How To (Nearly) Win A Beauty Pageant With A Black Eye

Andrew Bogut, then of the Milwaukee Bucks, injures himself
falling to the floor of the Bradley Center in Milwaukee during
a 2010 NBA game (AP/Jim Prisching)

I knew the sound all too well.  I've been working basketball games in one way or another, as a towel boy, stats guy or announcer, since I was a freshman in high school back in 1996.  When a person falls hard to a wood floor, it's a distinctive noise.  You can hear the difference between a soft landing and a hard one.

This was a hard landing.  You could hear bones hit as opposed to parts with cushioning. 

I don't think Pam ever had designs on being a basketball player, though, nor was this on a basketball court.  And when the biggest part of your trip is going to be a contest that will depend largely upon how Pam looks, you know bruises aren't good anywhere, much less on the face.

Problem is, that's where Pam landed.

I know a lot of blame that probably falls on my shoulders for the tumble Pam took in Camp Hollywood's Friday aerials class this year.  It probably starts with our ... er, my ... decision to take the class to begin with.

We had already done two classes that morning:  A quick refresher on Hollywood style with David Frutos and Kim Clever, as well as a class on "Lindy Bounce" with Jeremy Otth and Laura Keat.  After an amazing lunch at the Marriott Los Angeles Airport's Latitude 33 restaurant — seriously, if you can, eat there, best service we've ever had at a restaurant — we had choices for our third class.  The Intermediate class dealt with "rhythmic cliches," such as "shave and a haircut, two bits" and such.  While Pam was somewhat interested, I had a feeling the class was going to be a lot of patterns we would already be able to anticipate, given we've been dancing for over 15 years combined.  The Advanced class was with Frutos and Clever again, whom we love to death, but was about aerials.

Yuval Hod & Nathalie Gomes do an aerial
(ithacaswingdance.com)

Pam was nervous about aerials.  While Pam is beyond petite, I'm not the biggest or strongest guy in the world and the last thing Pam wanted was to get dropped.  Thing is, though, I have all of two aerials in my arsenal and have always wanted more.  With the couple I've learned, the key point has always been to make the aerial as simple as possible from the get-go, such that it's almost impossible for anything to go wrong.  Of course, the aerials I do are relatively easy, even if they do have a bit of a "wow" factor.  I'd like more "wow," though, and it's rare that we get the chance to learn anything new.  

Pam probably would have preferred the cliche class, but it just seemed ... cliche to me.  Somewhat begrudgingly, she agreed to the aerials class.

The first aerial taught was one of the two I already knew, a simple horizontal throw.  Frutos and Clever broke the move down perfectly, going even further in-depth than Maureen Majeski did when she taught me the move at the Jumpin' Jive Club, though Majeski did perfectly fine and I've never had trouble executing the throw. 

The next one, though, was a little more challenging:  A Knickerbocker.  Here's what it looks like done correctly:

We split into teams of six to do the move.  The team size was for a reason:  At all times, two people would be doing the aerial and, ideally, there would be one person to the left, right, front and back of the people doing the move in case someone came off-balance.

We all tried the move once.  The first couple to try had very few issues, however, it should be noted that while the follow might have been slightly taller and larger than Pam, the guy was very tall and well-built, so that probably aided the process.  The first time through, Pam and I were able to execute the move, but only with spotting.  For some reason, Pam was falling forward at the end of the move each time.  The third couple got it, but also with a lot of spotting help. 

It was in our second time trying the move that it happened.  The first couple, by now, basically had it down and was starting to make it look easy.  It might have lulled the spotters to sleep a bit.  Pam and I got up and tried it once.  We got Pam up in the air, but really struggled to get her over.  I was focusing on the idea that you really want to push the follow over more by the lower back than the legs, rather than just catching her by the legs like we had done in a build-up drill for the move.  Meanwhile, Pam was making a point to try and jump higher to ease the trip over.

With those things in mind, we went at the move one more time.  Needless to say, Pam did not get all the way over.

Somehow, Pam came out of the move horizontal to the ground, although tilted slightly such that her left side was where all contact happened.  It's hard to say which spotter even could have helped because of the way Pam came over, but she clearly didn't come out on her feet and no one remembers any spotter hands being accessible until it was all over.  Pam said she thought her feet were the first thing to hit, but she later discovered a bruise on her knee, leading her to believe she basically had a three-point landing:  Left toes, left knee and, worst of all, left head, right at the eyebrow.  As outlined above, the dull thud of skull against wood was cringe worthy. 

Pam quickly rolled over into a seated position and everyone rushed around her.  A dancer in another group who was a nurse flew over and did some quick tests on a somewhat dazed Pam, who was trembling a bit, to make sure she wasn't immediately showing signs of a concussion, something the three-point landing probably saved her from. 

Pam did not seem to be concussed, but the next thing on our minds, of course, was the big reason we were there:  Miss Camp Hollywood on Sunday.  Pam now had a red spot above her eye, which didn't take long to swell to the size of a large marble.

This would not have been a good look for Pam
(iStock.com/Rich Legg)

This was a problem.  A lot of preparation and money had gone into the trip, all basically for Pam to look her best on Sunday.  The bump was not Pam's best look, and Pam knew from experience with falls for her kids in her day job that bumps in that region could turn into a bigger problem:  A black eye.  In the minutes after the fall, the lump threatened to do a lot of damage to our biggest trip on the Miss Heartland Swing National Tour.

In its own unique way, this was our time for crisis management.  Pam was worried and not happy, but was prepared to do what it took to make things as good as they could be for Sunday.  I knew that acting quickly would be important.  In times like these, it's easy to get emotional and not do the right things to make the very unideal situation as ideal as possible. 

In the moments after the fall, someone quickly got a bag of ice for Pam and we stopped doing anything related to the class so that Pam could tend to her head.  There were two other class times scheduled for that day, but we decided to forgo them.  First things first, we went back to our hotel.

I hopped on the computer, as did Pam, to start looking up ways to keep a bump like that under control.  Twenty minutes on and 20 minutes off with ice seemed to be a common theme, at least for 48 hours.  That would keep the swelling down and reduce discoloration.  After 48 hours, heat would be key, but we weren't worried about that since the contest was less than two days away.  There was also a unique suggestion:  Vitamins.  Bruises are basically just broken blood vessels and vitamins, specifically Vitamin C, can help with healing.  Ibuprofen would help as well.

As for makeup coverups if the black eye would occur, Pam hadn't brought concealer and we read that using the same makeup you usually use to cover up such an eye will often mix poorly with the bruising, forcing you to use an overabundance of makeup or a bad mix and making the eye more noticeable.  Knowing the injury might force drastic measures, we figured the Mary Kay family could potentially be one we'd have to turn to and we did look up independent consultants around LAX, just in case. 

Ice in hand, Pam hopped in the convertible with me and we found a local market.  Some juice and some Advil later, we were back in the car.  With some time on our hands, we did head up to Hollywood Boulevard to take some pictures, but I chose to head up there as much because I knew it would take Pam's mind a little off the bump as much as anything else. 

Pam delicately applies makeup to her left eye on Friday night

How bad was the bump?  I'm not going to say it's like she took a baseball to the head, but anytime there's swelling and a lump, I think you have to be concerned.  Fortunately, I think our efforts, particularly the ice, made a big difference.  The picture you see at right of Pam applying makeup is from Friday night.  You can maybe pick up a little bit of swelling, but the redness went down and I don't think anyone who wasn't concentrating could see anything. She said she really didn't enjoy the process of applying the makeup and it still hurt, but she didn't think she looked out of the ordinary. 

