A publication to engage the dance community. Learn ...sheerdance.com/issues/2014-01-01.pdf ·...
Transcript of A publication to engage the dance community. Learn ...sheerdance.com/issues/2014-01-01.pdf ·...
1 Jan 2014 SHEERDanCE.COM
A publication to engage the dance community. Learn. Discuss. Contribute. Enjoy.
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S SUCCESS AT NATIONALS!
2 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[GET DANCING]
January 9 • Thursday Variety Dance - Dancers Studio; 415 Pascal St
N, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.; $5Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10Late Night Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742
23rd Ave S, Mpls; 10:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; $6, $4 students
January 10 • Friday Practice Party - StudioJeff; 701 St. Germain St
W Suite 201, St. Cloud; 7:00 p.m. foxtrot lesson; 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. variety dance; $10, $5 students
MN WCS Dance Club - B-Dale Club; 2100 N Dale St, Roseville; 7:30 p.m. lesson; 8:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. dance; $10, $7 members
Tim Patrick & His Blue Eyes - Medina Entertainment Center; 500 Highway 55, Medina; 7:30 p.m. foxtrot & swing lesson; 8:30 - 11:30 p.m. dance to live music; $12
Variety Dance - Mill City Ballroom; 2382 Hampden Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 p.m. tango & cha cha lesson; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. dance; $10
January 11 • Saturday Club Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742 23rd
Ave S, Mpls; 7:00 p.m. west coast swing les-son; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. WCS, ECS, nightclub 2-step, waltz dance; $10, $5 dance only
Aqua Gliders Dance Club - St. Richard Catholic Church; Social Hall, 7540 Penn Ave S, Richfield; 7:30 p.m. quickstep lesson; 8:45 - 11:00 p.m. dance; Partner required
January 12 • Sunday Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra - Cinema Ballroom;
1560 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul; 6:15 p.m. group class; 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. dance to live music; $12
Café Bailar - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet, Hopkins; 7:30 p.m. nightclub 2-step lesson; 8:30 - 11:30 p.m. variety dance; $10, $8 members
January 13 • Monday Rhythm Junction - Four Seasons; 1637
Hennepin Ave S, Mpls; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.; $5
January 14 • Tuesday Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10
January 15 • Wednesday Practice Party - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St.
Clair Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.WCS Dance Party - Dancers Studio; 415
Pascal St N, St. Paul; 9:00 - 9:50 p.m.; $5
January 16 • Thursday Variety Dance - Dancers Studio; 415 Pascal St
N, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.; $5Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10Late Night Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742
23rd Ave S, Mpls; 10:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; $6, $4 students
January 17 • Friday Practice Party - StudioJeff; 701 St. Germain St
W Suite 201, St. Cloud; 7:00 p.m. foxtrot lesson; 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. variety dance; $10, $5 students
Variety Dance - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul; 7:00 p.m. Viennese waltz & rumba lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. dance; $10
Club Salsero Bachata Blast - Social Dance Studio; 3742 23rd Ave S, Mpls; 7:00 p.m. lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. salsa, cumbia, bachata, cha cha, merengue dance; $10, $5 dance only
Blue Moon Mix - Blue Moon Ballroom; 2030 Highway 14 E, Rochester; 7:30 p.m. les-son; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. variety dance; $8, $6 youth - dressy casual
January 18 • Saturday Tim Patrick & His Blue Eyes - The Gillespie
Center; 2590 Commerce Blvd, Mound; 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. dance to live music
Disco Glow Variety Dance - Phipps Center for the Arts; 109 Locust St, Hudson, WI; 7:00 p.m. hustle & line dance lesson; 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. disco glow theme dance; $12
January 19 • Sunday TC Rebels WCS Dance - Social Dance Studio;
3742 23rd Ave S, Mpls; 7:00 - 10:30 p.m.; $11, $7 members
January 20 • Monday Rhythm Junction - Four Seasons; 1637
Hennepin Ave S, Mpls; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.; $5
January 21 • Tuesday Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10
January 22 • Wednesday Practice Party - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St.
Clair Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.WCS Dance Party - Dancers Studio; 415
Pascal St N, St. Paul; 9:00 - 9:50 p.m.; $5
January 23 • Thursday Variety Dance - Dancers Studio; 415 Pascal St
N, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.; $5Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10Late Night Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742
23rd Ave S, Mpls; 10:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; $6, $4 students
January 1 • Wednesday Grand Opening - Mill City Ballroom;
2382 Hampden Ave, St. Paul; 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.; Free
January 2 • Thursday Variety Dance - Dancers Studio; 415 Pascal St
N, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.; $5Late Night Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742
23rd Ave S, Mpls; 10:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; $6, $4 students
January 3 • Friday Club Salsero Salsa Sensation - Social Dance
Studio; 3742 23rd Ave S, Mpls; 7:00 p.m. lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. salsa, cumbia, bachata, cha cha, merengue dance; $10, $5 dance only
Tim Patrick CD Release Party - Eagles Club; 2507 E 25th St, Mpls; 7:00 p.m. lesson; 8:00 - 11:30 p.m. dance to live music; $12
Variety Dance - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul; 7:00 p.m. Viennese waltz & rumba lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. dance; $10
Club Salsa - Blue Moon Ballroom; 2030 Highway 14 E, Rochester; 7:30 p.m. lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. salsa, bachata, cumbia, merengue, cha cha dance; $10, $8 students - dressy casual
Variety Dance - Mill City Ballroom; 2382 Hampden Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 p.m. waltz & rumba lesson; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. dance; $10
January 4 • Saturday Variety Dance - Phipps Center for the Arts;
109 Locust St, Hudson, WI; 7:00 p.m. tango & Lindy hop lesson; 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. dance to live music; $15
Retro Swing Sister - Social Dance Studio; 3742 23rd Ave S, Mpls; 7:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. swing dance to live music; $10, $8 students & military
January 5 • Sunday Velvet Brass - Lakeside Dance Club; 180 S
Lakeshore Dr, Glenwood; 2:00 p.m. lesson; 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. dance to live music; $10, $5 ages 17-30 - no jeans, no shorts
TC Rebels WCS Dance - Social Dance Studio; 3742 23rd Ave S, Mpls; 7:00 - 10:30 p.m.; $11, $7 members
January 6 • Monday Rhythm Junction - Four Seasons; 1637
Hennepin Ave S, Mpls; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.; $5
January 7 • Tuesday Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10
January 8 • Wednesday Practice Party - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St.
