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Holidays So Nice!
- Author:
- Phillip Stephens (philtex44@aol.com | 713-248-2299)
- Date Published:
- December 20, 2010
Holidays So Nice!
The past week was a blur of activity around The Dance Place as everyone prepared for our 26th Annual Holiday Show, Holidays So Nice!
Starting promptly at 7:30pm with a Youth Latin Group comprised of 3 young ladies aged 7 to 9 and finishing at 10:30pm with a trio of pros, the show was non-stop excitement as we presented 52 fabulous routines. Our audience was very supportive and, with 294 performers and guests here, we were excited that everything went off with only a minor glitch in a couple of places. So we extend kudos to all the performers and that fantastic and very appreciative audience.
Teachers and students from all over the city came to perform in the show. Jose Melendez performed with Joy Lehtola, Carolyn Sloughter, Galina Galperin, Jenny Thompson and Janeil Bernard. Alex Olivares presented the Youth Latin Group and then performed with students Amy Deutsch and Bel Ceballos. Later, Alex and his professional partner Lorin Jimenez presented a fabulous Bolero.
Michael Stephens danced some intricate West Coast Swing moves with Jamie Callahan and Karen Leiker. Charles Stokely and Rebecca Fuller danced a lovely Viennese Waltz.
Annette Farrell-Klein brought a large contingent of guests from her Smooth Dancer studio out in Webster. Annette danced a Waltz with a youth named Alex Hansen who later danced another Waltz with amateur partner Katarina Tomasic. Annette presented a lovely formation featuring 4 couples who did a great job of entertaining the audience.
Hank Nguyen and Kelly Duong performed a beautiful Foxtrot and a very sexy Cha-cha and Hank's daughter Maria Nguyen danced a sensual Rumba with Viorel Balan. Viorel also danced a beautiful Cha-cha with young Kori Ainslie. We were also treated to a fabulous Foxtrot by Allen Lim partnered with the ever lovely Vika (Belova) Soto.
There were several "new" performers in this year's show. All of them were scared nearly witless, but you'd never know it from watching them. Pamela Parker danced a Rumba with Tony Carbonell, and Tony also presented Ken and Vera Merritt, who danced an Argentine Tango. Charlotte Hight danced both an Argentine Tango and a Cha-cha with Guo Yong Zhang, and you'd never believe they've been working on those routines for such a short time! Rabih Timani and Nell Lukosavich dance a very nice Waltz that looked anything but beginner! Rounding out our "Newbie" section was Laura Neff, who danced a lovely and intricate Viennese Waltz with Lance Estridge.
Our "filmographers" were nearly worked senseless; they managed to not only take still photos and man the video cameras, but also managed to dance in the show. Bonnie Stockwell danced a tantalizing Tango with Ronnie Leverett and a sexy Samba with Phillip Stephens and also danced a very nice Foxtrot with husband Doug Stockwell. We can't wait to see how fabulous their video will be once its all edited and polished up.
Several people were new to our show, including Martha Cockrell who danced a Cha-cha with Antonio Smyrnis and a Rumba with Ed Travis. Patrick Moran and wife Marlaina Vance presented a "schnazzy" Foxtrot choreographed by Phillip Stephens. Maurice Bonillo presenteed a lovely Waltz with Susan Lunson and a lively Foxtrot with Reecca Hart.
Of course, the show featured all our "veteran" performers, including a wonderful Cha-cha by Carole Pasternack and Tony Carbonell who also performed a fascinating Argentine Tango. Lance Estridge danced a Waltz with Lydia Gresham that featured a beautiful lift at the end. Lance also danced a sexy Rumba with Cherie Hassenflu. Rabi Timani danced a hot Cha-cha with Janet Carpenter. Ronnie Leverett danced a well-choreographed Rumba with Rosalia Vazquez. Phillip Stephens presented Ruby and Ron Weston, who danced a very sassy Samba and then danced a lovely Waltz and a lively Quickstep with veteran Sharon Shelton Pease. Michael Schedler danced a fancy Tango and a fabulous Viennese Waltz with Yvonne Kubicek.
One of the highlights of the evening for Phillip and Michael and for anyone who knows her was the beautiful Foxtrot presented by Rabih Timani and Marilyn Westheimer. Marilyn has been fighting pancreatic cancer since the middle of May. It was touch-and-go as to whether she'd be able to dance in the show. Early last week, she said she just didn't think she could do it and that I should take her out of the roster. But I told her we'd leave her in no matter what and that we'd skip that number if we had to but, if she was up to it, she should dance. And we were so happy that she could dance and that she did such a lovely and graceful performance.
Cami and Irsan Tisnaboodi, who were recently in Spain to compete in a multi-national Amateur event, got back to Houston in time to perform in our show. It was a delight to have them back out on our dance floor in their flirty Jive and feisty Cha-cha. Chad Guidry and Shelley James presented a touching Nightclub routine to "Mary, Did You Know?" and a very entertaining West Coast Swing showdance routine. Rounding out the line-up was a theatrical Foxtrot to "Fever" featuring Vickie Dunn partnered with Ronnie Leverett and Phillip Stephens.
We'd like to thank the terrific people who helped with decorations, set up, food, proofreading and teardown afterwards. We can't tell you how much we appreciate all the terrific people who care enough about The Dance Place to give so much of their time to help us out and to make the studio such a great place. In one way or another, the following people were true troopers this past week and weekend: Ronnie Leverett, Vickie Dunn, Bonnie & Doug Stockwell, Patsy Schedler, Bruce Bender, Mary Simmons, Mary Lou Kyriacou, Sharon Pease, Yvonne Kubicek and Phyllis Baker. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.
Merry Christmas from The Dance Place
