HI, SOCIETY - Issuu

from Style Magazine, October 2019

by Akers Media Group

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dan Lambert and Johnathan Pauli

Alison Strange & Phoenix Strange Marjorie Knapp and Michelle Heister

Wendy Burkett and Paul McPherson

Chloe Phelps, Daniel Phelps, Hannah Phelps, and Lydia Phelps Sophie Schurr, Shawn Schurr, and Wendy Burkett

Pam Saucerman, Kelly Armstrong, Regan Armstrong, and Tim Armstrong

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT

@ CLERMONT ≈ PHOTOS: DOUGLAS TYLER. The second annual Lake County Rowing Association’s Cardboard Classic was held in early August in Clermont. Participants built their boats to their own designs and specifi cations but according to rules set by the association. The boats were all cardboard with the exception of some paint and lots of duct tape. The beauty of the contest is it doesn’t matter if the boats fl oat, sink or win, the point is to have a great time on the water.

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Chris Troutman, Abigail Lopez, and Caleb Brooks Chad and Jenn Farnsworth with Bill and Mindy Mathias

Michelle Michnoff with Gwen and Paul Johns

Olga White, Brooke Rodriguez, Leesa Hodges, Julie Kleffel Scott and Diane Kornegay Joe and Sabrina Ciceri

Vicki Paynter, Christine Iozzi, Sonja Vicchiollo

Tonya Porter and Janyce Wagner

A BENEFIT FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

@ MISSION INN RESORT & CLUB ≈ PHOTOS: DOUGLAS TYLER. The Electrical Works Black and White Ball for Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake and Sumter Counties was held at the Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills. As any ball should, the evening included a premium open bar, live and silent auctions, special performances by club members and post-event dancing. In addition to Electrical Works, presenting partners included Disney, Florida Cancer Specialists and Jenkins Auto Group.

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Sue and Ken Bragg

Irving Garcia, Caiden Johnson, Matthew Waybright, Fox Fessenden, Jacob Moore, Miguel Avalos, and Altereque Baker

Erika Greene, Yolanda Green, and Alexandra Sanchez

Robbie Robison and Jeff Moore

Anthony Sabatini, Dan Roebuck, and Michael Randolph

Jason Paynter, Jimmy Adams, and James Floyd Jason McCray and Cindi Falanga

Wylie Hill, Susan Adams, and Chuck Shoop

MORE THAN CLASSROOM STUDY

@ LEESBURG ≈ PHOTOS: ANTHONY RAO. Ten students from Leesburg High School Construction Academy broke ground for their home-building project with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. The student workers were chosen based on their skills and teamwork. Jim Ellwood is the instructor. The lot where the students are working is at 107 N. 12th St. The students are excited for the challenge of the task and looking forward to gaining more experience and skills in construction work.

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Maureen Roy, Florian Bnaud, Estevan Orhan, Deborah Lagny, and Marie Kersuzan

Danielle Stroud

Don Magruder, Lewis Duke, and Mike Manly

Garrett Kelley, Cole Chancey, Ashley Hess, David Rautzahn, Brandy (home owner), Adade Hartfield, Nic Fernandez, Trey Jones, and Michael Goodridge

Barry Martin and Shari Kuck

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

@ LADY LAKE ≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL. Habitat for Humanity LakeSumter and The Villages Charter School Construction Academy have joined forces to build a home at Orange Circle and Lemon Street in Lady Lake. The groundbreaking ceremony was recently held for the second home the academy will help build. There are fi ve high school seniors working on the project during two morning class periods, and more seniors working during afternoon class hours.

Brandy

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Amy Heath

Chuck Lee and Erin Garcia Arlene Bence

Cindy Brown and Claudia Casey Kayla Herman, Jessica Wood, and Jan Swedenbarg

Jo Magram and Ralph Bischoff Ribbon Cutting

STATE-OF-THE-ART HOSPICE HOUSE

@ THE VILLAGES HOSPICE HOUSE ≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL. Featuring 12 private suites and high-tech amenities in a home-like setting, The Villages Hospice House off ers a comfortable, peaceful place for people who may not have the support they need at home. Chuck Lee, president and CEO of Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care, was on hand for the ribbon-cutting of the house, which is an expansion of the The Villages Hospice House campus. More room for patients means more volunteers are needed. Call Heidi Gaumet at 352.751.3110 for information.

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Bryan and Krysta Smith

David Jordan, Doug Akers, Wayne Davenport, Chip Gannaway, and Dean Simmons

Alexandra Hammond and Clarence Tibbs

Tamara Hutto, Garin Callos, Crystal Callos, and Rusty Seely

Nancy Woodard, Amie Duffy, Kristen Wood, and Jim Vogel

Bootie

GLAM IN THE BOOTIE CAM

@VANN GANNAWAY CHEVROLET ≈ PHOTOS: DOUGLAS TYLER. Vann Gannaway Chevrolet and the Home Builders Association of Lake-Sumter held a networking event recently. The fun included interactive stations, lots of great food and apparently lots of laughs with the VG Bootie Cam. Each member had an opportunity to highlight his or her company with the unique Bootie Cam. Check it out on the Vann Gannaway Facebook page. Don’t worry, however, no booties were harmed during fi lming.

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Belle of the ball

Dancin’ Ballroom is poised to become the largest dance studio in Florida.

PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

CHRIS AND NICOLE MCCAIN ancin’ Ballroom in Leesburg is preparing to move in mid-November into a newly renovated and more spacious 8,221-square-foot venue with 6,500-square-foot dance fl oor, much to the excitement of the studio’s growing number of students and dancers—ranging from teenagers to 88-year-olds—afi cionados of the waltz, foxtrot, swing, tango, mambo and cha cha.

