ExploreDance

I stayed at the Super 8 Motel down the street from the competition hotel. The Super 8 Motel was not fancy, but was quite comfortable. If you want to stay in the main hotel, be sure to book your room early as it tends to fill up.

The food at the Sturbridge Host Hotel was good, but be aware that they use a liberal amount of black pepper in their rice and vegetables. If you don't like spicy food, be sure to tell them when you order. I also went to Friendly's several times. The Oriental Chicken Salad has some spicy kick to it too. The ice cream there, as usual, was great.

The dancing during the final show was definitely hot. A group of dance professionals, led by Arte Phillips as the MC, performed a set of excerpts from the Broadway show Cabaret. The dancing was provocative (although Erik Novoa had them beat on that score the night before), and their singing was pretty good too.

I was attending this event because Erik (www.SwingShoes.net) invited me. It was worth the trip.

I do have one criticism and it is one I have made before regarding regular social dance venues: the lighting. The lighting for the social dance portion was generally either too bright or too dim. The floor and sound system was great. Bill Cameron should invest in a lighting system to match. This would add to the excitement and let people see their dance partners while maintaining a sophisticated mood.

I would also encourage Bill to encourage all instructors to make written notes and videos available to back up their instruction. Erik already provides videos on his website.

On a positive note, Bill is to be commended for showcasing dance forms, such as Modern Dance, that social dancers often don't see. This was in addition to the great Swing dances presented during the shows.

The food at the New Year's Eve dinner was quite good.

All in all, the New Year's Dance Extravaganza was an excellent opportunity to get dressed up and dance with some of the friendliest people from New York to Boston and beyond.

Here are some photos from December 31, 2006 (and January 1, 2007).