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The VERY Creative & Aggressive Council
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Ya know, I'll never forget a few months back when a "loyal" reader wrote in, "You know, this would all mean much more if Annie or Skippy said it."
And you know what I said, with no small amount of exasperation?
THEY CREATED IT.
I've learned A LOT since I was first banned from Ronnie DeBenedetta's event City of Angels, and the World Swing Dance Council DID NOT revoke his membership as their bylaws and membership application clearly states. Heck, they didn't even sanction him!!!!
And so others followed suit. The Greater Phoenix Swing Dance Club banned their ex-president from their event a few months later. People were shocked. Upset. Abuzz. But once again, the WSDC did absolutely nothing.
And then I was banned from every event I have ever worked and a whole slew of others. SILENCE. CRICKETS.
Then readers across the nation were banned from events, clubs, social organizations and dances... just for saying that they agree with me!!! And this Council? Who supposedly support all levels of this dance we all call swing? SILENCE. CRICKETS.
THE TRUTH REVEALED
And THEN I was threatened in my own home.
Benji Schwimmer, Jessica Cox and Parker Dearborn all thought it would be fun to hunt down every previous address of mine they could find until they got their hands on me and harmed me and my family.
And ya know what Annie AND Skippy said?
"Well.
You deserve it."
Oh.
Oh no.
I have been in theie homes. They were close to me. They said they loved me. They said.... oh no...
They are NOT family.
They are NOT inactive or passive.
They are very, very VERY aggressive. Oh, wow the landscape that opened up soon after those attacks.
I ended up learning about how Annie single handedly threw out every good dancer that was a threat to Kyle Redd or Jordan Frisbee. She told judges their competitors were "harmful" to the sport and simply "copying" their "new styles."
Huh. So we lost James Adair. We lost the Auclair's. We lost EVERYONE that EVER entered the US Open before 1997!!!
No more Christopher Joe & Lisa. No more Atlas Griffith. No more Katie Berardino!!! No more Barry Durand. No more, no more, no more, no more... She kicked every single one of them out.
So... her favorites got in, JUST like she asked the judges to do. It finally answered my questions and confusions about why Annie was furious and complaining to every single member of the entire competitive community, event directors, judges and all, that Mario came out of retirement to compete again just a few years after Jordan moved into adults.
Why the hell did she care who was competing? She kept saying it was Jordan's time now. What? Why? She probably played an intimate roll knocking Mary Ann out for a a year. Sigh. How little I knew then. I know SO much better now.
(don't worry, I'm getting to the $$$$$$ in just a second)
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LEARN IT
Annie and Skippy are not kind old women with no power who just sit idly by and watch. NO. They are active, active and VERY active agressors who let the girls build a wall against any uprising new talent. They supported The Ten and made sure they and only they kept on winning.
Annie made sure Arjay hit the top, just like his parents asked her too, never mind the masses of people who's arms he broke on the way up. She forced events to kick out Mario from his rightful seat as a judge because Sarah and Jordan asked her to...
These women are powerful and pull all, all, ALL the strings. Don't you get it yet? Aren't you watching?
I'll never forget what I watched unfold at SwingDiego 2011. The World Swing Dance Council had an "open meeting" on the schedule, as they do at various events. It was scheduled for 7pm.
Now, Nick and I both know that these meetings at all of these events are supposed to be run by Annie and we also know that they never, never EVER end up happening.
That's because Annie switches the time. She moves it back, then back some more, then poof - it never even materializes. We weren't exactly clear as to why they never happened, but we learned why that year.
As I walked past the room where the meeting was to be held, I saw a range of open white seating... with Brennar Goree sitting right on the end. He was waiting, pensive, backpack over his shoulder. I could tell he had questions. Torri and he had just won the US Open and here he was, desiring to be involved.
As I walked past him and the other empty seats, watching him watch Jack at the front talking with frustration to a group of girls, I thought, "doesn't he know they'll never hold the meeting? And just how rude is it that they aren't even telling Brennar! the new Open champion!"
I walked into the lobby and started up the stairs to teach some private lessons up in the lesson rooms. And guess what I heard?
Earl Pingle. Drunk. High. Sloppy, teetering, slurring loud words at, yup, you guessed it, Annie Hirsch. I stopped and listened. Hells yes I did. I pay attention people.
