DanceTalk - The Archives
April 2008
Thank for
Visiting the Archives of Ron's Dance Talk
Ron Bess & daughter
picture courtesy of Eric Novoa
LINKS of INTEREST - for HUSTLE
Click on Flames to Burn on to the -
From iTunes & Mark James
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Mark James' Dance Zen Site Search
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DanceTalk * 4-29-08
- 
Happy Birthday wishes to Alysa Haas, Silvia
Piccinini, Daryl Polansky, Wendy Lippincott, Lenny
Osgood, Jason Richman, Ariana Young, Sheri
Barnes, Bobbi Petri, Anita Giacone, Nancy Carillo,
Tony Pace, Frank Pellici, Jie Du, Anthony
Sario, Marina Perado and Steven Mitchell.
One of the finest choreographers of all time, George
Ballanchine passed away 26 years ago. He fused ballet with
contemporary dance. He was the founder of The School of American Ballet
and New York City Ballet. He was the recipient of the first Kennedy
Center Honors Award in 1978.
Saturday, May 3rd, The Ultimate Dance Zone presents, a special Cinco
De Mayo dance, hosted by Mark James and Karen Lupo.
$100 door prize and an Amateur salsa dance contest $100 first prize.
See more more info @ http://www.mjames.org/zone.html
Vicki Sue Robinson passed away 8 years ago. This
Philadelphia native left us many wonderful dance songs including one of
the first disco classics of the era, "Turn The Beat Around."
Get ready for the return of "So You Think You Can Dance."
The season premier kicks off on May 22nd, Thursday evening on the Fox
network.
Refer a friend @ SoHo Dance Studio and get a one
FREE private lesson for yourself. Sign up for our Orientation
Class & receive a 1/2 hr. private lesson, both for just $20,
New classes @ SoHo Dance Studio: Street Funk, Fridays@ 6:30 &
Hip Hop, Fridays @ 7:30, *take both classes for only $35! (or
$20/class) 598 Broadway 6th flr. NYC Phone
212-226-6767 http://www.sohodancestudio.com
Latin Wednesdays are back at the City Cafe in NY with DJ
Johnny V, for the best in Latin dancing and a touch of
hustle. Premiers April 30th. See below for details.
"Disco Classic Dance Benefit" Saturday, May 17, for
the 6th Annual Ed Ryan Memorial Award @ The City Nightclub at the
Radisson Hotel, New Rochelle, NY. Live performance by "First Choice"
(Doctor Love, Smarty Pants) with DJ Bobby Morales, Johnny Rocks,
Anthony Ace & DJ Serg. $40 donation, hors' devours
& light dinner buffet, 8:30PM show time 11PM. http://www.feverrecords.com
- http://www.myspace.com/feverrecords
wk 914 725 0011 fax 914 725 3485
Dance images from the three-way birthday dances
held at Michael's Cafe for Brian, Bryan, and Mike. Courtesy of Fred http://whatsnew.fredf.fotki.com/
Have you visited the Hustle Hall Of Fame recently?
Check out the newest members, pictures and video's. Go to http://www.hustlehalloffame.com
Since 1982, "Dance Day" is celebrated
internationally. April 29th is the day to remind everyone to dance, go
to a social, dance comp and make sure to bring a friend -
two.
Best of luck to all the dancers heading to Miami for the International
Hustle & Salsa Championships this weekend.
It's not to late to take part. Visit the website for all the
details. http://www.hustleandsalsa.com/
The winners at last weeks Zachary's dance contest -
1st place Ozzie Larrache & Christie
Giarratani, 2nd place Angel Lopez & Lena Spurdio, 3rd place
Ricco & Carmen. The next amateur competition is Friday, May
9th.
Next week in DanceTalk® we will feature the second installment
of the 2008 DJ Directory courtesy
of http://www.theHustlelounge.com
This weeks edition of DanceTalk®. is sponsored by Swing'in
Into Spring.
Make it a great week,
Ron
Nan Bohrar R.I.P.
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Nan Bohrar.
Many of you remember Nan's smiling face from Stepping Out Dance Studios
and from the original Hustle USA competitions. She was always there,
working, competing and dedicated to making things run efficiently. She
was an integral part of the hustle community. For years she had put her
self out there, spreading the word of hustle in efforts to help it grow.
We corresponded weekly, for years, but she never indicated to
me any health problems - concerns. Nan has been such a great
help to me and the publication of DanceTalk. I will always be grateful
for her help and friendship. I will truly miss her. Below are
some letters that say it best.
Hi Ron,
I’m very sorry to report to you that Nan Bohrar passed away
last week. I’m told she had a type of skin cancer
which she had beaten back two years ago, but which suddenly reappeared
in a very aggressive form. Nan assisted with the HustleJam
party at Stepping Out every Wednesday night, sending weekly emails
about the party and selling tickets at the front door. I
understand she helped start the party with Maria Torres over a decade
ago, and more recently assisted Simone Assboeck and David Padilla with
the party. She was a terrific hustle dancer, and was the
leading female student in the advanced hustle dance classes at Stepping
Out. She was a welcome fixture at the Wednesday night
parties, and is deeply missed by the hustle community in New York City.
Best regards,
David Slater
..............................
Amen, Amen, Amen,
Thank you for recognizing her contributions and for her unselfish
efforts. She will be sorely missed by the community and by myself.
Thank you again,
Arte Phillips
..............................
Hi Ron,
I just wanted to say that Nan Bohrar was a wonderful person and
instrumental in the running of Hustle USA. She will be missed
by all.
Dancingly,
Debra Hampton
..............................
I was very sorry to here about Nan's passing. I met her when Maria
Torres
and I started the original Wednesday night hustle
party, not at Stepping Out,
but at the original Dance Manhattan studio on 15th St. & Irving
Place back
in the winter of 1992. In Summer of '93, the party was moved
to the original Stepping
Out on 57th and Broadway, where it soon became NYC's best hustle
social. In 1995,
our staff grew when I invited Nelson "Paradise" Roman
to join me in the DJ booth.
It was a great run. I left the staff in 2000, but the party
kept on and it's still going
strong today. When Stepping Out moved to it's present location in 2002,
who was there at her customary spot at the door but
Nan to greet you with a smile.
