Volunteer Report

The Competition Season Begins!

By Taylor Wall

On June 11th in Hackensack, New Jersey, the Summer Sizzler NJ DanceSport Classic marked the beginning of the competition season as the first USADance National Qualifying Event of the year. While many dancers in our Twin Cities ballroom dance community elect to earn their Nationals qualifications closer to home in Chicago in October, competitions this early in the season allow for a jump-start in training, an opportunity to scope out the competition and choreography and costuming trends, and, if a qualification can be earned, a low-stress season to focus on dancing. In this issue, you'll see coverage of this event by members of the University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club who stuck around the Twin Cities for the summer. You'll also see stories by members of our ballroom dance community who weren't able to stay in Minnesota this summer but still found ways to practice their dancing around the world! We at Sheer Dance are excited to be able to showcase every path of dancing experience, and if you'd like to share your story please contact us at info@sheerdance.com.

This month also marks the opening of registration for Minnesota Ballroom Blast, a fun-filled event hosted by our amazing volunteer team on Saturday, October 22, 2016. Minnesota Ballroom Blast is a low-stress, feeback-based event designed to provide social dancers and competitors alike with meaningful feedback from professionals they may not otherwise have access to and to introduce beginners to the general format of a competition in a low-chaos environment. For those dancers looking to compete this year, Minnesota Ballroom Blast provides a preparatory event that allows couples to experiment with choreography and costuming and make sure their dancing is on a good track. This event is just like any other dance competition, except that instead of being judged, dancers receive a concise critique of their dancing written by experienced ballroom professionals. Throughout the day, workshops by local professionals cover topics from footwork to arm styling to hair and makeup tips. Stick around for the Halloween Ball evening session to enjoy a wonderful evening of social dancing, food, games, merriment, and a showcase of national championship-level talent. To top off a wonderful evening, a costume contest will be held with prizes in various categories. Get your registration in early to make sure you don't miss out on what is sure to be one of the most exciting events of the competition season! Visit www.mnballroomblast.com for more information and to get your registration in today!