We were intent with the ice and Pam also made a good point not to touch the bump, which also wouldn't have helped.  We stayed away from classes on Saturday for a few reasons:  The classes that interested most were on Friday, Pam didn't want to get hurt again, we both wanted to return to the Walk of Fame and we had also read that a good night's sleep with the head elevated was key to avoid eye blackening.  When Pam rolled off her two-pillow setup Saturday morning, it was well past the start time for the first class and Pam's eye didn't look all that bad.  We got through both the day and night and Pam worked hard at her pincurls after the dance.

Pam looked fine — very fine — on Sunday

Sunday morning rolled around soon enough.  That morning — no problems, not to mention that it was sunny enough for Pam to go with her retro-styled sunglasses and conceal most of anything anyone could see, anyway.  And no one can argue with the result. 

It is worth noting that, as we made our way to Six Flags Magic Mountain on Monday, a little bit of redness could be seen in Pam's eyelid, while she still said it was tender.  But, all in all, we had survived well.

There are a number of keys in crisis management and I think they're worth emphasizing one more time:

• Assess the situation quickly.  Do what needs to be done immediately first and handle what's most important, which is everyone's safety and well-being.  
• Then, assess what's most important and what the biggest problem could be.  
• Find out how to address it.  In the age of smartphones and Google, this is easier than ever.  
• Focus on actions.  Try to make the situation right.  
• Do what it takes to address it.  Walk away feeling like you did absolutely everything you could do.  
• Once you feel like you're handling that, handle the emotional part, too.  Usually, the actions help.  When you feel like you've done everything you can, it's hard to have regret.  

Speaking of regret, do I regret choosing the aerials class?  Not really.  If we would have known better what it would have entailed, then yes, I might feel worse, but we didn't know and it seemed like the reasoning for taking the class was solid.  I know I'll take crap about it for a while, but I take crap about a lot of things, so it's just add another item to the pile.  Do I feel at fault?  Probably more at fault than anyone else, yes, but there's enough things that went wrong that could theoretically fall into a variety of people's hands that I really think pointing fingers is kind of fruitless. 

It was an unfortunate circumstance, but things that are worthwhile usually involve overcoming some difficulty.  Lesson learned:  There's a reason Johnny Castle and Baby worked on their aerials in the water. 

For us, I think a mat is a minimum requirement from now on.  But hey -- at least we know Pam can even (nearly) win a beauty pageant with a (barely) black eye.  Not bad. 

Second Was Best (For Pam)

Pam Krajewski walks in front of the 2012
Miss Camp Hollywood judges (James Bennett)

There was a taunting song kids would sing when I was younger that had a line about how "second is the best."  The song was nonsensical and isn't worth more than the line of text I've already spent on it.  Nonetheless, in the case of Pam Krajewski's entry and winning of runner-up this year's Miss Camp Hollywood contest, it probably rings true.  Pam finishing second was probably the best result for her, the best result she could have gotten and the best thing for everyone.

Of course, one might see that last statement and think it a little ... odd.  Why wouldn't someone want to take first?  Wasn't Pam trying to win?  And, if Pam essentially took second ... who took first, anyway? 

The answer to the last question is Antonietta Smekal, a broadcast producer from the Los Angeles area.  We don't know a ton about her other than what we saw during the competition and what we can glean from her Facebook page.  She is clearly well-connected, with upwards of 1,000-plus Facebook friends, and she appears to have called Southern California home her entire life.

Antonietta Smekal, Miss Camp
Hollywood 2012 (Rusty Frank)

Antonietta did have a cigarette holder in one hand and what one can only imagine was an adult beverage, or an implied one, in the other throughout the competition.  Yes, this was counter to Pam's more wholesome style, but first off, Pam's wholesomeness was actually rather unique to the competition, as many of the girls engaged in various raucous activities to draw attention, so it's not like one should hold Antonietta in disregard for that.  Furthermore, vices are a large part of swing dancing, its music and its history.  Anyone who's seen Pam blues dance knows she can steam it up herself when she wants to, plus Pam likes a good glass of wine or a Cosmopolitan as much as the next girl, so let's not judge based on that difference. 

Putting that aside, I can reconcile the choice in a couple different ways. 

First off, while there was a formal scoring system for the contest, and we have a vague idea what that system was, the ultimate goal was to reward the girls with the most personality, whatever that personality may be.  While Pam and Antonietta clearly had different personas, they also clearly came across as confident and fully trusting of who they were.  Basically, it's more than fair to say that Pam and Antonietta each had a lot of personality, which is exactly what the judges were looking for.  That was key.  Based on having a lot of personality, both Pam and Antonietta belonged on the Camp Hollywood main ballroom stage that night as winners. 

Secondly, though, and more importantly, I think there's a practical thing that has to be kept in mind as well — and it's largely the reason Pam and I are very much at peace with runner-up. 

Yes, Miss Camp Hollywood, much like Miss Heartland Swing, is an honor.  But it's also a role.  In fact, it's probably moreso a role than it is an honor.  We know this first-hand from Pam's having been Miss Heartland Swing. 

Smekal, after winning Miss Camp
Hollywood 2012 (Facebook)

Everyone likes to focus on the honor.  Wearing the crown, getting the sash and the prizes are all parts of the honor.  But the role is the more important part.  The honor is sort of the "advance payment," if you will, on fulfilling the role.  And the role, for both Miss Camp Hollywood, is to help the Camp Hollywood event by promoting swing dancing and everything affiliated with it in California. 

Pam's done that in the Midwest for the Heartland Swing Festival as Miss Heartland Swing, of course.  We've gone to events upwards of 14 hours away, sometimes even if we could only make it for a few hours before returning home, attracted attention and made it clear the Festival we're representing is a big deal.  At Honor Flights, Pam will talk up swing dancing and even dance with me for the crowd to watch and admire.  It's certainly not the main reason she volunteers (honoring the troops), but it's a nice side benefit in a very visible place.  She knows her role and she's been filling it extremely well.

(As an aside, Pam kept her Miss Heartland Swing tiara and sash in the suitcase for Camp Hollywood because she didn't think being showy of a previous win would bode well in the contest.  We did have Miss Heartland Swing fliers out and Pam would often introduce herself to dance partners as Miss Heartland Swing, but she kept the more-visible accoutrements stored away).  

Krajewski answers a question from 2012
Miss Camp Hollywood emcee Tip West
(James Bennett)

Tip West, the Miss Camp Hollywood emcee, made it clear before the contest that the winner would not only be receiving passes to a number of California events, she would be expected to be at these events and involved as a judge at some level.  Miss Camp Hollywood was going to be expected to do a lot of the things Pam does as Miss Heartland Swing, just in California. 

In the time between the contest and the awards, Pam and I, knowing Pam did amazingly well, talked briefly about how she might possibly fill the role.  "We could maybe fly out here for an event or two," I said, "but we'd have to pick carefully."  I'm not going to get too deep into how much just this trip cost us, but it wasn't what I'd classify as "cheap".  Being Miss Camp Hollywood would have involved making a similar trip many times over, theoretically. 

Furthermore, for as much as we try and do in Milwaukee and occasionally Chicago for the Miss Heartland Swing effort, not being around regularly in California would have created a big disconnect for us from what it is we would have been trying to promote.  How are we supposed to talk up regular nights and venues in a place where we've never been to them? 

It just wouldn't have been practical for Pam to fill the role of Miss Camp Hollywood. 

One might ask, "Well, why even try then?"  Fact is, you don't know what the role involves until you go out and find out about it.  It's not that we didn't think the role would involve representing Camp Hollywood, but we didn't know where, what or how much that would involve.  Not to mention, there's still the honor.  Miss Camp Hollywood is a great honor and one worth shooting for — so much so that even runner-up is also a great honor, albeit one without any real role. 

Even with what little we know about Antonietta, she seems to have two things — the California connections and the proximity — that put her in a far better position to fill the role than Pam.  And, to be honest, if I were voting, I'd be thinking as much about the role as the honor.  I suspect Antonietta will fill the role well enough to warrant the honor. 