She was also very instrumental on the organizational side of 2
major
yearly events, Hustle USA and the Lincoln Center Midsummer Night Swing
Hustle Gala. One of my fondest memories was watching her win the
amateur Theater
Arts division at Hustle USA II. She was terrific.
You're already missed. R.I.P.
Bobby Morales
..............................
Hi Ron,
When I was first "getting my feet wet" learning to
dance the Hustle, I regularly attended the Wednesday night Hustle party
at Stepping Out with the same dance partner. When Nan
collected our admission fees and stamped our hands, she also recorded
our names. In order to give encouragement to us as she wrote
our names down, she always would say to
us "Fred and Ginger."
Robert Rothman
..............................
Dear Ron,
I am very sad to hear that Nan has passed away. Our community is at a
real loss for someone who gave so much of herself and her time because
she loved hustle dancing. I did not know her on a personal level but I
believe she made quite a considerable contribution to hustle dancing in
NYC. Besides, David, Simone and DJ Nelson, I believe that a lot of the
success of the Stepping Out parties in the last few years is also due
to Nan's selfless efforts. She would stay on top of me to make sure
that I included all the hustle parties at Stepping Out in my email
newsletters. Every week she would send out her email about the hustle
parties there and she would include all of my parties and events. She
has done her part to keep this dance we love thriving. I did not know
she was ill and it's difficult to believe she has passed away so
suddenly. It helps to remind us that life is really short and we do not
have time for all of this negativity and fighting within our community
that I have been reading about on the Internet lately. Thank you and
God bless you, Nan.
We will miss you,
Sincerely,
Lori Brizzi
Swing'in Into Spring
This is the event with no evening competitions - Just social dancing.
No waiting until Midnight - 1:00AM for the real social dancing to
start. Event Highlights * Lots of Social Dancing,
Lots of Workshops & a Little Bit of Competition, * No Evening
Competitions – Social Dancing only* Beg/Novice &
Inter/Adv. Workshop Tracks* Beg/Nov. Track suitable for Beg/Nov
Dancers, those learning opposite part, For Instructors and dancers
considering becoming instructors * Int/Adv Workshops in WCS &
Hustle/Beg/Nov/Int in WCSHustle & Niteclub 2-Step* Social
Dancing between all workshops, Practice & retain what you just
learned * WCS Competitions - Jack'N'Jill - Newcomer, Nov, Int, Adv, -
Strictly Swing - Nov/Int & Open Divisions* Don’t Miss
any Workshops – Video Notebook available with all workshops
& Competitions * Cash Prize for Winners in each competition.
$79 Hotel rate includes Free Breakfast Buffet Sat & Sun
Mornings. Swingin’ Into Spring Striking a balance between
Workshops, Competition and Social Dancing. For Swingin' Into
Spring, there are currently 12 hours scheduled for workshops. Two at a
time (24 Total). Workshops are set up so that the
same instructor will teach at least two 1 hour workshops, sometimes 3,
in succession. That way the instructor can take their time. There is a
?Hour social dance time between every workshop. One room is designated
for Beg/Nov workshops that concentrate more on technique &
variations of basic moves. These workshops are for newer dancers.
(Especially recommended for instructors - those considering
teaching). The Main Ballroom is dedicated to the more
advanced workshops. The Inter/Adv. Workshops tend to be more
“Move Orientated” … with less time spent
on basic technique. The Jack-N-Jill is the epitome of social
dance competition. West Coast Swing J&J Competitions
for Newcomer, Nov, Inter, Adv, All Star
Jack’N’Jill’s, and an Open Strictly
Swing. They are all held in the afternoon. NO EVENING COMPETITIONS. We
are a World Swing Dance Council Registry Event, YOUR POINTS COUNT !!!!
- Social dancing starts after the evening workshops and goes to at
least 3:00AM. SO … If you are more into social dancing and
learning, but still like to compete in
Jack’N’Jill's … come check out the
event. For more details visit - http://www.sis.djkenm.com
Time capsule
The year was 1978, "Superman" appeared in theaters and introduced the
world to a shining new actor, the late Christopher Reeves. "Animal
House," displayed a satirical look at college fraternity life
courtesy of the late John Belushi and, folks hid under their seats when
Jason appeared in the thriller, "Halloween." The Bee Gees
were given a Grammy award as "Producers of the Year" and Barry Manilow
had a huge hit with “Copacabana.”
30 years ago to this week, the popular week day talkie, "The Merv
Griffin Show," launched a two day promotion for the national release of
the highly anticipated motion picture, "Thank God It's
Friday". What "Saturday Night Fever" did for disco, the prior
year, TGIF created the same impact and enthusiasm for hustle dancing.
This landmark show featured a national dance contest (the test pilot
for Dance Fever) flying couples in from all over the country to compete
for first place honors. Singing sensation Donna Summer,
premiered her hit song "Last Dance." The Commodores appeared in the
movie and sang their classic funk "Too Hot Ta Trot." The
popular television show earned its highest ratings of all time. After
winning regional dance contests, couples flew to LA for the taping.
Jose Gonzales & Angie represented Philadelphia, Buddy Schwimmer
"the king of West Coast Swing" and (father of Benji Schwimmer) danced
as well. But the floor belonged to Floyd Chisholm & Nellie
Cotto from the big apple. They would display hustle at its best,
adorned in a white tuxedo they performed magically, executing tricks
and the famous roll down and slide across the floor, not to mention
spinning her around his neck a few times. They were crowned the King
& Queen of Disco. The dance world took notice as
their dance style and tricks are still emulated today. The following
year, Merv released his nationally syndicated show "Dance Fever"
...which had huge viewership ratings. As years have gone by, Donna
Summer has gone onto fame & fortune, The Commodores disbanded
and Lionel Ritchie went on to a successful solo career.
Merv Griffin passed away last year but, the music of the era and the
hustle dance lives on today.
DanceTalk * 4-22-08
-
Happy Passover
Happy birthday wishes to Ron Rochester, Irene Santini, Gene Rombola,
Leroy Rathcamp, Giorgio Moroder, Carolyn Grimaldi,
John Crescione,Carmen Wright, Jean DelPrado
and Teddy Dormoi.
Thirteen years ago, we lost one of the most respected and talented
dancers of the century, Ginger Rogers passed away
on April 25, 1995
We wish Alex Jack a speedy recovery. He is
recuperating from surgery after a mild heart attack. Please keep him in
your thoughts and prayers.
