Workshop with Darren and Lilia (9th Mar 2007)
Our first Strictly Dance Weekend took place 9th & 10th March 2007 at both Expressions Dance Studio and the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Strictly Come Dancing TV Stars, UK Latin Champions and World Professional Finalists, Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova came to Abu Dhabi to teach several dance workshops which were hugely beneficial and enjoyed by all of the students who attended.
The Strictly Dinner Dance saw Darren & Lilia perform their spectacular Latin show. Prior to this, everyone enjoyed several other dance performances. A cheeky Cha Cha Cha performed by Expressions Ballroom & Latin Dance Instructor, Greg Ryan and dance partner, Maya Saliba, a fast Hip Hop by Expressions Instructor Samarra and dance student Emily Hutchison, a Ballerina solo performed by Hikari Ishii, choreographed by Expressions Ballet Instructor Glynnis Williams. We then had the amazing Tango Dubai perform two tantalizing Argentine Tango dances followed by Salsa Pasión who performed a sizzling & spicy Salsa.
Everyone then hit the dance floor to dance everything from the graceful waltz to the Kylie’s Locomotion, there was even a bit of Greek dancing thrown in at one point also! The floor was never empty!!!
A huge, huge Thank You to Virgin Atlantic who helped to bring Darren & Lilia to the UAE and Orbit Satellite who also sponsored this event and who of course have BBC Prime which the new series of Strictly Come Dancing can shortly be seen (and not to be missed!!!).
Also, thank you to Darren & Lilia who took time out of their extremely busy schedule to come over to the UAE. And last but by no means least - all the other fabulous dance performers whom I am very privileged to have work at my dance studio, as they are great dancers as well as instructors!!!
Don’t forget to watch out for Ahlan who came to cover this event!!!! We will also be featured in the May edition of Dance Today Magazine. Below is some of the feedback we received regarding our Strictly Dance Weekend, and for all those people who have asked when the next one will be – watch this space, we are currently planning it!!!
Had a FAB evening on Friday night it was really well organized & we had a great time……so good my husband has agreed to do salsa!
Michelle
WOW!!!!!!! What a fantastic evening….at last somebody in Abu Dhabi who can organize an event!!! The whole evening was amazing.
Linda
Just wanted to thank you and say how much I enjoyed the dinner and dance, well the whole event. It was fantastic and my friends have all said how much they enjoyed the whole evening and commented on how they were really impressed by all the dancers in the show.
I appreciate that it would have taken a tremendous amount of organisation and effort but you just got everything spot on and it certainly paid off - everyone is asking when the next one will be!!
Carole
Just wanted to say thanks for a great weekend, Steve and I really enjoyed ourselves and got a lot out of it. Congratulations on a very well organized event, having worked in event management myself I know how difficult pulling together something like this can be and also how stressful, but you did it brilliantly.
When’s the next one????????
Paula
What a great evening you put on, on Friday; I will definitely come to the next one, even if I have moved to Qatar. Also can you sign me up for the jive and the latin on Wednesday, I feel like dancing!!!!
Amanda
I just wanted to thank you for an absolutely amazing evening. I had the time of my life and it looked like everybody else did too!
The Compare was excellent and great entertainment, bringing a very warm and festive atmosphere. You did a great job putting everything together and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next one! Thanks again!
Malcolm
Congratulations on organising a perfect workshop and a wonderful show!! It was very, very enjoyable. I and all others had a very good time.
Shekar (or ‘the legend’ as Lilia nicknamed him!!)
Thank you for the very enjoyable and well organised dance weekend. The evening function was really great. I'll look forward to the next one and also to lessons restarting in Dubai.
Ruth
We had a fantastic time in Abu Dhabi. Thank you for being so hospitable. Expressions is clearly thriving and I can see why.
Katie Gregory, Editor - Dance Today Magazine
Thanks for all your hard work organizing the “Strictly Weekend”, We enjoyed the dance workshops & the Dinner Dance was brilliant. Lilia & Darren were fantastic, Congratulations to all the performers. Here’s hoping for another similar event before we leave Abu Dhabi. Thank you again.
Lynn & Peter