Adding all that up is why I feel like runner-up was the perfect thing for Pam in the end.  It's an honor, without a doubt, but really without a role, which is fine, considering Miss Heartland Swing is enough of a role itself.  It's something to take a lot of pride in and it made the whole trip worthwhile, without putting either us or Camp Hollywood into an awkward position.  It's a great thing. 

Krajewski in a vintage swimsuit (Danah
Zoulek/Danah Zoulek Photography)

Taking runner-up also sends a great message, too:  In the world of vintage fashion, as it relates to swing dancing, Pam's a powerhouse.  Much like how traveling competitive dancers don't always take first in every contest, the fact that certain dancers consistently make finals and place speaks to how they can say they're among the best.  Vintage fashion, like dancing but unlike sports where a distinct score is kept, is subjective.  One person might say one thing is better than something else, while someone else might see it the other way around.  But when a lot of people say, "Hey, you really pull that off well," then you can feel like you've reached an upper echelon.  Pam's clearly in that realm.  Wherever she goes, she's going to be recognized for what she does with her look, and with two "titles" under her belt in three attempts, it's basically official. 

So yeah.  In the end, runner-up was probably the best thing that could have happened.  We're happy, grateful and proud.  And we know Antonietta will do great ... in fact, if she wants to do any of the things we've been doing with the Miss Heartland Swing effort or would like to tap into Team Pam's resources for the folks on the West Coast, she's more than welcome.

To paraphrase Pam on stage, we just hope we're an inspiration and an example.  And, in L.A., Pam was exactly that.

Opening the Cornucopia of Blogs

"Life is for the living."

It's a mantra I've always lived by.  You don't get to do anything when your life is over, and there are certain things it's only easy to do when you're young.  If you don't do those things, though, you're going to spend your life wishing you did, particularly when you have opportunities that, literally, only come along once in a lifetime and are only for a select few people.  It was with all of that in mind that I somewhat talked Pam into taking advantage of her free pass to Camp Hollywood, despite the fact the trip would still cost us a pretty penny for all the other accoutrements (airfare, hotel, car rental, etc.).

Ultimately, Pam said it was worth it, and I believe it was, too.  There are so many reasons why, of course, and some of them are more worth covering than others.  I don't think there's much of a need to discuss the fact that we now have a new favorite roller coaster, Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain, nor do I think I need to explain the joys of having the top down on a 2013 Ford Mustang convertible as you cruise down the Pacific coastline.  However, there are a number of very interesting, swing-related things to discuss about the trip.

I have a tendency to be very, very verbose when I start to blog, so I'm making a point to try and split my thoughts up into a few different blogs over the next few days.  Pam will have her blogs, too, but I think there's some commentary that's important to come from me with an outsider's perspective rather than from Pam's voice.  Here's what I've got in mind:

• For The Best:  As great as out-and-out winning Miss Camp Hollywood would have been, second place might actually be the most ideal result for Pam in more ways than one
• The Leap:  How I've seen Pam transform as a person as a result of being Miss Heartland Swing, crystallized into two minutes on a poolside stage in Los Angeles
• Wingtips, Cicadas and All Things Smooth:  Having seen swing dancing in 15 other states, I assert that Los Angeles is still the capital of the vintage world, no matter what anyone anywhere else may think
• How to Win a Beauty Pageant With a Black Eye:  Crisis management, 3,000 miles away from home, and how we handled the situation after "the drop"
• What Now?  With the biggest dance event on the National Tour schedule behind us, where do we go with this whole Miss Heartland Swing thing from here? 

It's all on my mind and it's all worth discussing, so look for those thoughts in the coming days.

"Virtual" Tour Stops

Hi kids.  Dan Pfeifer here again, taking a break from our Camp Hollywood preparations to discuss "Virtual" Tour Stops. 

What's a "Virtual" Tour Stop, you ask? 

Well, it's really this simple:  Unfortunately, until human cloning becomes more practical or we can afford that "Holographic Tupac" technology, Miss Heartland Swing can only be in one place at a time.  On the weekend of September 15, Pam has been invited to be a part of two different, wonderful events that are extremely worthwhile and very much worth supporting. 

Pam can't be at either, though, because her only sibling, brother Michael Krajewski, will be getting married to his lovely fiancé, Katya Ouchakof, that day.  Such a large family event rightly trumps anything else, so Pam will stash the sash that weekend. 

Nonetheless, these events are worthwhile, so we've decided to promote them ahead of time much the way we would a regular tour stop — essentially making them "Virtual" Tour Stops, as if they were on equal footing with the other stops that ... you know ... involve us being there. 

Here's what they are: 

Miss Heartland Swing 2012-13 "Virtual" Tour Stops
Appearance	Location	Date(s)
Cowtown Jamborama 10	Omaha, Neb.	Sept. 14-16, 2012
Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Fall Homecoming #1	Milwaukee	Sept. 15, 2012

The tenth-anniversary Jamborama sounds like another wonderful event and we're a little heartbroken that we won't get to add Nebraska to the states we're visiting.  We're looking forward to helping inform others about it, though, and we here at Team Pam are hopeful that we can road trip to the event in one of our post-Miss Heartland years. 

Meanwhile, we know you're all aware how much the Honor Flights mean to us on Team Pam.  Molly Maka is due to give birth to her first child around that time as well gave birth to Henry John Francis Maka on Sept. 12, so we're not quite sure how the 40's Girls experience will be handled, but we encourage all of you who are closer to Milwaukee than to Omaha to come out and show love for some of the bravest men to serve America as they return to the airport that night. 

We've updated the tour schedule accordingly to include these events, and also remind you to check our previous blog entries for details on how you can add your event to the list, "Virtual" or in-person!

My Weekend at Greenwood Swingout

Although I had never been to the event before, I was extremely excited to attend Greenwood Swingout in Tulsa, Oklahoma last weekend.  I wasn't disappointed! 

I met Jamin Jackson and took one of his classes at the Heartland Swing Festival in March.  I got a very positive first impression from him — first impressions mean a lot to me — and I knew that this was going to be an event that I wanted to be a part of from the very beginning.  Jackson is very upbeat, positive, encouraging and motivating, which becomes infectious.  I took notice and enjoyed that he took the time to dance with just about every follow, no matter the skill level.  Because of the experience I had at Heartland, I immediately began to follow Jamin's blog.  I enjoy many reading about his concepts and ideas for growing swing dance communities.

Landon J. Smothers/Landon J. Photography

Not only did the organizers of this event graciously invite me to attend their event, but I had several messages back and forth with Jamin's wife, Gina, beforehand.  I was very anxious to meet her and the many other dancers in the Tulsa Lindy Hop community, given the enthusiasm I saw from Jamin and Gina.  I quickly learned that they are doing some wonderful things for their swing scene!

Dan Pfeifer and I arrived in Tulsa on Friday evening around 5:30 p.m. after a 12-hour car trip that started after work on Thursday.  Leaving early turned out to be well worth it.  We were able to make the evening dance with the Steve Ham Jambalaya Jazz Band, meet up with Jamin and Gina, and also meet a lot of new and friendly people.  We also saw two other familiar faces that we were pleasantly surprised to see when they walked in the door: Michael Brafford, the Executive Director of the Heartland Swing Festival and his amazing dance partner, Dee Daniels Locke.

Saturday afternoon was Chalkfest in downtown Tulsa, where we were literally dancing in the streets!  I'm sure many of you have already seen the YouTube video that Dan put together that highlights a lot of the dancing from that windy and warm afternoon.  I was very pleased to have a dance with both Jamin Jackson and Michael Brafford, as well.

