What I Was Thinking As I Watched the ILHC Strictly Invitational Finals

So this weekend is a pretty big weekend for lindy hop. In Arlington, VA, the best of the best get together, along with every other lindy hopper who can get there, and dance their little hearts out at the International Lindy Hop Championship. Its clearly a big time for competitions, and one of my favorites, the one that usually has the hottest dancing is the Strictly Invitational. Dancers enter as couples (as opposed to a Jack and Jill competition, in which dancers enter as leads or follows and their partners are chosen at random), and only those couples who are invited get to dance (duh). Needless to say that only the best get invited. This is almost all unchoreographed, but most of these guys are professional who always dance with the same partner, so clearly, they know each others moves. BUT STILL. Just watch. You will be as amazed as I was.

Here are my thoughts, pretty much as I was thinking them (I only did a couple of edits so that this was legible...."fllow" is not word, nor is AMAZESOUACE, but somehow I typed both). There is some seriously amazing dancing in this video. As usual, I'm not sure who I'm looking at most of the time. But here it is!

Intro: Great song! Diga Diga Doo! Hurray!

ROUND 1.

1. Wow, what fun musicality. Who are these people? I will probably feel really bad when I find out and they're some famous people

2. Skye and Frida! Welp, babies didn't slow her down. DAMN THAT KICK! HURRAY! JUMPING! AND SKIPPING! Frida and Syke, you make me happy

3. ooh, cute dress. A little early for air, don't you think? But nicely executed. I hate it when they break partner. Who are these people too?

4. Is that Todd Yanconne? Ok, everyone is screaming and I'm not sure why. Repeating a move is not that cool

5. Wait, is THAT Todd Yannacone? What the fuck? Double vision. ok, I'm a little bored.

6. ooooooh, nice stockings. AND YAY A STOP! oooh! Nice, love the spinning thingsDAMM! LOVE THESE PEOPLE< WHO ARE THE<?!?!?!?!

AH! ADORABLE TANDEM!

7. NICE!  Cute side by sides stuff, dudes! Again, a little early for air and splits, but whatevs.

8. oh, I like the stopping. AND THE OLD SCHOOL SWIVELS! AND THE STOPPING WITH THE OLD SCHOOL SWIVELS. WHO IS THIS GUY>>!?!?!?

9. Yay Max and Annie!  So athletic! With the stopping and the jumping! Max is such a show off. AND I'm sorry, NOBODY THROWS AIR LIKE THEM. DAMN DUDES!

10. ok, who is Nick Williams dancing with now? I still don't know what the big deal is with him. I'm mean, he's ok.

11. Naomi, you are the follow of my heart. IS THAT TODD YANNACONE AGAIN!? So happy! Love the expresssions. oh, don't break connection! I hate that.

12. Jo and Mikey? hm....like the short shoulder and the little hoppy thing, but they seem like a train almost out of control....

13. oof, tough to be last. I like her spins. Nice kicks too! She reminds me of old school dancers.

ROUND 2

1. ok, I seriously love this couple,. So smooth and happy. A little boring, but still great.

2. O FRIDA YOU ARE SO AMAZSAUCE> AND SKYE

3. sppinys! FUN!....and some crazy acrobatics!

4. whoops! Missed, but still some nice swing outs

5. Todd? eh. round two, not as good.

6.AAAAAAA I LOVE THEM. They must be Euro. OH YES WALK IT OUT!!!

7. RUN! And nice drop! NOW is the time for splits!

8. Man, this guy has some serious moxy. His follow is eh

9. Yup, that is some sic shit.

10. Ok, now I sort of get it. That was a sick toss. and so musical.

11. YES! WITH THE HANDS UP!

12. Jo's hair is very cool when spinning. Ah, the pancake point. very nice

13. ok, way to end strong, dudes.

ALL SKATE:  OMG, SO COOL WHEN THEY ALL SWING OUT. CHILLLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
FUCK YES. Seriously, that couple in the black KILLED it. KILLED IT. I'm going to have to watch this again.