Two Left Feet Newsletter

Looking Back with Pride

It was an exciting 2004 for us here at Fred Astaire. In March we went to Springfield, MA for another great Regional Dance Competition. In the Professional division, Richard and Marybeth placed second in the Mixed Intermediate Division. Then in June we had our Summer Showcase, where Don Jaffe and Ann Regan both performed with their teachers for first time. At the August competition in Leominster, MA we made a huge splash. Julie Delong did her first competition with Fred Astaire and Ann Regan did her first ever competition in ballroom dancing. Ann also won second place for Top Female Student, with Don Jaffe taking first place for Top Male Student. We also took second place for Top Studio overall. We went to our last competition for 2004 in November, which was held in Mystic, CT. Again our teachers performed well in the Professional divisions. Christine competed with Istvan, from the Norwood Studio, in the Closed Smooth Division. They won first place!!! Christine also placed second for Top Female Teacher. Our students did very well, as always. Misha Jaffe competed for first time ever. Julie Delong placed fourth for Top Female Student, and Don Jaffe took first place for Top Male Student yet again!!! We had another debut performance at our December Showcase, when Richard and Cathy Kean participated in our Waltz formation. Finally, in December, we welcomed a new teacher to our family - Michele Clemmons.
Thanks to all of our students for making 2004 a great year, and here's to making 2005 even more successful!!!

From Students to Students

For our first public dance performance we decided to participated in the Waltz formation segment of the Winter Showcase. Our instructors Richard and Deyan have always encouraged us to participate in the showcases and competitions. We always declined. But this showcase felt right. With a few waltz moves under our belts we signed up.
Each Saturday morning practice session we arrived blurry eyed with coffee in hand. Deyan's enthusiasm and energy seemed limitless. He was always excited to work with us and to show us the next part of his routine. After each session we would run home and practice the new sequence we had learned. On occasion we would forget a couple of the steps. But at the following session, Deyan would patiently help us work though the steps. It was exciting to see the routine grow and come to completion. Showcase day arrived! Our hard work was about to pay off. Christine provided the introductions. Our waltz formation team confidently walked onto the dance floor. The music started... We began dancing... "One, two, three…" Then it was over! It is amazing how fast those three plus minutes of dancing passed.
What a thrill to be part of the Showcase! We walked off the dance floor with the satisfaction of a successful performance. We have learned new steps and refined steps already learned. We gained experience at performing and insight to what it takes to pull a routine and showcase together! And don't forget, everyone - SMILE!!!

Dance Spot - The Tango

In the midst of the greatest period of dance evolution in American history (1910 - 1914), the Tango made its first appearance. It instantly struck the fancy of the dance conscious public, for its intriguing, asymmetrical and sophisticated patterns.
The Tango has no clearly defined origin. Descended from an early Spanish folk dance, called Milonga, the Tango first came to be known as such early in the 20th century in Argentina.
The Tango is a progressive dance that moves along the line of dance. A staccato movement of the feet and flexed knees highlight the dramatic style of the dance. It is one of the most stylized ballroom dances with measured crossing and flexing steps and poised pauses. Of all the dances which came into being in the early 20th century, only the Tango has continued to enjoy its popularity, heightened by movies like "Scent of a woman", "True Lies" and "Tango".

Events this Month

We will start the New Year off on the right foot with your help. Friday February 25th is going to be our Champagne Guest Party. It starts at 8:15pm. We will have a Guest circle and play some games. We will have Champagne, Cheese and Crackers and Dance demonstrations by students and staff. Help us start the New Year off right by bringing your family and friends and you could win FREE LESSONS!!!
Our other big event this month is the first issue of our monthly newsletter "Two Left Feet". We hope, with your help, we will make it something every student expects with great interest every month. Don't hesitate to approach us with your ideas about the newsletter.

Welcome to...

Let's all welcome our new teacher Michele Clemmons. Michele was born and raised here in Hanover. She started dancing at the age of 4, dancing ballet, jazz and tap. Her ballroom career started in 1990 here at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Hanover. She moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and worked for a Fred Astaire Dance Studios there. In 2001 she and her partner became the Ohio Regional Smooth and Open Rhythm Champions. She is looking forward to working with the staff and students here and hopefully compete again. Oh, and try not to give her really hard time. Her favorite dances are West Coast Swing, Rumba, Tango and Cha-Cha. She also enjoys Country Western and Line Dances.

Holiday Festival - Results

Congratulations to the Top Ten Students in our Holiday Festival 2004! The Top Ten will be treated to a night out on the town with the staff on Saturday, February 26th. Here are the top ten students in alphabetical order: Linda Auton, Elinore Barrett, Julie DeLong, Nordis Glasoe, Jean Marie Hart, Don Jaffe, Misha Jaffe, Janet Minton, Dan Maher & Heidi Jakub, Ann Regan.
As you know the Holiday Festival is a four week contest held by all the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in the country. The schools are divided into several regions, and all the studios within a region compete against each other for the Top Studio Trophy. The contest is based on a point system and the school with the most points at the end of the Festival wins. Out of the thirteen studios in The New England Region, the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Hanover came in fifth place. We are planning on doing better in the next contest, which will be held in June 2005. So look forward for a summer fun-filled of theme parties, games, prizes, surprises and most of all, great savings and free lessons! If you have some new ideas for the theme parties or activities held during the festival please don't hesitate to share them with us... you know we are all about the craziness!

Dance Horoscope

Aquarius, the water carriers, likes tap dancing, break dances, the Quickstep and the Charleston. They also love rap and Reggae. But their real preference is for light musical experimentation such as New Age with electronic music.