We closed our weekend at Greenwood Swingout with the Saturday evening dance and The Rebecca Ungerman Combo.  They had a swing dance competition that night which was run differently from any other competition I had ever seen.  Every lead and follow had a number, and during one of the sets the band played, you danced with anyone.  After the dance, you rated your lead or follow as good, great, or excellent based on how they made you feel during that dance.  The result was a competition based more on a showmanship, attitude and even courtesy than than skills.  It turned out that Brafford won the award for best lead, while Grace Cowan from Dallas, Texas won for best follow.  The prize consisted of tickets to Southern Fried Swing in Fort Worth, Arkansas.  Congrats to the both of them!

Overall, I had an excellent time.  I met some great people, I danced a whole lot, and am always happy to represent the Heartland Swing Festival and swing dancing in the Midwest at any event as Miss Heartland Swing.  Jamin and Gina said they enjoyed having me at their event, which makes me happy because I'm so glad they invited me!

Now, it's just about looking forward to those I'll be attending in the future.  The fun continues! 

My Newest Obsession: Mary Kay

It was just three weeks ago that I was asked by Andrea Graczyalny to join her at a Mary Kay success event as a face model.  I was a bit excited that she asked me to do this, but of course was a little bit hesitant not knowing what I would be getting myself into.  After finding out a bit more of what was expected that night, I went. 

This ends up being a night in which Mary Kay consultants get together with other members on their team to learn from each other and recognize their accomplishments and goals.  After being able to try some of the products for myself, including the Classic Red lipstick that I love to wear so much, I had a really fun time, met some great people, and learned more about what the Mary Kay opportunity is all about.

I had been to several Mary Kay skin care parties myself when I was younger. I remember being excited to get my first makeup compact that held all of the shades to create a complete look customized to myself! At the time, I didn't know much about makeup, didn't wear a lot of it, and only knew some basic steps to applying it. I even remember being a little intimidated by the consultants and thought that was something that I would never be able to do, even though I liked doing makeup. I did, however, know that I loved using the Timewise, especially as I got older. Eventually, Mary Kay products turned into a great idea for my mom to gift me with at Christmas and birthdays! I knew it would be something that I would love and certainly use!

I believe that I must have been in high school or just out of high school when a friend of mine, Niki Galla, had a Mary Kay skin care party and I was approached about the opportunity by the consultant.  My immediate reaction to that was absolutely not!  Not a million years did I think I would be capable of doing something like that and I probably thought she was crazy for even asking.

It turns out that there is just the right time and place in one's life to have everything fit together just right.  When I attended the Success Event that Monday night, yes, I was approached about the opportunity, but it didn't feel pressured, it just seemed to feel right.  Of course I was a little nervous committing to something like this in the beginning.  I had my concerns, mostly being worried about when I could fit this in my already busy schedule, particularly because of the travel I'll be doing as Miss Heartland Swing. 

After giving the idea some thought, it just seemed like something that I could see some potential in.  Not only do I know more about makeup and applying it, but I practically have studied it from learning how to get a 1940's look.  I already know and love using the products, so it's something that I can certainly stand behind and believe in.  I'd love to help others create a look that will help them feel confident and beautiful on the inside and out.  Andrea, my recruiter, has been extremely successful with it, so I have faith that she can help me succeed!  I thought that if it's something that I could see myself doing in the future, why not start now?

After finally deciding that this was something that I wanted to do, I got my starter kit, held my first Mary Kay skin care party, and got my personal consultant web page for anyone to shop 24/7 with me.  Now I just need others to help and support me.  I would love to be your Mary Kay Consultant if you don't have one already!  I'd love for you to Host your own skin care party, or even do a one-on-one color consultation.  I need all the practice I can get, and if you're interested in the opportunity yourself, I'd love to provide you with more information and potentially have you as my newest team member!  If I ask you to be a face model for me, I hope you take it as the biggest compliment!

Since I started, it's been hard going too long without the words "Mary Kay" coming out of my mouth.  Little did I know that Galla, who invited me to that party all those years ago, would turn out to be my first personal team member as well.  As my boyfriend, Dan Pfeifer, has said, it's like my newest obsession!

The Miss Heartland Swing 2012-13 National Tour Schedule

Photo:  Mark Koch/D-Line Sports Productions

You've waited and waited.  It's been much hyped -- perhaps too much so, since it's actually kind of smaller than we originally thought it would be.  But ... it's here, even if there's room to add more spots. 

It's the National Tour Schedule for Miss Heartland Swing 2012-13, as it stands right now. 

As outlined yesterday, there is room for more and we'd enjoy having more.  So if you want to hop on board, here's how to get a hold of us: 

• E-mail:  pinuppam@gmail.com
• A Facebook message to Miss Heartland Swing - Pam Krajewski or Dan Pfeifer
• A direct tweet to @PinupPam
• A phone call to (414) 288-7732

Also, do any of the stops sound like fun?  Why not come along!  Team Pam is looking for Travel Partners willing to join us on the National Tour.  We'd love to have some friends join us, particularly on our excursions outside of Wisconsin. 

Keep in mind, while some costs are covered for the tour by the events themselves, others are not, so any assistance in the form of donations, Corporate Partnerships or any other means is welcome as well. 

Make sure, also, to stay tuned to the various Miss Heartland Swing social media channels — Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and this blog — for lots of info about what the road holds. 

As Miss Heartland herself would say, keep dancin'! 

Miss Heartland Swing 2012-13 National Tour Schedule
Appearance	Location	Date(s)
Miss Heartland Swing “Welcome Home” Night	Milwaukee	March 6, 2012
LAFLX ‘12	West Lafayette, Ind.	March 24-25, 2012
Swinger’s Ball 15	Willow Springs, Ill.	March 31, 2012
Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Spring Homecoming #1	Milwaukee	April 28, 2012
Greenwood Swingout 2012	Tulsa, Okla.	May 18-20, 2012
Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Spring Homecoming #2	Milwaukee	June 2, 2012
Sunflower Swing 2012	Wichita, Kan.	June 24, 2012
Greenfield Fourth of July Parade	Greenfield, Wis.	July 4, 2012
Camp Hollywood & National Jitterbug Championships	Los Angeles	July 26-29, 2012
Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight "Field of Honor" Night	Milwaukee	Aug. 11, 2012
Fall Jumptown Invasion	Madison, Wis.	Sept. 9-11, 2012
Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Fall Homecoming #2	Milwaukee	Nov. 3, 2012
Veterans Day Event*	Milwaukee	Nov. 11, 2012
Heartland Swing Festival & Collegiate Jitterbug Championships	Des Moines, Iowa	Feb. 28- March 3, 2013
"Virtual" Tour Stops
Cowtown Jamborama 10	Omaha, Neb.	Sept. 14-16, 2012
Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Fall Homecoming #1	Milwaukee	Sept. 15, 2012
Events TBA
Miss Heartland Swing 2013 Calendar Unveiling	Milwaukee	TBD
Milwaukee Lindy Exchange*	Milwaukee	TBD

* - tentative

... we've also got some stuff in the hopper in Minnesota, where we've already been contacted about visiting a veterans' group and we've been told some of our organizer friends from the Heartland Swing Festival mightbe willing to partake in a "fundraiser."  We've got ideas for putting them together into a "Rally Weekend" in Minneapolis ... but it's still just a pipe dream (for now) ... 

Keep your calendars clear for these events now, and we schedule more tour stops, we'll of course add them here and let you know about them. 

We'll see you in Tulsa!

Marketing Miss Heartland, Part 2: "You, too, can have a tour stop!"

Dan here again.  Let's talk about the tour. 

We're just about set to reveal our schedule of events that we've already booked for this year — in fact, we'll do that tomorrow night.  But we'd like to think that schedule is far from complete. 