Clair Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.WCS Dance Party - Dancers Studio; 415
Pascal St N, St. Paul; 9:00 - 9:50 p.m.; $5
Twin Cities Dance Events
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 3
StudiosAmerican Classic Ballroom 952.934.0900
550 Market Street, Chanhassenwww.acballroom.com
Balance Pointe Studios 952.922.86125808R W 36th Street, St. Louis Parkwww.balancepointestudios.com
Ballroom & Wedding Dance Studio 612.371.0300
2717 42nd Street E, Minneapoliswww.myballroomdancestudio.com
Blue Moon Ballroom 507.288.0556 2030 Highway 14 E, Rochesterwww.BlueMoonBallroom.com
Cinema Ballroom 651.699.5910 1560 St. Clair Ave, St. Paulwww.cinemaballroom.com
Dahl Dance Center 507.252.1848 4204 North Highway 52, Rochesterwww.dahldance.com
Dance and Entertainment 651.605.5784www.danceandentertainment.com
Dance with Us America 612.564.5483 10 Southdale Center, Edinawww.dancewithusamerica.com
Dancers Studio 651.641.0777 415 Pascal Street N, St. Paulwww.dancersstudio.com
E.R.V. Dance Studios Ballroom & DanceSport 952.303.3339
816 Mainstreet, Hopkinswww.ERVdancestudios.com
Four Seasons Dance Studio 612.342.0902 1637 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapoliswww.fourseasonsdance.com
Mill City Ballroom 612.562.2733 2382 Hampden Ave, St. Paulwww.millcityballroom.com
North Star Dance Studio 612.799.4147 Bloomingtonfacebook.com/northstar.dancestudio
Rendezvous Dance Studio 612.872.1562 711 W Lake Street, Suite B, Minneapoliswww.theplacetodance.com
Social Dance Studio 612.353.44453742 23rd Ave S, Minneapoliswww.socialdancestudio.com
StudioJeff 320.266.4137 701 St. Germain Street W, Suite 201,
St. Cloudwww.studiojeff.com
InstructorsScott Anderson 612.816.4446
Harry Benson 763.843.2285
Rachel Damiani [email protected]
Nathan Daniels 763.545.8690Jennelle Donnay 651.357.2060Julie Delene 612.598.5355
[email protected] Edelstein 612.910.2690
Jennifer & Robert Foster 952.922.8316Lindsey Rebecca Hall 612.940.9546Julie Jacobson 651.261.6442Jay Larson 651.387.3886Kristina Lee 715.821.9039Deanne Michael 612.508.9255Monica Mohn 612.874.0747
Laia Olivier 612.388.4370Mariusz Olszewski 612.242.5159
[email protected] Rice 612.242.2188Lisa Vogel 651.208.0818
ClubsAqua Gliders Dance Club 612.869.3062Café Bailar
www.cafebailar.comCotillion Dance Club of Stillwater 651.388.1231
[email protected] Dance Club 651.439.3152
facebook.com/LaDanzaDanceClubLakeside Dance Club 320.763.6432
Linden Hills Dancing Club 952.412.7230www.lindenhillsdancingclub.org
MN West Coast Swing Dance Club 651.487.6821
mnwestcoastswingdanceclub.comREBELS Swing Dance Club 952.941.0906
www.tcrebels.comStardust Dance Club
[email protected] Dance Club 952.894.1412
www.suburbanwinterset.comTango Society of Minnesota 612.224.2905
www.mntango.orgTapestry Folkdance Center 612.722.2914
www.tapestryfolkdance.orgUniversity of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club
[email protected]/umnbdc
Twin Cities Dance Contacts
January 24 • Friday Practice Party - StudioJeff; 701 St. Germain St
W Suite 201, St. Cloud; 7:00 p.m. foxtrot lesson; 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. variety dance; $10, $5 students
Salsa Fusion - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul; 7:00 p.m. salsa & cum-bia lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. cha cha, salsa, merengue, cumbia, bachata dance; $10
Country Cabin Fever - Blue Moon Ballroom; 2030 Highway 14 E, Rochester; 7:30 p.m. lesson; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. country western dance; $10, $8 students
MN WCS Dance Club - B-Dale Club; 2100 N Dale St, Roseville; 7:30 p.m. lesson; 8:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. dance; $10, $7 members
January 25 • Saturday Tango Fusion - Social Dance Studio; 3742
23rd Ave S, Mpls; 9:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Argentine tango milonga; $10, $5 students
January 26 • Sunday Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra - Cinema Ballroom;
1560 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul; 6:15 p.m. group class; 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. dance to live music; $12
Café Bailar - Balance Pointe Studios; 5808R W 36th St, St. Louis Park; 7:30 p.m. coun-try 2-step lesson; 8:30 - 11:30 p.m. variety dance; $10, $8 members
January 27 • Monday Rhythm Junction - Four Seasons; 1637
Hennepin Ave S, Mpls; 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.; $5
January 28 • Tuesday Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10
January 29 • Wednesday Practice Party - Cinema Ballroom; 1560 St.
Clair Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.WCS Dance Party - Dancers Studio; 415
Pascal St N, St. Paul; 9:00 - 9:50 p.m.; $5
January 30 • Thursday Variety Dance - Dancers Studio; 415 Pascal St
N, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.; $5Variety Dance - E.R.V.; 816 Mainstreet,
Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10Late Night Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742
23rd Ave S, Mpls; 10:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; $6, $4 students
January 31 • Friday Practice Party - StudioJeff; 701 St. Germain
St W Suite 201, St. Cloud; 7:00 p.m. east coast swing lesson; 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. vari-ety dance; $10, $5 students
Variety Dance - Mill City Ballroom; 2382 Hampden Ave, St. Paul; 8:00 p.m. foxtrot & swing lesson; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. dance; $10 E
4 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM
AdvertisersBeyond Ballroom Dance Company, Cotillion Dance Club,
Dahl Dance Center, Dance with Us America Dancers Studio, E.R.V. Studios, Robert and Jennifer Foster, Katie Menk, Mill City Ballroom, Mariusz Olszewski, Rhapsody & Rhythm, Sundberg Tax & Consulting, TC Rebels, Lisa Vogel
PhotographersTheresa Kimler, Karen McKinney, John Russo, Joel
Torgeson, Arun Velliangiri
VolunteersMary Beth Beckman, Nicholas Westlake
WritersMary Beth Beckman, Elizabeth Dickinson, Mary McCreary,
Daniel O’Connell, Christine Trask, Joel Torgeson
Brought to You By
In This Issue
[Get Dancing]Twin Cities Dance Events 2
Twin Cities Dance Contacts 3
2014 Competitions 5
[Participate]About Us 7
Volunteer Openings 7
Contribute 8
[Recurring Columns]Volunteer Report 10
Gaining Perspective 12
Life Through Dance 17
[Special Features]Congratulations to the University of
Minnesota Competitive Ballroom Team 19
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly 31
[From the Community]My First Ever Social Dance 34
Lindy Hop Revival 37
Photos from the National Collegiate DanceSport Championship by Karen McKinney
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 5
Sections 2014 Competitions
DiscussionThis is a forum where people
are invited to express their true
feelings about issues in the dance
community (while still adhering
to our submission guidelines) and
propose solutions to the prob-
lems we often face. Statements
made in the Discussion section do
not necessarily reflect the views
of Sheer Dance, even when written
by one of our volunteer staff.
