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Last night I dropped into ACME Bar & Grill down by Great Jones and Lafayette Street, a couple of blocks north of the Bleecker Street Station on the number 6 line, made my way back to the bar to say hello to our good buddy, Rudy the Bartender, to let him know that we were planning to come by, starting on Monday, March 22, for our weekly viewing of "Dancing with the Stars." He was glad to hear the news, and I stayed at the bar to quaff a few ACME home brews with my chicken and rib dinner. As I was about to take my leave, Rudy rewarded me with a shot that tasted like a Jolly Rancher candy.

All right, DWTS fans, you know where to go on Monday nights to catch the competition show. We'll start off with the season premiere in 10 days' time, at 8 pm. Hope to see the usual gang back there, enjoying some good Cajun eats and libations, as well as pointed observations on the dance proceedings (translated as yelling back at the tv screen in reaction to unsightly dancing and inane judging). Brooke Burke, season 7 champion, returns to the show but as a co-host and not a dancer.

Those of you on Facebook may want to join our Facebook group to get updates and reminders about our weekly excursion. And if you've never been to ACME to watch DWTS with us at the bar in the back, but have always wanted to, we'd be glad to have you join us. Click here for more details.

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For those who had followed parts 1 and 2 of the Bill Davies profile, at long last part 3 has arrived. This final installment takes Bill from The Studio (the name of his studio) to present day, covering a span of three decades. It includes Bill's musings and observations about ballroom dance and how it has changed and grown over the years. If you need to catch up on the earlier installments, here's part 1 and here's part 2. Enjoy!

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For some great photos from Friday's session of the MAC, take a look at this set from Krista Fogle, featuring the Youth Standard and the Adult Latin.

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Last Saturday, I had the privilege and pleasure to be the MC at the 2nd Syllabus Ballroom Challenge (SBC) hosted by the NYU Ballroom Dance Team. Those with long memories might recall the first one, which took place back in October 2008. Like the first edition, this second running of the event focused on syllabus only, in both the American and International styles. Nearly 150 dancers registered, representing schools far and near, such as Columbia, Brooklyn College, Rutgers, Princeton, Stony Brook, Harvard and Tufts.

The event proceeded at a leisurely pace, starting shortly after 10 am. For most of the day, the SBC ran ahead of schedule. Then, as the end of the day approached, the syllabus 8-dance challenge took place, consisting of four latin (cha cha, samba, rumba, jive) and four standard (waltz, tango, foxtrot, quickstep) dances. What was supposed to be a nine couple semi-final, suddenly and unexpectedly doubled in size, adding a quarter-final round. We went from running ahead of schedule to running behind schedule. The quality of dancing was high, and despite the delay, it was a great way to cap off the day, as more advanced (i.e., open level) dancers, competed in the event to display their mastery of syllabus figures. It was a wonderful way for the dancers from the earlier heats to witness how good they can get with more practice and seasoning. From the quarterfinals into the finals, the couples were strong, and it took not only good dancing to make the next rounds, but stamina and endurance counted for a lot as well.

The syllabus 8-dance was followed by a team match, after which the room was cleared out to quickly turn it around for the evening performances by United States Ten-Dance Champions, Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach. Everyone who stayed to the end were treated to terrific standard and latin dancing from Pasha and Daniella, with a performance by the NYU Ballroom Team between their standard and latin sets.

Overall, the SBC was a well-run competition, with the syllabus 8-dance as the highlight. Congrats to the NYU team on a successful second SBC, and we look forward next year to the third, with the hope that more excellent dancers will sign up for the syllabus 8-dance. (For some of my photos from the event, click here.)

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Reminders:

• Register for USA Dance Nationals taking place in Los Angeles, from April 9-11. Representatives to no less than 12 IDSF championships will be selected there. Registration remains open until this Sunday, March 14, so don't wait until the last minute. Register today! (Late fees will apply.)
• UPenn's Clover Star Classic has been re-scheduled to March 20. Re-registration is required for everyone, so even if you had previously registered, the organizers need you to do so again, at this link. Re-registration deadline is Sunday, March 14.
• The Inaugural Celebration of the Rutgers DanceSport Alumni Club has been re-scheduled to Saturday, March 27. Its mission, as described by Club President Sharon Hubberman, "is to bring dance to our community and foster your dancing abilities to their fullest potential, whether on a social or competitive level, in an environment which welcomes its members as part of the Rutgers Family." The celebration takes place at Trayes Hall, Douglass Campus Center, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 6 pm, followed by a workshop given by former United States Professional Latin Champions Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, followed by a dance social starting at 8:00 pm. Visit the club's website for more details.
• Rufus Dustin will be coaching at the end of next month at Basic Ballroom, right before USA Dance Nationals, and if you'd like to book some lessons, now would be the time to do it, as his schedule fills up quickly. Contact Basic Ballroom to reserve your spot.
• Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio has Standard rounds on Thursdays, from 9:30 to 10:30 pm. The floor is huge, with plenty of space to swing out, so if you're looking for a good place to run your standard routines, visit Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio on Thursday nights.
• Anyone needing practice space for any upcoming competitions should check out the special rates for USA Dance members at Basic Ballroom on West 35th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues.
• Dance with Me Soho will be hosting Practice Sessions, and they are offering both an unlimited option and a 10 practice session card. For the unlimited option, the cost is $100 per person, with a 15% discount to USA Dance members, so our members can get unlimited practice time at Dance with Me Soho for $85 per person per month. If you would prefer to go for the 10 practice session card, the cost for that will be $100 per couple, with a 25% discount for USA Dance members, or $75 per couple. Questions? Please call the studio at (212) 840-Dance (3262).

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Looking to social dance? Here are a few suggestions:

• Tonight, Hot Salsa Friday at the VIP Lounge at the Iguana. Doors open at 6 pm.
• Tomorrow, March 13: mixed ballroom dancing at Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio, starting at 7:30 pm with a free lesson. Just $10 for USA Dance members. Enter the Jack and Jill contest and win free admission to the Saturday night socials or five hours of practice time. Click here for details.
• Sunday, March 14, Sunday Tea Party at Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio, mixed ballroom dancing starting at 3 pm.
• Monday, March 15, Salsa at Taj, with live band and special performances. Arrive before 7 pm and get in for $6 (admission price doubles after 7 pm).
• Tuesday, March 16, Hot Salsa, Hustle and West Coast Swing at Club 56 in Farmingdale, LI. Lesson in West Coast Swing. Doors open at 7 pm.
• Thursday, March 18, Thursday Night Dance Club at Mirelle's, in Westbury, featuring Latin, Hustle and West Coast Swing. Lesson at 7:30 pm, dancing starts at 8:15 pm.

For other ideas, check Wayne's Dance Commentary or bailamosdance.com.

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Looking for a partner? This week we have an advanced leader looking for a ten-dance follower in the 9 to 11 (pre-teen) age division. If that sounds like you, or you know someone who might be interested, go to our Partner Search page for more information. If you're in the market and would like to answer an ad, visit our Partner Search page to see who's looking, or to post your own ad. It's free, easy and quick, so give it a try.

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That's it for this week. And for those who had saved the date of March 20 for our next social, we are going to need to postpone that one, possibly until April, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for that announcement. Stay dry this weekend! Happy St. Patty's Day!

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Yang Chen
President
Greater NY
USA Dance
(NY USA Dance)