This showcase featured the Amateur 3 Dance for the very first time, and it did not disappoint. All of the couples danced with great energy, and the crowd showed their support. It was quite an accomplishment for those that participated as most had never competed in the category before.
We've seen the rise of dances like Argentine Tango, Bachata, and Salsa, But one dance that seemed to surpass the participation growth was, you guessed it, the Hustle! The dance floor was packed on the Hustle freestyles, and in many cases, featured 32 couples dancing at the same time. Somewhere, John Travolta is smiling.
AM Santa Rosa didn't let a lengthy commute to the South Bay stop them from showing up to the showcase. They had the most participation in their history, and student representation from all levels and age categories.
Bay Area Showcase - San Jose, CA - September 2016 from Maude Productions on Vimeo.
As a one day event, the District Showcase pushed the limits of dance event logistics. Now, held over two days, it is bigger, yet smoother. Totaling over 8000 entries, but with enough time for changing breaks and general dancing, this event continues to grow in both size and comfort.
With a few formations Saturday evening, and a full slate of them on Sunday afternoon, the Staff put on a fantastic display of dancing, precision, and teamwork, with their group formations. While all were great, the San Jose/Los Gatos team continued to push the formation bar higher with a great AC/DC performance. Look for this category to grow exponentially as teachers are already talking strategy for the next showcase.
This showcase had a great turnout for the youth category. Naturally, whenever any of the kids took the floor, they received an abundance of smiles, "oohs", "aaahs", and "I wish my parents took me to dance classes when I was that age."
2016 will always be known as the year when the District Showcase went from 1 day to a 2 Day event. With that includes a new concept: A Lunch Break. Initially, there was some hesitation surrounding this scheduling anomaly, but then all concerned parties were fed midway through the day and quickly approved.
With a mix of International Standard, American Smooth, and a hint of Latin - Daniele and Alla delivered a memorable show for the Northern California audience. This included a fantastic display of dance recovery as there was a problem with their music on their first number, and yet they danced without it as if nothing happened. Their Viennese Waltz showdance number to "A Man's World" started with a single chair, and ended with the audience on their feet. Bravo!
While San Francisco opened in 2015, due to some problems with the city, the school didn't even have an sign in front of the studio until early 2016. With students dancing in the showcase, and a table full of spectators, AMSF made their mark on the event. The newest location, AM Stockton, brought their team of instructors, a handful of students, and the energy of a studio that had there for years.
While all the instructors were busy, there were no people busier than Top Teachers, Sergio Garcia in Redwood City, and Wendy Lopez in Hayward. Dancing (nearly) non-stop throughout the two day event was beyond impressive. Yet this feat of stamina is a distant second in comparison to the work this pair each did to prepare their students for the event. Well done to both of them.
Occasionally, Chris Lynam works double duty as both the emcee and judge at the showcase. This year, Walnut Creek instructor David Bills shouldered a bit of the load with his debut as the backup emcee at the event.
The Showcase begins with Country Western. It has long been a "best kept secret" that starting the day in jeans, and moving to up-tempo country music is the trick for shaking off the dance nerves quickly. Well, based on participation, the secret is out. The Country Western division set new participation records and featured some of the most authentic, and creative, Country Western costuming.
Cheering and smiling are great indicators of someone who has crossed the threshold from nervous to acclimated. By noon of day one, any tension, anxiety, or pressure seemed to have vacated the ballroom, and that is a credit to the preparation by both students and teachers for this event.
Aside from the fact that there was an ice sculpture, complete with the AM logo. The crowd pleasing work of art also featured a funnel for the bartender to pour drinks through.
Which was, of course, just for show. All in all, the decor for the weekend was fantastic courtesy of Rick Hearns Productions.
Arthur Murray Hayward continued their consistent improvement in showcase participation and took the Top Studio award. With students in all levels, categories, and some that never seemed to leave the dance floor, Hayward demonstrated great dancing as well as great teamwork.
Daisey Lynam has been the organizer of the District Showcase for the last 7 years, and in 2016 she managed to pull that off while 8 months pregnant. From the pre-event logistics, to doing a little bit of everything during the event, the job in itself is impressive, but doing that while in the third trimester deserves a salute and a standing ovation.
Note: Daisey would be the first to tell you that what she does couldn't be possible without the incredible efforts of the ArthurMurrayLive.com Admin Team: Brienne Thompson, Charlotte Keezer, Lili Navarro, Gio Orozco, and Carolyn Serquina.
Not many students realize what an impact Bobby Gonzalez has had on the professionals in the Arthur Murray organization, particularly in Northern California. Not only is he on the Arthur Murray dance board, the co-author of the Salsa syllabus, and a world traveling dance consultant, he was also the Supervisor in Arthur Murray San Jose, and two of his teachers were Juan De Dios Garcia and Chris Lynam.
So if Bobby asks to see them dance their infamous Samba freestyle together... they listen, and he may be the only person that could get this pair to perform. Even if it's once every 4 years.
Chris Lynam and Juan Garcia Samba 2016 from Chris Lynam on Vimeo.
The next District Showcase is back at the San Jose Marriott on April 9th and 10th. Mark your calendars now to be a part of this ever-growing tradition in Northern California.