CASH BASH!

Most Pictures Courtesy of Elizabeth Gutzwiler

CASH BASH is the Brilliant Creation of Hustle phenoms Fred & Tina Price. This Superific west coast swing/hustle dance event gave new meaning to Thanksgiving weekend!!! 

Absolutely everything was perfect. It is sort of sad to think that Millions of people all over America had to settle for ONLY their families, a turkey and football – when they could have had that and a smorgasbord of non-stop DANCING too!!!

What a colossal value!

Included in the Gold Pass ($130.00): beginning & intermediate lessons, Endless Dancing, FULL breakfast both mornings, Friday evening GENEROUS hot and cold hors d’ oeuvres, formal Saturday night dinner and a show that did not go on too obnoxiously long.

There were lots of Stimulating and Creative workshops with our favorite greats: Angel Figueroa, John Lindo, Sophy Kdep, Jason Miklic, Silvana Gallagher. Advanced lessons were an additional cost; however, the class sizes were limited and lots of personal attention was offered.

Even the injury twins were there: Stephanie Risser and Gary Ullner (both recently suffered from dance-challenging accidents).

Fred & Tina sure know how to kick-off a party!!! What’s better than an all-you-can-eat buffet concurrent with unlimited dancing? The “hors d’ oeuvres” was a MOUNTAIN of various cheese, meat, fruit, crackers, crudité and endlessly sizzling goodies (chicken, bacon wrapped water chestnuts and neat risotto thingies).

You would never know that the annual Thanksgiving stuff-yourself-athon had just taken place - the way everyone chowed down and then raced to the dance floor like thoroughbreds off at the Kentucky Derby!

Those of us who were able to drag ourselves up for lessons on Saturday morning were rewarded with the amazing opportunity to learn from the very best instructors in this country. Nobody teaches hustle better than Angel Figueroa. Likewise with John Lindo and west coast swing. People came from all over the United States and Canada because of these two dance geniuses!

Stephanie Risser really got me interested in hustle again.  Everyone seemed enjoy her lessons. I really look forward to taking more classes with her.

Silvana Gallagher impressed me as a teacher. It was the most FUN class I’ve taken in quite a while and everyone got everything.  She reminded me of Wendy Miller - that kind of classy (like Princess Grace) style.

Sophie and Jason took such care of their students – personally helping anyone struggling with the material. Incidentally, they skipped the U.S. Open in favor of Cash Bash out of Loyalty to the Prices and their students.

There was social dancing all day and night and the DJs didn’t disappoint either. Victor Lovieira, Tim Johnson, Jesse Cramer were all wonderful – but Victor was really on his game this particular weekend. Victor’s music was like supreme unleaded gas in our tanks!!!

And the music for the competitions was Inspiring. At breakfast Sunday, we all expressed how glad we were not to have to dance to the same old boring songs!!!  Thanx Victor!

After lessons on Saturday there were the WSDC competitions. The event has grown quite a bit and now the Novice division is way too crowded. Newcomer will be introduced next year but for now Angel Figueroa (head judge) did a magnificent job of managing the floor and added semi-finals so that dancers had a better chance.
The whole thing was very exciting!
 

Semis were not posted. Instead, the contestants had to show up and be ready for anything. Names were called and some were disappointed but, no matter who got lucky that afternoon, everyone cheered them on! It was electrifying as each person ran to take their place on the floor and DANCE!

Novice West Coast Swing Winners:

1st Keith Chow & Roxanne Swisz 

2nd Scott Pulling & Sara Hilbrich

3rd Sean Ryan & Maria Krutz

4th Hank Welch & Cathy Benden

5th Yu Sun & Jennifer Reed

Hustle was very popular at this event.

Most of the events try to offer adequate hustle music and dance time but west coast swingers usually monopolize the floor. Not so at this event.

There was plenty of hustle music and several types of both west coast swing and hustle competitions including Jack & Jills and Strictlys.

