Team Auditions

The auditions for Atomic Ballroom's swing teams were on this past Saturday. The format this time was interesting, requiring that everyone progress through the requirements of each level.

First was a good group photo, then an orientation session, discussing what the various levels do, what is expected, costs, etc. Questions and answers, the fact that Atomic Ballroom is an official Disney entertainment vendor now, so we can and will be asked to do dancing for them (a great fund-raising source), other stuff.

The we all went through the beginning choreography for the level 1 team:
East Coast Basic
Under-arm turn (no tuck)
Walk-through (lead a walk-forward on 1)
Walk-through
6-count circle
Swing-out (from closed)
Swing-out
Sugar-push


Level 2 requirements:
The Shim-Sham
Learned this late in the game (started about a month ago), but I was pretty confident, and it went fine. I did screw up on camera, though. A bit more pressure. Also tough to stay on when the people in front of you screw up. So more repetition would have solved that. I'm happy about my shoulder styling, but I doubt I'm inventing anything new.

Jeep Jockey Jump
I don't remember my partners, but we did fine. Jerry asked us to do solos, which I've always had an aversion to. However, when I danced with Laura, we did it. The key was to go for the first 8 8-counts so as not to have to time the return to the line... Did scripted solos once and impromptu solos twice.

Big John's Special
My only issue is with the Tandem Charleston push-out exit to an over-rotated circle, to swing-out. When I danced with Michelle on the first run-through, it went great. But with Sydney, I didn't have as good a connection, and we didn't get enough rotation. Oh well. Maybe I should have practiced it with her the way I did with Michelle.

And then we were done. Stayed around to watch the Swing 3 auditions. When I stepped outside to make a call, Jerry came to find out why I was holding up the audition, assuming I was trying for the Swing 3 team! I told him I didn't have the choreography or the aerials. Watched the Atomic Routine and the snip of the California Routine they did, and felt a twang of regret as I realized that adding those two routines wouldn't have been that hard... But in reality, it would have been tough. I still can't do the tap section of the Atomic Routine at speed, nor have I anchored the choreography after it. The California Routine has a tough slip-slop section I don't have, and all of that is besides the point as I haven't done the aerials besides the Frog and Toss Out. And the Frog is the only one I have solidly. And I still forget the ballroom hold at times... Yes, I made the right decision. But two months from now, I think I'll have had time to get up to speed on the rest of it.

Ate a late lunch with the team at TGI Fridays afterwards. Nice to spend time with the group, bantering, telling stories, acting out, giving massages. But not getting them. No means no, Heckman.