Posting to make Dilly's post appear...

Ok, I think everyone is now aware that there was quite a crowd of us DS’ers went to Dukinfield at the weekend for a Vincent and Flavia event so I’ll just keep mine short as Mystical has explained all the ins and outs pretty much perfectly.

Me, Annie and Mojo had all travelled down from Glasgow so had decided to make the most of our weekend and go to everything that was available to us….so that was, Cabaret on Friday night, beginners and intermediate workshops on the Saturday, and then the cabaret again on the Saturday night....It was all ever so exciting!!

There was probably about 20 of us in total between Flavia and Vincent fans from here, so a pretty good DS representation. It was lovely meeting up with the others, (both Simonettes and Mavarians) some of whom I had met before and others for the first time. Every one of them lovely and a pleasure to spend time with.

Anyway …On with the show!!

The cabarets both nights were as stunning as you would expect from Vincent and Flavia. Every move they make is perfection and they glide so effortlessly and elegantly across the floor that I’m scared to blink for fear of missing a single second. They done the same 5 dances both nights and I was so glad to have a ticket for the second night as seeing them performed again only made them all twice as good…..


I’ll post the links for the dances as they were performed on Strictly in case anyone needs their memory refreshed as to how brilliant they were…and also a link for the dresses which Flavia wore, only because I’m a bit dress obsessed at the moment…. (The dress pictures arent mine, but ones that are already available online)

They were introduced onto the floor to a brilliant welcome and both looked pretty stunning....

Vincent in a suit and white shirt and Flavia in a gorgeous new lilac and purple dress

https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=1...&ppwd=gb3471dc

Kissing You Waltz..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoi52jOGhck

This is still one of my favourite dances of theirs, and they still perform it with as much emotion as they did that very first time on Strictly.
The speed and elegance with which they glide across the floor is spectacular....and they use every single inch of the space they have.
I was sitting in the front chair at our table and they sweep so close to you that you could lift a finger and touch them...I was tempted and kind of had the urge to, but surprisingly resisted as I didn't want the weekend to get off to a bad start by them thinking I was a weirdo... especially as I still had the workshops the next day in which to face them.
You can hear a pin drop in this dance except for when they do the lifts where everyone applauds them...they really are so effortless, and Vincent does make it look like she weighs no more than a feather.
Right there and then, I was so glad to have a ticket for the Saturday night show too, so I could see it all over again.

As soon as it was over she dashes off to change into her next costume and Vincent has a bit of a chat about strictly and his partnership with Natalie ....and Flavias with Craig. He did say that Craig really did believe he was the best dancer and couldnt quite understand how he wasn't getting great scores as he thought he was capable of winning.

Throughout the costume changes Vincent really keeps the audience entertained .. .Only he could get away with some of the things he does, and although I will never remember all that was said in between dances....there were times when Flavia hid her face in her hands, shaking her head at him in both embarrassment..and amusement

Of course it might have something to do with the fact that the organisers had said "ONE" photo per group... and some people would prefer to get that ONE photo of just with Vincent... but if that was the case, to ignore Flavia (almost) was just not on. I think I saw about 6 cases of this on Saturday night (and we weren't there to see how many times it happened before we got to the front on Friday)...

Most people do admire them both because of course Vincent could not be where he is today without the lovely Flavia... but its like the comment about the present that got to us (and speaking personally - me in particular)... Im just glad that we preplanned our gift (well before Saturday) it would have seemed weird to give it to Flavia on Friday as it was a thank you for the whole weekend...

Flavia's face on realising she had a present was a picture and well worth all the forethought. Stood in good stead for later on. We had sort of wanted to try to get a picture with only us and Flavia at the meet and greet but all of us felt bad about wanting our "one pic chance" not to include Vincent as well that we kind of had a change of tack a split second before it came to the picture taking...

Sorry - picture sorting for those of you with photos on my camera taking a while..... that rather annoying item of "work" has got in the way today...

Loved all your reports - thank you everybody

Having come into Strictly relatively late in comparison, I am only just now realising all the events that spawn from the main show.
(Or more accurately, it's DS that has made me aware )

I really must get more into the social aspects of it all - thanks again

Endless Love.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzjQ...eature=related

Next up we had the Endless Love showdance, and Flavia was back very quickly wearing the beautiful Black culottes dress that she wore on Strictly for the Katherine Jenkins I Believe dance.....

https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=1...&ppwd=gb3471dc

Again the lifts are completely effortless and they just flow across the floor so gracefully....I say this every time, but she really could be a ballet dancer if she wasn't a ballroom dancer, and her poses in this just remind me of a swan the way she moves and glides so elegantly. I love the ending they have instead of the show one and instead of the backward roll, have the 'Twirly Bits' and the backbend bits instead...(I'm clearly not very good at describing the moves in these dances)


Tango/Walz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQCnX...eature=related

After the EL, they both went off to get changed and we had a 10 minute break in between for another bit of dancing. When they came back, both had changed and although I cant specifically remember what Vincent was wearing Flavia was wearing the peach frilly dress that she wore on the show that I've never been too fond of. ......

http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/IMG_0942.jpg

(This might have been what Vincent was wearing too come to think of it...)

