gym-queen

Friends, colleagues, loved ones……….. today I'm going to share with you a story of immense triumph…….a story so enlightening that you will be glued to your screen with amazement and awe. One that will leave you thinking of many things………

Once upon a time, a lovely lady and her beautiful friends ventured off to a luscious part of the English countryside called Somerset. They were on a mission……… to dance their bloody socks off!!!!

Yes.. I attended my 2nd Pontin's Salsa weekend and have returned to work today completely exhausted and not looking forward to the aerobics class I have to teach at midday. The location was the same as November - Breen Sands in Somerset, and the weather was also the same - pouring with rain almost the entire time! However, no amount of rain could dampen our spirits or energy levels, and I danced for about 13 hours total including workshops and parties!! I went with a great group of people. My usual dancing buddies from London - Viv, Nick, Fay and Kafilat, and also my new friends from Nottingham - Phil, Andy and Ian. Staying in a chalet full of men was eye opening, but it was cool to just be 'one of the boys'!! Phil was brilliant and cooked our breakfasts and dinners the whole weekend, and he's a fab cook too. Looks dead sexy in an apron!! (chuckle 80) The boys were hilarious with the things they came out with and there were antics that still make me laugh out loud, but nothing that you would find amusing without being there, so I will spare you.

The weekend started off as normal….the long drive from London and on arrival at Pontin's all I wanted to do was sleep. However, I gathered my energy up and headed out to party. Phil had imported some cool t-shirts from America that flash. I had a crop top one with a heart, Phil had a star and Ian had a skull. They are battery operated and there's even a special little pocket for the battery pack. We certainly didn't go unnoticed, and had loads of people coming up to us to ask where we got them. It made it really easy to find each other in the dark too!! I also have to admit, I've never had so many marks on my dance card as I did that night. Getting noticed at a dance party is fab for the ego!!! Later on in the evening, I was asked to dance by a chap called 'H'. (Don't ask me, I don't have a clue what his real name was!!) so we wandered onto the dancefloor only to find out we'd just entered ourselves into a competition. We also didn't realise, that the competition named 'Mario & Maria Salsa comp' also meant we were going to be dancing with strangers. I ended up with a cutie Cuban called Banderas who only came up to my chin. He was brilliant to dance with though, and I loved it. We were chatting at the end, and half way through our conversation realised that we'd WON!!! We were given these HUGE trophies, and vouchers and stuff, and I was SO excited!!! I couldn't believe it! Phil said I only won because of my T-shirt, but we all know that's not true, I won purely on dance ability!!! (anyone who argues will be slapped!) For the rest of the night I was doing mini victory dances of my own, and also being asked to dance by even more people, including instructors and presenters, so by the end of the evening my head was so big I could barely fit through the door!!

Saturday I was exhausted, and glad for the rest. I didn't do any classes in the morning, and just one in the afternoon. I went for a drive to Western Super-Mare with the boys for a change in Phil's super Subaru. Quite frankly, I think I could have slept for the day. Saturday night was cool, but couldn't compare to the Friday eve. Sunday I had my energy back and went whole hog! I did four classes, including my first ever La Rueda class. (La Rueda is a salsa dance done in a circle where the participants dance with their partners in sync with the other couples, and partners are swapped around the circle. It looks awesome when it's done well). Not only had I never done it before, but my partner was an instructor from Derby who is awesome, AND, we were asked to dance in the inner circle, which is the demo circle that everyone has to watch. The pressure was on, and the nerves were twitching, but I loved it and did quite well considering. Am going to do some more of that one. Sunday night was top! I danced with all my favourite dancers, my most favourites being Lee Hunter (Derby teacher) and Rohan Brown (Birmingham teacher) which just topped my weekend!!

So once again, I've got loads of fab memories, made loads of new friends, and danced with some of the most wonderful dancers I've ever seen.

Richard Askew

morris dancers eh???

