ICBDA 2008 - San Antonio

International Choreographed Ballroom Dance Association (ICBDA)!!!

So our annual convention is now a pleasant historical memory!  It goes by way too fast.  To quote Irv Easterday, "We can irrevocably state that this was the best ICBDA ever."  Hummm?  Anyway, it was a great convention.  The wood floors were great to dance on and although it was a constant battle for Mark Prow, the sound in the big hall got better & better.   The sound in the Intermediate Hall was reported to be fantastic throughout the week.  All the cueing was excellent in both halls!!  Many, many thanks to all the cuers who made the dancing easy!!

 

As usual, the convention kicked off with a day of Educational clinics.  George & I presented a 2 1/2 hour clinic on Argentine Tango (one of the focus rhythms for this convention).  We had 225 dancers in attendance!!  How about that?  As far as we are concerned, it went really well.  The dancers looked awesome by the time we broke for lunch!  If you'd like to read our notes that we published in the syllabus, click here.  There were also clinics on Slow Two Step (the other focus rhythm and presented by Richard Lamberty), Lead and Follow - Latin (Easterday's),  Lead & Follow - Smooth (Clements), Waltz & Foxtrot Comparison (Robinson) & Rumba & Cha Fun'damentals (Sechrist).  The first day was also the Opening Ceremony and the Prelude Ball.  There were 3 teaches on each of the next 3 mornings and 3 teaches each afternoon for Friday & Saturday.  Sunday afternoon was the Annual General Membership Meeting (which by the way was probably the shortest on record!!).  Each evening except for the final evening had 2 halls dancing once the show cases were completed and 5 of the top 15 were presented each night.

This year Carol Goss and Deb Vogt introduced each Showcase demo with a poem and "the envelope, please".  Once again Carol showed how very clever she is!!!

The most important announcement of the Convention is the change of venue for next year.  After reinvestigation, Milwaukee was found to be unacceptable.  The Convention for next year will be Wednesday, July 22 - Saturday, July 25, 2009 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Joplin, MO.  Read all about the convention from the new ICBDA website!  It is fantastic!  Glen & Helen Arsenaux have been hard at work on it and it needs to be seen to be appreciated!  Go there and see for yourself!! https://www.icbda.com/  

Here's a list of the dances presented.

Name (Click for Cuesheet)	Choreographer	Phase	Rhythm
Back Where I Belong (didn't get to teach this - Read's couldn't attend!	Read, Kay & Joy	IV+2	Foxtrot
Beat of Your Heart	Preskitt, Randy & Marie	V+1	Slow 2 Step
Chalita (our favorite!!!!)	Goss, Bill & Carol	VI	Arg Tango
Dance With Me (Showcased only - Standby)	Ferry, Milo & Grace	V+1	Cha
Fame	Blackford, Wayne & Barbara	VI	Cha
French Poodle	Moore, Brent & Judy	V+2	Foxtrot
Harlem Nocturne (Showcased only - Standby)	Sandeman, Steve & Radka	VI	Rumba
Illusion	Sheridan, Michael & Diana	V+1	Waltz
Lost to Me (Nunca Supe Mas De Ti)	Shibata, Kenji & Nobuko	V+1	Rumba
"PMS" Blues	Kurczewski, Bob & Kay	IV+2	West Coast
Por Una Cabeza (Scent of a Woman Tango)	Finch, Dan & Sandi	V	Arg Tango
Romeo IV Juliet	Oren/Bingham, Bev & Bill	IV+1	Waltz
Someday	Hilton, Joe & Pat	IV+2	Slow 2 Step
Something to Talk About	Rumble, Ron & Ree	VI	West Coast
The Day You Love Me (El Dia Que Me Quieras)	Lillefield, Al & Carol	VI	Bolero
The Twist	Worlock, Curt & Tammy	VI	Jive
Xaymaca Farewell	Otto, Oberdan & Vanessa	IV+1	Rumba

                                    Once again there was no Golden Torch presented!

The Hall of Fame Dance was Beale Street Blues, Phase V, Jive by Al & Carol Lillefield!!  Too Cool, huh!!  Congratulations Al & Carol!!!!

                                                   Next, here are the top 15!!!!

Position	Name	Choreographer
1	Forrest Gump	Moore
2	Carnival	Rumble
3	La Gloria	Moore
4	Jurame	Worlock
5	Last Night Cha	Worlock
6	And I Love You So	Childers
6	Boulavogue	Lamberty/Morales
8	A Wink and a Smile	Rumble
8	Dark Waltz	Vogt
10	Stier Tango	Worlock
11	La Barca	Goss
11	Papillon	Lamberty
13	Abrazame	Worlock
14	Adeline	Shibata
15	Beale Street Blues	Lillefield