My name is Katharina and I am super happy to have the second time the chance to judge an OEC. I started with Dogdance in 1999/2000 with my first own Border Collie Dixie. I didn’t knew that what we exercised had already different names in different countries. We just enjoyed learning new tricks and presenting them to music at agility demonstrations for entertaining the people. I started to compete as good as possible in North Germany with tournaments only far away and without driving license and car (because I started as teenager), but somehow and over the years we made it as first Dogdance Team in North Germany to Class 3 with some first placings. But doing Dogdance with Dixie was only the beginning. I became quickly a Dogdance teacher, a judge, a book and article author, a Zumba®️instructor and finally I created the dogsport Rally Dogdance, which is now trained with my concept in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Czech. Four dogs more came into my life, that all had and still have super different motivation levels, talents but also challenges in training. Sally (now 17 3/4 years old, former class 3), Lane (now 16 years old, competed „only“ in Funclasses), Sunshine (now 8, class 2) and the only boy between the girls: Floki (now 2, still in Fun classes). Everyone of them is so unique that training them let me grow more than any seminar or theory could do. I have great support also from the human part of my family. My husband is for example also a Dogdancer and took over the training with Lane in 2014 and became a judge some years later. We will be more seen as participants again when our old dogs had the chance to leave this world in their timeline and with less stress as possible. We love our dogs way more than the sport, although this wonderful sport is so worth to be loved. What I personally love about dogdance is the spirit of lived individuality. Every team can choose their own tricks, music, choreography, dress, dance expression and moves or story telling elements. That makes it - if wisely chosen- to a healthy and very creative dogsport. I am looking forward to this great event with many wonderful teams and their routines! Thanks for the invitation! We meet in September!