Dance Videos from the Wichita Swing Dance Society Christmas Party!

As you  may recall, we had the Dave Stephens band all the way from California playing at the Harry Reese Dance studio. A good friend of mine took some video of our jam circle (that's basically where one couple dances at a time to show off for a gathered crowd) and of the dance competition. Check them out below!

Jam Circle:


Competition:


Videos by Ryan Rahn

And finally, because I can't resist posting this, here's a picture of me dancing with Evan Borst, president of the WSDS. We're midway through an aerial called "the Frankie" after Frankie Manning, the father of Lindy Hop.



Photo by Ryan Rahn

See you out there, Wichita!

THAT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME!

HELLO WICHITA!

I'm still beaming from this weekend, that's how awesome it was. I hope you all got out and had as much fun as I did!

Friday night, I did check out Cool Blue at Player's, but they weren't playing the kind of music I hoped for. So, a group of buddies and I headed over to Tommy's Restaurant and Lounge (2121 North Tyler). The DJ there always takes requests, so in no time at all the play list was decidedly dancer-friendly! We danced, we drank, and then we danced some more (probably not as well as we had before the drinks.) My husband Bryan met up with us when he finished work, and it was really nice to have everyone together in one place. By the time we got home, I was exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep.

Saturday, the Snow Ball at Old Town Ballroom was AWESOME! There was a nice sized crowd of 30-40 people, with most of whom I had the pleasure of dancing. There were delicious Christmas cookies, along with Champagne punch for everyone to enjoy. We played all kinds of music and kept the dance floor pretty packed. Our guests looked FANTASTIC in their holiday finery, and the Ballroom itself was decorated with snow flakes and Christmas ornaments just about everywhere. Even Josiah (the owner of Old Town Ballroom) and I managed to look presentable! Here's a picture:

 

Photo by Ryan Rahn

The party was supposed to end at 10:00, but everyone had so much fun that we ended up running til after midnight. Nice!

The fun continued Sunday night with the Wichita Swing Dance Society's Christmas party. The band was AMAZING, the place was full of happy people, and the dancing was incredible. I think you'd have to work pretty hard to find a group of people in Wichita more open, friendly, and enthusiastic than the WSDS. I used to think dances like the one last night only happened in the movies, but, what do you know, they're happening right here in the middle of Kansas! Sometimes I can't believe the good luck I've had that lead me here in the first place.

Well, I'm off to a meeting with one of my sellers. He's just gotten the first offer on his rental home, which is the house in my "Featured Property" section. Here's hoping for some productive negotiations!

Cheers, Wichita!

-Chelsea

Great Weekend Coming Up!

Good afternoon Wichita! There is NO EXCUSE for you to be bored this weekend; there are some great parties scheduled and you should plan on attending!

FRIDAY NIGHT: Players Sports Bar (6200 W. 21st St. N.) presents Cool Blue. Cool Blue is an awesome local band! I've seen them perform several times and they are always put on a great show. They specialize in Swing music and Rock 'n' Roll, so bring your dancing shoes! Admission is free and the band will play from 9:00PM-1:00AM.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Old Town Ballroom (630 E Douglas Ave) cordially invites you to the First Annual Snow Ball! Arrive at 7:30PM for a group dance class and refreshments, followed by open dancing until 10:00PM.
Admission is $10, formal dress is optional.

SUNDAY NIGHT: It's the Wichita Swing Dance Society Christmas Party! (1628 S George Washington Blvd) All the way from California, the incredible Dave Stephens Band will be playing from 7:00PM-10:00PM. The floor will be packed with dancers, and you don't want to miss the party! Admission is $10 for non-WSDS members,

I plan on attending at LEAST two, hopefully all THREE of these events. See you there!

-Chelsea

Gallery One Nine

This weekend, I had the pleasure of spending some time in Gallery One Nine, which is just about the nicest banquet hall Wichita has to offer! Since opening last spring, Gallery One Nine has been hosting beautiful events and exhibiting art. The gallery is located on the top two floors (18th and 19th) of the Wichita Executive Center at 125 N Market St. It is a GORGEOUS place with the best view in town. I highly recommend it for events, and as a classy place to take in an art exhibit!

So, what was a real estate agent such as myself doing at the gallery this weekend? Well, I was being Snow White. It was awesome. To explain, I'll have to back up a bit. You see, in addition to selling real estate, I also teach dance lessons at Old Town Ballroom. During a Tuesday night group Salsa lesson, I met Jessie Griffith, who happens to be an event planner for Gallery One Nine. Well, late last week, Jessie called the studio because she was in a bit of a pickle. She had been planning a special Princess Birthday Party for a family with a little girl who just turned 4 years old. They really wanted a real-life Disney Princess and Prince Charming to attend the party and play with all the little girls, but it seemed no one in town was interested in the job. She wanted to know if I would be able to take a couple of hours, wear a fancy costume, and dance with toddlers. Oh, and could I bring along a prince charming? Well, YEAH! I mean, who wouldn't want to do that?? And for this, the hostess of the event wanted to actually PAY ME? I agreed in a heartbeat. I then drafted my good friend Austin into playing Prince Charming.

Saturday morning, we got up, drove to Gallery One Nine, and sneaked past all the party guests to change into our costumes. Jessie helped me do my makeup just like Snow White: rose-red lips, pale skin, bright pink circles on my cheeks, and Hollywood Glam eyes. Prince Charming and I made a grand entrance into the banquet hall, where a dozen ADORABLE mini-princesses were waiting. The birthday girl and her guests all wore princess dresses and tiaras (although the tiaras proved a bit impractical) and they were SUPER excited to see Snow White. Austin and I did a waltz to the theme song from Cinderella (thankfully nobody asked why Snow White was dancing to the wrong music) and then we danced with the little girls. After that, we moved into a separate room decked out with games, mini-tea sets, and dress up clothes for the little ones. As Snow White and Prince Charming, all we had to do was sit in our thrones and take pictures with the guests, and talk to all the little girls. The birthday girl came running up to me, gave me a big hug, and said "I LOVE YOU!" It totally cracked me up! Our two-hour shift flew by, and Austin and I bade our farewells and returned to reality. I gave the hostess my card in the hope that she'll pass it to someone else who wants to hire a Princess for the day :-) Coolest job ever!!

Have a great day Wichita!
-Chelsea