ABI BLOG

You’ve put in the training, you’ve put in the time, you think you’ve got an awesome dress, you feel confident, believe in youself and are connected with your partner…. So what do you do when you feel like you’ve put it all out there, and you still come up short? If you have danced the best you’ve ever danced, and the judges just don’t see it that way?… I don’t know what else to say except this: Father Rudy, the priest from Ascension elementary school in Dayton, OH had a great little phrase he’d tell the kids about what to do when life knocks you down-

“First you pick yourself up, then dust yourself off, then you keep on keepin’ on….”

You just have to keep believing. Giving up is easy- anything worth the effort takes time and sweat and tears, but if you give up, the only one you’re hurting is youself. Everyone else will just say, “Great- now there’s one less person in my way to the top.” So cry if it helps, treat yourself to a massage, (Barbara Condon is amazing at taking the hurt away), and then you just keep on keepin’ on….

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice

Happy Labor Day everyone! I’m at the United States Dancesport Championships in Orlando, FL. This is a huge competition that lasts all week.Dancers from all over the world will be here. I only compete in rhythm, but I’m here with an amazing team of RSF gals who all dance with Eddie Ares: rhythm, smooth, nine-dance, and latin! They will be dancing all week, and hopefully will be able to report back to us about all the excitement and fun to be had here at the US Championships.

Eddie has been here many times and won with multiple partners, both pro and pro-am, over the years. As we were practicing and training for this over the last few weeks, he made me realize what a labor of love this is for him. He works hard with all of us- doing round after round, pushing us to the limit- sometimes over the edge; we sweat, our muscles ache, and our feet have blisters and we said,  ”Do people realize how hard you truly have to work to condition not only your body, but your mind as well?”

Aha… that crazy ‘mental’ thing. It can make or break you. You can train hard and be a superb technician, but if you let your fears and inhibitions, or other people’s little digs about how you aren’t worthy to be here… if you let them get to you, well- you’re lost. You have to believe in yourself!

That’s the key, really… working hard, laboring over something that you love and truly believe in is something you have to do with your whole heart- body, mind, AND soul. And that’s what Eddie does, that’s what we all do- who work with him. And win or lose- Eddie, Karen, Chasity, Sarah, Ann, Deborah, Jenn, and Karen W. (our RSF team)… Bring It On! You are all champions in my eyes…

Good Luck to all the dancers out there this week! Remember the practice is done- now it’s time to Just Dance!

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice

ABI writer

I was lucky enough to interview ‘Dancing With The Stars’ professional, Jonathan Roberts, for a recent issue of our RSF Pro-Am Voice magazine. Since he has extensive experience working with pro-ams as well as celebrity amateurs on the show, I asked him if he had any tips for our Rising Star Newcomers Circuit dancers to help them create impact on the competition floor. He made some great points, and you can read the full interview in the Voice issue 4, but the most important thing he said was he always tries to find something special and unique about each of his dancers and then he maximizes it!

Another way to say this is, “Discover the star in you!” Find your strength, the thing that makes you stand out- that makes you shine on the dancefloor and watch your star rise! That’s really what the RSNC (Rising Star Newcomers Circuit) is all about… helping pro-am dancers discover their talent and watching them soar to new levels.

Discover the star in you- discover the RSNC!

By Regina Ruff , your pro-am voice

I was talking with a friend today about being connected…. The connection between two people on the dance floor is one of the most important aspects of dancing for me. The quest for that elusive, perfect connection can drive some people to the brink. You have to be connected on many levels:  It is both physical and emotional, intuitive and deliberate. You don’t want it to be too hard or too light. It’s not a push and a pull, but there needs to be an elasticity about the whole thing, so you get the action-reaction feeling of dancing with a partner as opposed to dancing by yourself.

Our partners need to feel this connection from us, however, we need to be very careful not to overdo it and lean on them, or pull them over!  It’s all about positive energy going in to our partners and receiving it back.

Being connected also means we need to communicate!… With our teachers, with the studio, with other members from our team, and with other dancers at every competition we attend, not to mention the audience and the judges! You are not dancing in a bubble! If you didn’t want to connect with others, then you’d be dancing by yourself in your basement… But you chose ballroom! So make the effort to not only dance, but to CONNECT with people!

Don’t forget to look for competitions and people sporting the red and yellow ‘RSF’ patches and you will find an immediate connection with people who are fun, friendly, supportive, and share your passion!

See you on the dance floor

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice

I’ve got another song to help motivate you…. “More,” by Usher. The title may make you think it’s about not being satisfied, or maybe it’s about being greedy…  always wanting more than you have. But if you listen to the lyrics, you’ll hear Usher repeat over and over to “Push it to the limit and give me MORE!”
The song isn’t about greed, it’s talking about challenging yourself, pushing yourself to your limit, and then taking it one step further. That’s how you grow. That’s how you get better, stronger, larger than life!

How does this apply to your dancing? I realized while I was listening to this song, that it’s message was what I kept hearing over and over from Andre and Natalie Paramonov during a recent coaching session. They wanted us to reach out farther, hold things longer, push a move to what we thought was the limit, and then give it more!

So try it! You’d be surprised how much MORE you can get out of yourself and your dancing if you push it to the limit. Even if you feel silly at first, let the music fill you up, then give me more!

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice
ABI writer

My Good friend Debra Agrello was telling me about a woman she met at a comp who asked for help in improving her frame. Debi said how could she help her if she wasn’t willing to improve her posture?

Maybe you spend day after day at a desk, in a car, or at a computer screen. Whatever the reason, if you have less than perfect posture, start to fix it right now! It will change your dancing!

