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Veteran-owned dance studio growing after pandemic

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

February 2020 probably wasn’t the best time to open any kind of business, much less a dance studio.

Two years later, Country Nomads at 835 E. Southern Ave., Mesa, not only lives but continues to expand its reach as military veterans Joel Bartlett and Gabriel Dubois – along with Kacee Crandall – teach country swing through what they call “a simple and easy format.

“The Fundamentals we teach are Frame, Connection, and Control (FCC),” they explain on their website. “FCC will not only allow you to dance safely, efficiently, and effectively but you will look stylish and smooth.

“With our progressive learning approach, you will always be learning something new and building on your skills from the ground up. Every lesson builds on top of each other until you reach your desired goal.”

The trio teach throughout the country as well as in their studio – hence their name “Country Nomads.”

“Dancing saved all of our lives in some way,” Crandall said.

They started teaching 20 private lessons a week in their living rooms.

Eventually, taking apart Crandall’s apartment living room and shoving the furniture into kitchen became too much for them – and her roommate.

In February 2020, the group went to look at a studio and by the end of the day had struck a deal with the previous tenant that cost $6,000 and their name on the lease, Dubois said.

Three weeks later, what they considered a dream deal turned to “heartbreaking and stressful” when they had to close due to the pandemic.

seeNOMADS page 20

Country Nomads, from left, Joel Bartlett, Gabriel Dubois and Kacee Crandall own Country Nomads dance studio in Mesa but also travel around the country teaching people country

swing. (Josh Ortega/Tribune Staff)

Dealership launches ‘Luggage of Love’ drive

TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

Larry H. Miller Dealerships has launched its month-long “Luggage of Love” drive to help hundreds of Arizona children who enter foster care each month transition into a safe home with items of comfort.

They are collecting suitcases and other items throughout March to support children statewide who are served by the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

“Children who enter foster care, are often removed from their homes in the middle of the night, with little to no time to pack a bag of their belongings,” said Pat Kroneberger, senior vice president of Larry H. Miller Dealerships

“Through our partnership with DCS, we’ve learned how traumatic and heartbreaking this experience can be, and we simply want children to have hope for better days ahead. If we can make a positive impact on their lives through our donations ofsuitcases and basic items of comfort like pajamas, socks, and pillows, then it’s an honor and privilege to do so.”

People can stop at Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa,460 E. Auto Center Drive or Larry H. Miller Nissan at2025 Riverview Auto Drive, both Mesa to donate.

Donated items can include carry-size roller suitcases, blankets, pillows, pajamas and socks for children up to the age of 18.All donated items must be new and unused.

During the inaugural “Luggage of Love” campaign in 2021, Larry H. Miller dealerships across the state collected 320 suitcases, 415 blankets, 296 pillows, 843 pajamas, and 2,477 packages of socks. In total, the estimated value of the donations equaled $94,165.

“There was no rent relief,” Crandall said. “There were bills that had to be paid.”

Their country music and nomad lifestyle evolved from their common background.

Dubois has split his nine years of service in Army Intelligence between active duty and Reserves, taking him to Alaska, North Carolina and Arizona.

He said he became interested in country swing the way any 21-year-old young man does: for a woman. His interest quickly grew as he wanted to learn more and make sense of the dance movements.

“I started learning different ways of doing these dance moves in a way that made sense, felt good and didn’t hurt,” he said.

Bartlett had some dance experience growing up, having taken ballet as a kid and some hip-hop as a teen.

His time working on a farm in rural Illinois – along with his four years as a Marine rifleman at Camp Pendleton, California – introduced him to country music and the lifestyle that accompanies his journey.

“Dancing saved my life,” Bartlett said “So, being able to pass that love on to other people is beyond amazing for me.”

Crandall grew up in a military family in Sierra Vista and considers herself “gametaught” from learning the small technical skills and abilities from the other two. Gabriel Dubois and Kacee Crandall demonstrate one of the more elegant country swing moves. (Special to the Tribune)

“My dance experience came strictly from being their follows,” she said. “I think I went from being a social dancer to a dancer when I met them, and then a professional dancer over the last four years for me.”

Now, they have the studio, the bills have gotten paid and they’re still doing what they love: teaching people how to become confident on the dance floor.

That’s what Dubois and Bartlett said brings them the biggest thrill – besides traveling across the country and meeting other people in the country-swing dance community.

“I’ve done so many different things in my life,” Bartlett said. “And this by far is beyond anything that I could ever ask or dream of, just simply having fun and being able to dance.”

Information: countrynomads.com

LOVE from page 19

According to DCS, there are more than 14,000 Arizona children in foster care. Children of all ages enter foster care through no fault of their own. More than 70 percent of children enter foster care because they have experienced neglect in their home and an estimated 50 percent of children enter due to a parent’s drug use.

“Kids who enter foster care are experiencing loss,” said DCS Director Mike Faust. “They’re experiencing a loss of safety, a loss of control, a loss of trust in adults, and some experience a loss of self-worth. When the community bands together to assist them during a very trying time, it shows them that people care. “Small items add up to a big impact, and we are grateful for partners like Larry H. Miller Dealerships, and their continued support of Arizona children who have lost so much. It’s efforts like these that help these kids feel loved and seen.”

The “Luggage of Love” campaign will culminate in April, when a caravan of Larry H. Miller Dealerships vehicles stuffed with suitcases and items of comfort meets and delivers the donations to DCS’s South Mountain Office and the DCS Welcome Center in Tucson.

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Heel Pain Is On The Rise

The weather has a big impact on heel pain. As the days cool down, our activity levels heat up. Going for a walk, playing a round of golf, and hiking are all possible again with the temperature below 100 degrees. But you need to pay attention to your feet. “Getting back to a normal lifestyle can be a shock to your feet, especially to your heels,” says Dr. Shah Askari of CIC Foot & Ankle.

More than two million Americans suffer from plantar fasciitis, a sharp, stabbing, sometimes burning pain in the heel or arch of the foot. It’s anticipated this number will rise as people start taking advantage of better weather.

It typically hurts when first getting up, may lessen after a few steps but always returns. In the past, a cortisone injection was the treatment of choice. “Cortisone manages the pain, but it doesn’t address what’s causing the pain,” explains Askari. Now, treatment focuses on the condition, not just the symptom.

“Regenerative medicine is one of the most promising ways to deal with pain, because it triggers the body to heal,” he explains. “Prolotherapy is an option that uses a natural irritant which starts the healing process.” Growth factor therapy also jump starts and maintains regeneration of new tissues.

In addition, the FDA recently approved cold laser therapy for plantar fasciitis. “Laser treatment is another way to treat heel pain, because it increases circulation, which promotes healing,” says Askari. “It’s all about healing.”