Thank you to Those Who Celebrated
with Us at the MALL BALL September 20, 2009
The Greater Daytona Chapter of USA Dance was proud to sponsor a celebration of National Ballroom Dance Week, called The Mall Ball, at Volusia Mall, on Sunday, September 20, from noon until 4 p.m.
Our vision for this year's Mall Ball was that the general public would see the general public, our chapter members, doing what they love to do . . . dance. In addition to our chapter members, our dancers included dance professionals and their students. We sincerely thank them for participating as well.
Thirteen of the nineteen demonstrations were presented by our chapter members and included Tango, Rumba, Salsa, East Coast Swing, Samba, Cha Cha, Foxtrot, a Samba line dance, Bolero, Merengue, and Waltz. Between performances, we invited the audience to join us for general dancing; and, many of them did.
We ended with a Foxtrot to The Best Things Happen While You Are Dancing.
Make plans to join us next year, tentatively Saturday, September 18, 2010.
Click here to see a video of the Bolero demo.
from left: Carol Edwards and Paul Spano; also, Ann Milano and Gary Gurga
By Wayne Grant
wgrant@hometownnewsol.com
DAYTONA BEACH - Fred Ouellette, 85, has been dancing since 1945, and he's still kicking up his heels. The Ormond Beach resident enjoyed ballroom dancing in the 1940s and 1950s but then had to sit out for a few decades when it fell out of style. That was then. With the help of popular TV shows like "Dancing With the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," ballroom dancing is back in a big way and a local group is helping people like Mr. Ouellette get back on the dance floor. The Greater Daytona Chapter No. 6026 of USA Dance hosts ballroom dancing the second and fourth Saturday of each month at City Island Recreation Center, 108 E. Orange Avenue, Daytona Beach. USA Dance is a national association for amateur ballroom dancers.
The club recently had a Mall Ball at Volusia Mall to "spread the fun," said Polly Foster, vice president of the chapter. The dancers performed, gave free lessons and invited the public to dance. "We want to inform the public about the benefits of ballroom dancing, " she said. "It's good exercise, it helps mentally because you're having fun, and it's a social experience also. When you go to a wedding or something, you can get up and dance. It's a lot more fun to dance than watch." Ms. Foster said the age of the chapter members tends to be "40s and up," but because of the TV dancing shows, which use modern music and feature young dancers, she feels more young people will become involved. At the Saturday dances, the first hour, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., is devoted to lessons, and then general dancing follows until 10:30 p.m. with music provided by a D.J. Mr. Ouellette said most people are timid until they get a few lessons.
"My advice to everyone, including young people, is if you want to meet someone, dancing is the way to do it," he said. "I'm not too shy to ask anyone to dance. "
Greg Marcum of Port Orange, who has danced with the group for four years, said he started after retirement. "We were looking for an activity and it's something my wife and I can do together," he said. "We learned together and we have fun." Mr. Ouellette said he watches "Dancing With the Stars" religiously. "The judges are people with a lot of experience. They know what they are doing," he said. Ms. Foster said the show reveals the strength, agility, skill and coordination that are required for the sport. "It's also fun," she said. "The good thing about 'Dancing With the Stars' is that you see people like Steve Wozniak learn from scratch. He didn't look as good as the others but he did learn to dance." She said dancing can help people overcome physical limitations. "We have one gentleman who is in his 90s and has had both hips replaced and both knees replaced. This gentleman gets up and dances," she said. There are 130 members of the local chapter and usually about 100 at the dances. USA Dance, a nonprofit organization, was formerly known as the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association.