As mentioned in Marketing Miss Heartland Swing, Part 1, we've been a little surprised thus far at the response, or lack thereof, we got early on when it came to events bringing Miss Heartland Swing in to continue her mission of promoting swing dancing and the vintage lifestyle.  If anything, it's because we at Team Pam are so positive about the mission and see so much potential, it's almost hard for us to fathom why anyone with a clever mind for promotion wouldn't want to involve the over 70,000-person reach (and growing) we've developed through social media to help promote their event. 

Nonetheless, it might just need to be explained.  So, let's explain it! 

Everyone wins ... but particularly the event

As outlined in the last blog we did (and, frankly, just copy-pasted from there) the biggest thing Miss Heartland Swing can bring to an event is added event promotion.

Assuming organizers choose to include Miss Heartland in their plans, they get to tap into: 

• A rapidly growing social media following that can be used "out of the box" to promote the event, featuring:
  • Over 200 direct contacts between Facebook and Twitter
  • Reach of over 70,000 people (friends of direct contacts) on Facebook alone
• The ability to promote Miss Heartland Swing's appearance as a value-added function of the event.  
• The class, grace and beauty Miss Heartland Swing displays, along with the visibility and "specialness" of having a reigning figurehead of American swing dance present

The promotion won't stop when the event starts, either:  If your event has unique experiences, we'll talk about them online via that sizable social media presence and perhaps even get video, like we did for the Miss Heartland Swing appearance at Purdue, or Pam's recent Honor Flight volunteer night. 

Want to use that video to help promote your event in the future?  Be our guest.  Consider it a thank you. 

Coming up with ways to utilize Miss Heartland Swing at the event, meanwhile, is just a matter of opening your mind.  For instance:

• What better way to have your contest's awards presented than to have Miss Heartland Swing hand them out?  
• Make it a real privilege to dance with Pam by having guys sign up for her "Dance Card."  Heck, you could even make it "10 Cents a Dance" for a quick event fundraiser. 
• Why not have Pam greet dancers as they come in?  Or introduce the band?  She'd be perfect for that.  
• Have follows interested in vintage style or fashion?  Why not set up a shopping trip to a vintage store, or a hair-and-makeup seminar, with a recognized expert in vintage, reproduction and retro style?  Pam would be willing.   

But there's more! 

You will also have at your disposal at least one member of Team Pam.

We're more than willing to help with any aspect of event management that you would normally delegate to a volunteer.  But, we also have some special talents, too:

Photo: Marvin Kellerman

• My alter-ego, "The Radio Kid," is one of the most-utilized swing DJs in Milwaukee over the past five years.  I offer a unique, technologically advanced experience featuring a 19-inch song display for dancers to see song name and artist.  I have also have sets that would fit in any time slot. 
• I have years of radio and sports broadcasting experience, so if you need an emcee ... you've got one. 
• I also have years of experience with beginning instruction and could be utilized in those types of classes. 
• Molly Maka, meanwhile, has done years of research as a history writer and could easily host a discussion session about a number of topics related to the swing era
• Molly could also assist with vintage style and fashion advice alongside Pam

All of this is available to you?  Really?  I'm sure you're wondering ... what do they want in return?  After all, traveling instructors, musicians and even some top-level DJs look to be paid for their appearances and time, sometimes handsomely.

OK ... whaddya want? 

Pay close attention:  All we basically want is for Pam, and only Pam, to get in free. 

Assuming the event is somewhat sizable and within 12-14 hours driving distance of Milwaukee, we're willing to cover the travel costs and the cost of admission for anyone coming along with Pam (and there will always be at least one person, so you will get something out of the deal).

Of course, the use of services from Team Pam members, other than Pam herself, would also hopefully warrant subsequent compensation.  For instance, if you utilize "The Radio Kid" as a DJ, it seems reasonable to think that the same compensation all other DJs are receiving would be due.  And, as much as we could end up traveling, any extra compensation, such as offering a second free pass for a Team Pam member, while not requested, wouldn't be turned down if offered. 

Nonetheless, we're prepared to invest in the Miss Heartland Swing experience ourselves because we enjoy it and think it's worthwhile.

Do note that, for most events, just letting Pam in for free would only cover 25 percent of our costs.  Consider the following estimated budget without a free pass:

• $200 for event entry for two people
• Given her visibility and role, along with the fact she doesn't think her car can make it too far beyond the Milwaukee city limits without breaking down, Pam understandably does not feel safe traveling by herself.  There will always be a Team Pam member traveling with Pam. 
• $100 for gas/food
• $100 for two nights of hotel
• Due to the bathroom mirror time and clothing storage space required for Pam to properly present herself as Miss Heartland Swing, we tend to avoid shared housing.  It's not that we're anti-social, we just don't want to annoy anyone. 

Covering that 25 percent, though, is better than covering zero percent.  And we'd be happy to attend for just that 25 percent.  

One more thing:  The more events Pam attends, the greater her following will become in social media.  This will make her, and subsequent Miss Heartland Swings, better promoters for future events, including future iterations of your event. 

Long story short, the more events she gets to attend, the better.  Everyone wins.  

Tomorrow, we'll reveal the schedule as it stands at present.  But here's the deal — it's by no means final and we're hoping we can grow it over time.  We'll be sending this blog out to organizers of Heartland Swing Festival-affiliated events, but we're open-minded and willing to come to other events as well. 

Have you enjoyed following Miss Heartland Swing's experiences online these past few months?  Know an event organizer?  Have them get in touch with us!  How?  In any of the following ways:

• E-mail:  pinuppam@gmail.com
• A Facebook message to Miss Heartland Swing - Pam Krajewski, or me, Dan Pfeifer
• A direct tweet to @PinupPam
• A phone call to me at (414) 288-7732

That said ... prepare for the big reveal tomorrow!  But until then, don't be afraid to get in touch with us if you think there's a way you can help us promote swing dancing and the vintage lifestyle.  After all ... that's what Miss Heartland Swing is all about!

Makeup the 40's Way

Much like learning how to pincurl and style my own hair to get a 1940's look, I've done a lot of research on how to create the makeup look from that time as well!  I've Googled other sites and blogs, watched YouTube video tutorials, and even took a look at some books that were helpful in achieving the perfection that I strive for.  I'm always to the belief that it's the smallest details that put the entire look together and makes it look a little more professional and well put together.  There's a lot out there, and I encourage others to do some of their own research as well.

Women of the 1940's wanted to achieve a natural beauty that was soft and feminine.  Even though there was rationing during the war, women around the world began wearing makeup even in their teens.  Much like today, there are certain looks by what style clothes we wear that might look better with certain body types.  Similarly, there are certain hairstyles and makeup that look better with certain face shapes, but I'm only going to focus on some basics.

The makeup of this era is one of the easiest to recreate, so don't feel as if it's something you won't be able to do.  Besides, practice makes perfect!

Danah Zoulek Photography

Here are some tips on various things that will help you out:

Skin Care

The most important step is to take good care of your skin!  This is essential because taking good care of your skin is what is going to keep you looking younger for longer.  The makeup is only used to either cover up the flaws of our skin, or to enhance the natural beauty of our skin!  There are five steps to having great skin, which includes:

1. Cleanse
2. Exfoliate
3. Freshen
4. Hydrate
5. Protect

Mary Kay has a great skin care line that includes all of these steps called TimeWise.  Not only do I sell it, but I believe in it and USE it on a daily basis.  It's how I keep my skin looking young and radiant!

Foundation

This would be part of the fifth step of your skin care because your foundation is what's going to help protect your skin from the environment.  It's also going to help even out your skin tone.  In the 1940's, the foundation was usually a shade darker than your natural skin tone, but just use your own foundation and then use some loose mineral powder from your cheekbone towards your temple to create a triangular effect.

Blush

Use a light, rosy blush on the apples of your cheeks.  Make sure that it is well blended to keep a natural look.

