We look forward to the first week of March each year when the Heritage Classic Dancesport Championships are held at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. Amateur and pro ballroom dancers compete during all week. The competition finals i are held on Friday and Saturday nights. The picture above shows a few of the many judges for the event.
The Theater Arts finals are held on Friday night along with the he amateur and pro American Standard smooth and rhythm championships. The International Standard smooth and rhythm championships are held on Saturday night. There is always a pro couple for the weekend who perform during both the Friday and Saturday evening events. We've been going to this event for a number of years. This year for the first time we decided to get tickets for both nights. We were so glad we did.
I forgot to take my camera on Friday night and I did not get but one picture of any of the smooth dances that was not blurred because they move so very rapidly around the floor.
There is debate in the ballroom dancing community around the issue of whether dancing should or should not be a part of the Olympics. Some fear it will lose some of the artistic elements if it becomes an official Olympic sport. Whether it ever becomes an Olympic sport or not, these dancers are amazing athletes.
Watching the amateurs who get to the finals, you would think they must be the pros. Then, when the pro heats begin, it is so incredible to watch.
In addition to the skill of the dancers, there is the drama and beauty of the costume from elegant beautiful dresses for the smooth competitions to racy and revealing rhythm competitions. It is always fun to walk through the halls on the ballroom floor of the Grove Park Inn when the Heritage is in session and see what the vendors have brought. There are a number of designers there with so many gorgeous dress and amazing costumes. There are always several ballroom shoe vendors and many jewelry vendors. Can you say "BLING" Before my first time at the Heritage, I could never have guessed that there were as many Swarovski crystals in the world as those on the tables during the competition week. I even saw false eyelashes with two dozen small Swarovski crystals on the eyelashes for each eye.
I decided early on when we began ballroom dancing that I had no aspirations to do competition dancing, but would to dance well enough to compete. I'm still working on it and plan to keep on as long as Bob and I can.
I've already got the dates on the calendar for next yea's Heritage Classic.
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