My new book “Dancing Queens & Kings” is calling for participation. The only requirement is that you have competed at the USDC or OSB. Below is the timeline:
- 11/30/2023: One page highlighting your compelling story in pro/am ballroom dancing.
- 12/31/2023: 8-page full story.
- 3/31/2024: Book review by Sam Sodano and Wayne Eng.
- 5/31/2024: Publication at Amazon.
Two notes:
- Everybody competing at USDC 2023 or OSB 2023 is eligible for participation.
- I am looking for 50 stories and will accept up to 60 submissions of 1-page (1st come, 1st accept). Once your 1-page is accepted, your 8-page is almost guaranteed to be included in the book, unless it is so poorly written that it is totally unsalvageable.
In this post, I will provide eight examples of 1-page as follows (age group):
- Linda Gill (S2): a real Queen in Smooth and Ballroom.
- Kristin Franceschi (S1): a fierce competitor battling stage 4 colon cancer for 10+ years.
- Lou Nielson (S1): 4-time Blackpool champion.
- Giovanni Fortezza (C): the savior of the male species in pro/am ballroom dancing.
- Nichelle Kennedy (C): the best amateur in pro/am ballroom dancing in America today.
- Sara Granberg (B): a “regular” Jane who multi-tasks, including pro/am ballroom dancing.
- Alexi Salapatek (A): a young rising star in pro/am ballroom dancing.
- Frank Li (S1): the only person who has completed both the 1-page and 8-page as an example.
1. Example 1: Linda Gill
2. Example 2: Kristin Franceschi
3. Example 3: Lou Nielsen
4. Example 4: Giovanni Fortezza
5. Example 5: Nichelle Kennedy
6. Example 6: Sara Granberg
7. Example 7: Alexi Salapatek
8. Example 8: Frank Li
9. An example of my 8-page final
Here is the entity of my 8 pages: America’s most efficient amateur man in ballroom dancing?
Next, let me demonstrate how these eight pages will appear in the book. Pages 1, 2, and 8 only.
9.1 Page 1 in the book
9.2 Page 2 in the book
9.3 Page 8 in the book
10. A few notes
I own every word in my writings. One example: In this article (“Dancing Queens”: A Critical Review), I named two real queens (i.e., Lynn Magnesen and Nichelle Kennedy) and two real kings (i.e., Scott Magnesen and Giovanni Fortezza). None of them have ever called themselves like that – I did!
This book is no exception. I go through every word in it, be it the 1-page or 8-page. Specifically, everybody is responsible for his/her own story in terms of the facts, while I add some opinions to make it more interesting. Three examples:
- Giovanni has never called himself the “savior of the male species in pro/am ballroom dancing” – I did!
- Nichelle has never called herself the “best amateur in pro/am ballroom dancing in America” – I did!
- Lou claims to be a 4-time Blackpool champion. I take her words as-is. If that is inaccurate, hold her accountable. I simply made some editorial changes to make her story more interesting.
In this book, I write about everybody, including myself. So, everybody appears in 3rd-person terms (i.e., he or she), except for me who is in 1st-person terms (i.e., I). As a result, everybody will be glorified without being incorrect or even inaccurate, while I must remain modest, as always!
Like all my writings, this book strives to be intellectually rigorous. For example, nobody in the book claims to be a US champion, let alone a world champion. Instead, just state “She won at OSB 2022 or USDC 2021”.
11. Summary
There has never been a book like this, nor will there be in the foreseeable future. So, seize the opportunity to make history along with “who is who” in the industry – No guts, no glory!
Twenty years from now, you will be very happy to read this book again, recalling your brilliant past …
Additionally, this book shall be very helpful to all the newcomers in pro/am ballroom dancing: learning faster by standing on the shoulders of giants! For example, when I started ballroom dancing in 2015, I was overwhelmed by many big issues. Two examples:
- Which dance to learn 1st?
- How to balance my desire to advance fast and the pressure to participate in many competitions?
I wish there were a book like this to guide me through the jungle …
12. Closing
Together, let us make the ballroom dancing industry better, faster!
