Blog Posts - Stacy Rose, Dance Instructor

Outstanding, indeed

8/3/2015

It never gets old. Playing for dancers - it never gets old.
Once a year, the local folk society holds a special weekend event. Any musician who wants to play in the "open band" is welcome to attend and play tunes together. It's a camp out weekend. Then on Saturday night, there is a contra dance featuring these musicians.

The Outstanding Open Band played for dancers last weekend at Sixes Grange. From the vantage point of being on stage, it's a thrill to watch people dancing -- young and old, experienced and first-timers -- all there to take hands and have fun.

Pass the Dramamine, please!

8/3/2015

Those square dancers really know how to get noticed! The organizers do a super great job of having dancers participate in lots of outreach activities. Earlier in the summer, we danced at the Clamboree. Most recently, the group danced at the Coos County Fair. And what's the July Jubilee without a parade - complete with square dancers on a float! Good thing that Bob, one of the dancers, is a log truck driver and knows how to keep the jostling to a minimum. Still, we were dancing on a moving vehicle! By the end of the route, I was a bit nauseated; and although dancing on a float was a blast, I was glad the ride was over.

Pole dancing... or Happy May Day!

5/6/2015

How many girls get to say, "I've got a Maypole!"? Well, thanks to a very nice man, I have one!
And I'm lucky to know a group of dancers who are willing to tap into their child within and enjoy dancing around it!

The world debut of the Whirling Shillelaghs!

5/6/2015

The Whirling Shillelaghs, accompanied by Sharon Rogers, performed the following dances at the South Coast Celtic Fest 2015:
An Dro Retourne - Brittany
Waves of Tory - Ireland
Clawdd Offa - Wales
Dashing White Sergeant - Scotland
Everyone did a fabulous job. I couldn't have been more proud.

Community Learning Night

5/6/2015

I recently had the distinct pleasure of participating in the Marshfield Community Learning Night. The theme of the night was The Civil War - there were various stations set up around the gymnasium. My friends Jenn and Don provided wonderful music on fiddle and guitar for our dancing station in the dance room near the gym. The purpose of the evening was to invite students and their families to attend this hands-on learning experience, having them rotate among the various stations throughout the night. We had no idea what to expect in terms of who would show up, what age range, how many people would be willing to dance.

Our first customers arrived - a middle school-aged boy and his mom.The boy repeatedly protested, "I don't know how to dance." I took that as a challenge. I remarked that I had just seen him walk into the room, and that's all the skills he would need. We circled up three, took turns allemanding and elbow swinging each other, back to circling, two making a bridge for the third to go under... Soon a couple of others joined us, and I lead them in a variation of Cumberland Reel. One dance was enough for this young man, although he did remark that it was fun.

Another small cluster of students and parents arrived. I lead them in Galopede. They left. More arrived. We did Witch's Reel. The next group learned Tunnel Contra. The music was lively and invigorating. I wondered if some of the people there had ever danced to live music before. The response was overwhelmingly positive. People danced and had fun. In the largest group, we had a family of home schooled kids, a veteran, another family with kids, and a young woman new to contra dancing who stayed around to make sure there were enough partners so everyone could dance. I'd like to see participatory dancing be more integrated into people's lives, rather than something to be exposed to at a special event. Some day, instead of hearing, "that was more fun that I thought it would be", I hope to hear more comments like, "That was so much fun -- just like it always is!"

Let the teacher do the teaching

4/26/2015

It's a message that all dancers should take to heart. If you do a quick Google search for folk dance etiquette, you'll find MANY websites with lists of pointers and tips.
Dick Oakes advises: do not try to teach your neighbor when someone else is teaching the class.
The Miami Folk Dancers exhort: there should be only one instructor at a time. Do not try to teach when someone else is teaching.
The Narodni Folk Dancers echo the sentiment: please keep quiet so that the teacher can be heard by all.

This is a great rule of thumb across various styles of dancing -- folk, contra, square dancing... anywhere there is a caller, cuer or teacher. It's disrespectful to the teacher, as well as to fellow dancers. If you already know the dance, model good listening for newer dancers. You can transfer so much knowledge through joined hands without saying a word.