Ok...I admit I was wrong!! This dress is absolutely beautiful when you see it. So girly and pretty and absolutely gorgeous.
The skirt just swirls so beautifully every time she moves and it would be hard to imagine what kind of dress other than this she would wear for this dance...I was definitley much more taken with it than I was when I first saw it on the show.

Anyway...on to the dance!!

I LOVED it.....absolute perfection and so so intricate and spellbinding. You cannot take your eyes from them for a single second.
The music and the way they dance it is just so gorgeous.....you do kind of feel transported to a different world when you watch this dance. Its all very atmospheric and the music and the style of dress just add so much character to it all. It is amazing to see live, and I really hope they keep this for the Pro tour.


Milonga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ2wx...eature=related

I know how repetitive I sound, and I'm sorry...but I LOVED this too.
Flavia came back on wearing this gorgeous floaty lilac dress....

http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/IMG_0956.jpg

...It really is beautiful and the ruffles on the skirt look to be edged with lilac glitter....gorgeous!! A very sparkly top and floaty skirt and it is so very very girly and pretty too and looks perfect on her.
I am always amazed at the intricacy of this dance, and my eyes dont leave their feet.....so flicky and quick and very very fast the bit where she tiptoes over his feet is brilliant and always makes me laugh.

Argentine Tango

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3gpxd8i7Bs

Unfortunatley this was to be the final dance ....Flavia came out wearing the Black velvet dress with the pink flowers that she wore on the rooftop VT that they showed before the dance on strictly and is absolutely BEAUTIFUL I know I said that the lilac/purple dress was my favourite....but I might have changed my mind already!!!!

http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/IMG_0970.jpg

Vincent asked the audience if anyone recognised the dress from the show, and then goes on to say that it was once his dress before Flav and he suited it better etc......its all really quite funny to hear when you're there and Flav was eventually telling him to get a move on and get dancing as he was getting a bit carried away with his story.

I love this AT...its all very kicky and flicky and dramatic. There was lots of times where they were over dancing at our tables and seeing it up so close is just magical! I love all of their AT's and seeing them performed live is absolutely breathtaking.

A lot of my report probably suits in the Appreciation threads better, but it ended up so long I just copied most of it from the one I had done for Flavs thread yesterday...
Sorry, if this is all a bit too tedious for everyone in general but it saved me typing up a whole new one again...You can all just skip the very boring bits like the dress descriptions etc.....its because on Flavs we like all that fluffy stuff I just kept it all in to save me re-typing it all.

The workshops were fabulous, and both Vincent and Flavia were in fine form and were each very witty and funny. I think everyone is aware of how Vincent puts across this persona of "I am God" ....but he really is very lovable and charming...which personally I never really did get befoe I did meet him, but thats twice now I have been to this event and each time I have come back liking him more and more.

Him and Flavia have a lovely relationship now, where they really put up a good comedy routine between them....He kind of 'Bigs himself up'...and Flav takes little potshots at him to bring him back down again. although most of the time she just shakes her head in bewilderment at him.

They each explain the moves for the workshops, although Flav said his explanations were "As clear as mud..." and then went on to explain herself in one sentence, what he had been trying to do for 5 minutes!!

They are absolutely brilliant teachers although the Beginners workshop is probably nowhere near a 'normal' Beginners class level....and the Intermediate workshop nowhere near a 'normal' intermediate level either!!!!

Vincent decided to teach us an 'Octopus' in the Intermediate workshop...and Flav was pretty horrified when he sprung it on her that was what we would be doing.... I think she thought he had lost his mind which perhaps he had because it was blooming difficult!! .......but lots of fun!

All in all it was a fabulous weekend., and lovely to meet not only Vincent and Flavia again, enjoy their teaching and be blown away by their dancing...but also lovely to meet up with so many from here.

I dont actually thnk the links for the dresses work any longer, so you will all just have to imagine what they look like now...

ETA : New links for dresses!!

Kissing You waltz
https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=1...&ppwd=gb3471dc

Endless Love
https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=1...&ppwd=gb3471dc

Tango/Waltz
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/IMG_0947.jpg

Milonga
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/IMG_0957.jpg

AT
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/IMG_0971.jpg

Thanks for starting this thread in the first place, Dilly, and it's been lovely to read the reports.

Here's hoping for more about other events in future......

Thanks for the write ups and glad you all had a great time

I just thought I would ressurect this thread from the archives, in the hope that we get some great pro Tour reports.

Less than a week to go, and I for one cannot wait to see it.

BRING IT ON!!!

Bump..Missing post.

Also Latin Fever reports in about 2 months

... it seems aaaaaagggess

Yes.....Lots to look forward to.

Hoepfully enough between the two shows to keep us all going until the new series starts.

Haven't got tickets, so looking forward to keeping an eye on this thread.

Thanks for resurrecting it Dilly