Our condolences go out to Lois Shiloh on the
passing of her father. He was 91 years old. Please keep her family in
your thoughts and prayers.
Madonna sets a new record with her 37th
top 10 song, "4 Minutes." The new tune features song
writer/producer Justin Timberlake.
At this years IHSC, world dance champion Lisa Nunziella,
will be teaching her salsa moves at this years
competition. A member of the prestigious Life Time Achievement division
on the Hustle Hall Of Fame, Lisa has release an entire DVD series,
Dance With Lisa.
Funky Fridays returns this Friday night to Soho Dance Studio's
hosted by Lori Barzvi with resident DJ Bobby Morales. Special dance
performances and hustle dancing all night long. See all the details
below.
May 20th is the release date for "Crayons" the new album from song
writer and legend Donna Summer. There will be a
launch party in NYC on June 3rd
Its a double shot night at Michael's Cafe this
Tuesday in Bensalem Pa. DJ Mark plays back to back hits from the best
dance artists from the 70's to contemporary artists. No cover, free
parking from 8PM to 12:30AM.
Swing Dance America takes over Wisconsin this coming
weekend. Good luck to all the swing and Hustle competitors. See below
for more details. http://swingdanceamerica.com/
July 18th, Mamma Mia comes to the silver screen.
The musical, features the songs of ABBA. The motion picture stars Meryl
Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan....
This weeks edition of DanceTalk is sponsored by the http://www.the.Hustlelounge.com
and the Great American Jack & Jill O'Rama.
Read all about it below.
Make it a great week,
Ron
DJ Directory 2008 (part 1 of 3)
Here is the newest, comprehensive listing of the finest disc jockeys,
specializing in dance music, all over the USA. Many of these pros are
on the air and/or take part at the national dance events. Thank you to
all these professionals for the energy they put into their work and the
enjoyment they bring us. This is a three part list.
Please retain for your records when you need a top notch DJ in the
future.
The directory is brought to you by http://www.thehustlelounge.com
and DanceTalk®.
Randy Atlas
A Sound Trek
Miami Florida
Swing, Hustle and Salsa and Latin Music
305-756-5037
ratlas@ix.netcom.com
Mike Brooks
Phila and Atlantic City
70 & 80's disco ,dance & funk plus motown & new
hot jams
mbrooks1037@hotmail.com
website http://www.mikebrooks.net/
609-408-3264 cell
BILLY CARROLL
NYC
HOUSE Music
DJBILLYCARROLL@AOL.COM
website http://www.BILLYCARROLL.COM
212 741 5159
Noel Colon - DJ Noel C.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Disco, Salsa, West Coast Swing, R&B, Dance, HIP HOP &
Freestyle.
Dyingtobedancing@aol.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southfloridahustleclub/
(954) 868-7505
Jenny Costa
City Long Island, NY
Dance Music, WKTU Mixologist
E mail - djjenny@optonline.net
website http://www.ktu.com/pages/jennycosta.html
Louis Del Prete
Long Island, NY
Ballroom, Latin, Hustle, WCS
516-819-9016
louisdelprete@yahoo.com
Bob Frione
South Windsor, CT.
Dance Music - Emphasis on Disco,W.C. Swing & Latin
bobfrione@yahoo.com
cell 203-605-4601
Bobby Gerard
South Florida
Classic Dance
Djbobgerard1327@aol.com
954-255-8149
Michael Gormley
Philadelphia, PA
Dance, oldies to current - mobile & club work
mgorms@verizon.net
215-742-1383
Christopher Hemmer - MrDancePro
West Palm Beach/Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Swing, Hustle, Latin, Ballroom, etc.
Chris@MrDancePro.com
website - http://www.MrDancePro.com
(561) 876-1099
Rene Hewitt
Jersey City
DJ/Producer, House and Classics
djrene@optonline.net
http://www.renehewitt.com
http://www.iMusicUnderground.com
201-714-4852
Jack & Jill O'Rama
The Great American Jack & Jill O'Rama is back. If you like to
dance this is the place for you. We are talking, an all
intensive weekend of Swing dancing from June 12th to the 15th, at the
Hyatt Regency in Orange County, California. The tradition
lives on as Swing dancers from all over the country attend the exciting
workshops, Jack & Jill contests and dance, dance,
dance - non stop.
The music will inspire you under the careful hands of David Koppelman,
Mike Pyle and Jack Smith. The weekend will be buzzing with free
workshops featuring some of the top Swing dancer teachers from all over
the USA. You'll be taking classes with Phil Adams, Skippy Blair, Kelly
Casanova, Arjay Centeno, Luis Crespo, Gary Jobst, Deanna Mollmann, Ben
Morris, Eric Myers, Lisa Narita, Mary Ann Nunez, Martin Parker, Melina
Ramirez, Melissa Rutz, Manny Viarrial and Sonny Watson. The entire
weekend takes place at the beautiful Hyatt Regency. With very
reasonable rates of only $99 per night. Plan now as you can book your
room at: (714) 750 - 1234.
Registration is only $ 115 per person if received by May 29th and $135
at the door. ALL JUNIORS ARE HALF PRICE.
World renown Swing master, Skippy Blair will be holding a five day mini
- intensive from June 12th to the 16th.
All the principles of swing will be covered including better
connections with your partner and the music. If your looking to lift
your dancing a few notches don't miss this opportunity. You can call
Skippy at (562) 869-8949
To take part in this years Great American Jack & Jill O'Rama be
sure to register now. All contestants must sign up one hour before the
contests. This years judges are: Phil Adams, Louise Bretz, Jack Carey,
Kelly Casanova, Jackie Ford, Ton Hyatt, Gary Jobst, Ben Morris, Bram
Morris, Martin Parker, Melina Ramirez,
Bess Rodriquez, Carlito Rofoli, Jim & Cathy Tigges, Manny
Viarrial and Sonny Watson.
For more details visit the website at http://www.centralcoastswingdance.com
Letters to the Editor
(our goal is to post readers letters twice a month,
unfortunately due to space limitations we can not publish them all)
Ronnie,
How are you, I hope you and your family had a great Easter... I really
enjoyed the write up you did on Jacqueline Cruz. I remember
her from the mid 80's, she was a doll..... David has some strong points
in his letter to the editor section. I feel we will be the last
generation dancing the hustle unless something changes quickly.