Novice Hustle Winners:

1st Donnie Neron & Jennifer Hammond
2nd Terry Lane & Julie O’Brien
3rd Jean Marchand & Angela McCoy
4th Michael Stern & Cathy Benden
5th Roger Harris & Anna Reguero

This year, the Prices added a Masters J&J for the 50+. It was very well attended and a sight to behold. Age ain’t nothin’ but a number and these cheerful souls proved it.

But then, they’ve been dancing all their lives. What an inspiration! As they danced to both oldies and contemporary music Angel got the audience clapping along.

Masters West Coast Swing Winners:

1st Larry Hough & Maru Hutchins

2nd Jackie Lindsey & Rita Vine

3rd Larry Hough & Linda Guetterman

4th Lon Wackerle & Beverly Solazzo

5th Ken Muntz & Joann Podleski

Larry Hough also placed in the top 10 in the WSDC Jack n’ Jill and now has the final point he needed to move up to Intermediate level. We are all very Proud of him because he worked really hard. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish. It takes years for most of us mortals to get our points!

Saturday night's formal dinner was really fun because we had a chance to chat with people we've danced with – too many times to count. The food was better than expected for this kind of event – serving both chicken and meat on each plate, properly cooked vegetables and a really good chocolate desert.


Particularly conspicuous was the EXCEPTIONAL service by the wait staff. Our every need and desire was swiftly taken care of.

The most special part of this formal affair was BALLROOM Dance Music during the dinner hour!!! How COOL is that? It was tough to force ourselves to continue eating every time a waltz came on. And pity the poor Fellas (like Sean Brown) who can dance to everything - because the gals were coming from every direction!  (Sean teaches in the Toronto area and I hear he's really good.)


There was a charming show. Not the usual kind where we had to endure the Pros showing off – on and on AND ON ad nauseum.

Instead, we watched the magic of Angel Figueroa & Tina Price (one hot Mamma in a tight gold dress) as they shared the floor with Silvana Gallager (in HOT pants) & Joe Kerner as they stunned us with their breathtaking hustle.

The STARS of this show, however, were Maria Ford & David Ward. We have watched this couple compete and perform many times and they are true favorites. BUT - they TOPPED it this time.

The song and artist are being kept under wraps for now, but I can tell you that they choreographed it themselves and it took our collective breaths away.
 

Their Talent is only just beginning to Blossom.

The rest of the evening was left for us to dance until we limped away. There were plenty of people staggering in to breakfast the next morning! Everyone was in such a good mood – euphoric – really.

This event goes right to the top of my list along with Ken Mercik’s Swingin’ Into Spring and Kathy St. Jean’s New England Dance Festival.

These three make up the Triple Crown of dancing - and - I challenge anyone to prove me wrong!

The Prices are not just Brilliant Event Organizers, they have the business savvy to pick the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg, Ohio to host everyone.

There were several restaurants nearby (Wendys, Cracker Barrell, Donatos, Damons) which didn’t really matter since we were busy dancing all the time and fed regularly at the hotel!

The hotel staff was phenomenal and the Hilton headquarters should take a note on this account. Besides being treated like GUESTS with the ultimate in professionalism and courtesy, they did not attempt to nickel and dime us over anything and everything like some of the event hotels do.
Coffee was free all day - and it was gooooooood!

Incidentally, the very comfortable rooms came with refrigerators and microwaves.

Breakfast was really something to experience. The CHEF kept dishing out the eggs, sausage, potatoes and bacon (not one overdone strip). There was every kind of bread, pastry, fruit – you name it. Generous and Good. Nobody cared if you took a banana for later. The atmosphere in the breakfast room was exhilarating and we started the day in the best possible MOOD.

Frankly, I can’t understand why this event is not being RAVED about openly over every news media in the world. Cash Bash is the ANTEDOTE to Thanksgiving! All those cooking disasters? All those relatives? And then what? Go shopping or sit in front of the TV?

Don’t you think all that overeating deserves OVER DANCING!?!

For more information about all the Cash Bash club events:

http://www.cashdanceclub.org/