From the CommunityUnlike the other sections,
there is no cohesive theme to
From the Community; it is a
catch-all for the unique gems
that are submitted by people
like you. Here you’ll find con-
tributions like event recaps,
interviews, tales from a far-off
competition, and photos from a
local dance event.
Recurring ColumnsWe have a handful of generous
writers who contribute regularly.
Each explores a unique, overar-
ching theme of their choice. Each
month, in a volunteer report,
one of our volunteers fills you
in on what they’ve been doing
to make the dance community
a better place.
Special FeaturesSome issues focus on a particu-
lar event or theme, and all content
relevant to that theme belongs to
the Special Features section. E
Cover Photo by Joel Torgeson
Events labeled NQE are qualifying events for the USA
Dance National DanceSport Championships.
The Snow Ball January 11 – 12Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Mall of America; www.thesnowballcomp.com
Manhattan Amateur Classic – MAC – NQE January 17 – 19New York, NY; mac.nyusadance.org
Southwest Regional – NQE January 31 – February 1Culver City, CA; www.swregionaldancesport.com
Mid-Atlantic Championships - NQE February 15 - 16Bethesda, MD; www.usadancedc.org
Star of the North DanceSport Classic March 1 - 2Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront; www.sotncomp.com
2014 National DanceSport Championships March 28 – 30Baltimore, MD; www.usadancenationals.org
Minnesota Star Ball DanceSport Competition May 18Medina Ballroom; www.mnstarball.com
NJ DanceSport Classic – Summer Sizzler – NQE June 7 – 8Hackensack, NJ; www.njdancesportclassic.com
Gumbo DanceSport Championships – NQE June 27 – 29Baton Rouge, LA; www.gumboofballroom.org
Derby City DanceSport Championships – NQE August 1 – 3Louisville, KY; www.derbycitydancesport.org
New England DanceSport Championships – NQE SeptemberDanvers, MA; www.nedancesport.org
Northwest DanceSport Championships – NQE SeptemberPortland, OR; www.nwballroomcompetition.org
Carolina Fall Classic – NQE October 3 – 5Charlotte, NC; www.carolinafallclassic.com
Chicago DanceSport Challenge - NQE October 31 - November 2Chicago, IL; www.usadancechicago.org
California State DanceSport Championships - NQE Novemberwww.usadance-norcal.org
Congratulations!University of MN Ballroom Club
National Collegiate Dancesport Champions
Live . Love . Dance .dancers studiofrom,
Columbus, OH 2013
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 7[PARTICIPATE]
About Us
Sheer Dance is an independent
publication that presents news and
information relevant to the ballroom
dance community in the central
United States and the nation at large.
It is intended to be an accessible
outlet for members of the commu-
nity to discuss their experiences
and opinions in a public forum.
Published monthly, Sheer Dance is
run by group of skilled volunteers
with extensive experience in cre-
ating and distributing successful
ballroom dance publications.
This magazine is meant to serve
the community as a positive and uni-
fying force by addressing the needs
and desires of all groups within the
community. Sheer Dance:
• Provides amateurs with a conve-
nient way to share their dance
experiences, seek advice from
experts, and learn about events,
services, and other opportunities
in the wider ballroom community;
• Provides professionals with direct
access to their target audience,
spreading awareness of their
expertise, events, and services;
and
• Provides the entire community
with a forum for discussion, coop-
eration, and problem-solving.
Sheer Dance is made possible by the
generous contributions of members
of the community. If you enjoy read-
ing this publication, please consider
contributing an article, making
a donation, or volunteering your
time and skills.
The staff of Sheer Dance can be
reached at [email protected]. We
hope to hear from you! E
Volunteer Openings
Acquisitions EditorThis volunteer reaches out to mem-
bers of the ballroom community to solicit
submissions. This individual must possess
excellent written communication skills, be
attentive to goals and deadlines, and manage
their email frequently.
Advertising EditorThe Advertising Editor is responsible
for connecting with potential advertisers,
explaining our advertising package and the
benefits of advertising, arranging payment,
scheduling ads, and ensuring all advertising
art meets specifications and is delivered to the
Designer by the deadline.
ColumnistWe’re always looking for more people to
commit to writing an article every month that
addresses a particular idea or theme relevant
to ballroom dancing. You choose the topic!
Event EditorThis individual uses online and personal
resources to find social dance events in the
Twin Cities area and formats event informa-
tion for publication. This is an important role
that requires a small monthly time invest-
ment, perfect for the person who wants to be
involved but doesn’t have much time to spare.
ProofreaderThe Proofreader is responsible for catch-
ing any errors that get by the Executive
Editor and Designer. This position is reserved
for someone with a keen eye for detail
and an intimate understanding of English
spelling and grammar.
Your Contribution HereHave an idea of how you could add value
to Sheer Dance that we haven’t thought of ?
Let us know! E
8 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[PARTICIPATE]
Contribute
Submission GuidelinesSubmissions are due to [email protected] by the
15th of the month prior to publication. Submissions
received after the deadline may be used in the upcom-
ing issue or may be saved for a later month. You may
request a five-day extension if you include informa-
tion regarding your topic.
Content is printed at the discretion of Sheer Dance
based on the policies outlined below. It is our goal
to publish all of the content submitted to us in the
issue for which it was submitted. Any rejected adver-
tisement or article will come with communication on
how it could be edited to be appropriate for publi-
cation, with a deadline extension when possible to
allow time to effect the necessary alterations.
AdvertisementsWe print at 300 dpi and accept PDF, PNG, and
JPEG file types. When buying a larger advertising
package, you may swap in a different ad for each
month at no additional fee. The chart below features
our introductory rates, which are subject to change as
the publication grows.
Layout Dimensions (width × height)
Price Per Ad Price for 12 Consecutive Months
Full Page 7.5” x 10” $120 $1200
Half Page 7.5” x 4.75” $75 $750
Quarter Page 3.5” x 4.75” $50 $500
Business Card 3.5” x 2” $15 $150
PhotosWhen selecting photos to include in the maga-
zine, we try to feature different dancers in each pic-
ture, when possible. We look for photos with good
lighting, a clear focus, and smiling amateurs who
are actively dancing.
ArticlesAll articles must be clearly relevant to ballroom
dancing. There are no length requirements or limits,
but Sheer Dance may break up longer articles across
multiple issues when appropriate. While articles
may promote specific events, that cannot be their
primary function; they must have a broader applica-
bility to enlightening the dance community. Articles
must be respectful and productive. Harassment
of any kind will not be published, nor will arti-
cles that fall below Contradiction on the scale
of productive argumentation.
