We are winners at Seattle Dances Competition!

Last night was an amazing fundraising event at the Fremont Studios to benefit Plymouth Housing Group!  The event was “Seattle Dances” and was a sell-out with 450 people in attendance.  The venue looked spectacular with giant screens, bright pink and black table clothes and napkins and mirror balls everywhere!  The guests came early to participate in the silent auction and to sip the Kathy Casey Signature Cocktail – “The Lizzy Highfly”.  The guests in my cheering squad trailed blue feather boas throughout the party.

Once the guests sat down for dinner, a brief 19 item live auction was held prior to the big dance competition.  Meanwhile all the dancers put on their costumes and got ready with hair and makeup and mentally rehearsed their dances in their minds just one more time.  See photo above of Steve Goldfarb, Kathy Casey, Giuseppe Graziola, our costume designer, and me, photo of Colette Courtion practicing her “attitude” and photo of Joyce Taylor having her makeup applied.  The top photo is my dance partner, Marcelo Garces and me, hoping for success in capturing a mirror ball so we were practicing holding one in anticipation.  The bottom photo is of competitors, Paul Lambros and Steve Goldfarb with their partners, Deron Hayes and Alison Cockrill.   

When it was time to perform, Guest Emcee, Patti Payne, along with Century Ballroom’s Hallie Kuperman introduced us and our dances.  Michelle Foreman Barnet, riveting in a beautiful Tracy Gail red satin dress, was first onstage to dance the tango with her partner Greg Rolnick.  Next in skin-tight black spandex slacks and a see through black mesh shirt was Steve Goldfarb with his partner Alison Cockrill in a tiny black fringe two piece outfit, to dance the salsa and following him Kathy Casey, her hair in finger waves in a hot pink and black lace flapper dress dancing the Charleston with her partner, Joshua Welter.  Next Marcelo and I danced our Bachata, Marcelo wearing a turquoise shirt adorned with crystals and me in a dark blue and turquoise cocktail dress also sparkling with Swarvoski crystals designed and produced by costume designer, Giuseppe Graziola.  After working on the routine for a couple of months, it felt like our two minute dance was over in the blink of an eye.  Following us was Joyce Taylor doing the very high-energy Lindy Hop with her partner, Mark Kihara, and then Paul Lambros doing the West Coast Swing with his partner Deron Hayes.  One of the fun highlights of Paul’s dance was not only his dancing and his acting talents, but his quick de-frocking of his partner, Deron Hayes’ dress, leaving her in a sexy two –piece dance outfit.  The finale of the competition was Colette Courtion dressed in a very sexy black one-shoulder leotard with dance partners Ricki Mason and Tanya Harris sensuously performing the Beyonce Single Ladies’  Dance with attitude!

Following each performance came the part of the evening I was most worried about (after the dance piece!).  It was time for a “raise the paddle” to vote for each dancer individually and of course the votes were in the form of money being donated to Plymouth Housing Group.  I was worried that some of the dancers (me?) might be standing on the stage uncomfortably while no one voted and standing there would be excruciatingly embarrassing.  Fortunately, my concerns turned out not to be a factor at all.  The audience responded enthusiastically to all the dancers with plenty of votes for each!  When Marcelo and I were standing on the stage during this segment, I was astonished and gratified to see so many bid paddles raised voting for us!  I was overwhelmed with the amazing support we received from so many friends and acquaintances in the audience.  I kept blowing kisses to all the generous bidders for what seemed like an endless amount of time while people just kept bidding and bidding, many in chunks of $500 at a time.

Following this, the celebrity judges, Peter Boal, Nicole Vogel and Marco retired to deliberate on the winners while the amazingly talented young nine-year-old dancers from Everett, Erik and Rickie performed.  There was even another opportunity to raise a paddle to donate more to Plymouth Housing Group following their performance.

Finally the dance competitors filed back onstage to find out who would win the three mirror ball trophies.  Patti Payne provided color commentary (something for which I have just coined the name “Patti-Patter”) and  the winners were announced:

Cyber-Choice Award – Michelle Foreman Barnet

Peoples’ Choice Award – Cathi Hatch

Artistic Award – Colette Courtion

Of course, when Patti announced my name, Marcelo and I were thrilled and we held our mirror ball trophy high for all to see!  It was so fun to hear the four Hatch tables and the JP Morgan Chase table erupt in cheers and see blue feather boas waving furiously!

Though I know I have many additional people to thank in addition to those listed in this blog posting, I do want to thank the following people for attending the big event last evening and cheering me on:  First of all my husband, Ken Hatch, who not only attended, but also uncomplainingly stayed so I could dance in celebration into the wee hours of the morning; followed by Joan & Bob Cremin, Bonny & John Midby, Stacy & Dean Jones, Mike Kunath & Kate Harrison, Robin Brummet, Michelle Rubesch, Trudi & Dave Syferd, Toni & Rod Hoffman, Penny & Mick Thackeray, Arlene Wright and Beni Turan, Debe & Jeff Doran, Lynn & Frank Lindsay, Sue & Tom Raschella, JJ McKay, Pat Wallace, Rachel Garces, Spencer Kunath, Trisha Nerney, Delphine & Charles Stevens, Joanne & Ted Baseler, Micki & Bob Flowers, Supida Sanders, Ed Brennan, Katie & Kevin Laramore, and Alicia & Michael Hatch.  I know there were others in the room who cheered me on and voted for me as well but I don’t have all the names yet, but please do know that I so appreciate you too!

And of course another BIG thank you is offered to all the people who voted for me online prior to the event.  I know some of you voted both prior to and at the event and I appreciate every single one of you!  Thank you for your support of me personally and of Plymouth Housing Group.

But, now it is time to put ice on my Bachata inflamed knee and take a nap!