SUNSHINE IN LINE 2025
Rachael McEnaney-White sure knows how to put on a CLASS A event!!! We returned home from a 4-day extravaganza in Orlando. The DoubleTree at Seaworld is a new venue for this event - resort-style like the Wyndham but in a bit better shape. The conference center at one end of the property; more ballrooms in the main lobby building and Tower; lodging rooms in buildings surrounding the lobby and tower. A few pools (never really saw any of them!); great food in the Market and Laguna; friendly staff; and, of course, the warm chocolate chip cookies upon check-in... a DoubleTree signature treat!
Thursday was the welcome and introduction of staff. Rachael taught her new dance, "Tequila To Forget" (which I'll be teaching as soon as a step sheet comes out!) and we had social dancing until 2am. Ryan Hunt was our new DJ for the weekend - and he did an OUTSTANDING job!!! Great playlists EVERY SINGLE NIGHT with very, very few repeat plays. FABULOUS!!!
I over-extended myself on Friday. Couldn't help it. Too many good things to not miss! Cha Cha technique with Jenny Stephenson; Feel The Spark with Shane McKeever (fun!); My A.D.D. with Guyton (just one of those classics that I've never gotten to learn - and will need several more attempts before I have it down... but I DID dance it on the floor Friday night, so there's that!). Cha technique was in the Orange (lobby building ballroom); Feel The Spark was across the property in the main ballroom; and My A.D.D. was back in the Orange. It was at the conclusion of that 3rd workshop that I decided a) I was wearing the wrong shoes for this! I needed my Rumpf's that can walk outside because putting on and taking off dance shoes every time I needed to switch rooms was NOT workin' for me) and b) I had overdone it. I left the 3rd workshop and walked outside... saw the sign with the arrows pointing you in different directions based on where you wanted to be and it said my building was to the RIGHT. My brain said it was to the LEFT. And then it (my brain) shut down. Totally collapsed. I stood in front of that sign and literally had NO IDEA where I was going. Granted, it was probably only 30 seconds... but for that eternity of 30 seconds, I truly had NO IDEA where to go.
Once I found my room, put my feet up, got something to eat, and chilled for a bit, I was ready to start again with a re-teach of Stomp Your Feet (everyone remembered the SING part!), took a break, and then a teach from Marlon & Romain of For the Glory. I'd already had it - but this was from the choreographers themselves. Awesome teach. First time seeing them in person.
Saturday - I changed my approach! Made sure I wore shoes that could go outside and only took the classes that were ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to take: Get The News (Warren/Babinec), No Remorse (Ward/Poulsen), Back To The Start (Wheatley) and Azizam (Ward/Glass/Madge), and Familiar Faces (Mundy) ... (can you say Sound of Silence???).
I bailed on Sunday. There were a few teaches I would've taken but I was wasted. So many great teaches and workshops; and fantastic open dancing at night - completely wasted.
Many thanks to Rachael and her team, all the instructors and choreographers, the DJs, and the staff of the DoubleTree at Seaworld. What an experience!