Thanks again Ron,
Lorraine
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I agree with David Flynn. The best hustle songs from 76' -80' were fast
and the music inspired us to dance. Today, the music is bland and it is
all about the dance. I am usually bored @ N.Y.style hustle dances and
find myself sitting and waiting for a classic song.I have been to
dances now where they will take a classic song and slow it down so much
that it is hardly recognizable.These songs are pristine and do not
require any adjustments.One of these dances I asked the D.J. why the
songs were so slow? He told me the teacher did not want any songs over
115 B.P.M. I have been told that the reason is they want to appeal to a
younger crowd.That may be true for some but I have many good dance
partners much younger than I that love the classic music.I think the
solution is a combination of both styles.Don't let the music die !
Sorry, but David hit a nerve. Bob
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi
Ron,
I think what David
Flynn has to say about the younger generation not being interested in
our slower version of the Hustle has definite merit to it.
Unfortunately, our crowd, that is now in their 50's for the most part,
as opposed to being in their 20's , 30 years ago, cannot maintain
dancing as speeds that we did back then. I, personally, would rather
dance slower than not at all. When I'm 90, my plan is to do
the beautiful slow ballroom dances like the Waltz or Foxtrot.
"Dancers don't stop dancing when they grow old;
Dancers grow old when
they stop dancing."
Robin
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I loveeeeeee to dance esp. disco dance - one way to keep women going to
the dances is to have partners for them to dance with - I see that men
have a greater selection of women to dance with than the
reverse. Also people in the disco field seem to partner up
and just stick with the women they know. I along with several of my
friends are terrific dancers - I for one m told I m a good dancer by
many people.
I do salsa and soul line and jitterbug and cha cha - and hustle -
I m a passionate dancer, it's hard for me to go somewhere and
not dance when I hear the music. It seems that when my
friends and I go out, .... we don't dance. Most of the guys
dance with women they know are good dancers or they see all
the time - which is only normal. They don't give others a
chance. As a woman, I dance with everyone even men
who don't have a good beat - just to be fair. In the
salsa world, every one dances with everyone - good dancers dance with
not so good dancers, young with old etc - so everyone gets a chance to
dance.....I don't know how to fix the problem - I do soul line dancing
and what they call the bop and when I go to events - they have guys who
r there strictly to dance with females (like on a cruise ship) -
generally there are always more women then men.
Hope this helps Ron
terri
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi Ron, this is for your readers please post,
Your editorial was very interesting. I like to attend as many dance
championships as I can but for me, I have to fly since I live in
Detroit. I'm one of the guys that has to cut back. It hurts me to think
about not attending but like many of the dancers here we are at a cross
roads and many of the plants are closing or laying off. I know it can't
last forever but maybe somebody can bring a disco event to Michigan.
Tim Kane
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi Ron,
I'd like to respond to your editorial 'Dancing vs the
Economy.' Although most dance venues have kept their prices
the same for some time, and we appreciate that, some have not and
attendance has declined. I'm reluctantly bringing this to such a large
forum but I have heard complaints for years now and I have also limited
my visits to certain dance studio for the reasons outlined in this
writing.... Pricing for socials is high, the music has not changed in
years and the attendance of advanced dancers has declined
dramatically., The songs are old, tired and few classics that are worth
hearing repeatedly are played. Again, I apologize for bringing it to
this forum but I know that many people have brought this to studio's
attention in the past and yet things remain the same. If
prices were a little lower, or coupons given out when you attend a
previous social would be appreciated by the repeat customers and
attendance would start to increase. There are a good deal of places to
dance that are free. They may not be the optimal ballroom
experience but they are starting to attract a larger dance crowd and
since we all know each other, it's easy to dance and just work around
the non-dancers on the floor. I only ask that this suggestion be taken
into account for ALL dance venues in an effort to make them profitable
and more prosperous for us all.
Thank you,
LJ
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I'm glad to see some discussion opening about how we do Hustle. I think
Hustle has a very big tent with room for every style and speed of the
dance. It's not a particular speed of music alone that will
kill Hustle but it is politics and stubborn infighting that will surely
finish it off....Folks, *everyone* is right on this topic.
Hustle works the way *you* like it. If you're having fun,
you're doing it right. If you submit yourself to a competion,
you are agreeing to be judged by the judges, and you know who they are
ahead of time. Sure, everyone has their favorite way of doing Hustle,
but have you ever stopped to consider just how amazingly versatile our
favorite dance is?
Almost no other dance (except WCS) can work with so many styles and
tempos of music. You can Hustle to at least all of these and
and at
most of the speed ranges that you find in these genre from 95-140
BPM...If you think about the total audience for these styles of music,
there is an *enormous* target market for Hustle. People will
like the dance because they will like doing it to "their" music. And
it's not just the music. You can compete or you can dance
socially....
Instead of arguing about what way of doing Hustle is "correct" or
"best", let's have a win:win:win for all of us and do what we can to
include everything because Hustle can do it all. Let's be
willing to let everyone have something here. Event organizers, arrange
for your DJs to play a wide variety of music and publish a list of the
kinds they will provide. You may boost your
attendance. Have your social sets broken into 15 minute
segments of a certain type of music. Studio people, try out different
kinds of music with your clients. Teachers, ask your students what they
like and teach them with it. All of us, let's organize
outings to clubs and show off the best club dance there is! I
have been working on doing this in Chicago and will
probably be able to do it early this summer.
"Illinois" Paul Jones
DanceTalk * 4-15-08
-
Happy Birthday wishes to Fred Fedak, Tariq
Brown, Denise Reedman, Mike Minichello,
Michael Maloy, Doreen Druch, Susan Marolda, Sonya
Elmore, Theo Stafford, Celeste
Gussoni, Sal Torre, Christopher Hemmer and Tom Roberts.
Selena Quintanilla-Perez was born 37 years ago but
died in the prime of her career. She was able to cross over with her
music from the Latin charts to the top 40. At only 24 years
young, (13 short years ago) she was fatally shot. She was a
marvel.
Get ready for the monthly Soho Dance party, hosted
by Lori Barzvi on Friday, April 25th. There will be plenty of
surprises and many pre Miami dance performance. DJ Bobby Morales will
be spinning the tunes. The party starts at 10PM. http://www.sohodancestudio.com
See more details below.