Eyebrows and Eye Makeup

I like to keep my eyebrows well groomed with a slight angle to them.  They should match your hair color or be a shade darker if you have light hair.  You can use a brow pencil or a powder to match your shade.  Then use a light shade of eyeshadow if you'd like.  The focus of the eyes is really going to come from your lashes!  In the 40's, they tended to use a brown eyeliner to keep it looking a bit more natural, but I tend to like a more dramatic look and will often use a black liquid eyeliner, while making sure it is thin, fine, and even.  Finish off the eyes by using a black mascara.  Before I started selling Mary Kay, I used whatever brand mascara I happened to have, and used a lot of it!  Although, I will say that since I've used Mary Kay mascara again, I won't use anything else.  It does not clump, and I don't need to use a lot - the stuff is amazing!

Lips!

My personal favorite step to achieving the 1940's look!  There are many different shades of red including light reds, pink-reds, orange-reds, and even fucshia!  The trick is to find the right shade that looks good with your skin tone and suits your coloring.  You can use a lip-liner, either in the shade you are using, or clear so you won't have to worry about the matching and can use it with any shade.  It also helps to prevent some of the smudging, although I still recommend blotting to prevent those embarrasing moments when someone tells you you have lipstick on your teeth.  It's happened to all of us. 

If I can do it, I believe you all can do it, too!  Can't wait to see all of your beautiful faces!

Veronica Lake

Judy Garland

Gene Tierney

Here are some helpful sites for reference ...
http://www.return2style.de/swingstyle/makeup/40amimup.html
http://glamourdaze.com/2011/12/1940s-makeup-and-beauty-guide.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2362458_apply-1940s-makeup.html

... and a book you can get, too:  Retro Makeup: Techniques for Applying the Vintage Look.
http://www.hrstbooks.com/retro-makeup

Bluetopia and The Honor Flight

This past weekend was just filled with great events!

It started with Friday night at April Bluetopia, Chicago's monthly blues dance.  I normally have a really great time at these dances.  After all, it is blues dancing in Chicago!  The difference this time is that Team Pam member (and my boyfriend) Dan Pfeifer had his first official gig DJing at this event.  He had done so once before, but the first time was very different because it was a DJ battle in which no one knew who the DJ was.  He did great then, but it was a close call against his competitor, and didn't quite make it to the next round.  

"The Radio Kid," DJ Dan Pfeifer
Keir Briscoe/Keir Briscoe Photography

This time, though, he was respectfully asked to DJ a slot by Keir Briscoe who shares in the DJ, advertising, teaching and PR responsibilities while also doing a little bit of his own photography work there.  I think everyone was feeling a good vibe in the room.  Not only was there some great music, but I met and danced with a lot of different people, which is something that I've been trying to be more conscious of when I go out dancing.  Keir was even nice enough to give a shout out to Miss Heartland Swing during his announcements!  It's always great to be so generously welcomed and acknowledged for being there.  It's always funny seeing the look on some of the beginner dancers faces I dance with who find out who I am!  I'd rather not have them feel intimidated the first time we dance.  Overall, Bluetopia was a blast and I'm so very proud of Dan for having this opportunity and doing such a great job!  We stayed for a while after Dan's set, but couldn't stay until the end because I knew I'd have to do some speedy pincurling early Saturday morning in preparation for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight later that day.

Molly Maka (left) with Miss Heartland Swing
Gregory P. Layden/Flying Monkey Studios

I'd say we got back to Milwaukee at approximately 1:45 a.m. and got some sleep before attempting the pincurls, in hope that my hair would be dry in enough time.  I woke up at 9 a.m. to start the process and had it finally curled and set to dry by 10 a.m.  The day of an Honor Flight is extremely involved in making certain everything — hair, dress, shoes, and makeup — all comes together to create the perfect 1940's look in honor of the veterans!  Normally it's my friend, my 1940's cohort and Team Pam member Molly Maka that joins me on flight day to dress and impress the veterans at the General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee as we greet them back home from their long day's trip of recognition to Washington D.C.  This time, though, Molly was a guardian to one of the veterans on the flight!  I was so excited for her, as I know it's something that she's always wanted to do!

Meanwhile, I instead had Molly's sister, Bridget Nesbitt, filling in and helping me at the airport to walk around, greet, and meet the families waiting for the big arrival!  The flight ended up being almost three hours late due to brake problems when leaving Washington, but it was well worth the wait.  We did what we could to keep the energy going in the room and were very pleased to do it!  I'm very grateful for Bridget stepping up and doing a great job with me!  Looks like Bridget will have a second opportunity to do this again with me on June 2nd, as Molly will be in Normandy for her fifth wedding anniversary.  Congrats Molly and Chris!

"Everyone Wins": Marketing Miss Heartland, Part 1

Hi, folks — Dan Pfeifer here.  Welcome to the first part of a series on marketing Pam Krajewski as Miss Heartland Swing.

I'm going to take a wild guess at what some of you ... OK, most of you are thinking when you see I'm the one writing this blog post:  "Why should we care what you have to say?"

The answer depends on why you're following Miss Heartland Swing.  If you personally know and genuinely like Pam as a person, I'm sure you're interested in the whole process behind doing what we're doing for this exciting year in her life, so that's your reason.

But we also know a lot of folks who have an interest in Miss Heartland Swing don't know Pam very well and might not know what her goals are in the role.  Lack of knowledge and confusion can lead to misconceptions and assumptions.  In our modern and often-cynical world, assumptions aren't always positive. 

I believe almost anything in life can be solved with communication, though, so that's what I'm going to do:  Communicate, explain and hopefully get everyone a little closer to on the same page.  As you'll see from my role in just a moment, really, that's kind of my job on "Team Pam," anyway, so why not?   

Public Relations & Social Media Director  

Let's start with something simple:  Who am I, and why should you listen to me?

If you had to give me a title within Team Pam, besides "Miss Heartland Boyfriend" (though I'm not ashamed of it), it would probably be what you see above.   

I like that title for a couple different reasons.  First off, it's something I have experience with.  I've done over a decade of work in sports media, including with the sports marketing and media relations departments of both of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University, Milwaukee's two NCAA Division I programs.  I've been heard around the world as an on-site correspondent for Fox Sports Radio and done work on six different Milwaukee radio stations and Fox 6 Sports. 

Sports marketing is something I study obsessively and it speaks to two things Pam and I have in common:  An acute attention to detail and an immense drive to always "get it right."  Helping Pam has given me the chance to see how all that study applies to something more along the lines of regular, everyday marketing. 

A lot of the concepts behind sports marketing seem to work well with this, too.  Just like a sports team, there's a schedule of events to promote (The National Tour), communications and promotions (our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube presences) and merchandise (the calendars we'll eventually be selling).  Furthermore, also just like a sports team, the people involved with all those ancillary things are at their best when they let the "talent" just do their stuff.  Much like how good front office folks let the players on the field "just play," I know better than to interrupt Pam while she's doing her hair. 

Back on the title, though, I also like it because it plays a very important part in achieving the many goals Pam has set as Miss Heartland Swing.  Marketing falls under public relations in this case.  The larger "public" Pam can "relate" her message to, the better.  The way to grow that public is to market. 

"Team Pam"  

Before we discuss those goals, another note:  I think a lot of folks sometimes wonder why there even is a 'Team Pam'.  After all, someone might say, "Isn't being Miss Heartland Swing just a matter of wearing the sash and tiara, looking pretty and asking folks if they want to buy a calendar?" 

It could very easily be that, yes.  But think of it this way:  If being Miss Heartland were a class, that approach would probably earn a 'C'.

None of us on Team Pam want to be 'C' students — beginning and ending with Pam herself.

