IVDC, dancing, aldo and slavik

Another dance season has ended in the culmination of IVDC, inter-varsity dance competition. The biggest student ballroom dance competition, held annually in Blackpool, in the famous winter gardens ballroom.
the last season was a rollercoster. I could fill a book (or a soap). it started with an annoying endless day of team trials, where Jürgen was over for the weekend, and I really did not have the patience. I met my dance partner, aldo, did a bit of cha, was pissed off with the entire day, realized he'd be rather a pain and that he has quite an ego (which didn't make things better) and got the hell out of there as soon as I could.
first weeks of getting used to each other was hell. he was a dick (and I probably a b*** in response) to the point where our teacher elena gave him a run down on how things work, and he got his act together a bit.
The first comp: two weeks of practice, and somehow we won?! we actually were friends for once...
dance practice and rolling my eyes at aldo took over my life. 4x, 5x, 6x a week even, I found myself in the JCR (Junior Common Room - my second home in london). We won the second competition - and aldo actually started being nice to be.
There was one dispute we had - aldo saying something like, "I just want to be loved" me saying "how do you expect people to love you if you're behaving like a dick?" ... "hmm yea, I guess you're right there"... maybe that was a turning point.
we are friends now - I know more about him than his girlfriend, he doesn't know that much about me - he's not the kind of guy to trust...
SUDC - southern uni championships - we won
in between, watching the UK open, such an inspiration! Watching ballroom dancer with my course mate and fellow dancer Pavel, a documentary of slavik and his ex partner anna melnikova, two world class dancers. I copied in the link to the trailer below.
and finally IVDC, - we won. somehow. clear plate. I am amazed.
The picture shows us before a round.

Its over now, Aldo is out of the country for a month, so no dancing. I compensate by what I am supposed to do: studying, and eating and putting on all that weight I have lost the past few months :(

At last: a treat for the eyes (pretty people and amazing dancing), a story as only life writes it, and the soap like ups and downs in ballroom dancing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnHYJhXXJS0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwc6c_UJu_U&feature=related