Almost two weeks after Country May Day, I finally feel like I can slow down and reflect on everything that happened.
Two years ago, I discovered country swing during one of the hardest periods of my life. Dance became an outlet, a community, and a purpose. It pushed me to travel, meet incredible people, and become a happier and healthier version of myself.
After my first convention, I knew one day I wanted to create my own event.
Two years later, that dream became reality.
What I’ve learned is that when you truly put your heart into something, it’s possible. Despite the stress, setbacks, and people saying it wasn’t a good idea… seeing your vision come to life is an incredible feeling.
And the truth is, I didn’t do this for myself. I did it for the people around me and for the community I wish I had when I first started dancing.
Charlotte has grown into the biggest country dance community in North Carolina, and seeing so many new people fall in love with dance has been amazing. I may have helped push the stone down the hill, but now it has a momentum of its own, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
Along the way, I’ve learned that genuine people will always show up when the mission is real. But I’ve also learned that some people don’t truly care about community and will take advantage of it for their own benefit. And I’ve learned that over time, people eventually show their true colors. That’s probably been the hardest part of all this, but it’s also made me appreciate the genuine people around me even more.
First and foremost,
@am.kramer thank you for standing by me through all the stress and chaos that came with this process. I couldn’t have done this without you.
To the incredible staff and volunteers who believed in this vision and helped bring it to life thank you for trusting me as a first-time event director.
And to the Charlotte community: thank you for showing up week after week, supporting us, and helping build something special from the ground up. You guys are the reason this worked.
This is only the beginning. I’ll see you all in December.
