USA DANCE TIDEWATER CHAPTER Volume 3, Issue 9
November 2010
President’s Corner - Ray Smith State of the Chapter November 2010 The difference between a successful organization and an organization that just exists are its people. Apathy never leads to success in any endeavor. As 2010 comes to an end, the Chapter is facing some serious issues for which I need your input and support. We have a mid-term requirement to replace four Board members, three of which will be used to fill Chapter officer positions that are expiring on December 31st: Executive Vice President, Secretary and Vice President for College/Youth. Calls for volunteers have produced no names to date. The Chapter had been forced to operate with only three officers and a few Board members for the four years prior to last year’s elections. We are looking at the same situation if we cannot get some members to step up to the plate for the coming year. In last year’s elections, only 30% of the membership voted. In addition to the lack of support for providing leadership, we have also been unsuccessful in obtaining enough input from the membership, and those who regularly support the Chapter, to assist us in providing the best dancing environment and experience. There was less than a 15% response to the survey on how we could improve our program to get more members and supporters out to the dances, music choices, venues, etc. We currently have 133 paid members but typically we are averaging only 55 paid attendees at a dance. As a result, with current expenses we are losing over $2,000 a year on our monthly and youth support dances. We are able to sustain this red ink only because of the profits we derive from the Chapter’s annual New Year dance event. The losses that we are experiencing on the monthly dances translates into a reduction in the amount of dance scholarship money we can make available to support our youth outreach programs. The Board has decided that we will need to increase our admission prices starting next year to offset these losses but expected increases in operating costs for the dances is expected to mostly offset the additional revenue from the increase. We are already Spartan in providing for the venue and food and our DJs/musicians and guest instructors have been very
supportive in keeping their costs down over the years. The obvious immediate solution is to increase attendance – we will need around 75 paid members to break even at a monthly dance. I am therefore requesting your support in providing feedback to the Board in three areas: 1. Active participation in the Chapter leadership. We need four new Board members to fill vacancies as of January 1, 2011. I need you to help keep the Chapter alive and viable by volunteering. As I stated above, we have 4 Board positions that expire this year. If you would like to volunteer to become part of the Board, please let me know either by mail or by email (see address below). Include your Name, Chapter membership number and which position for which you would like to be considered. 2. Increasing your attendance at our monthly dances 3. Suggestions on ways to increase attendance at our dances and/or membership: Tell us your ideas. The more ideas, the more choices we have. Some ideas that have been broached include changing the date of the dances, changing locations, reducing the number of dances (we used to have 23 monthly dances a year, now we have only 11 or 12), eliminating our youth outreach dance. Also, if you do not attend the monthly dances or are an infrequent attendee, please tell us what it is that is keeping you from attending and what it would take to have you attend. The Chapter is at a cross-road and it needs your active support if it is to be successful and to continue to operate. I’m asking you to be part of the solution. You may send your comments, suggestions and/or your name for filling a Board position to the Chapter
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mailbox: PO Box 62321 Virginia Beach, VA 23466 or via email: raesmithco3@msn.com I am also mailing a copy of this article with a selfaddressed stamped envelope for use in returning your comments and suggestion and, more importantly, your indication that you are willing to assist the Chapter by volunteering for one of the upcoming vacancies.
Monthly Dances Dance Lesson: 7:30 to 8:30 PM Dancing: 8:30 to 11:00 PM (4th Saturday of each month) Location: Knights of Columbus Hall, 211 W. Government Ave., Norfolk, VA 2300 Sq. Ft. of Wooden Dance Floor, (757) 587-3548 Alcohol and smoke free environment Information/Reservations: www.usadancetidewater.org/directions.html. Gay Octavo - (757) 467-3601 E-Mail - ballroomdancers@cox.net Reservations are NOT normally required - but if you wish to have your group seated together, let us know. Refreshments will be provided, free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Admission: $8 Members, $10 Non-Members, $5 Students, HS/College with School ID, Free to Dance Instructors
Best Dessert Winner - Janice Lobello
Best Western Dress – Hjalmar Fond and Joan Maguire .
