Dance notes….

Here’s a nice writeup about chances to do some dancing on the island, submitted by Jim – see what you think:

WHY DANCE
by Jim Vedder

Paul & Mary-Brooke dancing!

Why dance? Or what’s so fun about a man and a woman moving in tandem to the music?
It started when I was fifteen. A hundred fifteen pounds and just waking up to girls. My sister Connie taught me how to jitterbug and then it was off to the Bantam Hut on Friday nights to dance to “Little Latin Lupe Lu,” “Sherry” and “Louie, Louie.” A giant pulsating, neon colored juke box with them on one side of the room, boys on the other and a huge chasm in the middle. It was exciting and – gasp – dangerous! I fancied myself a pretty sharp dancer but, at the same time, knew I was hopelessly outmatched in the area of the opposite sex. Still, there was that allure – rhythm and romance. What could be better?

Jim & Mary-Brooke...

Many years later our daughter was going to be married and we signed up for dance lessons. Swing and salsa. We put in twelve weeks with Bill and Rita at the dance studio. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right. At the reception it was beautiful. Our friends cheered as we slithered and shimmied, folding ourselves in and out. We were on fire. The dream was reborn.

Those were the beginnings. Then came the movie Shall We Dance with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez and the program Dancing with the Stars and, suddenly, everyone wanted to dance. And, best of all, we met Paul and Mary-Brooke. These newcomers are wonderful dancers who are great teachers and totally on fire with spreading the gospel. I’m talking about the gospel of love – also known as ballroom dancing.

Jim turns Karen...

With Paul and Mary-Brooke as our guides my wife Karen and I have been dancing the Rumba, the Cha Cha, Waltz, Swing and Foxtrot. We think the Latin dances are the sexiest but all of the dances have their appeal. For the Waltz, think elegance – I imagine Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. For Swing, it’s sheer exuberance and the compelling beat – say the Animals or the Talking Heads. And for Foxtrot, you’ve got to picture Frank Sinatra and his total command of the universe.

Anyhow, it’s been a lot of fun, but not just because of the dances themselves. We’ve met a whole new batch of friends – friends that embrace life fully. We dance together, we gather at each others’ homes and go out on the town after dance lessons. Lots of laughs.
And I’m working at being a better leader. With the man in dance it’s all about making the woman look good which, believe me, is how it should be. I still haven’t made much progress in that area of understanding the opposite sex, but I am having a great time dancing.

Are you interested in joining a group of people who like to dance? Lessons with Paul and Mary-Brooke Barger will be starting soon. We dance at the XYZ Studio with instruction during the week and extended practice sessions on Friday nights.

Beginning East Coast Swing Group Lessons – Starting Monday September 12th, 7 PM, for five consecutive weeks. $40 each person. Are you ready to rock ‘n roll?

Swing is one dance you will use over and over again when dancing to the live music played around town, so this is a good place to start. It’s not hard to do, and the music is lively and fun. We’ll teach easier step patterns that will provide the foundation for more advanced patterns later. Plus, we’ll show you the lead and follow techniques necessary to be successful dance partners. Comfortable clothes. Hard-soled shoes are very much recommended. Lessons start promptly, so arrive early.

Beginning Waltz Group Lessons – Starting Tuesday September 13th, 7:15 PM, for five consecutive weeks. $40 each person. Get ready for weddings or anniversaries, or a special holiday waltz.

Waltz is a smooth, elegant dance that travels around the dance floor. The music is graceful and can be very emotive. Make believe you are wearing sumptuous long gowns and razor-sharp tuxedos… We’ll teach you easier step patterns that will provide the foundation for more advanced patterns later. And, we’ll show you the lead and follow techniques necessary to be successful dance partners anywhere and with anyone. Comfortable clothes. Hard-soled shoes are very much recommended. Lessons start promptly, so arrive early.

If this appeals to you, contact Paul at [email protected] or 378-4333.

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