Hello readers, and welcome back to my life.

This weekend I attended West Coast Swing comp #2: Swingin’ New England in Newton, MA. I’m gonna say right now that this re-cap is not going to be as long or detailed as either of us want, on account of the Attack of Mucus Brain I am suffering–i.e. a head cold.

The Sven and I drove down to Boston on Friday–a car ride in which I read the entirety of THE NAME OF THE WIND. Needless to say there will be a review this week. (Spoilers: I liked it.)

Friday afternoon I attended a few workshops, which were fun in that I got to see some of the pros up close and dance with other attendees, but less fun in that all the moves they taught I already knew. It was a bit disappointing, as the workshops at Liberty Swing in June were more about higher-order concepts in dancing, less on the ‘let’s learn a move’ side of things. Not that I claim to know all moves! No no no never would I claim such a thing–it’s just that I was looking for a bit more technique than was presented. Oh well.

Saturday was comp day, starting with floor trials (dress rehearsal) in the morning, and then actual competition in the late evening. Sadly I began to get sick, and so spent the majority of the day curled up on my sister-in-law’s couch with a blanket, tea, and a comforting Sven in the hopes of making it through the night. I have little love for the timing of WCS routine-based comps, as they seem to always be late. I am not really a night person, doubly so when I’m feeling crappy. Triply so when my head is pounding and I can’t breath.

Sickness aside, we did the thing, and it was pretty good. We screwed up one move–watch below to find where–but beyond that the routine felt solid. The audience enjoyed it, clapping and cheering in all the right places, and congratulating us afterwards, which of course is all I really care about in the end. Do I enjoy it? Does the audience enjoy it? If yes, then it is all worth it. As I write this, I don’t even know the placement results of the competition–I had to leave early Sunday to teach in Syracuse, so neither I nor Steve were present for the awards. In a way it’s nice not knowing. The performance can just exist in this liminal space between execution and analysis, just for the enjoyment of those present–as live theater should be.

Happy Monday, and may your brain be free of mucus.

*cough cough cough hack wheeze*

EDIT: So turns out we won! Very cool! The self-deprecating artist in me feels obligated to point out that were only 3 couples in the division, but still. Some success. 🙂