Putting on Your Ballroom Dancing

All the discarded dance shoes from a recent event via Juan Espinosa

"We can dance

 if we want to . . . . 

 We can dance, 

We can dance . . . "










I can't get that song out of my mind.  Perhaps because I've lost my mind a little, and have agreed to do something that is stretching my boundaries quite a bit.  It's one thing to enjoy theatrical / vocal performing,  it's quite another to agree to dance while being judged, even if it is for a good cause.  



I've always loved to dance, but I'm definitely not up to par to do anything like that.  Especially in front of a huge crowd that is judging us!  But I'm in good company, because all of us who have signed up for this year's Dancing with the Stars, Paris Texas, feel quite a bit sick at our stomachs about what we have gotten ourselves in to.  (Stacy Eatherly with Paris Regional Medical Center, Casey Gain with The Moore Firm, Stacy Ladell with Kimberly Clark, Bari "Beni" Mehmeti of Capizzi's, Cindy Ruthart -- Lamar County Justice of the Peace, and me, Sydney Young of Young Title Company).   Nervous, but determined and definitely a team.

So we just keep chanting this mantra: It's for a good cause, it's for a good cause.

This is another Mantra that I happen to really like!!

It truly is for a good cause, and we all agree that it's not about winning the competition -- even though we are each going to work hard to do so -- but about having a great night while raising a good deal of funds for the cause.

Lamar County Crimestoppers is an organization that I have supported for years.  They've always had a rodeo as their fund raiser, but this year they stepped out and were awarded the Dancing With the Stars fundraiser by the City of Paris on the night of September 6th.   (Order your Tickets Here).   This is the same night as the 6 Squared Community Art fundraiser at the Gilbratar -- thankfully they have timed the events so you can do both!

The thing is, the dancing starts long before the night of the event.  So, I thought I would share some of our experiences with you along the way, perhaps you will be inspired to go dance.  Yes, we can if we want to.  (TIP to the guys -- ALL OF US GIRLS DO WANT TO DANCE!)

I truly am learning that it is as easy as the song -- we really can dance if we want to!  But how?

Of course, first, you must have a studio.  Lucky for us, we all really like the one that is working with us.  It is called Studio 22.

Doesn't this place just look perfect?  (And there is even a tanning place nearby - I think that was pretty brilliant).  It's an easy drive to Plano via 75 / 121 and the tollroad, on Preston.

Here is the Website for Studio 22, check it out!

Now, I'll admit, it is a little --no, no, no, it is very -- intimidating to drive over there and show up for some dance lessons.

The V-Girl story is pretty tops -- click here for link

In fact, I was so anxious about just going for the first dance lesson that I  fixated on "what to wear" and changed my sloppy yoga pants and Tshirt about twenty times.  I finally realized that I needed pure Vgirl power for this one.  It truly, truly helped.  Good thing I wore my V-girl Tshirt, because my dancing partner, when I met him, was in dress pants and a tie.  I was totally empowered.


But I am getting ahead of myself.  Because when I came to the parking lot, a troupe of people were coming out of Studio 22.  And guess what?  They all looked just like me!  No, not the yoga pants, and V-girl shirt, but the whole thing.  Not skinny, tan, professional, Dancing with the Stars Pros and Celebrities. They were just ordinary.  Ordinary people.  Like me.  Like you, too.

Alright, so.  I have the dance studio and first workout clothes down.  I also feel pretty good about walking into the studio because on the drive over I sang the entire Wicked CD.  Ready to Defy Gravity.

When I go in, I'm not really obsessing over what the building itself will be like -- I've been in enough dance studios in my life time.  But after the reception desk, I get to go into the ballroom and to my amazement, this is what I see.

Rangel Spirov

I hope the picture does it justice.  It's a really pretty ballroom.  With little sparkly lights, and tables and chairs set up all around (just in case you have some girlfriends that you are begging to come with you, and you can say:  see, you can just sit around and chat and have some wine and say what's going on, and I'll dance and be your designated driver.  Come on, girlfriends, please!)   

So, I guess what I 'm saying here is that the ballroom is quite inspirational.

But you can't dance without a dancer.   That, obviously, is step Number Two.  

 Here is a link to our instructors.  I think that I'll get to tell you a bit about each of them, because it will be more fun for all of us that way, but for right now I want you to meet my instructor.






His name is Rangel Spriov.  He's been dancing since he was 10 -- for 20 years!

He said that he has let nothing come between him and his dream for dancing.  He immigrated to America to fulfill that dream.  He is very inspiring.

Here Rangel is showing me a Waltz step.  He's top notch.  







Here he is along with his dance partner, showing everyone how to do the Paso.  (Yes, fellas, his partner will also be appearing in Paris on the night of September 6th, as Stacy Laddell's partner.  By the way, I have it on the best of authority that Stacy believes that the key to his success will be his ripped abs, and I say more power to him!).

Veronika Chernyavska

They've definitely got some moves!  (And now I feel sick to my stomach again).


Rangel Spirov and Veronika Chernyavska, among other awards,  are the 2012 Professional Latin  Champions of Bulgaria. They have been dancing  together since September 2011.  

But the best thing is, Rangel's been quite nice about teaching me, as have all the pros from what I hear.

So, we have our studio and  our dancers.  What next?  

Stay tuned . . . and  Order your Tickets!