The studio’s new home will be in the Publix Supermarket plaza at Shoppes of Lake Village, 10601 U.S. Highway 441, near Lake Square Mall.

“Since I’ve taken over the studio, we’ve moved from the mall to the current location, and now we’re moving again because we’ve outgrown this location to become the biggest ballroom dance studio in Florida,” says owner Chris McCain, who has run Dancin’ Ballroom since 2014.

“The main reason we are teaching people to dance is not for the competitive part of it, but for the social dancing. We teach people how to dance properly and look good when they go out social dancing,” Chris says.

Even those who take the beginner group classes can learn to do more than just rock back and forth on the dance fl oor. The studio off ers private lessons, group classes and public dance parties.

“The best compliment as a teacher and an owner is seeing a transformation of a personality through ballroom dancing, someone who has come in here from the loss of a loved one, a divorce, and fi nds joy and confi dence again,” Chris says.

It happened in his life. In 2010, Chris went through a divorce and chose to learn ballroom dancing as a social activity.

“It allowed me to forget about troubles and create happy endorphins in my brain again. It allowed me to be around positive people with the same interests, and socialize in a good, clean environment instead of going to bars to hang out,” Chris says, recalling he struggled—at fi rst—in learning the dance steps.

“I just had to persevere, persevere and push through until fi nally I fell in love with it, and it made sense. I was hooked,” says Chris, who also found love through dancing.

“Sometimes, when you’re not looking, God sends you somebody,” he says, glancing at Nicole, a nurse at South Lake Hospital whom he met fi ve years ago when she came to the studio for lessons.

“It was love at fi rst fall,” Chris jokes of meeting the pretty divorcée during a group class. “I sprained my ankle and made a fool of myself. Since she’s a nurse, I had to milk that a little bit of ‘Oh, my ankle!’”

The pair bonded, started dating and, several months later, began dancing together in pro-am dance competitions. They were married three years ago.

Nicole had been a dancer in high school, dancing jazz, lyrical and contemporary dances. However, she found ballroom dancing to be more technical. “But I love it!” she says. “Dancing is my therapy.”

The studio works with bridal couples who want choreography for their fi rst wedding dance. Dancin’ Ballroom’s new venue will be available for rentals on weekends for weddings and receptions. It can hold up to 250 people and will feature a bridal room and private parking; people may use a licensed and insured caterer of their choice.

Meet the Dancin’ Ballroom instructors and staff

Jazmyn “Jazzy” Durgin

has competed in ballroom dance competitions all over the country for the past 10 years, and her favorite dances are the cha cha, samba, paso doble and jive. “I get a total adrenaline rush off of ballroom dancing. I like the performing aspect of it and I have always loved being creative,” says Jazzy, who began teaching at Dancin’ Ballroom in June. She leads the beginner group dance classes on Monday and Tuesday nights. “It’s a great way to meet people. You can come in with two left feet and you can leave with a right and left foot!” Jakob Preston began at Dancin’ Ballroom fi ve years ago. “Ballroom dancing happened when a friend from theater needed a partner. She had started an internship here and invited me to tag along. I wound up enjoying it and ended up being hired.” His favorite dances are the “faster-paced dances” of the West Coast swing, rumba and cha cha. Jakob is thrilled by the larger space in Dancin’ Ballroom’s future home. “More people are dancing and they’re seeing that it is a fun thing to do,” he says.

David Whittaker has been

dancing for more than 50 years, starting with high school musicals, followed by becoming hooked on disco dancing in his 20s. He won disco contests and was a regular on the television show, “Super Disco,” which led him to teach dance through Arthur Murray studios. “I enjoy being here because I have seen so many people over the years whom I helped start out on their dancing paths, and it’s really rewarding for them to get the benefi ts from it like I did.” David’s favorite dances are the waltz and hustle.

Atanas Pavlov has been dancing for 30 years, teaching for more than 20, and he has won numerous dance competitions since age 10. Growing up in Bulgaria, he was the Bulgarian Dance Champion in Ballroom in 1995-96. “It was a great feeling and a lot of hard work,” Atanas says. “It’s in my heart to do international Latin, but honestly, I think the American smooth dances are the most beautiful.” Atanas began teaching at Dancin’ Ballroom in June. He made the move to Florida with his wife, a pharmacist in Daytona Beach.

Joan Sanfi lippo, the administrative assistant for Dancin’ Ballroom, has been dancing for eight years. “I was a banker all of my life, on the mortgage side,” she says, adding her banking career crumbled with the 2008 downturn. “Dancing gave me a whole new life,” says Joan, who loves the rhythm dances and has been in eight dance competitions. “There is no downside to dancing. It is good for your health, it’s good for your mental health, and you meet great people, friendly people. Dancing is just good for your soul and your body.” Phillip Hollifi eld has been dancing since 1968, when he was 16. “I answered an ad in the newspaper that said, ‘Wanted: Dance teachers, no experience necessary. We will train.’” He’s been dancing ever since. He adores the waltz and cha cha, and one of his favorite quotes is from Fred Astaire: “Most people think good dancers are born that way. They’re not. They’re taught and trained … If you can snap your fi ngers or tap your foot in time to music, you can dance.” He enjoys interacting with students during private lessons. “A joy has been watching people’s faces light up when they get it.”

Stuart Palmer is the newest face at Dancin’ Ballroom, serving as general manager. He’s involved with business development and training. His dance background includes dancing for Arthur Murray studios in his 20s and managing a Minneapolis studio. “Chris and Nicole are wonderful people and they have a good mix of ambition and humility, and the teachers here are good,” Stuart says. “I’m excited the new facility is a multipurpose facility and able to serve more people. Some people come here needing solutions, some people come here needing an escape, and some come here because they always wanted to dance. I really enjoy helping people reach their goals and their dreams.”