What is the AM All Star Competition?The Arthur Murray All Stars is a skills competition for every level of professional within each location around the world. The goal is to grow, develop, and reveal the professionals that demonstrate the best customer service, communication, problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. The competition begins in each studio and winners advance to small region, or District, competitions. From there the District winners advance to the large region, or Area, competition. Finally, the Area winners advance to the World Championships in Las Vegas where each Area team tests and one team is pronounced the winner.
More importantly, the real winners are the students of the Arthur Murray Dance Studios as these tests, and accompanying training, help to deliver better communication, teamwork, problem solving, and confidence from every member of the staff.
EC: I was nervous, excited, and held back some tears, but overall - excited that all the hard work is paying off. After seeing my picture last year, I did not want another ugly cry baby face on the Arthur Murray Marquee.
AML: How did you feel going into the Semi-Finals?
EC: I thought 'that I know what I know, and I am going to do my very best.' In the end, if I am myself and do what I have done in the studio to earn the respect and trust of the students and the staff, I will be able to do the best in front of the franchisee judges.
EC: Latin minute cramming! IN the hallway everybody had their notes. For me it was more of a reminder of what training idea went with what. Also, pacing back and forth with Disney Emoji Blitz in my hand helped me last year, so I thought I would try the same strategy, and it worked beautifully. The pep talk came from my franchisees always help, and it's always great to have a special person who believes in you when you have doubts in yourself.
AML: How has this process made you a better professional?
EC: I wouldn't necessarily say it made me a better professional, I would say that it has made me a better person. Training, All Star, testing, all of it, because I like it so much, has made me focus on myself and how I can help others. Yes, I was preparing for a "test", but there usually is a test every time I speak to a student or fellow staff member. Now I have ideas and skills I can use.
EC: Over the years, I always felt I had test anxiety. I used to tel l myself when I wouldn't make it to the semifinals, or the district, that I was glad somebody who "needed it more than I did", or "well, I was so busy teaching that I never had a chance to truly study." I realized that I never took it serious, and I always felt that I never had the chance because there were other, better, teachers out there. Then I had a breakthrough. Lacy Melendez became a franchisee and she couldn't compete anymore. Then I took it seriously, and here I am, two years in a row.
EC: Everything! It will be the culmination of all the hard work, but also another reflection in my mirror of lie that we are doing what is right to change people's lives, we just happen to get some nice rewards in the process.
EC: My staff and students played a huge part, as well as the Woodland Hills familia! We all trained and practiced together. We would practice our communication training and immediately apply it at the studio. One of my students was on to me and asked me if I was in All Star training again.
EC: It means so much. Last year it was a huge validation for me and my position. This year it was a chance to see if last year wasn't just luck. What is special about it is that I used to think that only the "advanced" people in each department got to go. Now it means that I am one of those "advanced" people!
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