The Art Is In The Streets

Ciao Darlings,

As part of my final, my ballet class had to perform in our school's end of the semester program entitled, The Art Is In The Streets - a dance recital including the modern, flamenco, and ballet classes followed by a student-run fashion show. I've been in many dance recitals growing up and compete a couple of times for ballroom during the years, but this was my first ballet recital. Yes, at 20 years old, I had completed my first ballet class. It was a great evening and while the choreography was very basic, I was satisfied with my performance and was utterly sad that one of my favorite classes had come to an end. If it fits into my schedule, I just may take Ballet II next semester at Binghamton.

Special thanks to Lana for the beautiful photos and for being a such a great supporter by watching me dance, along with our fellow friends!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

A Modern Day Grinchess

Hello Darlings,

This is finals week at Binghamton University, but I am glad to say that all of my final papers and projects were due last week. My final class of the Fall 2010 semester was my 8:30am Wellness class last Friday and now I am free! Next semester I will be in Florence, so I took these past couple of days to relax and enjoy Binghamton; I won't see it until next August!

I wish you could see my costume better! (Thats holly in my hair and I had patterned stocking on :)

 Last night was my special Dancing With the Stars performance/competition. After many practices with Matt and countless hours of coming up with choreography, I am so happy with our performance and was truly blessed to have gotten such a dedicated, competitive, and naturally talented performer. He put up with my cray ideas and made my first experience of choreography and competitive performance seem like a breeze. We didn't win first place which was majorly disappointing, but the couple who won most definitely deserved it and it was an all around amazing experience. I'm looking forward to hopefully doing it again next year. This is my first time posting a video of my ballroom performance - Enjoy!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Ohio Star Ball Nationals 2010

Hello Lovelies,

This past weekend, the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Team took a ten hour bus ride all the way over to Columbus, Ohio. The bonding that takes place every year during the bus ride only makes us each wish that the drive was longer (except during those last 15 minutes when our numb limbs and cranked necks are dying to sleep horizontally on an actual bed.) With perhaps five hours of sleep the whole weekend, the team competed from 8:00am until 6:00pm and then watched the professionals compete on Saturday evening. The professionals dancing is absolutely breathtaking and there were so many moments when my jaw dropped to the ground and I wished that I could replay it. While my partner and I didn't get any ribbons which was pretty disappointing, it felt great to cheer the rest of the team on.

 This was Anna Trebunskya's dress from the Argentine Tango she danced with Even Lysechek in Seaon 10

I hope everybody will have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Photo Credit:
R. Delgado
C. Reyes

Cornell Ballroom Competition

Hello Darlings,

This past weekend, the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Team drove up to Ithaca, New York to compete at a competition that Cornell University was hosting. I always enjoy competing and I have fun, but this past competition was one of the best that I have been to so far. Not only was I in great company (as always) but I danced really well with my new partner. Because he was new to the team, I danced a level lower than what I normally compete in but I was so proud of him because he danced really well and we did an awesome job!

Some highlights include:

Seeing all the new team members win multiple ribbons

Winning first place in the Back-to-Back Tango Fun Dance

Meeting everyone at 5:30am in the parking lot to drive up together

Laughing

Competing in the Newcomer Level and Bronze Level

(translation: getting off the floor and then going right back on)

Now I'm just counting down the days until he team goes to Nationals in Ohio!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Dancing in the (Boston) Streets

Hey There Perty Bloggers,

April has been a whirlwind of a month. The first couple of weeks were spent only on studying while the last couple of weeks have seen me traveling all over the United States: this past weekend the ballroom dance team went to Boston for a competition at MIT!

While I spent most of the time in either costumes or sweatpants, I thought it would be fun to share some of the pictures and experiences. Friday after classes was pure traveling - five hours from Binghamton to Boston, but ultmiatley the drive was fun. We threw on our iPods and just jammed out to the different music. Because my brother lives in Boston, I stayed with him in his apartment while the other teammates stayed in the Hyatt hotel. I went in with them to unpack and we hung before I took a cab to my brother's - my mom wouldn't let me take the T so late at night. Even though she was in a completely different state, she is uber protective; both great and annoying at the same time.

Saturday morning started out early. I woke at 6am to take the T over to MIT and walked through the beautiful streets near the Charles River. It sounds cheesy, but the quiet morning air was so peaceful and a great time to just be by myself and sink deep into my own thoughts. I arrived early enough to get changed and put my "face" on and danced with a TBA partner for smooth - my regular partner didn't come to the competition so I danced with three different partners. I was so excited to wear the standard costume that was hidden in the Ballroom Costume Closet (see pictures below!). We were done early and a whole group of us decided to explore the city. We went to Quincy Market and saw a bunch of the little stands and ate lunch at an Irish pub. It was a small meal for an unnecessarily large price and while I enjoyed it, I would have rathered another eatery.

Besides the food, there was a ton of fun looking out at the water and dancing in the streets...yes, we made sure to have an audience!

For dessert, which by the way totally made up for lunch, we went to the famous Mike's Pastrys where the line was out the door and down the street. I was impressed by how fast the line went even though it was crazy and smushed inside the small bake shop. The cannoli's definitely lived up to their praises. I got a choclate mousse with choclate chips and it was the most delicious pastry I have eaten. I had to eat it in small doses because it was really ricj but it was oh so woth it! I grabbed my brother some choclate chip cookies to cheer him up for his finals that he was studying for and also for having me as his guest, I hope he enjoyed them! As delicious as everything was, the prices were, again, a little ridiculous. For a canoli and two cookies, the toal came out to 8.50! But I choose to overlook it because they were just soo good!!

My canoli!

I couldn't resist...I had to take a bite!

My outfit wasn't anything special. I just threw on jeans and a top. I had to pack light for thie trip because we were all condensing into cars so I couldn't have a lot of luggae. My trick for squeezing three days of clothes into a small duffel bag was just to bring clothes that could be used multiple times. I wore my jeans for traveling and exploring, my sweatpants and t-shirts both days in-between dances and brought three extra shirts and some pjs, along with my costumes and usual toiletries.

I am wearing: Jeans: (Nine West); Shirt: (Charlotte Russe); Flip Flops: (Victoria's Secret Pink); Sunglasses: (Betsey Johnson)

Sunday morning was a filled day of dancing. The morning was Latin and Rythem where I danced with one of the girls from our team (my new bestie!) and a male from MIT. I got a couple of callbacks in some of the dances but no ribbons - maybe next year! The best part of the Latin/Rythem section was dancing the Bolero with my MIT partner. He taught me the basic and a New Yorker about a half an hour before we were to go on. Thats right, I performed a dance I've never learned and actually got called back once for it! I really wished that I got a ribbon because it would be soo awesome to have gotten a ribbon in a dance I've never learned but unfortunately it was not meant to be. Bummerrrr.

Performing Latin/Rythem in my animal print skirt!

In the evening was standard and although everyone from our team was beginning to leave, I performed Standard with one of the men on our team. We got called back for a couple of dances as well (still no ribbons - shucks!) and I got to wear the standard dress one more time - I was so excited!

My Costume!!

The weekend was a ton of fun even though I got back really late Sunday night/Monday morning. It was a great break from the stress of school work and I can't wait to start summer lessons - seeing those Pre-champs dance was inspiring!

Have an Awesome Day!