Singing sensation Kylie Minogue is working on a
film musical. After a two year battle with cancer she is back and has
released her 10th album called, X
ABC's hit show Wife Swap is looking for
families involved in the performing arts. From meringue to tango,
waltz, if you're a family of fierce dancers who knows how to strut,
they are looking for you. Families featured on the show receive a
$20,000 honorarium. To apply, email
elisha.deleon@castingrdf.com
One of the hottest new dance CDs is out, courtesy of DJ Fancy,
his April compilation. All the new dance songs including: Donna Summer
- I'm a Fire, Calabria, Rihanna's Don't Stop The Music, Snoop Dog's
Sensual Seduction, Alicia Key's remix of No One, .....17 songs in all.
To buy e mail sparda3636@yahoo.com
La Luna's Congress Team will be holding auditions
for the new team members on Wednesday, April 30th at 9:30 PM. You must
be/become a member of the studio (rehearsals will count as 2 classes
per week) and have at least 1.5 years of Salsa experience. For more
details visit. info@lalunadancestudio.com
To view the newest images from Fred, go to the website to see pictures
from Evie Hoover Roderer's birthday party, at
Michael's cafe. http://whatsnew.fredf.fotki.com/
Stay tuned, next week is the first installment of the 2008 DJ
Directory. A complete listing of all the top DJs
from across the country. This years directory is brought to you by
everyone's favorite new website
http://www.hustlelounge.com
This weeks edition of DanceTalk®. is sponsored by the International
Hustle Salsa Championships. Read all about it
below. http://www.hustleandsalsa.com/
Make it a great week,
Ron
IHSC
Did you plan your spring break? Now is the time to make memories at
this years International Hustle and Salsa Championships.....less then
three weeks away. This year promises to be Xtra special as Billy and
Katie have taken over the entire hotel in Miami. This is huge. A true
dancers paradise. There still are some rooms available, but don't wait.
The weekend will feature three ballrooms, running all at the same time,
for your dancing pleasure. The dinner show tickets are almost
all gone. The famous 2008 Dance Dimensions Dinner Show takes place on
Saturday evening with incredible performances by many Superstars. There
is no time to procrastinate. Call now to reserve your room.
The IHSC takes place May 1-4. at the 4 star, Miami Beach Resort
& Spa, right on the beach in Miami. Billy Fajardo &
Katie Marlow are your hosts for this wonderful event. Four nights of
amazing Social Dancing and everyone's favorite, Dancing at the Pool,
for plenty of fun in the sun. There are top Instructors with over 40
Dance Workshops for all levels. To book your room contact Katie Marlow
at 954-358-0168 - 954-817-3161 to reserve, - download form and fax -
mail.
Last years event was so amazing, folks have been counting down the
days. Your be dancing all weekend with your friends. The
competitions include Professional, Amateur and Pro-Am division in
hustle, Salsa, Theatre arts, triple threat (hustle, Salsa, swing) and
now an expanded Starlight Rhythms Competition all day Thursday, with
performances by international Latin champions Eugene Katsevman
& Maria Manusova. Don't miss the salsa Bootcamp with the one
and only Edie the Salsa Freak. Reserve your seats for the Saturday
night Dinner show featuring the Dance Dimensions 2008. There will be
live music Friday as the Copa Night features salsa teams, ESPN World
Salsa Championships qualifying round and dancing to Henry Knowles
& Alberth Moreno. This year they have added a Saturday night
Salsa Party with a live performance by New Swing Sextet. Saturday night
you can Swing dance all evening in the separate Swing room.
Billy Fajardo was one of the original pioneers of the hustle. He is a
recipient of the Life Time Achievement honor by the Hustle Hall Of
Fame.( the highest honor recognized). While still a teenager, Billy had
already formed his own dance company and traveled the world.
Along with Katie they have won numerous competitions: IDO World
Champions in both Hustle and Cabaret Exhibition, Open Cabaret
Champions, US Hustle Champions and NADC Cabaret Champions. This years
staff includes: Derrick Allen & Donna DiSimone, Raul Ante, Ray
Avery & Irena Griffin, Donna Boyle, Wendy & Wajih
Dalal, Brian Gallagher, Silvana Gallagher, Keith & Celeste
Gussoni, Debra Hampton, Jameson Kilburn, Danny McGee, Lisa Nunziella,
Ralph Ramirez, Luis & Maryann Rosa, Kelvin Roche &
Loriann Greenhouse, Joyce Szilli, Maria Torres, Tybaldt & Hazel
Ulrich, Kim Vanaman, Eddie Torres, Nelson Flores, Maribel Maldonado,
Rene Gueits, Jose Lois Gutierrez, Henry Herrera, Angely Carucci, Tito
Ortos & Tamara Carucci, Ismael Otero & Shani Talmor,
Raul Santiago & Sergia Anderson, Carols Tellez, Jhesus Aponte,
Sheila de Jesus...
With this much talent, rooms are going fast. The Miami Beach Resort
& Spa is located at 4833 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. Rooms are
only $149 per night, while they last. Call 954-358-0168
Register now for your spring dance extravaganza. http://www.hustleandsalsa.com
Editorial
Dancing Vs the Economy
The impact of the economy effects us all. As the price of oil rises it
changes our thought processes. The retail cost of food is up,
job security is a concern, the subprime mortgages have sent a scare
throughout the country. Will this cause a dance recession. How
do we, as a dance community, stay connected?
If folks for financial reasons, stop attending dances, conventions and
competitions, it will have a downward impact for everyone. Students may
be forced to cut back on lessons, workshops, etc...For many, paying
their utility bills, filling their vehicle with gas and
cutting a check for the mortgage, may wipe out any extra
discretionary money.
Times have changed.
In the 80's most cities had a strip of dance clubs. Easy to reach -
with a short drive. It was like the jewelers row of dance. Today, for
most, it is no longer just around the corner. As the median
age of dancers continues to rise, we also plan in advance.
Mature adults budget: strategically decide where & when to go,
proactively plan their vacations months in advance, demographically
pick the dances that best suit them.
How do we keep dancers in the circle?
*Keep encouraging your friends to attend dances.
*Car pool, take turns driving. Chip in for gas and tolls.
