Category: dance events

Spring Formal at Macon State College

Post author By lauraet
Post date February 12, 2012
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It used to be the case (18th-19th centuries, after the invention of partner dancing as we know it) that “older” and/or married people didn’t dance at parties or balls. Dancing was for the young people and those who were courting. I’m glad that’s not true anymore or Daniel and I would not have had as much fun last night as we did! Macon State College hosted its first Spring Formal and we attended as “chaperones.” Actual chaperoning was unnecessary but we got some good dancing in and some excellent publicity for the dance club. The club members tried out their new tango steps to the Glee version of “Bust Your Windows,” experimented with the rumba (which Daniel taught them at last week’s meeting after I left: very sneaky!), and we saw some swing, merengue, and hustle happening as well. Not to mention the panoply of non-ballroom dances that we all participated in. Club president Minwoo Kim helped me remember how to do the Wobble; Daniel and I did the Cha-Cha Slide right on the edge of the floor because it was so crowded, and we saw a slightly funkier version of the Electric Slide called the “G Slide.” As for the “Stanky Legg”. . . I’m going to have to practice that one at home. In dark of night. And maybe leave it at that.

A total of about 160 students and guests attended, all dressed in their best and ready to have a good time. Everyone was shy about getting on the floor at first but once the ice was broken, the floor was never empty. By the end of the night we were all wishing the floor were bigger! After the tango, I grabbed a microphone from the DJ and gave a little plug for the dance club. Nothing like trying to speak to a crowd when you’re out of breath from dancing. Whew. The whole event was an unqualified success and we’re glad we could be there. I took a few videos and still photos with my phone, we had a professional photo taken, MSC-TV had cameras there, and someone was taking candids, so I should be able to post some media soon. So great to see our students looking elegant and having fun DANCING!

Ballerina Corner dance events exhibitions & performances teaching

Dress Rehearsal

This afternoon is dress rehearsal for the Madison Studio recital. Daniel and I are dancing 3 times: once on our own, once with our class, and once in the production finale. I am dancing 2 additional times: in my contemporary ballet class’s number (to Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose”) and then in that class’s part of the finale. You wouldn’t believe the amount of stuff I have to lug along with me today. It’s making a competition look like Casual Friday.

Costume for “Kiss”, including hair decoration that I swore I’d lost until I discovered it was pinned to the inside of the costume.
Costume for our class number, i.e. sequin camisole top and ballroom practice skirt.
Costume for Daniel’s and my solo, which is the rumba we did as a solo exhibition at Garden City Challenge.
Costume for the finale, i.e., black leotard and black ballet skirt.
2 pairs of tights (1x ballet pink, 1x fishnet).
Body liner, which is like underwear in leotard form.
3 pairs of shoes. Well, 2 pairs of shoes and one pair of “FootUndeez” (speaking of underwear).
Makeup, hair spray, bobby pins.

And I have it easy compared to some of the girls who are in the Performance Ensemble as well as 2-3 regular classes. They might need to employ pack animals! But as far as I’m concerned, it’s all worthwhile. Given my introverted tendencies in general, the fact that I love to perform doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but there it is. I am especially excited for our ballroom dancers who are having their first taste of performance. They have lots of family members coming to watch and cheer them on. Hooray!

The recital is tomorrow (Saturday, June 4) at 2 p.m. at Zuver Auditorium on the campus of Mount De Sales here in Macon. Tickets are available at the door for $10.

Wish us merde!*

*Being superstitious like all theatre people, dancers do not say “good luck.” For obvious reasons, they also do not say “Break a leg.” Instead, they–we–say “merde.” Which is a bad word in French, which is why it’s so much fun to hear 8-year-olds say it.

dance events dancing in the media

“A Halloween Highlight”

The Macon Telegraph reports on last weekend’s downtown “Thriller” show here. I was particularly glad that Pilar Wilder (director of Hayiya Dance Theatre and organizer of the event) said this: “Most are not professional dancers; they’re doctors, teachers, lawyers, stay-at-home moms, everyday people,” she said. “This is not a new idea and we try to add something new each year, but the fun will always remain the same.”

As glad as I am that we can do as much dancing as we do, we are FAR from being able to dance for a living. But one of the great things about dancing–especially ballroom, in my opinion–is that people can do it without being professionals or having even remotely professional ambitions. Even beginners can compete or perform if they want to. It’s also possible to have fun just being a social dancer, and you really don’t need to know much to get started. What could be better?