Refuting the Central Point
Refutation
Counterargument
Contradiction
Responding to Tone
Ad Hominem
Name-calling
Explicitly refutes the central point
Finds the mistake and explains why it’s mistaken using quotes
Contradicts and then backs it up with reasoning and/or supporting evidence
States the opposing case with little or no supporting evidence
Criticizes the tone of the writing without addressing the substance of the argument
Attacks the characteristics or authority of the writer without addressing the substance of the argument
Discourse like “The writer isan imbecile”
Editing PolicyContent submitted to Sheer Dance will be edited
for spelling, grammar, sentence structure, style, and
appropriateness of content.
Any kind of bigotry, inappropriate religious or
political statements, name-calling, verifiably untrue
statements, unreasonable and unverifiable claims,
and unpaid content that only serves to adver-
tise goods or services are all subject to removal.
Content that serves no appropriate purpose will
not be published.
If you are dissatisfied with any edits made by
Sheer Dance, you are welcome and encouraged to
compose a Letter to the Editor, which, so long as it
meets the submission guidelines, will be posted in
the Discussion section of the subsequent issue with
a response from Sheer Dance. Sheer Dance retains the
right to discontinue public editorial discussions
when they no longer add value for the dance com-
munity at large, though private exchanges may
still be relevant. E
10 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[RECURRING COLUMNS]
This inaugural issue of Sheer Dance is
very special in that its primary purpose
is to congratulate the University of
Minnesota’s competitive ballroom team
on their truly impressive performance
at the Collegiate National DanceSport
Championship in Ohio. Many of the
competitors shared their experiences
at the competition, and local clubs, stu-
dios, independent instructors, and busi-
nesses offered their congratulations to
these exemplary college students.
What makes these young dancers so
impressive isn’t just their placements;
it’s their commitment to dance amidst
all their other responsibilities. College
is busy: double majors, honors courses,
on- and off-campus jobs, social com-
mitments, a few hours here and there
for sleep. That these students spend
their limited resources—both time and
money—on dancing is sort of amazing.
The University of Minnesota Ballroom
Dance Club is expertly and lovingly run
by a small group of fiercely dedicated
dancers, and those club members who
choose to join the competitive team
are in very good hands, but it’s import-
ant to remember that even with all the
help and encouragement these stu-
dents receive, they’re doing something
amazing just by continuing to show up
to practice, work hard, buy competi-
tion clothes, and learn how to do their
hair and do homework on a bus.
These dancers are the next gener-
ation of dance students and teachers.
They will fill studios and fuel the local
dance industry. By embracing them
and lauding their commitment, we
secure the ongoing relevance of ball-
room dancing in the Twin Cities and
across the nation.
Thanks for reading, and know
that nothing would make Sheer Dance
happier than to publish your arti-
cles and photos pertaining to dance.
All submissions can be emailed to
Volunteer ReportFrom the Executive EditorBY MARY BETH BECKMAN
I am downrIght gIddy to intro-
duce Sheer Dance to the world. Many
of you know me as the former editor
of the Minnesota Dancing Times. I gained
a lot of invaluable experience in the
two years I spent in that role, and I am
excited to grow into this new leg of
my volunteering journey.
Several things set this magazine
apart from other ballroom dance pub-
lications, and most of those are laid out
in the About Us section. I encourage
you to read that very important page
to learn what we’re doing and how you
can be a part of it.
Mary Beth Beckman is a long-term volunteer committed to serving the dance community and is the
Executive Editor of Sheer Dance. To solicit her editing services, ask questions about Sheer Dance, or
submit content, email her at [email protected].
12 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[RECURRING COLUMNS]
“Joel! we made fInals in both!”
my partner, Rosemary O’Connell,
said with a grin. I confirmed it with
my own eyes, briefly laughed aloud,
and smiled too. As I jogged to the
water station in a last-ditch effort to
beat back the advancing desert in my
throat, I couldn’t help wondering at
that outcome. I had known it would be
a stretch for me to jump to silver-level
dancing just over a year after trying my
first waltz box step. I knew that with
hard work and determination I had the
potential to show well. But I definitely
did not expect to final in a silver event,
let alone two!
We hurried to the on-deck area, just
in time to wipe the sweat off our faces
and check in with the deck captain. In
the seconds before our heat was called,
I couldn’t help but notice the nervous,
excited energy emanating from the
newcomer couples who were lining
up across the way from us. I vividly
remembered being right there last
year, watching the silver couples lin-
ing up and getting ready to take their
places for their finals, and I wondered
if I fit my memory’s mirror. The silver
couples back then had seemed so seri-
ous, so incredibly good and competitive.
I certainly felt competitive at that
moment, but good? Not so much. The
more I thought about my own dancing,
the less good I felt about it. But that
spoke to something else in my mem-
ory of those couples back then; they’d
seemed so wrapped up in their own
dancing, their eyes and faces set with
mental preparations for the dance to
come. Before I had time to think any
further, our heat was called, and every-
thing but partner, music, and compe-
tition faded into a comfortable blur
beyond the range of my cognition. One
after another, waltz, tango, Viennese,
and foxtrot all came together with fun
and terror. Fewer than seven minutes
later, it was over, and we were panting
on the sidelines. Our dancing done, we
had only to wait for awards.
With my dancing done for the
moment, my mind drifted back to the
thought I’d had briefly before taking
the floor, that the silver couples had
seemed so very caught up in their own
dancing. It’s hard to put a finger on
precisely what it is that made them feel
distant, but an honest look at myself
revealed the same pattern; it seemed
that everything about dance related to
strictly my partner and me. I felt I was
constantly struggling against my own
inadequacies, as if by practicing that
promenade just right, or getting out of
her way just a little more in the natural,
everything about the dance would
click into place and it would instanta-
neously be right. Something about that
approach strikes me as off.
Don’t get me wrong; I completely
believe in hard work, and it’s necessary
in advancing one’s dancing. Those
endlessly practiced promenades and
naturals are the building blocks of bet-
ter dancing. Without them, the edifice
of dance doesn’t get far off the ground.
But also, I have come to see (perhaps,
Gaining PerspectiveThe National Collegiate DanceSport ChampionshipBY JOEL TORGESON
Joel Torgeson is a member of the University of
Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club who enjoys
dancing both socially and competitively.
West Coast Swing Do you want to learn a little more West Coast Swing? Come and learn how from the TC Rebels!
