Last Sunday, the FreePlay Dance Crew got to show their stuff at the "Dancing in the River City" same-sex ballroom event in Sacramento. I honestly didn't know what to expect from performing hip-hop at a ballroom event. I pictured a polite but slightly puzzled audience of ballroom fans and dancers. "Thanks (yawn), next!"
I should have known better.
First off, is there anything more fabulous than a gay ballroom dance? I got to see some fantastic displays of artistry and campiness during the competitions and performances , from tango to polka to swing. Lots of glorious outfits on display — women in tuxes, men in slinky dresses, glitter and sparkles everywhere. Everyone was super friendly and bubbly.
And finally, at around 9:30pm, FreePlay crew took the stage. You can see from our video how hyped the audience was from the start. Honestly, I thought we did pretty great, but they were losing their minds like we were the Jabbawockeez. I think it had something to do with the fact that it was so different from everything else that came before. And the closing reveal was perfect for our audience.
Thanks to the organizers of Dancing in the River City for inviting us out to perform. We had a blast!