Practice sitting tall on you “sit bones”, learn to activate your abdominal muscles. Hold you tummy in when you sit or stand.
Relax your shoulders and allow your chest to open. Use this visualization technique:
Imagine a large helium balloom attached to the back of your head. As the balloon rises, it gently lifts the weight of your head off your body.  Notice how this frees your spine from the heaviness of gravity.  Allow your body to lengthen with out stress!

If your postural problems are more severe, a qualified trainer can give you excercises to correct your specific postural issues…

Thank you to Debra Agrello for her help, expertise, and support in these fitness articles! She is a real inspiration. 

For a more detailed article on this subject, see her Focus On Fitness section in this month’s issue of the  RSF Pro-Am Voice magazine.

So STAND TALL and BE PROUD!

See you on the dance floor-

Regina, your pro-am voice

I’ve been listening to Joss Stone for one of my classes this weekend, and I wanted to share a message from one of her songs that really hit home for me. There may be people in your life who tell you that you can’t do something: that it’s not possible because you aren’t smart enough, or talented enough, or wealthy enough…. whatever. Don’t let someone else define who you are and what you are capable of!  It’s your world… you are free to color it in the way you want; so shape it or someone else will!

What does this have to do with dancesport competitions and life in general? A lot of it is a head game. As some dancers prepare for USDC in a week, they have put in the practice time, they have their costumes, the look, etc., but they also have to free themselves from anyone that tells them they can’t, and say “Yes, I can… just watch me!”

Stay motivated, stay positive, free yourself from doubt and fear, or guilt; believe in yourself…. and just dance!

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice

(This post is dedicated to Danella Dutton, who is following her dreams and shooting for the stars in L.A.   Good luck, sweet friend!)

Some of you may not know it, but I am a Jazzercise instructor and teach at a local senior center. They all love hearing about the glamorous dance competitions that we’ve gone to. Recently, one of my ladies asked me about how many competitions were out there and how did we decide which ones to attend? I laughed as I thought to myself, “What a great question to put out there.” 

 So what do you think?

What makes a great competition? Is it the title or scholarship $money you can win? Is it the judging panel? How about the destination, location, or the  professional show? Or is it the friendliness and the energy brought to the event by organizers who pay special attention to details to make all competitors- both professional and amateur, feel like they are important? Does the cost or the length of time a competition lasts affect your opinion of whether or not you want to return the next year? Some competitions have been around for decades and have that sense of tradition on their side. But are they worth it?

Tell us what you think! Then take a walk on the RSF side and see if you don’t find all the things that make a great competition right here!

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice

We just had the latest RSNC competition in Greenville, SC and I’m still recovering! The 2nd annual Greenvile Newcomers Challenge rocked the house until well past midnight! The GNC had something for everyone! Held at the beautiful Hyatt Regency on Main in Greenville, all our RSF Club members gathered the night before to hang out at the music festival in the tree-lit courtyard and grab a bite to eat at the local Grille 33. Taking the time to develop friendships with fellow dancers is an important draw to all these RSF events.
Dancers from all over came to compete and have fun, challenging each other for the RSF Senior American Smooth and Rhythm Closed scholarships. I was so impressed with the Superstar treatment everyone received during the evening session. All dancers were announced and brought up on stage through the back curtains and given the spotlight. The Pro-Am Sr. Rhythm winners were Tami Blaudeau and Sterling Burroughs of Birmingham, AL. What a classy lady! Thomas and Ann Yearian of Atlanta won the Amateur couple Sr. Rhythm. As always, they brought their hot and spicy personalities to the floor. The elegant Doris Armstrong and David Wood of OKC won the Sr. Pro-Am Smooth and their fellow Sooners, Gary and Janella Tears won the Amateur Sr. Smooth.

We need to say “Congratulations” to all the dancers! Their energy and enthusiasm didn’t falter throughout the day and their love of their sport was eveident in the smiles on their faces… even at 1:00am when they congregated at the potato bar midnight buffet/party! As we get more pictures in, I’ll be sure to share some here along with more news and info on the blog. Until then, check the Decadance Photography website for all the great shots of the Greenville dancers.
Keep Smiling!

By Regina Ruff- your pro-am voice
ABI writer

I was talking to a friend today who was feeling a little discouraged about her dancing. She said something like, “I just started too late in my life… I would’ve been so much better if I’d started in my youth! I’m never going to be a champion, or as good as so-and-so…” You get the idea- this is someone who feels cheated because her body isn’t cooperating with her dreams of what she thinks she could have been….

I think we can relate: I’m not as flexible as I used to be, my body can’t take as much abuse as it used to, and my feet have issues! But do I think it’s too late? Yes- if my goal was to dance like I am 20! But if I look at it as, “Is it too late to be the best dancer I can be, starting right now?” The answer is ‘It’s never too late!’

I think the problem comes from people looking at and comparing themselves to professionals and amateurs who’ve literally been dancing/training since they were toddlers. Quit comparing yourself to others!!! Even if your instructor dances the same routine with you and three other girls, you will have your own unique style and strengths that won’t be the same as the others’. One of my favorite quotes recently is “Be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second- rate copy of someone else.” (Judy Garland).

Yes, it may be too late for my friend to dance like Karina Smirnoff or DWTS cutie, Julianne Hough, but does that mean she should just pack up her shoes and turn in her rhinestoned costumes? What do you think? Is it ever really just too late? Think about it….and leave a reply!

By Regina Ruff, your pro-am voice
ABI writer