Another fantastic Dancing Into Dreamland (DID26). Want to see highlights? Check out our Instagram or Facebook pages.
Thank you to everyone that weathered the rainstorm and came out to celebrate with us. All week the weather in Little Rock had been lovely, unseasonably pleasant. But alas, when the day arrived for DID26, the clouds rolled in and, just as the party started, buckets of water fell from the sky. I had 14 people text me to apologize that they would not be coming (many of us don’t like driving on rainy nights).
I braced myself for a low turnout. Boy, was I wrong.
The pre-party in the Dreamland Lounge was packed, the atmosphere in the Dreamland Ballroom was vibrant, and our evening’s performers were absolutely off the chain. Now that the event and voting is over, I can share the incredible dance teams who made the night unforgettable. I floated on the memories all the next day.
An Incredible Array of Dancers
The competition opened with a special “lead and follow” Bachata exhibition dance from last year’s winners, Josue and Carissa De Leon . Then came eight very different performances, vying for either the Judges $500 prize or the audience’s text-voting favorite, the People’s Choice Award.
- Kerri Fishburn’s Rock Squad kicked off the evening with energy to spare.
- Deaf Pulse, from the Listen With Your Eyes dance troupe, featuring Brandy Mimms (who is legally deaf and blind), delivered a powerful performance.
- O’Donovan School of Irish Dance performed a soft-shoe routine—beautifully done and kind to our ballroom floor!
- Shuffles Ballet amazed us with a rock ballet performed en pointe.
- Arkansas Circus Arts featured aerialists Ania Wozniak and Melanie Barton in a breathtaking display on an elevated cube frame.
- Ballet Folklórico Perlas de México dazzled us with vibrant choreography and stunning costumes.
- Trish Drake and Mike Spencer performed a graceful and athletic Waltz — Judges’ Prize Winners.
- MUVE Co. Hip-Hop from the Community Center Urban Dance Company — People’s Choice Winners.
So much fun was had that many of us stayed and danced ’till way past the party’s end. When I looked at the clock, it was 3:00 AM! Last time I stayed out that late, I was coming home from an emergency room visit at the hospital! Ha!
Have you always wanted to come to this event, or want to come again? Then mark your calendar for DID27! Feel the love on next year’s Valentine’s weekend, Saturday, February 13, 2027, 7 – 10 pm. Pre-party starts at 6 pm in the new Dreamland Lounge, on the first floor.
Hope to see you next year!
About the Author
Kerry McCoy founded FlagandBanner.com in 1975 with just $400 and a dream, building it from door-to-door flag sales into a multi-million dollar enterprise. With over five decades in the American flag and banner business, her insights into patriotic trends and flag sales patterns come from serving customers nationwide during times of celebration, crisis, and everything in between.
Kerry is also the host of “Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy” radio show and continues expanding her business empire through Kerry McCoy Enterprises while sharing the entrepreneurial wisdom gained from decades of building the American dream.
