I am on the side of these preparing dancesporters. I started amateur dancesport somewhere in - I guess - 1995. First partner - Amy Berger, and we competed in the 8th Dancing Illini Open Invitational Competition. We stumbled in the quickstep round and did not get recalled in the finals at all, and I realized I had to dance better - and after several years and more lessons, I got more recalls, and I had became a finalist in the next of these Open Invitationals, and at one time, I placed 4th in the samba after the finals (in 2001). That's better!!!