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







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




Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10








January 1 • Wednesday Grand Opening - Mill City Ballroom;

2382 Hampden Ave, St. Paul; 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.; Free


N, St. Paul; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.; $5Late Night Swing - Social Dance Studio; 3742


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




Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10




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

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

Laia Olivier 612.388.4370Mariusz Olszewski 612.242.5159

[email protected] Rice 612.242.2188Lisa Vogel 651.208.0818

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

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



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




Hopkins; 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.; $10








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

[email protected]. E

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].


“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.


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

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B A L L R O O M and

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and

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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

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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


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 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!!!

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USA Dance Champion


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


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



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


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


Connor McPhillips

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www.DanceWithUsAmerica.com 612.564.5483 or 763.234.8656

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Congratulations to The U of M ballroom dance team!


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.


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

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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

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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

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