Pam's drive for excellence should be obvious.  Every girl probably makes sure her hair is straight and puts on some makeup before she goes out dancing.  But for Pam, even before some regular weekly local events, it's not uncommon for her to set her hair in pincurls the night before, using a researched style authentic to the swing era to get the truly vintage look.  She may then spend upwards of two to three hours coordinating the makeup, outfit and hair to be perfect.  Then, dancing, she intently follows, concentrating on led signals and focusing on not back-leading.

Being Miss Heartland Swing gives Pam the opportunity to be very visible and potentially influence others to take interest in the dance and the style.  Pam wants to take full advantage of the opportunity and truly grow this thing she loves.  Looking pretty and asking folks if they want a calendar is part of it, yes.  But there's so much more possible. 

It should be no surprise someone who prides herself on her expertise likes having others with expertise around her.  I have my marketing and social media background from my sports work and the knowledge of swing dancing from over a decade of doing it regularly.  Molly Maka has vast knowledge in World War II-era history and is interested in developing a talent in swing dancing.

Pam, of course, wants to maximize her positive influence.  That means maximizing her expertise.  We're more than willing to help.  "Team Pam" is born.   

Everyone Wins

But again, why?

The ultimate motivator for just about everything in life is to be happy.  Clearly, everyone who has gotten involved with the Miss Heartland program has done so because they think something about it can make them happy.  When executed to its fullest, the program has a certain genius behind it because it has the potential to make a lot of different people happy. 

That said, the goals are best understood when looking through the different lenses of the various players and how Miss Heartland Swing can potentially maximize happiness for all of those players through the role.  This even includes her own happiness, of course, but one of the best ways to make one's self happy is to make others happy.

Who are the players?  There's actually more than you might think.  A list helps us show the many people we at Team Pam think about with all we do:

1. Heartland Swing Festival organizers
2. Miss Heartland Swing herself
3. Other Miss Heartland Swing Contestants
4. Attendees of the Heartland Swing Festival
5. Organizers of events affiliated with the Festival
6. Dancers in the Midwest in general
7. Organizers of events in the Midwest in general
8. Team Pam
9. People who already knew Pam personally through swing dancing
10. People who already knew Pam personally through non-dance venues

If Pam were OK with being the 'C'-grade Miss Heartland Swing discussed earlier, she could easily sit back and wait for Camp Hollywood — but no one else would benefit. That's very much not what she wants.

Pam wants to make everyone on that list happy she was named Miss Heartland Swing.  Everyone. 

The goals are then best outlined by looking at those players and what we know they can "get" out of the ideal Miss Heartland Swing — the Miss Heartland Swing Pam wants to be.  Let's walk through it, player-by-player with an honest eye.

As this goes on, notice how the goals intermingle.  That's why I think this is such a great thing when done right.  Ultimately, everyone's goals are complementary if everyone sees the benefit.  That's the point of this post, after all — to get eliminate the confusion and get everyone to see the benefit.  

1. Heartland Swing Festival organizers

It's undeniable that the organizers are looking to maximize profit.  It feels blunt to say that, but it's true — more money taken in means a better event and happier organizers, ultimately.

Maximizing profit means maximizing dollar intake while limiting spending.  Of course, you have to spend money to make money, but if finding the right balance was easy, business wouldn't be so difficult.   

Miss Heartland can help them do this in the following ways:

• By selling as many promotional calendars as possible
• By promoting the positive aspects of previous events and encouraging people to attend it in the future
• By limiting any use of event or organizer resources (time, money, influence, etc.) to only when they are needed 

The organizers also want to maintain and improve both their own reputation and influence, as well as that of the Festival.  Miss Heartland can also help them do this by:

• Turning the position into one of respect and honor, highlighting the creativity shown in developing the Miss Heartland Swing contest and increasing the profile of the Festival
• Again, promoting the positive aspects of the Heartland Swing Festivals she's attended and letting folks know they should go, too
• Increasing her own following such that she can do the above with as large a group of people as possible

Clearly, Pam wants to make the organizers happy.  She saw their decision to name her as Miss Heartland Swing as a huge honor.  With the above in mind, she feels she will.

2. Miss Heartland Swing herself

Just getting the satisfaction of winning Miss Heartland might seem like enough to most.  But for Pam, there's so much more she thinks she can get out of and learn from this experience.  

The biggest thing, though, is that she gets to make more people happy than she did before because of the Miss Heartland Swing visibility.  Again, making other people happy is the best way to make one's self happy, and I know Pam wants everyone to be happy.

There's more, though: 

• She gets increased exposure and, perhaps, the chance to do more modeling work, which she enjoys.  
• She has good reason to attend more swing dancing events, get more instruction and improve as a dancer, something she's always wanted to do but hasn't felt was worth the cost, weighed against her own enjoyment. 
• She has good reason to spend more time focusing on vintage, reproduction and retro fashion and style, something else she very much enjoys.  
• She can bring attention to dancing in her home of Milwaukee and Wisconsin, potentially bringing more or better events here and also encouraging other local dancers to travel.  
• The Milwaukee scene has room for growth.  Pam has always been unsure how to help encourage it — until she became Miss Heartland Swing.  
• In the role, she can connect with more people and encourage them to consider dancing Milwaukee, which they will hopefully do based off their positive interactions with her.  
• Also, other dancers here may hear how much fun she's having on the road and want to join in, changing the culture here. 
• Her visibility will also reach people who aren't currently dancers but might consider dancing through their interactions with her.   
• There's already been a great example of this:  We may have handed out as many fliers eating at the Rainforest Café on our way to Swinger's Ball 15 as we handed out at the event itself, just from people asking about her dress. 
• Through viral marketing, Pam's influence can reach even beyond those who she's personally met.  
• She gets positive attention.   
• Pam likes positive attention.  I know because it's how I became her boyfriend ... I think.  I still haven't fully figured it out yet, but I know she likes that part. 
• She gets to spend more time with me.  I know you won't believe me when I say that, so you'll have to ask her if that's true the next time you see her.  

There are so many "wins" for Pam beyond just getting to "be" Miss Heartland Swing.  It takes some thinking, though, to understand that. 

3. Other Miss Heartland Swing contestants

Reality:  Someone's going to have to take Pam's place next year.  The bigger and better Pam makes the position, the more opportunities there will likely be for future Miss Heartlands.  Pam wants girls to want the role and see it as an honor. She wants people to know that Miss Heartland Swing is a classy, shining example of how great swing dancing is and that there was good reason she was chosen.  She also wants to make it abundantly clear, at any event she's a part of, that she was the right choice for the role without a doubt.


That mindset comes across to people, including past and future contestants.  It then makes subsequent year's choices just as important and valid, drawing in the best contestants in the future.  By blazing a stellar trail for what Miss Heartland Swing can and should do, future Miss Heartlands better know what and how to maximize their own influence.

Here, too, is where you start to see some of the ideas intermingle:  For the reasons outlined under the 'Organizers' section, a better festival is more enjoyable for all attendees, including the Miss Heartland Swing contestants.  And selling more calendars also means more exposure for the other girls that made it into the calendar this year.  Everyone wins.   

4. Attendees of the Heartland Swing Festival

By Pam helping to ...  

• Bring in more money for the event
• Bring in more people for the event
• Make the already great reputation of the event even better
• Potentially even make new instructors aware of the event, both by attending other events and by featuring them as part of her Wednesday series on Facebook

 ... she helps make the Festival bigger and better for attendees in the future.  The attendees win, too.   

5. Organizers of events affiliated with the Festival

The biggest benefit?  Simple:  Added event promotion.

