This past weekend was the 14th annual Camp Hollywood, and as usual we packed up the car and drove 20 minutes to the LAX Marriott hotel for our “big” summer getaway. Hey, a couple days off work? I’ll take it.

Out of all the swing dance weekend camps, Camp Hollywood is particularly dear to me. Not only is it the biggest swing event in the region, and is kind of a “family reunion” with longtime friends whom we don’t get to see much, but it’s also the camp where I first learned sugar pushes and swivels, took my first Balboa lesson, and saw Groovie Movie and Buck Privates for the first time. Way back in 1998, when I was a senior in high school. Without a doubt, that weekend changed my life.

This year Chris and I competed in Balboa, and won 2nd place (congrats to Jacob and Valerie for beating us again! 😉 We were watching footage this morning at 4am when we got home, and I was particularly excited about how we danced in the prelims – I couldn’t remember much about this dance after it happened, so I was surprised at how much I like it! 

Camp Hollywood 2011 Balboa Prelims

(I’m unfortunately blanking on the name of the guy who filmed and was awesome enough to pass us a copy)

And for those who are wondering, I’m wearing the trousers I made from Wearing History 30’s Trousers pattern (blogged about here). I got so many compliments on them that I must make more soon!