January Classes All Classes 5:00-7:00 p.m. 3 Sundays: January 5, 12, and 19 • Beginning West Coast Swing
series -OR-
• 6 Count Patterns series Sunday, January 26; Specialty class: Cool Moves You Can Actually Do
February Classes All Classes 5:00-7:00 p.m. 3 Sundays: February 9, 16, and 23 • Whips series Or, choose any of these specialty classes: February 9; Specialty class: Ladies Syncopations II (beginner) February 16; Specialty Class: Sizzlin’ WCS Syncopations and Creative Ideas for Ladies (Intermediate) February 23; Specialty Class: Leader’s Styling
Save the Date! April 12, 2014: Swing into Spring Workshops with Joy Davina and Todd Paulus June 21-22, 2014: Rebels Anniversary Weekend featuring the incomparable Michael Kiehm! October 18-19, 2014: Rebels Masquerade Ball with Jessica Cox and John Lindo (2 fabulous pros for 1 reasonable price!)
Classes and events held at Social Dance Studio, 3742 23rd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407. For more information, please check the TC Rebels website at www.tcrebels.com, call the Hotline at 952-941-0906, or email at [email protected]. Classes are subject to change or cancellation.
Pricing For January and February classes: • Each 3-week series (6 hours total) is $45 for
members and students with ID and $60 for guests.
• One-time specialty classes (2 hours total) is $15 for members and students with ID and $20 for guests.
Annual memberships are $25 and available at the door. Pre-payment available on the Rebels website or at the door with cash, check (made payable to TC Rebels) or credit card.
14 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[RECURRING COLUMNS]
more accurately, glimpse) that simply
knowing the mechanics of a good natu-
ral or promenade is not enough either.
To complete the building metaphor,
the building blocks are nothing more
than cold stone without something
important to house. While working on
the structural aspects of dance, I fear
I lost some of the drive that initially
drew me to it. I’ve decided it’s my New
Year’s resolution, if you will, to get
back to the basics of dance: loving the
music and the movement, and just hav-
ing fun with it! I’ll still work hard and
practice my promenades and naturals,
but hopefully not to the exclusion of
finding joy in what I’m doing.
As for the rest of the team, Collegiate
Nationals 2013 was, by all accounts, a
success. Looking at things from a purely
statistical standpoint, this year showed
our team as a whole making more
callbacks, on average, than the two
years previous (and possibly beyond—I
don’t have knowledge of those years).
We had couples competing in divisions
from newcomer all the way to gold,
and everyone’s dancing was definitely
at a higher plane than it was the year
before. Many U of M couples made it
to the quarterfinals and semifinals. Lee
Wintervold and his two partners did
especially well; Lizzie Weaver and Lee
took bronze smooth by storm, taking
third in waltz and tango and first in fox-
trot. Lee and Sierra Kimbrough nailed
their performances in bronze standard,
placing third in waltz and quickstep,
third in foxtrot, and second in tango.
Additionally, Michael Kasinkas and
Karen Maldonado took fifth in silver
rhythm swing and mambo, Michael
Veres and Jiarui Li took seventh in
bronze American swing, Seth Westlake
and Michelle Hale got sixth in new-
comer American foxtrot, and Sam Blass
and Rachel Marusinec placed sixth in
newcomer American waltz. As for my
own results, I couldn’t be more pleased!
Rosemary O’Connell and I got fourth
in silver American waltz and tango,
and foxtrot and Viennese waltz, and
my other partner, Tijen Petersen, and
I took fifth in bronze American swing.
So there you have it: a brief over-
view of my experience at this year’s
Collegiate Nationals. As noted above, I
fully intend to focus more on just danc-
ing for the fun of it as this new year
unfolds, and I hope all of you out there
find as much fun as you can in your
dancing as well. Happy New Year, and
I hope to see you out dancing soon! E
Photo from the National Collegiate DanceSport Championship by Karen McKinney
Y o u C o u l d B e S w i n g i n ’ O n A S t a r
High Quality Instruction
A Welcoming Atmosphere
B A L L R O O M and
L A T I Ndancing for all ages
and
Mill City Ballroom2382 Hampden Avenue Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114
612-562-2733 www.millcityballroom.com
Now OpenP R I V A T E L E S S O N S
G R O U P C L A S S E SS O C I A L P A R T I E S
Join the fun
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 17[RECURRING COLUMNS]
Life Through DanceThe Rhythms of LifeBY ELIZABETH DICKINSON
sometImes I Just can’t hear a song’s rhythm. Even
if I pick out the melody
line, there are competing
harmonies that throw me
off. In a closed hold, my
teacher can either lead me
into the rhythm or, in the
worst case, change the song.
It’s not an option to
change the song at social
dances. Some men I dance
with have the same prob-
lem hearing the rhythm.
We’ve all seen (or been!)
the couple that starts
dancing last because they
can’t hear the rhythm.
It seems particularly
problematic in the Latin
songs—there are so many
unfamiliar instruments
competing for attention.
A teacher observed once
in a group class that most
couples were just using
the music as background,
since no one seemed to be
counting. While I’ve gotten
better at counting, it con-
tinues to be problematic at
the higher levels. There are
so many alternate rhythms
choreographed into my
dances that it seems all the
old rules for each dance
have been thrown out.
Recently I was dancing
with a gentleman who was
fine with the basics steps,
but every time he turned
me, he’d completely lose
the beat. He was even
counting out loud, but his
steps weren’t aligned with
the rhythm he was count-
ing—he was emphasizing
and valuing the choreog-
raphy over the rhythm. As
a follow, this felt chaotic
and, at times, dangerous.
You simply can’t follow
steps if the rhythm of a
song isn’t being obeyed.
There is a rhythm to life,
too, and when we don’t
heed it, life, too, can feel
chaotic. When we don’t eat
when we’re truly hungry,
sleep when we need rest,
or act when our higher
intuition guides us, we’re
disobeying our own inter-
nal rhythms. If we continue
to do this over time, we
can become stressed, ill,
or depressed. Worst case,
life becomes chaotic and
we become dangerous to
ourselves or others.
Even if you’re doing
your life choreography
correctly, it’s not going to
benefit you if you’re out of
step with your own inter-
nal rhythm of when to take
(or avoid) action. In this
new year, I hope we all can
find the correct external
beat in dancing, and follow
our own internal rhythm
in our lives. E
Elizabeth Dickinson is a life/executive coach and amateur ball-
room dancer. If you enjoy her writing and would like to receive her
weekly emailed coaching newsletter, visit www.pursueyourpath.com
and sign up.
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 19[SPECIAL FEATURES]
The University of Minnesota dancers
are always the highlight of every event!
Their competition team impresses
and exceeds the expectations of other
collegiate dancers, and experienced
dancers absolutely love seeing young
people dancing at an event. Overall,
the energy, attitude, and skill of the
University of Minnesota Ballroom
Dance Club consistently lights up
a dance event!
— Sundberg Tax & Consulting
The TC Rebels would love to send
their congratulations on to enthusias-
tic University of Minnesota students.
How wonderful that there is a U of M
competitive ballroom team. The fact
that they did so well at Collegiate
Nationals this year shows not only
their talent, but a dedication to dance.
We are sure that tough choices had to
be made with their busy schedules,
and it is delightful that they achieved
so much. Stick with it!