Assuming organizers of affiliated events choose to include Miss Heartland in their plans, which they have first choice to do over all other events except Stars & Stripes Honor Flights, they get to tap into: 

• A rapidly growing social media following that can be used "out of the box" to promote the event, featuring:
• Over 200 direct contacts between Facebook and Twitter
• Reach of over 65,000 people (friends of direct contacts) on Facebook alone
• The ability to promote Pam's appearance as a value-added function of the event.  
• The class, grace and beauty Miss Heartland displays with her appearance, along with the visibility and "specialness" of having a reigning figurehead of American swing dance present

There's then all the things Pam could do once she's at the event:  

• What better way to have your contest's awards presented than to have Miss Heartland Swing hand them out?  
• Why not have Pam greet dancers as they come in?  Or introduce the band?  She'd be perfect for that.  
• Have follows interested in vintage style or fashion?  Why not set up a shopping trip to a vintage store, or a hair-and-makeup seminar, with a recognized expert in vintage, reproduction and retro style?  Pam would be willing.   

Of course, this assumes events will want Miss Heartland there, given all the positives we're bringing up here and especially since her marketing power, as well as that of future Miss Heartlands, will only continue to increase the more events she goes to, making the role that much more useful to organizers in a "positive spiral."  I'll go into much further detail on this in "Marketing Miss Heartland, Part 2," though.

6. Dancers in the Midwest in general

Directly speaking, dancers can benefit from following Miss Heartland's social media channels.  Facebook, Twitter are not simply places where we make sales pitches and promote events.  We provide useful, engaging, regular content that dancers want to find and see: 

• Every Monday, we post a link to a vintage, reproduction or retro fashion website, giving dancers a chance to improve their appearance and style when dancing
• Tuesdays, we post a swing-era history link, making dancers better aware of the years when swing was king while also shedding light on the heroes of the era:  WWII veterans
• Wednesdays, we post a video from a well-known swing dancer, exposing dancers to new and excellent styles, moves and routines and promoting future teaching appearances by those dancers 

We also can effectively inform dancers about upcoming events and encourage attendance through these channels, which is of benefit as well.

Furthermore, the channels allow us to stay connected with dancers even if we don't see them again on tour, meaning we can still sell them calendars or encourage them to come to the 2013 Heartland Swing Festival if they choose to connect.  We have fliers we place out for people to take at all Miss Heartland Swing appearances encouraging dancers to connect with Facebook or Twitter. 

There's even a direct benefit to the calendar itself:  Dancers who buy the calendar will get a fantastic keepsake related to swing fashion and style.  Girls will get ideas as to how to put themselves together in a cute, "pinupy" style while guys ... yeah ... guys like to look at hot chicks and the calendar lets them do that.  Yet again, everyone wins.  Through her efforts, Miss Heartland makes events in the Midwest better, improving experiences for dancers.

7. Organizers of events in the Midwest in general

We aren't limiting Pam's appearances to Heartland-affiliated events.  Why?  Everyone benefits, no matter where the dancing's going on, because folks who go dancing and get enjoyment will go to other events and eventually will pursue a Heartland-affiliated event.  The better dancing is in the Midwest on the whole, the better it is, period. 

That said ... If there's not a Heartland-affiliated of Stars & Stripes Honor Flight event that has "claimed" Miss Heartland Swing the weekend of your event, Miss Heartland Swing be more than willing to consider attending!

What to do?  Check out the Part 2 blog when it comes out.  Pam is flattered even if you just ask if you'd like her to come ... so do inquire! 

8. Team Pam

What do Molly and I get out of it?  The satisfaction of knowing we helped a good person in Pam.  The further satisfaction of knowing we're making swing dancing in the Midwest better, which is very important to me.  And the chance to add our roles helping the very visible Pam to our resumes, meaning we want to do our best work as well.

For me, when I can get away from my sports duties and travel, I get more quality time with my girlfriend, which never hurts.   I also might get more exposure as a DJ, teacher and media relations professional, which never hurts.

Meanwhile, Molly really wants to improve as a dancer and this is her chance to get out and get some of the best instruction around.  She also wants any exposure she can get as a writer.  This can give her that.

The big one, though, is knowing we got to go along for the ride with a friend in the most exciting year of her life.  That's plenty of reward in my eyes.  

9. People who already knew Pam through swing dancing

I think they take a certain joy in seeing Pam succeed and want to see her succeed in as many ways possible.  As already outlined, any ways Pam can bring some of the great experiences she has on the road home to Milwaukee will help them out too. 

10. People who already knew Pam through non-dance venues

They, too, want to see Pam happy and successful, which makes them happy.

The experience may also encourage others — Pam's WWII and renaissance faire reenactor friends, Pam's co-workers, etc. — to take up dancing, which would also make them happier long term.

The Good Fight  

Scroll back up, now, and look at how long that list is.  It's utterly amazing how much positivity can come from Pam being in this position!  Who wouldn't want to latch onto that experience?

... unfortunately, we have an answer to that.

As we've been trying to coordinate the National Tour, we've run into a surprise.  The first two events that we and some of the Heartland organizers contacted about attending said "No."  

The news stunned us, given how much we focus on being positive, working hard and promoting anything related to swing dance within Team Pam.  Those positives above all seemed like givens to us.  Unfortunately, it's clear that not everyone understands. 

But, I go back to the very start of this blog:  I don't hold it over anyone's heads because people simply don't know Pam or what being Miss Heartland Swing is all about yet.  They might not even know until after Pam has handed her crown to someone else.  They might never know.  It's just the way it is.

I can hear the reaction.  "She won this title at someone else's event and now she's going to try and get into everything."   Or, again, those who don't know Pam might think she's just out to play princess in her sash and tiara. 

Given how many benefits we outlined above for so many people other than Pam ... how much we're willing to sacrifice in terms of money for ancillary costs, not to mention time and talent to promote events we only indirectly benefit from ... and how focused we are on making the Miss Heartland Swing experience great for everyone in the dance community and Pam's life ... thinking Pam "just wants to get in free" or "just wants to be a princess" is simply flawed.

But, before you know Pam, and know from everything above that it's not about being a princess, I can easily see how someone would make those cynical, negative assumptions.  So it goes.  And, as much as we're going to push folks to this blog, I understand the "tl;dr" mentality.  There will be folks that simply never take the time to try and get it and don't see the need to bother.  Such is life. 

Hopefully, though, if you've read all of this, you see that it's about so much more than getting free passes or Pam acting like a princess.  It's about making this thing that we all love — swing dancing — bigger and better.  Not in any particular way, mind you:  We're not pushing an agenda for a particular style of dance, a particular teacher or a particular group (though we do make a point to support those who support us).  This is a great opportunity to grow the dance, if everyone buys in.

And that's what's next for us:  Getting folks to buy in.  We've already been doing it with the online channels, where audience response has been steadily growing.  Now, our next goal is to get event organizers to do it, too, so we can get more exposure and make this thing even better.  The best way to get the idea of what Miss Heartland Swing can do "out there" is simple:  Get Miss Heartland Swing herself "out there," as in out in front of as many people at as many events as possible.  We thought it would be easy to convince folks of that.  It hasn't been.  But, all that means is we're going to try harder now.

So if you organize an event and want to help build the Miss Heartland experience, swing dancing on the whole and, most importantly, your event, shoot me an E-mail at pfeiferbroadcasting@gmail.com.  Know someone who runs an event?  Have them contact us!  And everyone can encourage their friends to join what we consider to be "The Big Team Pam" by liking the Facebook page or following along on Twitter.  Why? The more people buy in, the more everyone wins.

I'd like to say it's just that simple, but it took all of this to explain it, so it obviously isn't.  But, for something this worthwhile, it's not only worth it to try, those of us closest to it don't know any way other than to give our very all.  Off we go. 

P.S.  

Don't get too down about the events that turned us down.  We do have two have also signed on already.  It might not end up being the 26-appearance, 11-state tour we originally advertised.  But there's already a couple events on board ... and, if anything, now there's room for more! 

We'll have news on what those events are soon.  The hints I'll give are "Kansas" and "Oklahoma."  Stay tuned ...