Fancy Free Cloggers celebrated Halloween, which conveniently fell on our usual class night, with a simple party. Nothing crazy. Evie cooked up a pot of chili, everybody contributed a snack (My cheese ball was such hard work, ha-ha!), and we showed up in costumes, ready to dance and eat! Evie's Halloween decorations have been in the studio all month, so all she needed to do was set up a few tables. 

Guess what? We had a ball!

FFC's costume contest is more about fun than prizes. Each contestant gets a chance to present his/her costume to the group. Some dancers simply explain what they like about the character they chose, or how they put together the costume. Others prefer to stay in character during their presentations, which can be hilarious!

I present in character every time! My version of Kimmy Schmidt turned an invisible mystery crank and told the judges, "A person can stand just about anything for ten seconds," followed by a countdown. Unfortunately, only four people at the party had ever seen the show... 

Evie's costume was my personal favorite - she dressed up as her dad! I spy our old traditional line shirt.

Johnna, one of two minions at the party, gave my favorite costume explanation of the night. Johnna puts her own spin on things; she would NEVER show up as "just" a minion. She described herself as a "preppy" minion who studies hard to get good grades so she can someday have a better life! Fuel for the imagination - try to imagine a "better life" from a minion's perspective next time you're bored.

Molly as a modern-day Ariel combined the basic presentation strategies. After explaining her costume, she cranked up the music on her phone and rocked out!

Class dances at the party of course included "Do The Skeleton Scat" and other favorites. We somehow forgot to play "Bad Moon Rising" for the occasion.

While over-the-top parties can be awesome, keeping it simple sure has its charms!

Same concept applies to clogging routines. Learning complicated steps and routines is rewarding and gives me a great sense of accomplishment. However, what I really want at the fun dance is "Callin' Baton Rouge."

Is there a point to all this? Maybe. Don't skip doing something because you think it has to be a certain way. Throw that party! Make it as complicated or as simple as you wish! Choreograph that dance you've been dreaming about, whether it's super-advanced or at a beginner level. Do all the stuff!

Happy Halloween!

CONGRATS to former Fancy Free Clogger Shylynn, who took the "KISS" concept in an entirely different direction this Halloween: She got married at the KISS Wedding Chapel in Vegas!

How does YOUR clogging team celebrate Halloween?