*If you haven't seen a friend out for a couple of weeks, investigate.
Are they okay, do they need a ride? Friends don't ask - they
just get involved.
* Organizers, teachers, club owners, do we extend discounts to seniors
- those on fixed incomes? Do we offer a reduced fee to the future
generation of dancers? Prospective dancers, that are still in
college, starting a career should be considered for a discount at
events, socials, workshops, especially during the tough times.
* Share a room at a dance event. Split the expense. How much time do
you really spend in the room.
I ask everyone to review these and other ideas and - get involved. Lets
all reenergize the events, socials and encourage others to join us. We
are all in this together, lets keep on building. Please support our
DanceTalk sponsors. Our sponsors are helping to make a difference for
today and tomorrow. Please purchase their products and attend
their events - FIRST.
DanceTalk * 4-8-08
-
Happy Birthday wishes to Tom Banner, Lisa
Abelson, Disco Dave Sarul, Kerri Bicking, Bruce
Levy, Holly Torrel, Eileen
Bates and
Judy Churchray.
Touch dancing was still packing the clubs in 1983 when the motion
picture "Flashdance" exploded, introducing break dancing.
Wayne Frost was front and center. He was recognized as a
hip-hop pioneer (aka Frosty Freeze) He performed with the Rock Steady
Crew. He has passed away at the age of 44.
Our heart felt condolences go out to Gloria Rothstein.
Her mother, Paula Rothstein passed away today. She celebrated her 80th
birthday this past Saturday. The funeral ceremony will take place at
1:00 PM, Tuesday, April 8th. Beth Israel Cemetery Woodbridge, New
Jersey 732-634-2100
Singing sensation Mariah Carey has a new album
release scheduled for April 15th. Her new record is called
E=MC?
Get ready for Dance Parade New York. Celebrating
everything from breaking to ballet. Last year: 2510 Dancers
and 27 Dance Styles. On Saturday, May 17, there will be colorful
floats, live bands & DJ's and dancing in the streets. Salsa,
hustle, Clogging, Ballroom, Hip Hop, Swing....The parade
starts at 28th St. & Broadway.
It's time to hustle, for a full night of dancing on Friday, April 25th
at the Soho Dance Studio. From 9PM till.... hustle
& more. Guest DJ, Only $10. Soho 598
Broadway, 6th Floor, NYC, 10012 212 - 226 - 6767 http://www.sohodancestudio.com
Here are the images from Scott Michelli's birthday
party celebrated at Michael's Cafe. The link is
http://whatsnew.fredf.fotki.com/ courtesy of Fred.
Alexis James & Spencer met for the first
time... After 2hrs of working together they showcase a Freestyle
ChaCha, a Rumba & a Salsa that they co-choreographed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-JkUFfCcIA
There is great interest from last weeks letter questioning the current
speed of music and reaching a younger audience, for
todays hustle. We are all concerned about the growth of this dance. If
your interested in sharing your views, visit the national discussion
at: http://groups.google.com/group/fast---federation-of-all-styles-of-hustle
To remember the fallen dancers, visit the new site
that recognizes and carries on their dance legacy. http://www.mjames.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
Top hats off to Daniel McGee, he has been
working at GSPA, New Holland Pa, choreographing
"Annie". Both Daniel and Jameson Kilburn are
choreographing a number for Hempfield's annual Dance Theater
prod. http://www.tophatdancestudio.com
Here are last weeks birthday pictures celebrating
Mike Reher, Brian Winokur and Bryan Toder's birthdays, courtesy of
Scott Michielli
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?ap=&a=67b0de21b342c75725c6&pg=2
This weeks edition of DanceTalk® is sponsored by Swingin'
Into Spring, read all about it below. http://www.sis.djkenm.com
Make it a great week,
Ron
Swingin' Into Spring
Dancers “ Take notice. This is an event with NO EVENING
COMPETITIONS “ Just Social dancing all night long. No waiting
until Midnight - 1:00AM for the real social dancing to
start. Get ready for the Swingin' Into Spring dance weekend.
May 2nd to the 4th at the Beverly Hills Suites Hotel, 383 South Center
St, Windsor Locks, in Connecticut. Check this out, lots of social
dancing, lots of workshops & a little bit of competition but
not at night - social dancing only. The hotel room rate is only $79 and
includes 2 breakfast buffets for Saturday and Sunday
mornings. There will be Beginners/Novice &
intermediate/ advanced workshop tracks, Beginner/Novice Track suitable
for Beginner/Novice Dancers, those learning opposite part. For
Instructors and dancers considering becoming instructors,
Int/Adv Workshops in WCS & Hustle/Beg/Nov/Int in WCSHustle
& Niteclub 2-Step, Social Dancing between all workshops. There
is literarily something for every level dancer. Ken Mercik is your
event director and he is in good company. The staff includes: Angel
& Debbie Figueroa, John Lindo, Mario Robau Jr, Larry &
Heidi Mongeau, Anne Fleming, Angelique Early, Tommy Gee.....
Don™t Miss any Workshops “ Video Notebook Available
with all workshops & Competitions* Cash Prize for Winners in
each competition ? to be determined after competition registration
closes. The more that enter, the bigger the cash prize.
Swingin™ Into Spring Striking a balance between Workshops,
Competition and Social Dancing. Let™s face it, big
events are fun. Lots of people, lots of competition, Lots of
energy ... but due to competition schedules, social dance time
during "Reasonable Hours" tends to suffer. More often than not, the
real social dancing doesn't start until after the competitions, which
is usually Midnight, - later ? sometimes as late as 2:00AM. This is
particularly annoying if you do not compete, - are not really
interested in sitting through endless divisions of multiple dance
forms. Swingin™ Into Spring is
different. Workshops with minimal conflict. At many big events
they advertise 40, 50 even 80 workshops ? but they are scheduled 4, 5
sometimes 6 at a time, and usually several different dance forms. At
best, you can usually attend about 6-8 per
event. For Swingin' Into Spring, there are currently
12 hours scheduled for workshops ? Two at a time (24
Total). Workshops are set up so that the same instructor will
teach at least two 1 hour workshops, sometimes 3, in succession. That
way the instructor can take their time and build from one lesson to
another. ALSO, there is a ?Hour social dance time between every
workshop. No rushing out of the room and starting a new workshop with a
different instructor immediately. That ? Hour allows you to practice
what you just learned and hopefully retain more of the material
presented. That ? Hour also allows the instructor to run a little
longer if necessary to make sure he/she completes the intended lesson
in its entirety. One room is designated for Beginner/Novice
workshops that concentrate more on technique and variations of basic
moves. These workshops are for newer dancers, and more advanced dancers
alike. Especially recommended for instructors - those considering
teaching. The Main Ballroom is dedicated to the more advanced
workshops. The Int/Advanced Workshops tend to be more Move Orientated?
