Let’s dance the night away

My family has always had this tradition for Christmas Night: while everyone else is stuffing their faces with turkey and undoubtedly stealing batteries from the remote for new toy helicopters, we used to all cuddle up with a Milo and some chocolate money and turn on the BALLROOM DANCING.

It was a love that the girls we all shared; we got to look at people floating round a dance floor, looking elegant/sexy/graceful/tanned, wishing we could be like them, and, of course, the FASHUN. I could talk about ballroom dance outfits until your ears bleed and you undoubtedly can no longer understand words other than *ooh sparkles* *gahh I love her feathers* *no love, that is too much LEOPARD*.

About five years ago (I am guessing here; time-estimation skills are not my strong point) they did something atrocious to our Christmas Night tradition: CHANNEL SEVEN CANCELLED THEIR BROADCAST OF THE DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS. The word disaster does not encapsulate the emotions we went through. One year, I am not joking, we actually sat down and watched a documentary of the Danish Crown Jewels. On Christmas night! This was NOT the feathered fake-tan spectacle that is the ballroom dancing. I cry.

Alas, something had to be done. So, this year, to get back at Channel 7 (whom I’m not sure is the actual culprit here, but I am happy to blame them), we marched ourselves off to the SA Dancesport Competition.

Time for a massive photo dump! Now, unfortunately, I took these photos on my phone (as I do with all photos) but this was at night time, in a dark basketball stadium, with the dancers dancing as they do. And even though I put my camera on ‘sport mode’ (this is a sport after all), the pictures are much less glamorous than the ladies. So sorry, y’all.

First up, we have the slightly-disturbing-older-ladies-with-impressive-abs-and-too-much-tan category:

I want to be THIS when I am older. Just have to spend the next thirty years convincing Jonno on the deep-v. And maybe also do some sit-ups.

Next is the little kiddies dancing with their brothers and sisters:

I cry from the cuteness. Also, props to this girl for dancing with the short guy in the room:

Then we got to see the lady whom I’ve titled ‘Ballroom J Lo’. I have so much love for her:

Next up is my favourite dancer of the night and my latest girl-crush. She is stylin’ in all the right ways, elegant to watch, and gracious when she gets third place:

And this is who she lost to:

Dat thigh! She may not understand the ‘thigh-gap’ trend, but as a dancer, BIG ✔.

So that’s what I do with my Sunday nights, friends. Permission to be jealous granted.