Boogie in the Burgh
Good old Pittsburgh, PA recently earned the honor of being rated the #1 Most Livable City in the U.S. Based on the positive feedback we’ve gotten since March, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Steel City Boogie Club’s annual Boogie in the Burgh earns the honor of being rated the #1 Most Fun Dance Convention in the US! Like the city of Pittsburgh near which it is held, each of Steel City Boogie Club’s eight prior Boogie in the Burgh events has left its guests with a positive lasting impression and a vow to return next year!
The early sell–out of 450 tickets to the 9th annual Boogie in the Burgh held this past March 22–25, speaks volumes about the hard–earned and well–deserved reputation of our event. Between our welcomed ticket holders and the extraordinary roster of well–known DJs and instructors, Boogie in the Burgh draws an enormous number of talented people who are gathered together under one roof to share their love of music and dancing.
Under the experienced direction of Event Chairperson, Jerry Kovach (for the 9th time) and co–chairperson, Rick Kohler (his first), guests were assured a tremendous value for their ticket price, from generous free pour times to delectable breakfasts and dinners each day. At the beautiful Embassy Suites hotel, guests enjoyed spacious and comfortable suites overlooking a lushly planted center atrium, complete with a well–stocked fish pond. However, this calming scene belied the electricity being generated for four days in the adjacent ballroom!
DJs Joanne Johnson, Tootie Brown, Sue Kestner, Jack Moore, Craig Jennings, Jerry Burrage, and our own Rick Kohler kept the energy flowing with close to 40 hours of nearly non–stop music—some of the best fast dance music you could ever hope to hear in one place, at one time. They kept the 450 guests on the floor from Thursday at 5:00 until Sunday at noon, with just a little downtime in the wee hours of the night for recharging. Guests to BIB always come to do some serious dancing, and as in the past, no one went away disappointed, thanks to the great variety of DJ talent Jerry amassed.
Speaking of a great variety of talent—no matter what type of swing dance you do, we had a champion there to help you fine tune your dancing. Shag champions Donna and Rusty Hosaflook, and the legendary Ellen Taylor were on hand to teach interested shaggers some clever steps and styling. In the evenings, they joined surprise guests Michael Norris and Steve and Kathy Day as they joined the party and danced with whoever asked them. Meanwhile, West Coasters had a huge treat with lessons by St. Louis’s Matt and Crystal Auclair and San Francisco’s Stephanie Batista.
These champions danced with everyone and anyone who asked—meaning they danced the whole time! ABA President and Hall of Famers Gary and Charlotte Chaney wowed the crowd once again with their high–energy St. Louis Imperial Swing demo—unbelievable after a weekend of instructing others—and brought many a smile to those they danced with during the weekend. Swing dancers extraordinaire Brent and Kellese Key and Ramiro Gonzalez put the icing on the cake with their superb instruction and their spirited involvement with the crowd the entire time. Just as the guests came to do some serious dancing, so did the instructors! They didn’t HAVE to join the rest of us, they CHOSE to join in and danced the weekend away! What a memorable time it was.
With 32 dance clubs represented and with guests who spanned the country from Las Vegas to Philly, from Massachusetts to Orlando and all parts in between, Boogie in the Burgh – 2007 was a rousing success! We anticipate that next year’s guests are already planning their trip to the #1 Most Livable City to help the Steel City Boogie Club celebrate the 10th anniversary of Boogie in the Burgh. If the last 9 events are any indication, you may want to make your plans, too, so you don’t miss the best time with the best people, for the best deal going! Mark your calendars for March 27, 28, 29 & 30, 2008! You won’t regret it!!
