Dec 11 2012
The Big Apple Dancesport Challenge
On Sunday December 2nd, I attended the Columbia University Big Apple Dancesport Challenge. My best friend is on the Stony Brook University Ballroom Dance Team and she invited me to see her perform, so I took her up on the offer. I made my way cross-town around 2 PM thinking I’d see her perform and possibly stay for a little longer to see some of the professionals dance it out. 2 or 3 hours very quickly turned into 7. Now, usually this is where I start complaining about things. BUT, I actually found this fascinating. I was a little nervous to experience dance after the Barnard Fall Project but it didn’t take long to figure out that this was something completely different. My friend’s mom and I cheered my friend on as she Cha-Cha-ed and Rumba-ed across the dance floor. She went on to compete in the finals for her division and won a ribbon! She explained to me the different levels of competition: The Pre-Bronze, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and the professionals. The higher up in rank the couple was, the more elaborate the costumes became. This applies more for the women than the men. The men essentially wore all black outfits (except the professionals, their costumes got pretty crazy). The women’s costumes however were a completely different story. They ranged in color, design, and rhinestone usage. The higher up they moved, the more sparkly their dresses became. Aside from the breath taking talent they possess, it was very literally hard to look away from the costumes. Don’t get me wrong, my friend is an amazing dancer but seeing the professionals dance almost seemed like a completely different experience. The gracefulness, precision, and seemingly natural moves made me wonder how such a think was possible. 7 hours seems like much, but I was amazed by what I was seeing. The songs were repeated but every single dance was different, even within the same category. Every couple had a different rendition of the dance and I think that’s why I was so interested. There was always something different and more amazing to watch. This was the first time I had ever watched ballroom dancing and I’m glad I went out to Columbia to support my friend. Ballroom dancing is a beautiful art form to say the least. I’m glad I loved it as much as I did, especially after all that modern dance shenanigans we watched…
This sounds so fun. This event sounds completely better than the modern dance we had to watch. Do you know if they will have another one, I feel like I should attend one? Sounds so much better than the Barnard Fall Project.
I’m glad that someone else also appreciates ballroom dancing. My friend does ballroom dancing and I’m always in awe when I watch her perform. I’ve tried to learn from her in the past, but it’s much more difficult than they make it seem. Congrats to your friend for winning a ribbon! Also, is this latin ballroom dancing? That’s the type that my friend does.