Day 2 of our trip meant the first day of dance classes!
After an early check-in for the conference, some of us went to Uptown Cafe for a bit of breakfast and a lot of caffeine. It was a cute spot, situated in what looked like the George Washington Law building. The bagel was delicious, and the tea was just what I needed. It was a nice way to ease into an early morning and mentally prepare for the day.
I wanted to take a class that I wouldn’t have normally taken, so I decided on a Musical Theater class. Which I LOVED! Our teacher was Suzanne Ostersmith, an Assistant Professor and Dance Program Director at Gonzaga University. She was kind, passionate, and very encouraging. We started with a Laban inspired warm up, and then moved on to more jazzy across the floor combinations. We finished with a combination to the musical “Hair”, her way of honoring it on it’s 50th anniversary. I really appreciated the chance to try something I’ve always shied away from, and to be able to walk away feeling good about the work I’d put in and the performance I’d given.
After a quick stop at the hotel, we hauled butt to the Kennedy Center to watch the first show of the conference. Naturally we were running a little late, so we were practically running from the Metro station to the theater. Each performance has 10 schools represented with 10 different dances. There’s a maximum of 2 schools selected for nationals from the regional conferences held in the spring. This particular show had a wide variety of performances, ranging from a group hip hop number to a contemporary-modern solo.
After the show, we had plenty of time to check off some things on our D.C. bucket lists. Before we started our long journey ahead, we stopped into District Taco for some fuel. Hands down, one of the best burritos I have ever had. And that’s not just because I was starving. Next we headed down to the National Mall to see the World War II memorial, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. The sites were swarmed with families on vacation, middle school field trips, and even high schoolers taking prom pictures. It was a little crowded to say the least, but we got to see what we wanted, and definitely got all our steps in.
Exhausted, achy, and some of us suffering from blisters, we decided to grab a little dessert. The cupcake enthusiasts went to the highly regarded Georgetown Cupcakes, ice cream aficionados went for a classic Ben and Jerry’s, and a small group of us went off in search of a good pastry. While meandering through Georgetown, we stumbled upon a Dean and Deluca. Inside was a wonderland of food and drink. We perused the wine, and of course the dessert. We succeeded to say the least, leaving the store with a bottle of wine, a boy scout bar, and 2 cookies the size of a small child’s head. After the seemingly endless trudge back to the hotel, we could finally relax a little.
Overall, it was a fantastic day. I genuinely enjoyed the Musical Theater class, was so impressed by all the talent from other schools, and always enjoy some good touristy adventures. Washington D.C. is definitely an interesting place to be, and there’s so much to explore!