— TC Rebels E
Congratulations to the University of Minnesota Competitive Ballroom TeamThe Community
Beyond Ballroom Dance Company
offers its warmest congratulations to
the University of Minnesota competi-
tive ballroom team for their wonderful
performance at Collegiate Nationals.
Keep dancing!
— Beyond Ballroom Dance Company
Congratulations from the Cotillion
Dance Club to the University of
Minnesota competitive dance team
for your impressive performance at
Collegiate Nationals in Ohio. In the
words of dancer and choreographer
Merce Cunningham: “You have to love
dancing to stick to it. It gives you noth-
ing back, no manuscripts to store away,
no paintings to show on walls and
maybe hang in museums, no poems to
be printed and sold, nothing but that
single fleeting moment when you feel
alive.” We admire all the time, effort,
and work it takes to dance at a com-
petitive level, and to be the best that
you can be.
— Cotillion Dance Club
Congrats to the U of M team on
your great results at Nationals! You’re
a fantastic group of individuals, and
we hope you continue to grow in your
knowledge and execution of the awe-
some skill of ballroom dancing.
— Mill City Ballroom
Congratulations to the University of
Minnesota Ballroom Dance Competition
Team on their great results at the
Collegiate National Championships!
— Rapit Printing
There has to be something in water
in Minnesota, because we always pro-
duce some of the country’s best danc-
ers! Congrats to all the competitors!
— Robert and Jennifer Foster
Photo from the National Collegiate DanceSport
Championship by Karen McKinney
20 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[SPECIAL FEATURES]
Congratulations to the University of Minnesota Competitive Ballroom TeamThe Team
Immersing myself in ballroom for a weekend
always rekindles my drive to become the
best dancer I can. Plus, it’s impossible not
to have fun!
Danny Bakke
Collegiate Nationals was a terrific expe-
rience. I danced in the newcomer division
with Rachel Marusinec and placed sixth in
American waltz out of seventy-three couples.
I also made it to the quarterfinals in bronze
American foxtrot with Savanna Moen. I will
definitely continue dancing after I graduate!
Sam Blass
Colie Anderson
Missy Baddin
Calvin Behling
Daniel Boman
dancers studio
NEW YEARNEW YOU!
40% OFF PRIVATE LESSONPACKAGES FOR
NEW STUDENTS!
651.641.0777 | [email protected] PASCAL ST N. | ST. PAUL, MN 55104
*NOT VALID WITH OTHER OFFERS. VALID FOR UP TO 12 LESSON PACKAGES. 1 PACKAGE PER PERSON. ENDS 1/30/14.
22 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[SPECIAL FEATURES]
I would like to thank Nicole Nissen-Hooper
and Lizzie Weaver for being my dance
partners for the 2013 fall semester. I had a
wonderful time competing in the National
Collegiate DanceSport Championship and
look forward to future competitions.
John Frame
When I came to the States last August, I
experienced culture shock; my peers talk
about the things that I know not of: football,
games, sitcoms. I felt somewhat like an out-
cast. But with ballroom dancing, which I’d
done for a while before coming to the States,
there was something that I did know. It was
the tool for me to connect, to communicate,
to engage in a super awesome community.
Frank Ha
Tyler Bridges Michelle HaleJake Karr
I’m very proud of being a part of the compet-
itive ballroom team. The days I spent with
my teammates in Ohio have become my most
precious memory from university, especially
when my partner and I made the finals in
bronze swing. I love dancing.
Jiarui “Iris” Li
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 23[SPECIAL FEATURES]
Marissa Clark
This was my first year going to the National
Collegiate DanceSport Championship, and
I had a wonderful time. I had a lot of fun
dancing and competing, and I also enjoyed
watching and learning from the more expe-
rienced members of the team. Making it to
finals and placing sixth out of seventy-three
couples in newcomer smooth waltz was
definitely a highlight.
Rachel Marusinec
Michael Kasinkas Sierra Kimbrough
Meredith McKinney
Congratulations to the University of Minnesota Competitive Ballroom TeamThe Team
Congratulations to my fellow teammates
on their success!
Daniel O’Connell
Congratulations to the U of M Ballroom Dance Competition Team! Stunning results reflect your dedication, talent and training!!!
Sunday nights starting January 12:Beginning Ballroom 4:30Continuing Ballroom 5:30Intro to Ballroom 6:30Dance Moves9205 Lexington AveCircle Pines MN 55014Also available for private and group [email protected]
USA Dance Champion
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 25[SPECIAL FEATURES]
Karen Maldonado
Collegiate Nationals was amazing! I was so
impressed by everyone’s moves and school
spirit. Making it to semifinals in smooth
foxtrot was incredible, but just being in Ohio
with the team made the trip perfect.
Nicole Nissen-Hooper
Natalie McMann Savanna Moen Naomi Ochoa
I couldn’t be more pleased with the results!
The team as a whole outperformed previous
years, earning an enormous amount of call-
backs. From newcomer to gold, the U of M
competitors did themselves proud.
Joel Torgeson
26 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[SPECIAL FEATURES]
As usual, Collegiate Nationals was a long and
fun-filled weekend. For me, the highlights
were taking fourth place in both my silver
smooth events with Joel Torgeson and com-
peting in novice rhythm with Dan O’Connell.
Rosemary O’Connell
I had another fantastic semester of ball-
room dancing. Even with a foot injury right
before Collegiate Nationals, my partnerships
danced really well and got callbacks in almost
everything! Overall, dancing continued to be
a wonderful experience and provided lots of
great memories and new friends.
Luke Rosedahl
Jack O’Leary
Tijen Petersen Ryan Roznowski
Congratulations to the University of Minnesota Competitive Ballroom TeamThe Team
Advertisement
28 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[SPECIAL FEATURES]
My first time competing at the National
Collegiate DanceSport Championship was
definitely a worthwhile experience. I made
callbacks for smooth foxtrot and rhythm
cha cha and rumba. I enjoyed dancing with
both of my partners, and I look forward
to future competitions.
Thomas Stastny
Stephanie Swam
Michael Veres
Sarah Snapp
I am excited to report that our trip to
the National Collegiate DanceSport
Championship was a rousing success! In my
events, we averaged in the top 45% of our
standard heats and made it to semifinals
in smooth and rhythm. Although we hoped
to make it to the finals, this is our first year
competing gold syllabus, so I am still quite
pleased with our results. Furthermore, as the
president of the club, I am astounded by the
impressive amount that our team has been
able to accomplish in just one semester. Our
new dancers were well prepared for such a
large event as this, and all of our dancers
competed very professionally. As this is
my last year as a collegiate dancer, I look
forward to hearing about all of the club’s
success in years to come.
