had not rewarded us enough - and it had - the bracelet was just icing on the cake - a lovely and thoughtful gift to each of us girls from my teacher and his professional dance partner. )

And last but not least...I refuse to name drop, but in honor of all my fellow Dancing With the Stars fans, how could I not include a little evidence of my star-studded kodak moment?

(So, while my teacher is standing on the sidelines in between his professional heats - he pops his head in at our table and says if we would like a photo with Edyta "Grab your cameras and follow me." At times like these you don't ask questions. You grab your camera, forget that you are wearing 4 1/2" heels and run! We appear, she graciously obliges, and Lauren and I have a very exciting moment! Oh, darn, I said her name. Ah well, if you must know, she was even more beautiful in person, and so, so gracious to allow us to have our moment with her.)

There is a bit of a debate, now, about which is the most prized possession in the end - the championship medal or the picture with You-Know-Who. Either way, this day my teacher is my hero, and I win!

(No. I will not say which I love more. Oh, you think so, do you?)