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Dance famine yielding to dance feast

Post author By lauraet
Post date September 25, 2010
2 Comments on Dance famine yielding to dance feast

After a few weeks of not much dancing, we turn over a new leaf tomorrow and head into a week–actually, more like a month–of TONS of dancing. Hooray! Here we go:

Tomorrow: private lesson with Eddie and then workshop with Eddie right here in Macon at the Howard Community Club, with our 4th Sunday dance to follow at 7 p.m. as usual. We have had 30 RSVPs so far and could probably squeeze in a few more. Email me (laura at dldancers dot com), comment on the “Workshop with Eddie” post here on DLDancers.com, or RSVP to “Dance Workshop with Eddie Ares” on Facebook.

Monday & Wednesday: Jane Madison of Madison Studio is out of town visiting her daughter (the lovely & talented Faith Madison, recently promoted to the corps de ballet of Colorado Ballet) and has asked Daniel and me to substitute-teach the ballet class that I usually take. We’re going to start them off with the waltz on Monday. Who knows what could happen on Wednesday? Also on Monday, we are teaching our first private lesson to an engaged couple getting married in December. Soooooper excited about that.

Next Saturday (Oct. 2) we have another lesson with Eddie up at Academy Ballroom. They had to re-do the floor again (2nd time in less than a year, I think) at Academy after an unfortunate plumbing incident but it has all worked out for the best considering that they were able to add another 400 square feet to the studio when they did it.

October 4 begins our next series of ballroom classes. Click here and scroll down for details.

October 7-9 we’ll be in Missouri visiting my family. If we get a long enough break from eating (huge family dinner Friday; huge family dinner Saturday; buy new pants Sunday before leaving for airport), we are thinking about trying to catch a dance here. One of my favorite things about ballroom dancing is that you can almost always find a place to do it!

October 14-16 is the Hotlanta Dance Challenge. We are not dancing (er, that I know of) but might try to get up there to watch.

October 22-24 is the weekend we’d really like to clone ourselves. We had to choose between the Atlanta Dance Classic, Stars over Macon, and the Carolina Fall Classic. We’re going to North Carolina, but it was a tough call. Those of you that are local, please consider attending Stars over Macon if you’re not already going. I hear that nearly all the tables are already sold but individual tickets should still be available. It’s a fantastic event for a great cause. We just couldn’t pass up what looks to be one of the biggest amateur comps we’ve been to. The question is: can we learn enough Viennese waltz and Bolero steps tomorrow in our lesson with Eddie to get through a 1:30 competition round, thereby enabling us to enter Gold level events? Stay tuned!

While you’re busy staying tuned, please go back to this post and vote on the dress choices!

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Dancing for our Heroes 2010

Post author By lauraet
Post date August 7, 2010
No Comments on Dancing for our Heroes 2010

Behold, I bring you photos and video from last weekend’s “Dancing for our Heroes” charity ball, hosted by Dance Houston County to benefit Hearts to Heroes and the Wounded Warrior Project. Each organization was presented with a check for $1000, and Dance Houston Country received an American flag presented by Daughters of the American Revolution. We also got to see great exhibitions by little kids (Eldad Albalak’s nieces & nephews) and big kids (JoyDawn and Philip). Woohoo! Click through for goodies, and thank you for disregarding the camerawoman’s small talk.

dance events dancing in the media lessons

Celebrate National Dance Day!

Post author By lauraet
Post date July 31, 2010
No Comments on Celebrate National Dance Day!

And support our troops & veterans!

Today is National Dance Day, the brainchild of Nigel Lythgoe (executive producer of So You Think You Can Dance) and the Dizzy Feet Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting increased access to dance education. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will introduce a National Dance Day resolution in Congress today, but more importantly, Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo (NappyTabs!) have choreographed a routine for the occasion that you can learn:

I will be celebrating by taking a lesson from Eddie (he doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to ask him to teach me the mambo), and then attending the second annual Dancing for our Heroes charity ball in Warner Robins. This event benefits Hearts to Heroes and the Wounded Warrior Project; last year they raised over $2000 for those two organizations. This year promises to be even bigger & better with music from the Georgia Big Band and some great dance exhibitions. Stay tuned for photos and video.

Happy National Dance Day, everybody!