? with less time spent on basic technique. Obviously, the instructors
will still mandate proper technique for the moves taught, but will
spend less time on it assuming you have heard it before. By
the time you are ready to step up to take these workshops, you should
be well versed in proper technique. The
competitions At Swingin™ Into Spring, will be kept
to a minimum. The Jack™N™Jill is the epitome of
social dance competition. Since we only have West Coast Swing
Competitions, that limits the time required for the 6 competition
divisions offered. Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced &
All Star Jack™N™Jill™s, and an Open
Strictly Swing. They are all held in the afternoon. NO EVENING
COMPETITIONS !!!!
This is a World Swing Dance Council Registry Event ? Meaning ? YOUR
POINTS COUNT ! Social dancing starts after the evening
workshops ? about 9:30PM, and goes to at least 3:00AM, but the
DJ™s will continue to play if people are dancing. If you add
up the hours of social dance time between the workshops, and the
uninterrupted dance time in the evening, Swingin™ Into Spring
provides more social dance time than every other event. And
a $79 Hotel Rate - Includes full breakfast buffet from 8-10 AM
... No getting up at 7AM to make sure you get breakfast. They have a
lower priced menu than most hotels. An independent Italian
restaurant on the other side of the parking lot (Not owned by hotel),
30+ restaurants in the area that deliver ... AND for those who like to
imbibe ... I negotiated more reasonable drink prices. Domestic Beer
will be $3 ... Drinks $4 ... etc, etc ... and at the
end of the night, you can order Beer/Wine/Liquor to be delivered to
your room after hours ... as long as you pay for it before 2:00AM. Book
your hotel room early ... this Hotel has 3 wings ... 2 have been
totally renovated, one is under renovation right now. There currently
only 100 rooms available for the event ... maybe as many as
160 available by May ... but no promises. The hotel is only 3 miles
from Bradley International Airport with a free hotel shuttle. SO ? If
you are more into social dancing and learning, but still like to
compete in Jack™N™Jill's ? come check out the
event. Visit the dedicated website http://www.sis.djkenm.com or
http://www.djkenm.com
you can also register and pay on line with Paypal, http://www.strictlywestie.com/e_sis/sis.php
Dance Trivia
* Swing dance champion Robert Royston is busy choreographing. He has
three major motion pictures in post production. Expect the release of
"Love N' Dancing" later this year and "Crank 2: High Voltage" and
"Game" to be released in 2009.
* In 1980, Harvest Moonball winners, Tony and Susan Marolda received an
invitation to England for the prestigious Black Pool dance competition
They took first place.
* He's been in over 100 motion pictures including "The Sting", "Dog Day
Afternoon", "Best Little Whore House in Texas", but Charles Durning,
seen on "Rescue Me" first started as a dancer after , teaching
at Fred Astaire dance studio in NYC.
*Rita Morena became an international star after appearing in "West Side
Story" but, she is also one of the few artists in the world to ever win
an Emmy, as Oscar, a Tony and a Grammy award.
* In 1977, a motion picture was released that looked at the darker side
of dance studio's - "Roseland". It starred a young Christopher Walken
and a shining young dance team, Floyd Chishom and Annette Rivera.
* In the 1970s, Marty Angelo created Buffalo™s hottest
Television production, Disco Step-by-Step,? and introduced a young
Buffalo singer by the name of Rick James to a the TV audience.
* 21 year old, Texan, Mark Ballas, is partnering with gold Olympic
champion Kristi Yamaguchi on Dancing With The Stars. He won the World
Junior Latin American title with Julianne Hough, (last years DWTS
champion). He is also an accomplished musician and has a band along
with Derek Hough, his best friend.
* In 1975 Donna Summer had her first hit single "Love To Love You
Baby". This month, thirty-three years later, she has a new release
moving up the dance chart.
"I'm a Fire" could be her next number one hit.
DanceTalk * 4-1-08
-
Happy Birthday wishes to Bryan Toder, Judy
Secoda, Nino Torre, Bill Poulter, Shari
Kahn Miller, Juan Hernandez, Cheryl Highwarden, Jose Solano,
and Brian Winokur.
Singing sensation Carol Douglas turns 60 this week.
She had many memorable hits such as "Doctors Orders" and "Midnight Love
Affair"
We say good-bye to Jim Donaghey who
passed away March 20th. Jim was a former North American
Ballroom Champion and ISTD Examiner.
Visit http://www.legacy.com/Link.asp?I=LS000106163539X
for some inspiring messages on the passing of Gladys
Torres. There is also an amazing photo of Gladys - that will
simply melt your heart.
Hustle the night away, April 25th, Friday night at Soho Dance
Studio. $10 entrance fee. Guest DJ, dance from 9PM
till ???? See more details below. 598 Broadway, 6th Floor,
NYC, http://www.sohodancestudio.com
Rock & Roll inductee, Madonna has a new
album coming out April 29th called Hard Candy. Five of the songs were
co produced by Justin Timberlake.
Due to the popular demand, a monthly dance contest (for amateurs)
returns to Zachary's in Long Island, every month. Next date, April
25th, Friday night.
Wanted: Professional dancers for the following
ships - Explorer of the Seas rehearsals 7/17 - Legend of the Seas
rehearsals 8/22 - Rhapsody of the Seas rehearsals 9/15 - Navigator of
the Seas rehearsals 11/20 - Adventure of the Seas rehearsals 12/3 -
Competitive Salaries - Most Cha cha, Jive, quick step, Rumba, Please
contact Mark James at dannsirs@yahoo.com
516-835-9996
Free Salsa lesson with Tony Rico & Julia St. Marie
at the Borders Book Store, Town Square, 6521 Las Vegas Blvd. South in
Las Vegas this Friday, April 4th from 7:00 - 8:00PM.
