Ohio Star Ball 2010 Friday Night, Rhythm, Standard, and a Good 'ol Time!

This is IT! The Ohio Star Ball!!!

Hey gang! As promised... Ohio Star Ball updates from my darkened hotel room where my roommates sleep and/or prepare for bed.

Today was a ton of fun! My new to the blog friend who I shall call Endearing, because she is quite the endearing soul when you get to know her, met at O'hare International Airport at 11:15am where we endured security (no full body scan for us, or pat down thank you!), and the wait for our 45 min flight to Columbus Ohio. From there we grabbed a quick 10 min cab ride to our hotel, and met up with Bonnie and Michael who had already arrived.

A quick jaunt over the street in a covered walkway landed us smack dab in the middle of the largest number of ballroom vendors I have ever seen gathered in one place! It was amazing! Endearing and I meandered around getting turned around more than once, looking at the wares of ballroom gowns, accessories, shoes, photography booths etc. Oh what a sight! (no photography allowed but I may try to sneak some pics later...) We then promptly found the food court and had a late afternoon snack. Then moseyed on back to our hotel room where ETP and his bride had arrived. We discussed dinner plans.

Megan Murphy and Vincente Martinez Photo Courtesy of Creative Portraiture

ETP, his spouse, and I decided we would go to the "2nd Floor Bar" appropriately named "The Bar on the 2nd Floor" or some such to meet up with an online friend from Partner Dance Online. What a lovely time that turned out to be! We grabbed some dinner while there and then met up with the rest of the entourage in the large ballroom shortly after the evening began. We then sat, mostly riveted, for the next 5 hours watching world class International Ballroom (formerly Standard Ballroom) and American Rhythm heats. Later in the evening, Theatre Arts category commenced where our own Megan and Vincente (formerly known as the couple from Michigan Ave) proudly took 2nd place! Congratulations to them!!! So proud and happy to have seen that! (Yes as they are now a household name in the Ballroom community...they get to be named for real on the blog. :-) )

LadyGaGa Showdance (Endearing's favorite number)

The evening ended with the show dances that all the finalists get to do... wow there were some fantastic numbers! I just kept remembering that this is what I used to watch on TV LOOOOONG before I ever took ballroom into my heart as a passion... I couldn't believe I was seeing it first hand!! Endearing and I met up with ETP and his spouse in the bar for some lovely chatting and chilling out amungst the other Ballroom elite. It was a very comfortable place to be... :-)

Megan Murphy and Vincente Martinez 2nd Place! Photo Courtesy of Creative Portraiture

And now... here I sit telling you all about it, because it's impossible to be here and not desperately want everyone to be here and experience it with me!

Pictures to come...but for now... a well earned rest!

Until tomorrow!