Alphabet Soup....

Ok... so it's even getting a little out of control for me! The whole initialization of things started when I began this blog. One of the people I planned to regularly write about from the beginning asked. "You're not going to use my name are you??"
Well until the question was asked...yeah I was.

So I got by for a while not using anyone's name... then it just became too difficult.

NOW... more than a year and 13000 hits later, the blog has exploded into something I never realized. I've helped 54 people across the globe start dancing because they found something I put here inspiring... I've got people I've never met e-mailing me for advice... I've got close to 10,000 subscribers and who knows what else!

Back to what I was saying.... I was asked basically not to use someone's name way back before any of this happened... so I didn't... and that grew...if I wasn't going to use one person's name... then why use another's? Therefore those that have crossed my path in the dancing world with regularity have been coined an initialization. Some are more creative than others... ALL have been created by me (so you know who to come to if you don't like yours). It's somewhat a running joke amongst my dance world as to what I'm going to call someone on my blog. Some that were named no longer appear, and others that do were named so long ago no one remembers what it means... so here for you now are all the little characters to my story... most are existing, some are new (blue).

The dance men in my life:

RT = Really Technical (give a girl a break it was the first nickname I ever created, I had wanted to use his initials..but that didn't quite work out.)= Works out of Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, and he's my primary dance instructor for 2.5 years now(or as I prefer to think of it 130lbs lost) . Competes in American Rhythm with a pro from Fred Astaire Michigan Avenue who as of yet, does not have a nickname.

Largo = (ask directly if you want to know what it means, and why he gets a "word" instead of letters) =Instructor for Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, and my secondary dance instructor for about three months now. Competes in American Rhythm with TNT.

TNG= The New Guy.... he isn't so new anymore!! He is now an instructor at Fred Astaire Tinley Park, and is working his way through the novice ranks to reach Professional Competitor Status.

MSU = Makes Steps Up... he's never been afraid to try and throw something new at me to see if I can follow it! He's an instructor out of Fred Astaire South Barrington, competes with HBF I think they're going to do Cabaret at some point in the mean time I think they may do American Rhythm.

TSD = Tall Smooth Dancer = Instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, competes in American Smooth with FAF.

STP = Smooth Talking Pro = Instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, competes in American Rhythm with HFC.

CWS = Competes With Spouse... because he does, and I think that's cool. = Instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, competes in American Rhythm and Smooth, they just graduated to official professional status :-) with DWH.

Buddy = called such because he was my "buddy" teacher within the Fred Astaire teaching methodology... is no longer with Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove.

The Ladies in my Dancing World:

Captain= One of my closest dance friends.

Jem = Another of my closest dance friends.

HBF= Hairdresser's Best Friend ...every time I see her, her hair is a different kind of cool! = Instructor at Fred Astaire South Barrington, competes with MSU.

RTS = Rhythm to Smooth, she changed competition dance styles this year. Used to work out of South Barrington, but can now be found teaching at Fred Astaire Michigan Avenue.

TNT= Is the only nickname w/o corresponding words... but with all the energy she has bound up in her petite frame there was no other option... she is an Instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, and competes in American Rhythm with Largo.

KIT = Keeps It Together, this gal runs a tight ship from behind the desk at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove she does it with a smile and professional manner that is unmatched in the region! (seriously I want one of her in every studio I go to.)

FAF = Floats Across the Floor, because if you've ever seen her dance you'll swear her feet never touch hardwood, and she has the gentle demeanor to go along with it. Instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove. She competes with TSD in American Smooth.

HFC = Honest Fire Cracker. Honesty is her best policy, she'll give it to you straight...and it won't even hurt! When you watch her dance you'll see smoke coming from her heels, this girl is sharp! She is an instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, and competes in American Rhythm with STP.

DWH = Dances With Husband, cuz she does...and I think that's cool! She's KIT's right hand woman if she ever needs assistance, an Instructor at Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove, and is competing in American Rhythm and Smooth with CWS.

Somehow I thought there were more... there probably are and they just haven't moved out of my head onto this blog yet. Anyway... there you go... the official Ballroom Dancing: Changing My Life One Step at a Time Alphabet Soup. It's not so important what the nicknames mean... more so that you all can follow what I write... and I can protect the guilty parties. From here on out...anyone that wants a nickname of their own is going to have to go through a rigorous application process. :-)

(Any actual first and/or last names used have only been placed after permission has been received from the owner, or if said owner is already a public figure I am not required to protect their level of innocence or guilt.)