PA State Games: Aug 1995

Pennsylvania State Games 8/6/95

Key Players:
Drew & Liz
Mike and Mickey
Pete & Liz
Sergey
Mom Akinson

Awards
1st Am F/Sw Br (4 couples)
3rd AM F/Sw S  (4)
1st Am R/C Br (4)
1st Am R/C S (4)
1st Int R/C G (5)
1st Int Sa/J G (5)
1st Int R/C/Sa Pre-Champ (2) :)
1st Int F/T S (4)
1st Int Vw (4)
2nd Int W/Qs (2)
1st Int F/T (2)
2ns Int Vw (4)

This comp was really weird. We were dancing on tile in a cafeteria and the comp was really small. I think that there were only 15 couples and 5 were from CMU. The comp started at noon - again very weird and they had demo's before hand.

Some high school students put on a cute little demo - done mostly to the strictly ballroom soundtrack. It was kinda amuzing.... they did a mambo and everybody in the routine was off time.

Then on the spur of the moment, Liz and I decided to do our west coast routine. (Liz always carries her tape w/ her) so we walked through it once and then performed it. It was actually really helpful to do this b/c It was one big bundle of nerves, then it was over and we were able to relax the rest of the time. It was actually one of our best performances of WCS yet. But you know what.... I'm definately your son... I messed up royally on part of the routine.... and I had this huge grin on my face. It was kinda funny...

We started the day w/ Am smooth. Nothing much exciting there. Actually really boring, b/c we don't know any american stuff. American rhythm was okay... again we don't know anything. Makes it kinda hard. Didn't even really sweat.

During one of the breaks I danced a samba with Pam. Pam described it as a pudding samba.... b/c it felt like you were doing a samba in pudding... that then lead to the discussion that the music really sucked. It sounded like you were listening to lite fm - ballroom style. At one point (during a general dance) I had to walk off the floor... I'm sorry - I cannot dance a cha to "hello mutta, hello fatha" (you know the camp song).

We did fairly well at international... We were a little nervous during the latins.... but hey that is okay. The part that we are REALLY pleased with the the 1st pre-champ. Yes, we were only dancing against one other couple (actually a couple from the big space), but it was real competition. Liz said that she saw one of the judges look at us, look at them and shake her head b/c she couldn't decide. That is just SO COOL!

Our smooths felt pretty good. Although I was having a hard time judging distance - either that or the floor was just an awkward size.... Let's just say I used the ENTIRE dance floor.... we saw close up shots of the walls often. Esp in Vwaltz. And I quickstepped myself into a corner a couple of times too... In the Gold section though, I was totally out to win. I wasn't competitive enough to make me dance bad, but boy to I want to beat Sergey.( He was dancing w/ fei).... Although it is a little hard to win, when your partner is rooting for the other couple to win, grrrr.

It was also really strange, we got a certificate of participation - not even any ribbons. I thought that was kidna wrong.

The drive back was kinda funny. We tried to go to a steak restuarant the
Liz remembered (She had been in that area a couple of times before)...
but the place wasn't there - so we spent about an extra 30 minutes
trying to find a suitable substitute... you know, once we were all set
on having steak, we really couldn't settle for Wendy's :)... So we all
ate steak (and got a free salad and sundaw b/c the guy messed up.

As we exited towards the turnpike, Michael didn't follow us. We thought
that he was just dazing.... so we waited by the turnpike entrance for
about 30 minutes. He never came back so we went to the next rest area
and waited there for another 15. No show. Apparently, somewhere along
the way, he started following the wrong car. This car was heading
towards Mcdonalds and he and Mickey were going crazy - saying that we
had just eaten and why didn't we go to the bathroom there.... but then
 they noticed the license plate- "Oh, that's not Liz"  :) So they went
back their own way.

I was a complete vegetable the whole trip. Liz drove for about two hours
and Sergey drove the rest. I offered to drive for a little (I figured I
was good for maybe 45 minutes - music dependant), so that she could
snuggle with Sergey (this is me being friendly and considerate, dispite
myself)... But she could tell that I was really in no condition to  
drive.