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Membership New Members
Imelda Serrano and Raymond Smith, President Hoffman, Barbara
Membership Renewal Reminder Abad, Monchito Abad, Nely Cachaper, Bonnie Cachaper, Jun Danylyk, Don Evasco, Elmer Grosskopf, Doug Hoffman, Gary Hudson, Mark Mack, Johnny Perron, David Slepsky, Peter Twine, Daviena Weakley, Janice
YEAR 2010 USA Dance of Tidewater Board Members Ray Smith- President 757-486-1856 raesmithco@msn.com Donna Campbell – Exec. Vice President 757-686-0077 ballroomblitz@verizon.net Kay Niman-Meyers- Vice President for Social Dance 757-456-0258 kay@niman-meyers.com Tom Somma – Vice President for College/Youth 757-479-0418 tsomma@odu.edu Wanda Smith - Vice President for the New Years Dance Event 757-410-8880 jsmith6941@aol.com John Upton- Secretary 757-613-5384 U760@hotmail.com Gay Octavo- Acting Treasurer 757-467-3601 ballroomdancers@cox.net Park Allen- Board Member 757-427-2547 Tony Octavo- Board Member 757-467-3601 ballroomdancers@cox.net Jackie Chen – Newsletter Editor Jhchen89@verizon.net
Chapters in the area:
Richmond USA Dance Phone: 804-447-0175 Dance first and third Saturday of each month Website: www.usadancerichmond.org (Newsletter now online) Tri-Cities USA Dance Phone: 804-672-2657 Dance second Saturday of each month rw4013@earthlink.net Azalea Coast USA Dance Phone: 910-799-1694 acusabda@att.net Williamsburg USA Dance Phone: 757-273-0796 Dance first Saturday of each month eilovestodance@gmail.com Northeast North Carolina Phone: 252-335-2258 Dance first Friday of each month 6102dance@roadrunner.com www.freewebs.com/usadance6102 USA Dance Tidewater 3
Advertising Studio Owners and dance related services and vendors please be aware. Advertising in Tidewater Chapter USA Dance Bi-monthly Newsletter is welcomed. Advertising Rates for camera-ready ads: Full page - $30; ½ page - $17; ¼ page - $10; 1/8 page - $5. Chapter members may submit dance related, non-commercial classified ads and small camera-ready display ads for publication at no charge, space permitting. Advertising payments are made by check to Tidewater Chapter USA Dance , PO Box 62321, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23466-2621
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS USA Dance of Tidewater appreciates assistance from chapter members with upcoming events, helpers on committees and members to serve as assistants to our board members and officers. Call (757)467-3601 for more information. Other incentives for your services and volunteer work will be considered for compensation by your current officers and board members. One thing everyone could do to help out would be to print the attached flyers, and post them at work, the base, school bulletin boards, your doctor's office or wherever it would be appropriate.
Tidewater Chapter officers and volunteer
*** Program Starting to Show Results *** In 2010 the Chapter instituted a new program designed to introduce people to the benefits of ballroom dancing. The program would reimburse individuals who took group lessons for 4 consecutive weeks at one of our local studios for those lessons up to $40.00. The only caveat was that they were new to ballroom dancing and had not previously taken lessons in the area. In order to claim the reimbursement, the recipient would have to attend one of our dances. It was hoped that both the lessons and dance attendance would excite the recipient enough to join the Chapter and participate in Chapter activities. To date we have paid three participants and all three have joined the Chapter. Just recently, a group of 6 ladies and one gentleman have started lessons at the Wilkins School of Dance under the instruction of Marie Rants, one of our local independent studio dance instructors. They will be completing their 4 weeks of lessons at the end of November. The ladies were drawn to the program by their leader, Marlene Roberson, a church friend of one of our Chapter members, Annette Smith. Annette spoke to Marlene about the program after Marlene had expressed an interest in learning to ballroom dance. Marlene then attended our September monthly dance with three other lady friends and they were impressed enough to decide that this was an activity they wanted to be involved with. Marlene then proceeded to gather others from both her church and another church and with the assistance of our Chapter Treasurer, Gay Octavo, arranged to commence lessons with Marie and Tony and Gay had Louie get involved. Assisting in the lessons have been two other gentlemen from our Chapter – Tony Octavo and Tom Somma. The Chapter is looking forward to the group’s completion of their lessons and their attendance at the November dance. We hope to persuade them to provide feedback on their experience to share with the Chapter membership. Of course, we are also looking forward to six new Chapter members.
Photo: left to right: Marlene Roberson Sharon Clarke Jackie Sessoms Louie Atangan Susan Courtney Kay Weaver and Marian Wright
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Pictures from October Dance Party
Allen Hedgepath and Students
Pictures from Septembers Dance Party
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Pictures from The Youth Dance Party
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Williamsburg Chapter 20th Anniversary Dance Helping the Williamsburg Chapter celebrate it’s 20th anniversary at its Wonder Fall Ball are, left to right: Wanda and Jerry Smith, Tidewater Chapter, Gloria Clark, Williamsburg Chapter President, Ray and Annette Smith, Tidewater Chapter, and Libby and Blair Smith, Williamsburg Chapter.
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Hello Fellow Dancers
by Will Harper
Many of you already know me – and many more have never heard of Will Harper. My purpose is to tell you about the 20th annual New Year’s Dancing Extravaganza in Norfolk Virginia… There are a few of us who have attended ALL 21 of these NY dances (yes, I can count – the first one was not organized, and isn’t counted in the “20th annual” figure. I am currently residing and teaching English in Cuenca Ecuador – but – guess what! I WILL BE at the 20th annual event. People have attended this event from all over the nation – and now – from all over the hemisphere (me). Did you know that the Norfolk (formerly held in Virginia Beach) New Year’s Dance Extravaganza is the largest NY dance event in the nation? Did you know that the grand ballroom has over 7,000 square feet of competition grade dance floor – with room for the tables OFF THE DANCE FLOOR? Did you know that, in addition to the grand ballroom, there will be 2 additional dance floors to cater to every dancing skill and taste? Did you know that you can dance from 9 AM until the last dancer drops on the dance floor – and start again at 9 the following day? Did you know that you can purchase a 75-minute group lesson from world champions and professional dancers for 13 and a half bucks? Did you know that you will have a choice of 68 dance workshops – and private lessons, if you wish – to choose from, covering ALL of the dancing tastes: international or American, beginner to advanced, ballroom to disco and country? Did you know that this is the BEST BARGAIN in the dance scene, for what you will get? Did you know that they take care of EVERYTHING, from you dance wear needs, to your meals, and even your parking? Did you know that this is an ALL-VOLUNTEER group, who get nothing out of staging this event, but the satisfaction of seeing that it is helping the dance community – and at least on charitable cause, every year. Of course there is the one thing that every dancer loves to hate – the aching feet, after the dancing is done. I’ll see you on the dance floor for the Tidewater New Years Dance Extravaganza!!!!!
