Today I can barely contain my excitement as the day has finally come for me to head to Poland with The USA Dance Company (USADC). This amazing group of dancers will compete over the next week in the 2017 world championships in Rawa Mazowiecka, Poland. This competition is hosted by the International Dance Organisation (IDO) and includes Jazz, Modern and Contemporary dance categories. More than 8,000 performances from over 4,000 dancers spanning over 30 countries across 6 continents will compete to earn a gold, silver or bronze medal. Given that dance is not represented in the Olympics this is the closest thing to a “Dance Olympics”. To add further to the excitement, this is the first time the USA has had representation in the jazz/ modern component of this event- the World Tap Championships is currently taking place in Germany with plenty of excellent “red, white and blue” representation.
One of my best friends Kristen Pittman has been named the national director and head coach for this team and I was invited to work closely with her to assist with coaching duties and choreography back in September. This has been one of the highlights of my dance teaching career and the opportunity of a lifetime. Blood, sweat and tears were at the large the weekend I spent with these dancers, however the work ethic and determination that was displayed prove that this team will be a force to be reckoned with. I have worked with several of the dancers previously and I have great confidence in saying they are an extremely special group of humans whom I believe have the talent, dedication and passion to bring home the gold. I have my Canada goose and USA beanie packed and ready to go. Stay tuned for further updates and highlights from this fantastic event…
"Strayan in the City" 