Joel
& Clara met at the University of British Columbia Dance Club in 1997. During
that time, Clara was fully immersed in the club and in the local DanceSport scene.
She was the Internal Vice President of the club and the girl that "won a billion
trophies at last year's Gala Ball", as Joel puts it. Joel, on the other hand,
was just a graduate of the newcomer level, and a new member of the UBC Dance Club Latin
Formation Team. Although Joel knew who Clara Shih was, he didn't think it was the
same on the other side of the fence. Later that year, Joel was elected as one of the
UBC Dance Club's Bronze Representatives. While spending time in the office each had the
opportunity to get to know the other a little better while watching endless DanceSport
videos on the couch.
A
few months passed and Joel finally entered into his first ever DanceSport
competition, the '97 Grand Ball. Although Clara dominated the field, Joel was
able to place directly behind her in both the Silver level Standard & Latin
categories. These were great accomplishments for both of them and their
partners. With the Grand Ball one week into the past, Joel planned to spend a quiet
Friday night watching a cool John Travolta dance movie (no, not Saturday Night
Fever)...until he received a call from his Internal Vice President. To make a long
story short, Joel never finished watching the movie, because Clara ended up asking Joel
out on their first date that very night; Friday, November 14, 1997. Guess where they
ended up going...to the ballroom to dance the night away. Joel admits to being a
little nervous dancing with Clara that night trying to sweep her off her feet with his
limited repertoire of newcomer and bronze steps.
During
the summer of '98, Joel & Clara finally teamed up to compete in the Latin &
American style. Their preparations for their first competition together brought them
as far as The Studio in Calgary, Alberta. There they received their Cha Cha
& Jive choreography from the former Canadian Professional Latin & American
Champion, Jean Marc-Genereux. They flew to Calgary on a seat sale and stayed with
Joel's Uncle William and Auntie Rowena for a couple of days, while training with the
visiting Professional Champion. With their new competitive routines and a few months
of training, Joel & Clara placed first in the Pre-Championship Latin Division.
Although
Joel & Clara had already been training for six months on the Latin & American
dances, it was only until April '99 when they started to train with their Standard coach
Gilles Bettner, of the Grand Ballroom. With one month before the BC Closed
Championships, it was only with the Vancouver Pacific Lions Club's generous donation that
enabled Joel & Clara to begin their Standard Ballroom training in that month.
Five weeks later, Joel & Clara competed in Standard Ballroom for the first time
together. The competition proved to be quite a success. Joel & Clara won
both the Pre-Champ Latin and Standard divisions and placed 3rd in the '99 BC Closed
Championships. With their results, Joel & Clara qualified for the 2000 Canadian
Closed Championships to be held in Halifax, NS on April 22, 2000.
Ever since they became romantically involved
and then started dancing together, not much has changed between Joel & Clara.
They're both still head-over-heels for each other and they still love to watch endless
DanceSport videos together. Although their progress and success up to this point has
been exceptionally fast, they have realized that reaching their full dancing potential
will be a long, learning process requiring lots of hard work and determination. In
the meantime, one can usually find them training up to 6 times a week at the ballroom,
working hard, but having fun. Once in a blue moon, you may even catch them social
dancing at the Grand Ballroom, where Joel still tries to sweep Clara off her feet.
Only this time, he's got a few more steps up his sleeve.
Joel
& Clara met at the University of British Columbia Dance Club in 1997. During
that time, Clara was fully immersed in the club and in the local DanceSport scene.
She was the Internal Vice President of the club and the girl that "won a billion
trophies at last year's Gala Ball", as Joel puts it. Joel, on the other hand,
was just a graduate of the newcomer level, and a new member of the UBC Dance Club Latin
Formation Team. Although Joel knew who Clara Shih was, he didn't think it was the
same on the other side of the fence. Later that year, Joel was elected as one of the
UBC Dance Club's Bronze Representatives. While spending time in the office each had the
opportunity to get to know the other a little better while watching endless DanceSport
videos on the couch.
A
few months passed and Joel finally entered into his first ever DanceSport
competition, the '97 Grand Ball. Although Clara dominated the field, Joel was
able to place directly behind her in both the Silver level Standard & Latin
categories. These were great accomplishments for both of them and their
partners. With the Grand Ball one week into the past, Joel planned to spend a quiet
Friday night watching a cool John Travolta dance movie (no, not Saturday Night
Fever)...until he received a call from his Internal Vice President. To make a long
story short, Joel never finished watching the movie, because Clara ended up asking Joel
out on their first date that very night; Friday, November 14, 1997. Guess where they
ended up going...to the ballroom to dance the night away. Joel admits to being a
little nervous dancing with Clara that night trying to sweep her off her feet with his
limited repertoire of newcomer and bronze steps.
During
the summer of '98, Joel & Clara finally teamed up to compete in the Latin &
American style. Their preparations for their first competition together brought them
as far as The Studio in Calgary, Alberta. There they received their Cha Cha
& Jive choreography from the former Canadian Professional Latin & American
Champion, Jean Marc-Genereux. They flew to Calgary on a seat sale and stayed with
Joel's Uncle William and Auntie Rowena for a couple of days, while training with the
visiting Professional Champion. With their new competitive routines and a few months
of training, Joel & Clara placed first in the Pre-Championship Latin Division.
Although
Joel & Clara had already been training for six months on the Latin & American
dances, it was only until April '99 when they started to train with their Standard coach
Gilles Bettner, of the Grand Ballroom. With one month before the BC Closed
Championships, it was only with the Vancouver Pacific Lions Club's generous donation that
enabled Joel & Clara to begin their Standard Ballroom training in that month.
Five weeks later, Joel & Clara competed in Standard Ballroom for the first time
together. The competition proved to be quite a success. Joel & Clara won
both the Pre-Champ Latin and Standard divisions and placed 3rd in the '99 BC Closed
Championships. With their results, Joel & Clara qualified for the 2000 Canadian
Closed Championships to be held in Halifax, NS on April 22, 2000. 
Ever since they became romantically involved
and then started dancing together, not much has changed between Joel & Clara.
They're both still head-over-heels for each other and they still love to watch endless
DanceSport videos together. Although their progress and success up to this point has
been exceptionally fast, they have realized that reaching their full dancing potential
will be a long, learning process requiring lots of hard work and determination. In
the meantime, one can usually find them training up to 6 times a week at the ballroom,
working hard, but having fun. Once in a blue moon, you may even catch them social
dancing at the Grand Ballroom, where Joel still tries to sweep Clara off her feet.
Only this time, he's got a few more steps up his sleeve.
