The Ptarmigan Has Landed and Registered

It was an uneventful but long couple of flights that got me here, tired, sweaty, and a bit crabby by the time I got to the Wyndham. [Note to self: Teaching two days of extra classes before sitting strapped to an airline seat for 8+ hours is not a very good idea. You might end up with a few stiff muscles.] I was assigned a room in a building at the furthest corner of the resort and for some reason had to schlep my own luggage to it. (Good thing I work out, isn't it?) Ever since I walked into reception, they were crowing about how I was going to get free wifi with my room. Except when I turn my laptop on, there was no net at all. A call to reception revealed that the wifi is only in the main buildings. I had to schlep to reception to get an ethernet cable. I schlep. When I get there, they have no more cables, sorry, try tomorrow morning after some people check out. Pondering the long useless trek back to my room, I requested a change to something that was a little closer to the main activity area. Duly granted, but I would have to schlep back to the old room and schlep the luggage myself to the new room. This is a grand total of a lot of schlepping in what feels to me like a sauna.  Nonetheless, I did it, and although the new room had its own disappointments, it had a mini-fridge and actual wireless, cable-less true blue wifi service, apparently due to its proximity to the main buildings. YAAAAAAY!!

Monday morning I slept in enough to get myself pretty close to the local time zone. I had a ramble to find a store and provision the fridge, a decent lunch, and then it was time to register. At registration, I met someone who recognized me from the plane flights--a fellow Alaskan!!

It's Paige Dilley, the director of the Mat-Su Borough pool in Palmer! What a treat to find a fellow Alaskan here! This is Paige's first time here. Besides lots of the regular workshops, she's here to get certified for Aqua Zumba. Look out in the Valley--Aqua Zumba is coming to a pool near you!

When I came the first time, in '09, there was a conspicuous lack of swag. You know, the souvenirs stamped with various sponsor logos to help you get through the conference and take home to remember your experience forever after. Expecting this in '09, I intentionally didn't bother bringing a tote bag, certain that there would be one in the offing. I ended up having to buy one in a tourist shop so I could carry my stuff from pool to workshop and back again. This time, it's a completely different story! Lookee here:

Bag-o-rama from this year's swag! I count at least 4. Holy moley. Maybe we will have some of these in the lucky prize drawing.

This evening, for the first time ever, there was a Monday extravaganza show. Presenters got together in groups representing their countries and led a choreographed water dance representing their origin. Alas, only the very first number took place in the water, a synchro swim routine by Dr Jane Katz. Take a look at who she is here. Take time to see the video at the bottom of the page.

Unfortunately, lightning was beginning to dance in the sky, so the whole show decamped to an indoor room for the rest of the event. The performing groups did their thing on a stage, and participants were invited up to pretend they were in the water in front of it. There then ensued amazing and wonderful numbers that showed that you can take water moves and do any kind of dancing in the pool. There was tap dancing, Russian dancing, Turkish belly dance, Italian, Brazilian, Dutch, Israeli...it was all incredible and a great demonstration that with imagination, you can translate almost any kind of movement to the water.

My indoor pictures didn't turn out really great, but this group, the Spectacular 7-1 from America has several AEA workshop presenters that Alaskans will recognize:

They are, not necessarily in order, Sandy Stoub, Pauline Ivens, Teri Mitchell, MaryBeth Morotto, Connie Jasinkas, and Lori Sherlock. Puttin' on the Ritz.

Here's the entire cast, not all of whom would fit in the frame, but it gives you an idea of the size and variety of the show:

At dinner I met a two teachers from Bainbridge, WA who do some of their classes in a waterpark-type river. They've worked out routines going with and against the current. Great cardio, they say. I got their contact info for you, Linda St. They want to visit river pools all over the country and might come to Alaska!