Taylor Wall
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 29[SPECIAL FEATURES]
We had almost three months to prepare for
Ohio, and when we finally got to compete,
we were far from disappointed. The U of M
competition team made a great showing in
Columbus, breaking through many of the
preliminary rounds and placing among the
top eight couples in several categories. It was
very exciting for me to have placed fifth in
American foxtrot, especially with over sixty
couples in the newcomer division with sim-
ilar levels of skill and experience. I hope to
make Ohio an annual stop as I learn to dance
at a higher level in the coming years. E
Seth Westlake
I had a fantastic time attending the National
Collegiate DanceSport Championship in Ohio
this year. I danced bronze smooth and stan-
dard, placing in the top three in all styles,
with a first place finish in American foxtrot.
The weekend was a blast, and I can’t wait to
attend next year with my partners.
Lee Wintervold
Lizzie Weaver
Libby Ryan
Congratulations to the University of Minnesota Competitive Ballroom TeamThe Team
Connor McPhillips
Presented by Gene and Elena Bersten
Located on the lower level of Southdale mall,
www.DanceWithUsAmerica.com 612.564.5483 or 763.234.8656
Home of Alan Bersten from Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance”
Congratulations to The U of M ballroom dance team!
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 31[SPECIAL FEATURES]
The Good, the Bad, the UglyNational Collegiate DanceSport ChampionshipBY DANIEL O’CONNELL
thIs year was my fourth and
final year competing at the National
Collegiate DanceSport Championship.
For members of the University of
Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club, the
trip involves two fourteen-hour bus
rides. That’s how you know the expe-
rience has to be good: it takes a lot to
make a trip worth sleeping through the
night on a bus.
Held at the same time and place as
Ohio Star Ball, the National Collegiate
DanceSport Championship often brings
out the best collegiate competitors
in the country, with extremely large
and deep heats compared to a normal
competition. Many who compete there
go on to the finals and semifinals in
their respective divisions and levels at
USA Dance Nationals in the spring, so
it is a fantastic check-in point at a fan-
tastic price. Here’s what I specifically
enjoyed (or did not enjoy) about my
trip this year:
The Good• Since the trip to Columbus involves
a fourteen-hour bus ride, both sleep
and good nutrition are hard to come
by. Having optimal amounts of
energy and hydration can make a big
difference in your performance. This
year I learned how to optimize my
eating and sleep habits while com-
peting. If I had to recommend one
thing to others, I would recommend
dark-chocolate-covered almonds.
The almonds have a good mix of
carbohydrates, fat, and protein, as
well as a little bit of caffeine. They’re
a great choice for right before you
compete and throughout the day.
Also please remember to hydrate
constantly. I try to drink my weight
in fluid ounces, and that seems to
work really well for me.
• Competing can often be a solitary
affair, but I think that having team-
mates and friends can make a really
big difference in how enjoyable the
trip will be. It’s really fun to have
friends there for you and cheer-
ing you on, and it is wonderful to
enjoy the success of others. Having
friends can also make the downtime
significantly more enjoyable.
• Speaking of fourteen-hour bus
rides and friends, we watched
every Celebrity Jeopardy skit
from Saturday Night Live on the
bus ride. It was definitely funnier
than I remembered.
• Competitions can be a wonderful
learning experience. It can be a great
time to learn about yourself and
your dancing, and draw inspiration
from others. This year I continued to
develop the performance side of my
dancing, and I learned how to think
less while I perform. I also developed
a better understanding of what sets
apart the truly great couples from
the mediocre ones.
• Having wonderful partners is great.
I get to dance with my smarter-
and-better-looking-than-me wife, so
that’s always a treat. In addition, I
got to dance with Libby Ryan, who
is also smarter and better looking
than me. Working with her has been
a lot of fun, and I look forward to
continuing to dance with her at Star
of the North and beyond.
The Bad• This year I missed a lot of opportuni-
ties I’d wanted to take advantage of.
Ohio Star Ball is one of the largest
(if not the largest) gatherings of
vendors in the country. Since my
wife and I both design her dresses,
we like window shopping for inspi-
ration and to better understand the
qualities that define a great dress. It
is also a great opportunity to watch
high-level dancing at the evening
show. This year I was unable to
Daniel O’Connell is a recent graduate of the
University of Minnesota and competes with
his partner nationwide. The fun tagline fact
of the month is that honey is the only food
that doesn’t spoil.
32 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[SPECIAL FEATURES]
do either, and I would have liked
to do so.
• Due to the timings of my heats (and
not having a voice—see The Ugly),
I wasn’t able to cheer and support
my teammates as much as I like
to. They did very well without me,
but I’d have liked to cheer them on,
all the same.
• The bus had screwed-up shock
absorption for the first portion of
the trip. Catching six inches of air is
only fun the first few times. It isn’t as
fun by the fourth hour. Fortunately
the bus driver figured out the cause
and fixed it, resulting in a much
smoother ride the rest of the way.
The Ugly• Competing with a flu and high fever
is unpleasant—extremely unpleas-
ant. I definitely did not get a callback
in one of my rounds purely because
I felt like I was dying. Fortunately,
having better nutrition available to
me and getting extra sleep made a
big difference in how I felt on day
two of the competition. It was also
helpful that our safety and facilities
coordinator is a nurse in training.
Thanks, Karen!
• This year marks the first year I
flubbed a team match performance.
It was disappointing to represent my
team poorly in my final year. Oh,
well. What can you do?
On the whole, you can see there
were a lot more positives than nega-
tives on the trip. Though I won’t get
to compete at the National Collegiate
DanceSport Championship next year,
maybe I’ll go to Ohio Star Ball and get
a chance to spectate and cheer on the
University of Minnesota. Until then, I’ll
continue to develop my dancing and
try not to catch any diseases before Star
of the North! E
Photo from the National Collegiate DanceSport Championship by Karen McKinney
TO BRING OUT YOUR BEST…COACH WITH ROBERT AND JENNIFER FOSTER
Available for coaching and choreography in all styles
Contact [email protected]
Catch us on YouTube for our videos!
Champions
3-Time US Professional Theater Arts Champions
4-Time US
Professional Rhythm
Finalists
US
US, World, and Blackpool
Cabaret Finalists
Coaches and Chroreographer
s
Teaching in
Minneapolis, Edina, Hopkins, and Lake
Minnetonka
952-239-2984 952-922-8316
34 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[FROM THE COMMUNITY]
decemBer 7th marked the fIrst
time I had ever tried dancing with
strangers. My friend dragged me
to the University of Minnesota
Ballroom Dance Club’s fall formal,
their masquerade.
Now, I did well enough in my ball-
room classes. I go to Carleton College,
and I took their social dance classes to
fulfill my PE credits. I really enjoyed
the classes, so much that I convinced
the rest of my dorm floor to take the
class with me the next term. We all
knew we were absolutely horrible at
dancing, but we had fun stepping on
each others’ toes and being silly to
jazzy foxtrot music.