I watched a nice long session of Annie, frustratedly arguing with Earl, asking when, exactly WHEN, was he going to be able to make the meeting? She wanted him at it and needed him at it and kept throwing out times at him to see if they were any good.
And Earl just swayed back and forth, as he always does at SwingDiego, but this time in utter amusement at Annie. And you know what he was saying, loudly and with slurs? "No way - I'll be too drunk by then... No... No!... No, it's not gonna work... Annie, I'd love to help but it's time to party... yes, yes, I understand, but no, I'm not going. Not going. Ha ha ha, he he he..."
The whole lobby could hear him, but it was a busy Saturday night. And it was 7:30pm. And Annie was begging a drunk man to please, please, please! make time for the meeting and what does he need to make it? when? When? when?
All the while Brennar Goree was sitting in that empty room. The meeting never happened. And a US Open Champion was ditched for a coked up slurring Earl Pingle who was laughing and spitting down at Annie, loving every single minute of the power.
These ladies are not passive. They are ACTIVE. There is what Annie and Skippy say... and there is what they do.
You know what they do best??? Collect money. $$$$$$$$ Lots and lots and lots of money. I'll bet you 1.2 BILLION dollars that they don't reprimand, remove or scold any of their events or members just because they'll miss out on a single dime.
When the WSDC website went up, there were only 12 or so events worldwide. It really meant only one event per side of the US per quarter. The list of their members and sponsors took up only one single column in a newsletter. Period.
Today? OVER 1OO EVENTS.
Each one of those events has to pay $200 every year (used to be more) in dues. Then they are REQUIRED, it is not an option, to be THREE FULL DAYS OF COMPETITION.
If the event is less than three days? Can't be on their calendar. Nope.
If the event doesn't have competitions? Can't be on their calendar. Nope.
If the event only holds three Jack and Jills (Nov/Int/Adv) they DO NOT receive points.
ALL events, in order to be listed anywhere on their site, have to have three days of competitions and AT LEAST four levels of Jack and Jills... NO combining of anything.
Wow. And then ON TOP of all that, all four levels of J&J competitors have to pay them a dollar per J&J entry....
Huh. So if you don't give them the MAXIMUM amount of J&J competitors possible, then the world will NEVER see your event on their website.
The WSDC is a money making competition focused machine. They have four membership levels - four! And if you are associated with any type of event in any way - then you have to pay up $200 too!
Now, let me see.... I'm not a math person but $200 x 100+ events, plus three days worth of J&J competitions... hmmm... plus $150 from every teacher in the world... plus all the OTHER levels... plus all the sponsors too! Don't forget how much the sponsors give!
Every single weekend the WSDC rakes in (oh right! they have materials fees too!!! yay!) more than... holy crap.
And THEN add all their other fees and membership levels?
Guess what. It totals more than $400,000 a year.
$$$$400,000+!!!!
For. What?
NO meetings held at events.
NO equal representation.
NO enforcement of a single rule.
Not only that, but they don't even keep their website current for their membership... only for events.
Hell. I can't believe anyone thinks that they are weak or passive. Half a million? Passive my ass. They know EXACTLY what they are doing.
And their cheap ass's won't even suspend one single person or event for breaking any of their membership rules.
Damn. They are geniuses people. Annie, Skippy, Tigges and all... work hella hard at... nothing. Entering points. Big deal. Because they also work hella hard at making sure Brennar, you and all of us don't ever, ever! make it to the top, while tapping our pockets until they run out.
Genius. And you think they are nice little old women on the side. Wake up.
So.
If it's Annie and Skippy you want? And Cher Peadon's "boys" Earl Pingle and Parker Dearborn you love? And all the hate speech they and their "beloved" kids produce for, what... three full years now.... if you still think they are "sweet?" Well.
You can all have them. (Or should I say, they can all have you.)
This is the world they not only love and want... it's the world they created. They hand crafted it, stitch, by stitch by stitch. Hell. They even knew about the drugs ten years ago. Told me verbally to my face for YEARS. Money talks and money walks... don't rock the boat. We're earning 1/2 a million bucks off of you.
Twenty ways from Sunday - you're in a damn cult.
The Cult of the Council. Brought to you by Skippy Blair. And Annie Hirsch. Violence, dough, secrecy, banishment and all. Wrap them all around your shoulders as you tuck in for the night.
Congratulations. You are in.
