[soulmate61]

DanceSportIreland ballroom/latin comps this Sunday at the luxurious 4-star Grand Hotel in Malahide, 10-minute drive from Dublin Airport. 12 euro admission for spectators.

http://dancesportireland.org/events/may12.pdf

http://www.booking.com/hotel/ie/gran...ability_target

After that all heads turn to Blackpool Festival.

All-Ireland Championship will take place on Saturday/Sunday 30th June - 1st July, in the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow Town. I shall attend both events with Deirdre. Not competing, so as to give others a chance to win .

[tangos_with_tim]

Sounds good Soulmate! I'm looking forward to your Blackpool reports again this year!

[soulmate61]

Ballroom/latin comp in Malahide today, 11am thru 6pm, 25 minutes train ride from Dublin.

66 comps ranging from under 5 year-olds to over-35s. Adult ballroom probably totaled 15 couples. Age 16-20 latins fielded about 3 couples but the best couples looked very strong -- to my eyes in the front row, Blackpool standard. I shall cheer for them there. Music was mostly familiar CDs from Blackpool. Someone could comment, what is the golden age for ballroom/latin? To me the stirring 16-20s already have everything going for it except some finesse to match sensational exuberance .

10 euros per competitor, 12 euros for supporters and spectators.

I remember reading in this forum last year, that English Sunday comps were decimated by turf wars between English and WSDF dance organisers. No such in-fighting in Ireland that I can see.

In Dublin there are at least 7 different ballroom/latin group lessons which I can join, including in two buildings entirely devoted to dance, one with 9 studios, the other with 6. All forms of dance are taught there: ballet, hip-hop, jazz, modern, Irish, Pilates, yoga, dance-boxing, zumba etc, with ballroom/latin one among many many.

In my weekly group class there were 10 women, alas facing only 6 or 7 men. In such situations when teacher says "Take your partner" men tend to move towards younger girls leaving older women partnerless, that must be so hurtful. I once saw a man jive with two girls, one hand connecting with each girl, seemingly giving both satisfaction. I have much to learn.

In today's comps many pre-puberty girls danced with another girl and this seemed to work out fine, everybody with a smiling face. The children do not take it desperately seriously, and the charm of dance is that everyone comes away feeling they have accomplished something, which everyone who does not fall over has done . I enjoyed watching all the children supported by parents, treating it like a great day out, everybody coming away with a medal, with winners collecting silver cups. I wish I had known this option. My competitions in former years were desperately desperate: classical piano, bridge, chess .

"A delightful day," said Deirdre to me.