Going into the masquerade, how-
ever, I started to get nervous. I knew
the waltz box step, and I could do some
butterflies, and I knew tango was not
my forte. That was about all I could
remember. I did my best to hide behind
my friend the whole time, but a few
leads succeeded in finding me and ask-
ing me to dance. Despite my warnings
that I was a beginner, they all danced
with me, I stepped on them, and they
thanked me for the dance. U of M, you
have the nicest leads ever.
Driving back home, I realized that
while I wasn’t interested in being super
into ballroom like my friend, I was still
interested in continuing to learn how
to dance and maybe going out to dance
every once in a while. It’s not my high-
est priority, but I can honestly say that
I really, really had a lot of fun with my
friend that night, and I won’t forget
it anytime soon. E
My First Ever Social DanceBY MARY MCCREARY
Photo from TC Swing at Glam Doll Donuts by Arun Velliangiri
SALSATHURSDAYS
Group Classes Every Thursday!
Beginning @ 7PM
651.641.0777 | [email protected]
dancers studio
With Instructor Katie Menk
415 Pascal St. N | St. Paul, MN 55104
Intermediate @ 6PM
Congratulations U of M Ballroom ClubNational Collegiate Dancesport Champions!
Private Lessons to fit your schedule!(No Partner Necessary!)
SHEERDanCE.COM 1 Jan 2014 • • 37[FROM THE COMMUNITY]
on a raIny, chIlly novemBer Saturday afternoon, dressed in a
casual sweatshirt, leggings, and dance
sneakers, I ventured out to take up
Uptown Swing’s invitation to dance
Lindy hop at their dance day event at
Glam Doll Donuts located on Nicollet
Avenue in Minneapolis.
Opening the door, I felt like Dorothy
in The Wizard of Oz, walking into a land
of brightly colored art décor composed
of vintage sectionals. I was teased with
the sweet aroma of the owner’s grand-
mother’s recipe of mouthwatering,
fresh-baked, rainbow-sprinkled glazed
donuts. My gloomy attitude vanished.
The air was filled with the melody of
jazz music performed by a talented
crew of three men. Many Lindy hop
enthusiasts of all ages, including a
baby that was harnessed to his mother,
were dancing on the hardwood floor.
Lindy Hop RevivalBY CHRISTINE TRASK
Photo by Arun Velliangiri
the precursor to west coast swing, east
coast swing, shag, and more.
So when, where, how, and why
does a young, tall, slim, fun, energetic
man focus on teaching Lindy hop, and
what are his future goals in keeping
the hop hopping?
Peter first learned some simple east
coast swing steps at a bar lesson in
l998 taught by Cindy and Terry from
TC Swing. Soon after the bar lesson, TC
Swing flew Frankie Manning to their
studio to teach his Harlem style of
Lindy hop, a lesson Peter participated
in. Peter was hooked.
He began to travel around to other
cities to attend similar workshops
by some of the great dancers of
the Lindy hop revival in the 1990s,
which included Steven Mitchell, Ryan
Francois, and Sylvia Sykes. Eventually
Peter even attended the American
Lindy Hop Championships in 2000,
where he surprised himself by winning
the classic division.
After that, he was asked to teach
locally and regionally, and discovered
that he really enjoyed and was inspired
I couldn’t help hopping over to Peter
Strom, my new Lindy hop dance
instructor from Uptown Swing and the
founder of the group, to say hi. He took
my hand to dance and led me into Lindy
hop moves I didn’t know existed. I felt
like that young pigtailed little girl I use
to be, jumping rope on the playground.
Beads of sweat on my forehead,
heart beating, I asked Peter if I could
run a personal story about him. For you
readers that don’t know, Lindy hop was
born in Harlem, New York, in l927 and
was named after Charles Lindbergh’s
nonstop solo flight from New York
to Paris. Lindy hop grew out of the
Charleston, and during the swing era it
was the dance that captured a nation.
It is the granddaddy of swing dances,
38 • • 1 Jan 2014 SHEERDANCE.COM[FROM THE COMMUNITY]
by teaching people the dance
that he loved. In 2002 he got
his first chance at a big event
when he was asked to start
teaching at the Beantown Lindy
Hop Camp located in Beverly,
Massachusetts. He has taught
at about thirty-five to forty
weekend workshops a year all
over the world, which included
countries such as France,
England, Sweden, Spain,
Germany, Australia, Japan,
and Korea.
In 2009, less than one
month prior to the planned
celebration of the ninety-fifth
birthday of Lindy hop’s leg-
endary ambassador to the
world, Frankie Manning—the
ambassador himself—passed
away. Frankie had been teach-
ing right up until a few weeks
before his death. The birthday
celebration became a memo-
rial, and Peter performed a trib-
ute routine to two of Frankie’s
favorite songs with a group of
other teachers and dancers, the
Silver Shadows, at the Frankie
95 Memorial event held in
New York City.
After Frankie’s passing,
Peter felt called to take up some
part of the weight that Frankie
had carried introducing people
to Lindy hop. Less than one
year after Frankie’s death, Peter
formed Uptown Swing, which
is named after Uptown Harlem,
where Lindy hop was born, and
Uptown Minneapolis, where
Peter was born and raised. He
has been introducing more and
more local dancers to the Lindy
hop on weeknights in between
his traveling workshop jobs.
For Peter, the dance has
changed his life in more ways
than he can count. In a world
where technology has taken
away our personal touch with
each other, dance has allowed
him to express himself in a non-
verbal way and connect with a
person face to face by having
fun in the moment, moving
together to great music. He has
found some of his best friends,
including his girlfriend and
dance partner, Naomi.
Peter’s future plans for 2014
are to continue teaching Lindy
hop in other countries and to
expand his Uptown Swing com-
munity. There’s no place like
home, as said by Dorothy in The
Wizard of Oz as she clicked her
ruby-red shoes together. I plan
to learn the shim sham line
dance that the famous Frankie
Manning led all over the world.
Peter will be teaching it in the
near future at the Lundstrum
Center for the Performing
Arts in Minneapolis.
Enjoy this fun dance and join
me in the Lindy hop revival. E
Photo by John Russo
Name
Street Address
City State Zip
Phone
Make your check for $22 out to Theresa Kimler and mail to:
Theresa Kimler 7050 49th Street North St. Paul, MN 55128
Have questions about subscribing to Sheer Dance? Email Theresa at [email protected]
Do you like what you’ve
read? Consider support-
ing the publication of
Sheer Dance by becoming
a subscriber! In exchange
for your support, you will
receive a copy of Sheer
Dance delivered to your
door each month. Our
inaugural offer is $22 for
a full year’s subscription.
Thank you for reading and
supporting Sheer Dance!
Subs
crib
e7050 49th Street North • St. Paul, MN 55128