Good Morning,
Post Show Email
Can I start off with a giant list of "Thank You's" yes of course but instead I want to speak to everyone that didn't win a Pro Card.
We LOVE the staff of this event and the team has been the same for some time now - it runs like a
machine!
We have a small expediting staff of really good people and many only attend this one event per year because they are phys ed teachers with Donna or work with me out in PA at some gyms.
As far as judges many have been with us for many years as well.
Being that this was our 4th year at
Mohegan Sun makes it better and better as everyone gets to know the venue really well. The stage staff hangs the rigs and builds the stage and knows the lighting plot and set up goes very quickly.
I knew the only thing I can fully control this event is production so I have many meetings and I went to Mohegan many times before the event and sat and talked with production. The key difference the last two years has
been pre-programming the lighting effects.
In pre-programming I give the songs to the lighting director and he designs light show to the beat of the music. The biggest light shows are the Opening Number, Theme Wear Spectacular and Parade of Gowns. These were so good they give goosebumps. As we build out the deck of pre-programmed lights the entire show gets better and better.
Many times I hear that "lights don't matter" but the last two Fitness Atlantic shows the lighting was on a new level. You can likely ask anyone in the audience and they will tell you - it's not boring at all and the lights are truly amazing.
The show lighting is thought out to each minute, each song, each event on stage.
The lights and
marketing of the show is my focus while my wife Donna focuses on the classes and judging.
We have full confidence in the judging panel. They score every contestant.
The scores will be shared very soon in a photo book that we do each year and this takes a little time to put together but we will post the scores very soon on the website as
well.
Now talking about scores and judging we can talk about feelings... feelings of happiness like I feel about the lights. Winners feel l the way - SUPER HAPPY!
While others who placed 2nd to the end of their classes may feel a little down. I understand that is how I would feel about the contestant turnout. The past three years my show numbers have been
down.
Think about it - 3 years ago I had 208, then 160, then under 140 and now 125.
While the production has gotten better and better especially the last two years the numbers of entries are down. I feel like someone presenting a better physique each year and placing lower and lower.
If I put too
much thought into the lower numbers I could easily beat myself up and upset myself. Sometimes the advice given to me is move to a cheaper venue and cut the budget and only use the projector screen on the back stage. Yet that wouldn't make be happy just running a show to try and make money cutting expenses. I bet some contestants are told the same thing - "go enter a smaller show and win".
What is the point of my email and open
honesty about feelings is if you are double thinking how you placed and really wanted a Pro Card try to think about the fact the show is actually one of the larger shows and the quality of contestants was really great.
Try not to only reflect on the placement because that could drive you crazy.
Like me, I could easily overthink lower
numbers OR I have a choice to also think how this was the best production by far ever. I could think to move to a school auditorium and cut expenses and go focus on numbers only but I know that wouldn't make me happy.
I'd love to see people wait out a year and come back to this show again in 2019.
I don't know if people will do that?
Many keep doing shows and going Pro so the return number is usually lower each year.
I said at the athlete meeting last Friday night "This show is a dream come true."
It really is - some people have been with me since the early years and the show has come so far from where it
started.
This show really is incredible to every last detail.
I see so many people who entered sharing photos and videos on Instagram and Facebook regardless how they placed. Keep Posting and #tagging!!!
Thank You to Everyone Involved!
Brian Cannone