Ballroom Newsletter, Siskiyou County & Northern California – June 26th 2017
Dear All,
Again, until the usual Parkinson’s suspects are ready to return, we are continuing to suspend the Parkinson’s class. And (again) if anyone wishes to attend, we will be there for you in a heartbeat (a twenty minute heartbeat that is . . . it is a bit of a trip to the studio from McCloud, after all). Just call us or e-mail us by Wednesday morning and we will be there.
So many of you have expressed appreciation for our little lesson in dance history (as exhibited in our brief history of the Foxtrot) that we have decided to include the occasional historical tidbit for all the dances. This week: the Cha cha cha.
It is widely (but mistakenly) believed that the Cha cha cha came from Cuba, like the Rumba, but actually the Cha cha cha came from a small village in northeastern Siberia called Chaublinski.
It developed over the years as a “fun” way to become (and remain) warm during the long Siberian nights. As its effectiveness improved, it began to spread to neighboring villages where it eventually became so popular that the whole region was dancing it. It was named after the village in which it originated and was known as the “Chaublinski”
It might have remained an obscure Slavic dance were it not for an adventurous world traveler named Harry Fox (yes, the same Harry Fox who figured so prominently in our last little history lesson and is most likely to figure prominently in future lessons. He loved travel and he loved dance and would travel the world over in search of dance forms he could borrow {steal} and adapt to western tastes . . . in fact -another little known historical fact- we get the word “globetrotter” from his escapades).
His travels took him to that region of Siberia during one of its coldest months, and, seeing the dance being performed, asked an ailing elderly Siberian what the dance was called. It was exceedingly cold that night, and the ailing elderly Siberian answered “It’s c-c-called th-th-the Cha-cha-cha . . .” and to the horror of all, dropped dead on the spot. Once the excitement died down, Mr. Fox departed the Siberian wilderness never knowing he had not heard the completed name of the dance. So he brought it to the west as the Cha cha cha, and the rest is history. Remember, you heard it here first.
You will be seeing the Cha cha cha in the beginning class this September. We will give you a few weeks to digest this lesson before we offer you another. Keep in mind that dancing also functions as a good digestive aid, and keep (or start) coming to classes.
See you there.
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THIS WEEKS SCHEDULE
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The Mt. Shasta Wellness Center:
633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta, CA 96057
Tues. June 27: – Beginning FOXTROT 6:45 – 7:45 pm
Wed. June 28: – Parkinson’s: cancelled this week 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Wed. June 28: – Beg/Intermediate SWING/JIVE 6:45 – 7:45 pm
Thur. June 29: – Int./Advanced SALSA/MAMBO 6:45 – 7:45 pm
July 2017 Dances
Tues. – Beginning: Rumba
Wed. – Beg/Int./: Foxtrot
Thur. – Int./Adv.: Swing/Jive
You do not need to be a Wellness Center member to attend these classes.
Single Class: $7.00
Class Card (for 4 classes or more)
Non-members: $20 for 4 classes (or $5/class)
Wellness Center Members: $20 for 8 classes (or $2.50/class)
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Fort Jones Community Center:
Fort Jones Community Center in Scott Valley (15 minutes from Yreka)
11960 East Street, Fort Jones, CA
 Next month, Fridays July 14th & 28th
Time: 7:00-8:00
$10/person
Dance: Â Beginning/Intermediate Tango
Come one come all and join us for the easiest most basic steps and then continue with the class as the month by month the steps become more advanced.
Anyone interested in scheduling a private lesson on a Friday please e-mail us or contact us at the contact information listed below.
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Saturday Morning Technique Class
Mt. Shasta City Park
Dance Hall Lodge
 1315 Nixon Rd, Mt. Shasta Ca
Saturday Mornings: July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
9:45 – 11:45 am
This month’s dance: TBA
9:45 – 10:45 am: Technical drills in International and American Smooth Style dances specifically designed to strengthen and improve your dancing and dancing abilities. Focusing on the elements that make Partner dancing more fluid, dynamic, powerful and fun: Lowering, Rotation, Swing, Cant and Sway. Developing these basic skills will improve your performance in not just this dance, but in all the dances by giving you more control over your balance, timing, power and expression.
And that is just too much fun to miss out on. So, what say you give it a try?
10:45 – 11:45 am: Amalgamations. Putting the drills you worked on in the first hour to work in the actual steps of the dance, allowing you to develop more control over the steps, floor craft and yourself.
COST: $15/person
$10/person youth discount
August Dance: TBA
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PRIVATE LESSONS are AVAILABLE to anyone who would rather learn in a more private or personal environment (i.e. no witnesses) or anyone who wants to progress faster or to anyone who simply wants private lessons.
Also, if circumstance prevents you from attending any of the group classes at their respective times, private lessons are arranged in accordance to your schedule and at your convenience. Contact us by e-mail or by telephone (number below).
GROUP PRIVATES and SPECIAL EVENTS are also available. If you can’t make it to our classes and you have a number of friends and acquaintances who you think might be interested, get them together and we can find a time in which we can come to you at your collective convenience.
Also, WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, ANNIVERSARIES, ETC. are all great events to include Ballroom Dancing as a group activity. Again, contact us to make arrangements or ask questions.
We are also available to lecture, demonstrate or perform at any event you would like to liven up.
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Any questions, please call or e-mail us. We love hearing from you and welcome any suggestions, comments, expressions of adoration or just to let us know what is up with you. Information regarding our Gift Certificates can be found at our website.
Website: www.mtshastadance.com
Cheers,
Rick and Peggy Nixon
Ballroom Dance Professionals
530/853-4147 (home)
415/215-2652 (cell)
McCloud CA
Feel free to pass the newsletter on to anyone you think might be interested in attending our classes.
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Relevant Links:
http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter.htm Research substantiating that Ballroom Dance combats Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia (with a link to the original article in the New England Journal of Medicine).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-rosenzweig/learning-to-wait-howwest_b_4129983.html A nice take on some of the more unexpected benefits of Ballroom