Philip Attaway

:P

salsa-king

i'm saying nothing!!!!!!
but i still think its that Flashing NEON HEART Crop-Top you were wearing that gave you 1st place!

if anyone can help me with uploading of pix i'd b v greatful!

wot a weekend!!

booked for salsa weekend at Pontins Southport today too (April 12th-15th)
are you shareing room with us again G-Q?

Karen, u hav mail to your Karen Lee Email addy, PIX!!!

Phil

[Edited by salsa-king - 2/26/2002 11:57:24 PM]

gym-queen

Hi all,

I can't upload the pics straight onto scooby net, but if you'd like to see them, go to:

http://home1.nikonnet.com/photosharing/albumindex.html

Log in name = karen_lee75
Password = photos

There is a whole album of pics there for you to view! Enjoy.

Markus

Phil,
with regards to pic hosting - you have mail!

Markus

pics posted by request of salsa-king

salsa-king

Tnx M8. there will be some better!! DANCING pix later this week!! watch this space LOL

Phil

gym-queen

Thanks for putting those on there. Hopefully Salsa-King will have some of me when I'm actually awake next time!!!

salsa-king

more pix come in tomorrow, so just wait!

Phil

salsa-king

temptress Karen


the gang
david, alex, clair, holly, richard, iain, ME and Sue


horny holly and sue


merengue andy dancing with a girl who we swear had 'implants' (illedgidly) he's having a look anyway!


me dancing with horny holly (very complicated move that one!)


salsa (TVR) iain, karen and myself with NEON flashing t-shirts (karens was a crop top)


iain dancing with karen...if you can call it dancing


just one of the sexy girls we had the pleasure to dance with...Claire is her name!


guess who did the cooking?? and the pitcure taking??? one of the nights we entertained laydeeez!


iain and i in our saturday night LOUD shirt wear!


always be careful of drunk girls in sparkly tops!


they don't call andy itchy bum 4 nothing you know!


a salsa demontration with two sexy latino laydeeez


ugly mugs! andy likes to smile more than all of us! NOT




[Edited by salsa-king - 3/3/2002 9:38:35 PM]

[Edited by salsa-king - 3/3/2002 9:55:26 PM]

[Edited by salsa-king - 3/3/2002 9:58:41 PM]

Trouser

Wicked!!!!... looks like a top time!!..s ome nice ladeeeeeeeeeeeeeez 'n' all! .. that ozzy one looks alright ;p

fancy endind up in the same chalet as last time!! who would have thought it eh??!!.... glad you had fun guys!

Cheers

Trouser

salsa-king

that aussie chick!!! i saw her in her PINK PJ's too


Phil

Richard Askew

cracking piccies senor phil

now burn em to CD and bang em in the post to me

salsa-king

Rich
why will i do that??


more pix


these are wicked, how do you do it up?


so thats how it goes!!!
(Karen's Bra by the way and it fits me!!!)


Eating again!?!?


Karen's girls!


the 3 Lads


thats all 4 now!

Phil

Richard Askew

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew then again dont send me any piccies

gym-queen

The fact my bra fit him... is that an insult to ME, or Phil?!

Brendan Hughes

Hey GQ, my wife wants to know where she can buy a flat stomach like yours that fits a 36 yr old who has had a kid!!

Phil - we've started the lessons, they're a scream! If/when I get a house and car, you have to come over mate!

BJH

salsa-king

Bren
i'll hold you to that!!!
G-Q goes to the gym every linch time!! also takes 3 classes a week TEACHING Step/dance etc

Phil

gym-queen

Hi Brenden, tell your wife that a healthy, low fat eating plan, and regular exercise will get her there. It doesn't really matter if you've had kids, the muscles can repair. The BEST way, is for her to practise holding her stomach in and tilting her pelvis under (BTW - boys this is serious, keep your minds out of the gutter here!!!) and it will actually help the muscles to learn to stay held taught. Let me know how she get's on. I'm happy to provide any other literature that may help if she likes.