In the Pink!, October 8, 2005, Arabia Shrine Grand Ballroom

Ok, so this isn't purely a "performance," but it was pure fun. A gala/benefit put on by the Houston chapter of USA Dance (formerly USABDA), it combined dancing to big band music with a program of local ballroom dancers. The band was Brass Rhythm and Reeds, which played favorites from the big band era. Anita LaVallee Hughes, the vocalist in the band, has a beautiful voice and really captures the big band style. Being in the ballroom was like stepping back in time. I got to dance just about every style except Samba. The dance performances included Latin dances (Rebecca Avila and Ryan Lewis, Melissa Blanco and Brent Borbon) and Standard (Sabra Yarbrough and Curtis Provost), and I was quite impressed with the level of the dancing. José Melendez performed with two of his students, one 8 and the other 9 years old. No two ways about it, kids are cute. Proceeds from the evening went to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Mobile Mammography Program. The event was officially part of National Ballroom Dance Week, which actually took place back in September. Usually the gala is that same week, but it was moved this year to correspond with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A fortuitous move, because Houston had an unexpected visitor the week the event would otherwise have taken place. Isn't that interesting - Melissa and Brent have been on Star Search. Check out the link for a video of them dancing.