Shimmy Mob

4/20/2015

As a dance instructor, I often ask people to try something outside of their comfort zone. My turn.
On May 9, an international dance event will take place. People from around the world will raise the awareness of belly dancing while raising money for domestic violence programs. The local team leader approached me and asked me to participate in Shimmy Mob. I said yes.
Our local belly dance group is comprised of women of various ages and levels of experience. Some I recognized from over 30 years ago from their performances at Knight of Cups, a beloved restaurant and cultural hub from years ago.
Fortunately, to be in Shimmy Mob, you don't need any experience, just a willingness to learn a dance routine. I have that! Recently, I was invited to join the group for a dance demonstration at an assisted living community. Joann, the Shimmy Mob team leader, took good care of me, outfitting me in the costume pictured. (Coolest part of the costume are the shiny, teal-colored harem pants under the skirt!)
The women in this dance troupe were spectacular! I was especially touched by a dance performed by a mother/daughter combo. Both were so poised and graceful. What a wonderful hobby to share!
We did our Shimmy Mob dance, and now I'm excited about being part of the big event on May 9. We'll be at Mingus Park at 10:00 AM. I'll be doing something way outside my comfort zone.

"that was so COOL!"

4/5/2015

Yesterday, I led dances at the Celtic Fest Revue. The event was co-sponsored by Bayside Terrace Assisted Living and South Coast Folk Society. Over 40 people attended this mid-day celebration of Celtic dance, song and music. The show opened with two musicians performing lively dance tunes and swoony waltzes on fiddle and guitar.

I asked my sweet wife to waltz with me, and she flatly turned me down. Who wants to be a spectacle, dancing in front of so many people? Who wants their pedestrian dancing to detract from the glorious music being performed?

Off to the side of the room, behind the audience, there was a young girl -- probably 4 or 5 years old at most -- with her mother. That girl had come to dance! She wore her beautiful Easter dress, tights and shiny shoes. She was dancing freely and openly. I had found a dance partner. I approached her, careful not to intrude in what she was doing, and started dancing, as well. Sweeping arm motions with step-together-steps... turns and spins (girls of all ages love to spin)... and when the music ended, a low bow. Her mother was visibly kvelling - bursting with pride and delight. I don't know what pleased the little girl most, but when the music ended, she looked up and proclaimed with such enthusiasm, "That was so cool!"

Made my day!

Shimmy Mob!

4/5/2015

Last week, bellydance teacher Joanna Marie was a guest teacher in my class. She is the local coordinator for Shimmy Mob. To be held on May 9, World Bellydance Day, Shimmy Mob is an international event to raise money and awareness about domestic violence, as well as elevate the status of bellydance.

Joanna Marie did a marvelous job of teaching us the choreography for the bellydance flash mob chorus. There's a LOT to it! Two other dancers in class are among the 13 local dancers registered to participate in the May 9 event. Our event will be part of a women's health and wellness annual event at Mingus Park. Our tentative time to perform is 10:00 AM.

Rocky so aptly suggested, when we perform at this event we'll be The Whirling Shimmylelaghs.

Celebrate! Celebrate! Dance to the music!

3/11/2015

Barb earned so many extra credit bonus points last night! Though we often end our 10-week semester with a potluck, sharing dishes from the countries of the dances we learned, and often dancers will write out a little placard identifying the country, name of the dish, ingredients, etc., I've NEVER had a dancer integrate the potluck with a craft project! Pictured above is the Czech flag accompanying Barb's dish knedliky y zeli (the knedliky was warming in the oven while the zeli posed beside the flag for this picture).

As always, we had so much wonderful food to share! Baklava, challah, quiches, tabouli, runzas (a cabbage and meat-filled yeast dough - pictured below, middle), salads galore, enchiladas, warm chocolate gravy for biscuits, banana bread, a delicious custard-filled pastry, and too much more to name. I think of the end-of-semester potluck as a wonderful celebration for accomplishing all that we learned for the past 10 weeks. AND inspiration for returning for another 10 weeks!