The grand opening of Swing City takes
place April 11, Dormition Greek Orthodox Church 29 Central
St., Somerville, MA. $15 on band nights, $12 if not ($10 with current
valid student ID) April 11 & 18 will be our "trial" nights
April 3, Thursday night is the premier of Step It Up
& Dance the newest reality show on the Bravo network.
12 dancers compete for a cool 100 thousand dollars.
Coming next month, our annual 2008 DJ Directory. A
complete comprehensive listing of all the top radio and club dance
music DJs thru out the country.
This weeks edition of DanceTalk® is sponsored DJ
Fancy
Make it a great week,
Ron
DJ
Fancy
Hey DanceTalk readers, thank you for the great response to my
monthly dance CD.
It is great to correspond with so many knowledgeable music enthusiasts.
I'm very excited to announce the release of two new CDs that I think
your going to love. My March Dance Mix is now ready. I also put
together a great compilation of the best dance songs from 2007. This is
chock full of great dance songs.
The March Dance Mix includes brand new releases from Donna Summer - I'm
a Fire, Snoop Dog (yes a cool vibe not a rap) called Sensual
Seduction, Janet Jackson is back with Feedback, the funky
song by Enur that is rocking the clubs called Calabria, a hot dance
remix of the Alicia Keys smash - No One, Long Islands own Taylor Dayne
has a hit with Beautiful, a high energy remake of the classic song The
Flame, the duet dance mix of Until The End Of Time by Justin Timberlake
and Beyonce, the hot Rihanna singing Don't Stop the Music and even Mick
Jaggers dance tune Charmed Life. Its a hot CD. These songs are busting
off the charts as heard in clubs today.
The Best of 2007 features all the hits including Nelly Fatada, Justin
Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Fergie, Timberland, Pink, Christina Aguilera,
Rihanna, One Republic... These are all dance hits ranging in speed from
110 BPM to 130Bpm. - Each CD is only $15 which includes shipping and
handling. Buy both for only $25.00
To order write to me at E Mail - sparda3636@yahoo.com
Make your check payable to: Edward J Archie 6034
Magnolia Ave. , Pennsauken, NJ 08109 - Please specify which CD you
would like? We still have the April Dance Mix and classic disco Cd's
available.
PEACE & MUSIC
Letters To the Editor
(our goal is to post readers letters twice a month,
unfortunately due to space limitations we can not publish them all)
To all my friends at Michael's,
I was very surprised Tuesday when DJ Mark called everyone over to wish
me a happy birthday, and a beautiful and very delicious cake appeared;
compliments of our lovely waitress Jennifer. We all love to
dance and that is what draws us to Michaels; but what makes you all so
special is that you care about others and aren't afraid to show it in
very tangible ways. Your consideration and kindness is very much
appreciated. Gentleman thank you for the birthday dance and for the 2
perfect songs we danced to. Steve, Denise, Trish, Mark, Jennifer and
Ron you are all very good at being sneaky! This was a birthday I will
never forget!
Most Sincerely,
Eveleth :>)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ron,
It seems Hustle is in real decline nationally due to lack of interest
from young people. I believe there is a very good
reason for their reluctance to join our ranks.
With an unofficial speed ceiling of 115 BPM - our current
version of the dance is so far out of the true club dance mainstream
(128 - 132 BPM) that no amount of showing off the dance will pull in
any more young people. They want today what we wanted in 1979. Could
your parents have talked you out of the night clubs where you were
doing hustle as 128 BPM to do their slow 30 year old dance back in the
70's? We'd have laughed, then yawned out of boredom. Kids have all seen
our dance already. They prefer salsa and swing because unlike our dance
- those work in the same musical genre and speed for which they were
created. NY styled hustle of today is WAY slower than the original
hustle dance young people created and loved 30 years ago.
Want young people? I don't think it takes a high powered defense
analyst to figure out what's broken here. Move the dance back to 128
BPM and then back to the music and clubs that gave it it's strength. As
of today “ we have a super slow dance that has no home. It's
not in the clubs and not speed appropriate the current - even previous
dance hits. Only 4 of the top 50 Disco hits of all time even meet the
115 BPM standard - thus 90% of the music WE ALL DID HUSTLE to in 1980
is too fast for our NY styled hustle today. Our hustle
events have become like a 30 year HS reunion w/o any new
entry. Only by getting back to the way we used to dance it “
will we have the success we used to have.
David Flynn
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi Ron, this was my third year going to the MadJam competitions. I
think it was again, wonderful and well run. It was great to see even
more hustle dancers this year then in the past. I encourage my dance
buddies to all go. Many felt it was only a swing event. I think they
will see that it has more then just swing. Thanks for keeping us
informed. My office e mail address will not deliver your newsletter but
I do get it at my home address. Thank gosh, I would be lost without it.
Congratulation to the Philadelphia Pennsylvania dancers for their
representation at MadJam. This event proves if you run a competition
well it will just keep on growing.
Sincerely,
Kim
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thank you to everyone who
celebrated my birthday and made it special. I truly look
forward to the birthday dance and want to thank everyone who was in
line. Thanks Mark for playing my songs and for all of the
music you play every week. I want to send a very special
thank you to Sara Jones for organizing my birthday
celebration. You're a wonderful friend. There's no
place like Michael's and all of you make it special. Keep up
the tradition and dance on.
Sincerely,
Scott
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi Ron,
I auditioned for SO You Think You Can Dance at the Orpheum theater in
Los Angeles. Although I waited nearly 9 hours and did not get past the
first round, it was incredible. I appreciate you letting me know about
this stuff. It was very exciting to be part of this process. My goal is
to continue partner dancing but to develop more in modern, jazz and
ballet. It appears that to make it today, you need a little of
everything including gymnastics. My mind is made up on getting there so
I have my work cut out for me. It was nice seeing you at Mad Jam. Hope
you had a special Easter,
with love,
Rachael L
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Greetings Ron,
I can not thank you enough for all your help in tying to find Mr.
Szony. It was the BEST Easter present!!!!!!! I was so excited
to hear that this great legend is still teaching and
coaching. I would absolutely love to be on your list. Again, thank you
so much you can not know what this means to me having found Mr. Szony.
All the Best
Rose
TO RON
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Webmaster & Sponsored by Mark James
TO MARK
