DAY 5 Dancing at the Belmont Lounge

Tonight I had a ball dancing at the Belmont Lounge with Kayla and Tia! Every Sunday is Reggae night, and it gets packed so we went early. It's also free for women before Midnight...and you know Iooooooove to get in FREE!

Lots and Lots of cute jamaican boys were there, but what I love most is that the BELMONT LOUNGE is such a mixed crowd! The dj is great!!!!

Day 4 of my "30 Days of Dance" FFFWeek Grand Finale!

It's Day 4 of my "30 Days of Dance" and I spent the evening at The Marriot Marquis in Times Square celebrating the the grand finale of Full Figured Fashion Week. Much love to Igigi for providing such a fabulous dress for me to wear!










The event was produced by the fabulous Gwen Devoe and featured some of the hottest plus size designers in the world!


I was so excited that I danced during the show as the model walked the catwalk, and I also dance d a bit during the after party! Although I did not do a full 45 minutes of dance, I did shake my booty and had a great time!



I went to the show with my great friend, Designer Yaovi Marius Ahiale and the fab diva actress Kit Williams!

The show was amazing and I was so proud to be a part of this event! They even gave me a special thanks in the program....I was too excited!

Give Us Us Free!!!! Day 3 at The Freedom Party

It's Day 3 of my "30 Days of Dance" and I decided to venture into the west village to dance the night away at The Freedom Party! All I can saw is WOW!!! This is the hottest party in NYC for sure! (WATCH VIDEO BELOW)


Every Friday night at Le Poisson Rouge Dj Herbert Holler, DJ Cosi and DJ Marc Smooth throw an amazing party where every body dances!!! I felt so FREE !!!! It was great to be at a party where people just enjoyed themselves and let the music move them!







I went to the party with my lil sis Kayla, and my partner in crime, comedian Yamanieka Saunders! We danced 3 hours straight!!! The party was packed...and we SHUT IT DOWN! We were the last 3 people to leave!!! (security actually kicked us out!)

We met a bunch of cool people. There was some really cute guy named "Carmello" and we took a bunch of pics with him for no reason. 2 cool ass drunk girls took pics with us too! We had a ball!!!

Next week is the Michael Jackson Tribute! It's going to be so live...so get there early!



The Freedom Party NYC is New York City's longest running weekly Friday night dance party. Recently the winner of Papermag's highly coveted award for "Best Party of 2010 (Peoples Choice)," and runner up in URB Magazine's "Best Party of 2010" (nationwide), Freedom was created in 2002 by Herbert Holler, DJ Cosi and Marc Smooth. Their mission was to bring music back to the forefront of nightlife, and to provide a weekly home for people from all walks of life to dance and be free, regardless of who you know, what you wear or how much money you make. Playing an incredibly tight of mix of danceable hits from the 60s through today, including hip-hop, R&B, rock, reggae, soul,New Wave, house music, salsa, merengue, electro, Afrobeat and more, the Freedom Party NYC continues to fill its dance floor each week with people from all over the globe.

Ladies: free before midnight, $10 after

Men: $10 before 2:00am, $15 after

CAAL members receive reduced $10 admission all night; All students receive $5 admission with valid Student ID. Discount taken at the door.

This is a general admission, standing event.

DAY TWO: "30 Days of Dance" ZUMBA!

ZUMBA! ZUMBA! ZUMBA!!!


The world has been going crazy for Zumba and now I know why!

For the 2nd day of my "30 Days of Dance", I decided to go to the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn to take a Zumba Class.

My friend Lanisha went with me, and seeing that we are both sista's who know how to "work it", we just knew that Zumba would be a piece of cake! WRONG!!!!


This dance class was amazing....it was fun....and it is a WORKOUT!!!

I loved the instructor Lauren Rosenstein because not only was she a fantastic dancer, she looked like she was having fun.....and encouraged everyone, no matter what their skill level, to dance and enjoy themselves! And if anyone still thinks that white girls can't dance, then you are not ready for Ms. Rosenstein....she has moves that put me to shame!!!!

As a plus size woman, attempting to go to a dance class, especially one at a professional dance company can be overwhelming. I am so happy that Lauren made me and all of the women feel like superstars!

After a night of dancing with sexy gay strippers the day before at SPLASH, I was so tired. I am surprised that I even made it through the Zumba class....but I did and I am proud!

Zumba is every Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm-8pm for $15 per class.

Here is more info about Lauren, The Mark Morris Dance Center and Zumba!

ZUMBA® is a dance-based fitness class using international music and steps – Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Swing, Tango, Samba, Reggaeton (Latin/Funk), and more. Nonstop energetic routines feature intervals with fast and slow rhythms in addition to resistance training. No partner or previous dance experience required. Recommended attire includes comfortable workout clothes and sneakers with non-marking soles. Two Open Level classes are offered on a drop-in basis.

Lauren Rosenstein

Lauren Rosenstein is originally from Monroe, NY and began dancing at age 3. She studied ballet, tap and jazz at Mayra Kennett Dance Centre. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a dual-major in Dance and Communication Arts. In 2008, she became a certified Zumba Instructor, Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer. In January 2010, she went to Uganda to study traditional dance and to teach at local orphanages and private dance schools. Lauren is currently working on her Master's Degree in Dance Education K-12 at New York University. She loves to dance and have fun, especially in the Zumba Party!

The MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP was formed in 1980 and gave its first concert that year in New York City. In September of 2001, the Mark Morris Dance Center opened in Brooklyn, NY, to provide a home for the company, rehearsal space for the dance community, outreach programs for local children, and a school offering dance classes to students of all ages.

Day One: 30 Days of Dance! Ocean @ Splash

What better way to start off a month long marathon of dance than to do it with some of the sexiest gay men in the world!

My bestie Nathan Williams, star of "Girls who like Boys, who like Boys" on the Sundance Channel is the creator of one of the hottest gay parties that NYC has ever seen....OCEAN @ Splash!

I had a ball! I danced my ass off....literally! This was the most amazing night!

It started off with a fabulous private dinner at SPICE MARKET , hosted by my wonderful friend and chef Marja Vongerichten, wife of three-star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (who owns Spice Market). I wish I would have taken pictures of the food. Marja treated me like a Queen...and I can not wait for her TV show Kimchi Chronicles, a new, 13-episode series on PBS to air! She is a rockstar and I feel honored that she and Nathan would invite me out to dinner to begin my "30 Days of Dance" celebration!

DJ MK is the resident DJ for Ocean @ Splash and she is so talented! MK really knows how to play music that makes you DANCE!!!! By far, she is one of the baddest DJ's in the country! I danced for 2 hours straight and I feel good!!!!

Much love to Nathan, Marja, DJ MK, DJ Bobby Duron, Jabbar and all of my buddies that made my opening night of dance a big "Splash"! Especially the STRIPPERS!

30 Days of Dance? Girl are you Crazy?

People have been asking me why in the world am I attempting to dance everyday for 30 days?

Because I'm crazy...that's why!

I want to get in shape and get active, but the traditional gym is not for me.

First of all, cute workout clothes are made for skinny people! Secondly, when you are big and go to a gym, people look at you like "damn, why are you here?".....which is so stupid. Lastly, I think I might have Adult ADD, I'm not sure....but all I know is that after sit-up #5 I am bored.

Dancing however will keep my attention!

So, from June 15th-July 15th I am going to dance everyday!

I have a 3-fold mission with my "30 Days of Dance"

1. To Have Fun and enjoy NYC: I have lived here for years, but I have been so busy working, that I have not really ventured out to enjoy all that NYC has to offer. From free nightclubs, to low-cost dance classes....I am going to finally get to see all the NYC has to offer a dance freak like me! Also, this year has been very stressful for me, so dancing will make me HAPPY!!!!!
2. To Lose Weight and Get In Shape: I HATE exercise! I want to get active without spending money to join a gym! I want a fun activity that will allow me to sweat, get moving and possibly let a few guys grind on me and feel me up at the same time!
3. I want to tell the world to kiss my FAT ASS: I'm tired of the clubs in NYC that refuse to let "big girls" in. I'm tired of going out to dance and somebody looking at me crazy because "big girls" are not supposed to dance! I'm tired of standing in a corner or sitting down at the table watching the purses of my skinny friends while they dance! I wanna dance too!!!!

If you know of a cool party or a dance class where I can dance, please let me know! I'll be taking pictures, shooting video and spotlighting all of the cool people I meet!


Check my blog regularly for updates on where I am going to dance!

Tonite I am going to "Ocean @ Splash" hosted by the fab Nathan Williams.

DAY 1 Wednesday June 15^th NYC
“Ocean” at Splash
50 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011

Cross Streets: Between 6th Ave and 5th Ave

Neighborhood: Union Square New York, NY

Party with the sexy gay boys!!

I'll be there at 11pm!

DAY 2 Thursday June 16^th ZUMBA in BK
7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Mark Morris Dance Group

3 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn

ZUMBA® is a dance-based fitness class using international music and steps – Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Swing, Tango, Samba, Reggaeton (Latin/Funk), and more. Nonstop energetic routines feature intervals with fast and slow rhythms in addition to resistance training. No partner or previous dance experience required. Recommended attire includes comfortable workout clothes and sneakers with non-marking soles. Two Open Level classes are offered on a drop-in basis.

Phone: 718-624-8400
E-mail: info@mmdg.org
Cost: $13

Erica's 30 Days of Dance

I love to dance, but for some reason...I never do!

Maybe it's because without fail, every time I go to a club and start dancing, the DJ coincidentally starts playing "Ain't Gonna Bump No More with No Big Fat Woman" by Joe Tex.

Maybe it's because most of the clubs in NYC are more worried about status and what you look like, than actually having a party where people have a great time!

Or Maybe it's because I get so caught up in the stress of life that I forget that DANCING makes me feel good!

Well, the summer is here and I am ready to DANCE!!!

I want to get healthy, and get in shape...but the traditional gym will not work for me right now. I need something fun and uplifting....something that does not feel like I'm working out!

I wanna dance! I want to get on the dance floor and drop it like it's hot! I want to shake a tail feather! I want to pop my coochie and have a couple of dollars thrown at me! I WANT TO DANCE!!!

That's why I am about to embark on a journey called "Erica's 30 Days of Dance!"

From June 15th-July 15th, I am going to dance everyday...30 days straight...for at least 45 minutes.

It might be at a nightclub, a dance class....or even my living room.

I have searched high and low for everyday free and low-cost opportunity to dance in NYC.

I hope you will join me! email me at erica@ericawatson.com for more info on my schedule!

Let's DANCE!!!!!
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www.splashbar.com