Great Dancing comes from Great Music!

New Years 2008 (Dec 31, 2007)

182 dancers from all over the lower mainland traveled to Maple Ridge for a spectacular night of pampering, elegance, show dances, mixers, special dances, and prizes.  New Years was on a Monday, and we'd planned for a crew of people to come and decorate Sunday so we could do the final touches Monday and rest, but on Friday we were told we only had access to the stage Sunday, and half the hall Monday, as there was bowling scheduled till 3:30pm Monday, and exercise class before 10:00am.   But with help from Helene (RMSS treasurer), we set up half the hall Sunday, and finished off Monday, a total of two seven hour setup sessions.   But it was well worth it!

182 dancers came from all over the Vancouver lower mainland and were greeted by Alex

Jessica and Raychel our drink greeters!

Hey Raychel, is that one for the road, one for the dance or just getting ready set up for guests arrival!

As guests arrived they were greeted by two elegantly dressed young ladies who offered them either Orange-Chocolate Port or Eggnog (for non-drinkers) in a half ounce bitter sweet chocolate cup (imported from Quebec).   Next guests were greeted by Ray & Bertha

Guests found their table and went to the stage to have their picture taken by our photographer (free 5x7's for all who had their pictures taken).  Stage Photos can be downloaded here.

Dinner started promptly at 7:00 with a fabulous smorgasbord featuring Country fried Chicken, Chicken Marsella, Wild baked Salmon and Roast Baron of Beef, followed by deserts.

Another view including the chandelier we donated to the RMSS room last year!

The nights decorations were Black, Silver and Pink, and as everyone found out Pink meant Pink Panther!   Each table had either a 12" or an 18" Pink Panther as part of the decorations which I imported from MGM Studios, plus different types of Pink Panther balloons

The "Pink" theme was a big hit with guests, who couldn't love the Pink Panther?

My invaluable helpers, son mike who runs my DJ and girlfriend Alex my ticket lady finally having supper

Pink Panther monitors the smiles of my Pinetree dancing friends

One of the singles table, each table knew where all the other singles were!

Highlights of the evening:

As there were 14 single ladies and 11 single men, the first mixer was just for the singles, Lace - "I want a man" followed by a mixer for everyone. 

The single guys line up and to fill in, Don Picard along with married guys Steve, Ted and Zale stepped in to help out (tough job)!

Each table with singles had a list of other tables with singles so everyone could find each other for a dance!

Check the look on Jessica's face!   But this guy (Dominic) is a great dancer!

Great picture of Robyn and her father Don.  Robyn has legs?  Who knew?

Check my pink shirt, my tie with a pink panther on it, having a fabulous dance with Raychel

Here's Dominic working his magic again.  Vicci had a perma-smile all night which only got bigger when she won a pink panther!

Dancers aged 12-15 from DanceFX doing a Jazz/Ballroom routine

Same dancers changed into outfits with enhanced bottoms to dance to Will-I-Am's - "The Donque Song"

8:45 Hip Hop Ballroom show dance from a dance group of four young ladies aged 12-15, led by teacher Cierra Morrisette (aged 15)  from Dance FX followed by a second routine to Will.I.Am's "The Donque Song", where the four girls dressed up with padded derriere's (as a parody to rappers love of ladies with big butts), and were joined by Cierra's younger brother Ryan playing a rapper in full rapper dress!

The second mixer set featured lights turned down low and a unique Night Club 2-step mixer to Joe Cockers "You are so beautiful", followed by a regular mixer to Pointer Sister's "He's so Shy"

Hank Melanson & Dawn Rapsky doing an East Coast Swing show dance choreographed by Ian Kirkconnell

Canadian Hip Hop Champion and Maple Ridge's own Cameron Gordon blew us away!

9:45 featured a great show dance from Hank Melanson and Dawn Rapske to Brad Paisley's "Wrapped Around", choreographed by Ian Kirkconnell, followed by spectacular Hip Hop performance from the Maple Ridge sensation Cam Gordon (He's the reigning Canadian Hip Hop champion and won a dance scholarship to Harvard)

When she brought out her sword we knew Zelia meant business!

Seven and a half minute routine and the sword never fell off once!

And all the way to the floor!

10:45 featured a show dance from the world famous belly dancer Zelia who wowed and blew the crowd away with an astounding 10 minute performance!  Zelia teaches belly dancing in Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows

11:20 the we got the Foxtrot dancers on the floor, turned off the lights, then got the seated guests to snap their fingers to a one second count.   After two bars we flooded the hall with Pink lights and then played "The Pink Panther theme".   This was followed by Alma Cogens "Waltz of Peree" - a Viennese Waltz.

11:25 we gave away 26 Pink Panthers, gift certificates from Uptown Health, Dino's Ribs, and Private dances lessons from both Robyn and her father Don Picard.   After all the prizes had been given away Zale Hammren stepped forward took the mike and presented Bertha & I were given a signed picture, two signed cards from the dance community, flowers and a dance trophy in appreciation of us holding these dances!  (3 years March 2008)

Left to right Lorrain & Trevor, Steve, Vicky, Maggie, Sig share champagne toasts

Left to right Debbie (who had wore two different dresses(!), Elaine & Zale (open your eyes Deb!)

Midnight everyone got either Champagne or Sparkling apple juice for out big toast, followed by the singing of Auld Lang Syne in a huge circle with everyone linking arms and swaying in song, followed by group pictures

Group Photo

My 23 yr old son Mike at almost 6' battles it out in the limbo contest

Check out Vicci on the left, proud winner of a Panther and wouldn't let go for dear life!  And Vicky on the bar

No one could make this without dropping the bar!

But Mike won it and for his efforts got a 23" Pink Panther

Jessica showing us her supreme flexibility and winning technique!

Happy girl - that was too easy! Bob & Sig controlling the bar

This was followed by a Ladies Limbo contest won by Jessica Nowak who also received a 23" Pink Panther.  Jessica tells me that her panther and Pookie her bear are getting along unbelievably well on her couch!

Lastly, something just for the ladies to cut loose (and they did) with - Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive", and Abba's "Dancing Queen"!

Three cute little girls managed to scoop three big Pink Panther inflatable's

Hope you all come out again in 2008!