*** Dance News & Events ***
A Time to Dance provides International Style Latin, Cha Cha and Rumba, West Coast Swing private and group classes, and Latin Dance Exercise.
Country Bootleggers Dance Studio - Mix & Mingle Dance, every Friday Night at 7201A George Washington Mem. Hwy. (Rt.17), Ph. 898-1922 or www.countrybootleggers.com Dance lesson: 7:30- 8pm, beg. East Coast Swing taught by Woody and Mariah Denmon. Dance starts at 8 -10:30 pm. $5.00 per person. DanceSport VA The next showcase is scheduled for May 1st, 2010. Workshop or Group lessons, call 757-473-3267 or visit www.dancesportva.com . Magic Moments Dance Studio offers a multitude of classes in the evenings at 2224 Virginia Beach Blvd., Suite 108, Virginia Beach , VA; visit www.magicmomentsdance.com or call 757498-5110 to find out more information. Rants Ballroom Company- Marie Rants can be e-mailed at marie@rantsballroomcompany.com. Her website is www.rantsballroomcompany.com. The phone number is 757-650-4984. Roberto, a local musician, can be reached by E-Mail ROBERTOINC@aol.com. Call 757-877-0610 or visit his website Robertoinc.net. Sam and Denise Miller are now offering specialized and progressive online dance classes. They also teach private lessons at A Time To Dance. For more information, visit www.samdenisemiller.com
Tango Class with Brett Moye at Shall We Dance 8:00pm -8:45 pm. This event repeats every week. Cost is $15 per person per class (pay as you go) or $50 for a four-week series. contact Brett at (757) 513-0724 or tangonoches@yahoo.com Tango Info “Beyond Beginner Class” Every Wednesday 7:30pm to 9pm at The Cooks’ Residence, 4102 Faigle Road, Portsmouth, Va. Thursday Night Tango class, Time: 8pm – 9:30 pm, every week at Tango House, 1900 Rock Lake Loop. Va Beach, Ph 685-3727 or mercy.cook@cox.net Two Step Tidewater, Inc is the name of Walter and Judy Schultz's dance business. They connect with dancers through an extensive weekly newsletter and web site, www.TwoStepTidewater.com They are instructors with DanceSportVA in Virginia Beach and RPM Dance in Northern Suffolk. They also host a social dance each Sunday night at DanceSportVA. You can contact Walter & Judy at their home phone number, (757) 483-9410 or email Classic2step@verizon.net. Dancing with the Stars judge, Carrie Ann Inaba, launched a new website called the Dance Insider at www.thedanceinsider.com. * * * Due to our policy, Dances that conflict with our scheduled, 4th Sat. of each month dance will not be included in our newsletters.
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Local Dance Studios A STEP ABOVE Alan Hedgpeth Located in the Golden Slippers Dance Studio 2924 North Lynnhaven Road Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (757) 617-6626, (757) 621-6726 E-mail: astepabove_6@hotmail.com
DANCESPORT VA STUDIO Betty Lu 5721 Arrowhead Drive Suite A Virginia Beach, VA 23462 (757) 473-3267 www.dancesportva.com MAGIC MOMENTS BALLROOM DANCE STUDIO Marvin Riner 2224 Virginia Beach Blvd. (Suite 108) Virginia Beach, VA 23454 (757) 498-5110 www.magicmomentsdance.com
A TIME TO DANCE Rebekah and Zhenya 5600 Virginia Beach Blvd (Suite 105) Virginia Beach, VA 23462 (757) 490-8999 www.atimetodanceonline.com E-mail: learntoballroom@gmail.com COUNTRY BOOTLEGGERS DANCE STUDIO Cindy and Mike Norge 7201A George Washington Memorial Highway Yorktown, Virginia 23692 (757) 898-1922 www.countrybootleggers.com
SHALL WE DANCE VA STUDIO Brent Dunn 114 S. Witchduck Road Virginia Beach, VA 23462 (757) 971-0151 www.shallwedancevirginia.com
The Chapter website is: www.usadancetidewater.org The link to the national website is www.usadance.org. The central office phone number is 800-447-9047. Fax: 239-573-0946. Email: central-office@usadance.org. Contact your chamber of commerce, city recreation agencies or any tourist information services operating in the area to find vacation dance opportunities.
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