The end of a Long Weekend

We did so much better than survive. This year Nationals was amazing.

I'm just going to say it. We rocked the house.

There. Got it out of my system.

Considering how the odds were stacked, I am more than impressed at how everything went. And, thanks to fate or something better, I got to watch all of my teams dance even though they were scheduled to dance at the same time on two different stages. I feel very lucky.

And, I got to see the reason I do what I do. Every once in a while, my dancers will bring magic onto the stage that is impossible to describe. It's not just one person, or one thing but a combination of energy, precision and execution. And then magic happens. The audience hushes and the judges' mouths drop, then smile. For a moment the only thing worth thinking about is the dancing on the stage.

That kind of magic.

And it happened more than once. At Nationals, of all places.

And that kind of magic earned my cloggers the highest score in a category of ten teams in the Championship level. That kind of magic took even more firsts with even more teams.

We had a record year. Not only did I not forget anything crucial, I was amazed at how all of my dancers pulled it together. From youngest to oldest, they took the stage and got the job done.

Thanks, guys. Really. It was all I could do not to cry.

Thanks for reminding me of how much I love this sport and how much I love teaching. And most of all, how much I love you.