The Annual Camp Hollywood Post

Taken from my facebook post:

Brace yourselves, this is a freakin’ novel. I’ve been holding off writing my “Annual Camp Hollywood Post” until today for a big reason, but we’ll get to that. First I want to share some of my weekend highlights:

I’ve been volunteering for Camp Hollywood for over 10 years and staffing for the last two. I want to thank Hilary and James for inviting me to participate in the production of such a wonderful event. One of the top benefits to staffing an event like this is seeing first hand how HARD the staff members work. They all know how to party, but they always put the attendee, musician, and teacher experience first. Tina, Tim, Timothy, Kellie, Traci, Johnathan y'all are top notch.

The Open Strictly contest. Holy crap. I get chills thinking about the energy in the room. Of course Nils and Bianca were absolutely jaw dropping, but every one of those dancers deserves praise. Their dedication to their craft is so inspiring and I’ve never been more motivated to work on my personal dancing than I am now.

I made finals in the AM Mix and Match at Camp Hollywood! Apparently I was favored in the eyes of the Mix and Match gods because I rotated to both Ioanna and Laura (my dance partners) in finals. Even though I didn’t place, I had a great time dancing with/among so many dancers I respect and admire.

I brought my camera up near the bandstand this year and this meant I was very close to the band for the majority of the live music. The live music GAAAH. I’ll link my favorite moment this year in the comments below, but holy spumoni thank you to all the musicians for going so hard night after night. It’s like they blast smiles out of their instruments and plaster the entire crowd with them. Or maybe drown them in smiles. Or sweat.

While I was sharing the live music one night another broadcaster from St. Petersburg (Russia) brought her community over to my channel to watch. While she was watching she expressed an interest in learning to dance. At almost the same time a dancer from St. Petersburg joined the channel and was able to invite her out dancing. I’m thankful for dance and technology and it’s ability to make the world a smaller place.

A few shoutouts to people that especially inspired me this year:

Hunter thank you for joining me at Camp Hollywood every year. The amount of people, level of dancing, noise level and more can be incredibly taxing on an introvert and I want you to know how thankful I am that you endure it all to be by my side. I love you and my dance wouldn’t be the same without you.

Matt and Natalia your dancing inspires me. I’m so happy you took first place in open classic. I can’t think of better examples of dancers that commit their hearts to their dance. Natalia, thank you for the private lesson recently. You helped me stand up taller and take pride in myself and my dance. That’s more valuable than any technique you could have shared. Thank you.

Anthony and Irina. Holy crap. That routine. You’ve made me tear up two years in a row. Jerks.

Samantha. I think I spend 80% of “competition watch time” watching leads. Except when you’re dancing. Your footwork, lines, shapes, and smile are always so captivating. Thank you for sharing your craft.

Julie. You’re probably the hardest working dancer I know. Your dedication to your community and your dancing is awe inspiring. You’ve made an incredible impact in Arizona and you should be very proud.

Laura. I told you so. I’m so proud of you and I love you like a little sister. Thank you for our dance in finals. It’s something I will always value and remember. Thanks for always being so supportive. Your text when I didn’t make finals in Am Classic meant so much to me. Thank you for always being there.

Ioanna. Our dances this year rocked. I love the way we connect on the dance floor and we should be very proud of the progress we’ve made. You’re a dear friend of mine and I’m so thankful we have our partnership. I will always look up to you for your commitment to following your dreams.

There are countless others that I could shout out. So many people that inspire, entertain, support and create. If we shared a dance, hug, or even a smile over the weekend you are part of my joy. Thank you. Okay, now for my big news.

Camp Hollywood 2019 changed my life. Two days ago I quit my job as a Financial Advisor to pursue a career as a creative. I’ve decided to focus my efforts on developing a dance scene in my local area and growing my twitch channel.

For years committing myself to my “grown-up” job has felt like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I’ve been struggling with my commute and feeling fulfilled at work. Hunter and I decided together that moving closer to eliminate the commute was the best course of action. As that decision careened closer to reality we both felt like something wasn’t right. Both of us were struggling to keep our heads up. I even broke down crying on my way to Camp Hollywood. We didn’t want to give up our tribe. Our local friends, family, and community mean the world to us.

I’ve been envious of creatives for years. I’ve watched photographers, dancers, musicians, actors and more from the sidelines and never even considered it was something I could pursue. However, the last two weeks have somehow been different. Something changed and I started researching just what it would take to make it happen. I ran numbers and realized it might just be possible. I knew we might not be pulling in six figures anytime soon, but we wouldn’t have to move out of the home we love, away from our friends and family, and I could do what I’ve always felt called to do, build community and connect people.

At Camp Hollywood a dear friend and mentor of mine took time out of her busy schedule to meet with me and Hunter and discuss the idea. The conversation was encouraging and by the time Camp Hollywood awards happened I was 100% convinced. The community of love and support at Camp Hollywood means so much to me and If I can foster even an inkling of that, I will live a fulfilled life.

The most important part of this whole equation? My wife. She has committed to supporting my dreams and walking side by side with me through this crazy adventure. These last two days we’ve experienced a tempest of fear and doubt but we will weather the storm together. She trusts me to keep my commitments to protect and provide and I can’t put into words how much this means to me.

So what’s the plan? I need to build up to teaching about 20 lessons a week. Most of these will be local but I’d love to start teaching for the greater dance community as well. I’m going to continue to grow the twitch channel but that’s a lot more like acting. (90% hard work, 10% sheer luck.)

I’m committing myself to building community. The world needs more ways to connect people and it’s never been more important. I believe the world needs more dancers. It needs lindy hop, it needs theater and it needs art. So tribe, I need you. If you’ve ever thought about taking a dance lessons this is your opportunity. If you’re looking for private lessons, consider hiring me. Want to sponsor a family in need with dance lessons for kids? Gift a lesson to a dance muggle? These are all options now. Visit the website and check it out.

If you’ve enjoyed the live stream, subscribing now would mean the world... but don’t feel obligated. I am committing to always sharing the stream for free. If nothing else, I just ask you to share it with someone, and see if we can bring in more dancers.

If you have advice as a business owner, scene builder, teacher, or creative please don't hesitate to reach out. I value your sage wisdom!

Oh yeah, and I’m going to win am strictly next year. Bring it on.