WALTZ  TIME  NEWSLETTER

May/June 2010

When you are fifty, you're neither young nor old, you're just uninteresting.
When you are sixty, and still dancing, you become something of a curiosity.
And boy! If you hit seventy and can still get a foot off the ground, you're phenomenal!

Ruth St. Denis, modern dance pioneer

Greetings from Waltz Time! This newsletter offers a calendar of upcoming waltz dances and workshops, dance community news and informative articles. We encourage your articles to our newsletter. What would you like to know? Please send your story or suggestions for topics to staff@waltztimedances.org.

Waltz Time is an all-volunteer committee that produces the twice-monthly Sunday afternoon waltz dances and the Annual Strauss Ball at Glen Echo Park's Spanish Ballroom. The April and May 2010 waltzes are listed below; view the entire year's calendar at our web site.

We hope you enjoy our newsletter. At the end of this page, there are additional links that you can use to forward this newsletter to a friend or to unsubscribe.

From all of us at Waltz Time

The 27th Annual Viennese Strauss Ball

An Evening with Strauss

Save this date on your 2010 calendar: Waltz Time will present the 27th Annual Viennese Strauss Ball, Saturday, May 1. This benefit event is always a highlight of the spring season, giving dancers a chance to strut their stuff in elegant attire – while supporting Glen Echo Park.

The classical ensemble will feature OLDE VIENNA with Alexander Mitchell, Elke Baker, Barbara Heitz, Dave Wiesler, and Ralph Gordon. They will play a program of Viennese waltzes of varying tempos, with a sprinkling of other couples dances, including polka, schottische and tango.

There will be an introductory Viennese Waltz lesson at 8 p.m., followed by dancing until midnight in the Spanish Ballroom. A Grand March, dance cards, Carousel rides ($1.25/person) and refreshments complete a perfect evening. $20/person. Please visit Waltz Time for more details as we get closer to the date.

Get Ready for the Strauss Ball: Last Viennese Waltz Class

If you already know the basics of Viennese Waltz, but you'd like a quick "refresher," you may want to drop into the last Viennese waltz class on Wednesday, April 28 at Glen Echo Park. Donna and Mike will teach this 1-hour class from 7 - 8pm in the Spanish Ballroom. A quick review of the change step will be offered and tips on how to change from left to right turns and vice versa. The drop-in cost is $15/person, payable at the door. For full details, visit their website.

Special Cajun Waltz and Two-Step Dance

Join us for another special Saturday night dance on June 26 at Glen Echo Park in the Bumper Car Pavilion. Waltz Time, in cooperation with Dancing by the Bayou, will present an evening of waltz and Cajun two-step with the Grammy-nominated Magnolia Sisters, four women (Ann Savoy, Jane Vidrine, Anya Burgess and Lisa Trahan) who play the whole range of musical styles from southwest Louisiana.

The Magnolia Sisters is a band of women who can play the whole gamut of musical styles from southwest Louisiana: Cajun, Creole, dancehall favorites, and front porch ballads. The members of the group are Ann Savoy, Jane Vidrine, Anya Burgess, and Lisa Trahan. Because of their many rhythmic styles they are loved by dancers, who marvel at the variety of fun grooves they play. Their latest album "Stripped Down" is in the running for a Grammy as best Cajun/Zydeco album of the year.

Two lessons are included in the price of the $15 admission: Cajun 2 step lesson at 7:30pm; Waltz lesson at 8:00pm; Dancing from 8:30pm to Midnight. Save the date!

Viennese Waltz Cruise

Herb and Carol Traxler have been asked to gather a group of potential Viennese waltzers who may be interested in joining them in a Dance Cruise on Royal Carribean's "Enchantment of the Seas" from Baltimore to Bermuda September 18-23, 2010. The cruise will include two travel days with Viennese waltz lessons available, evening social dancing to a live orchestra who would play Viennese waltzes and other dance music, and two days in Bermuda, a very popular cruise destination. The overnight accommodations on the ship and meals are included.

The per person price, sharing a room ranges from $542.18 to $1,331.18, depending on cabin category; this includes government fees and taxes, accommodations in a double cabin in your chosen category, all dining except specialty restaurants on board. The per person price does not include alcoholic beverages and gratuities.

Deadline for sign up is May 1, 2010. Final Payment is due by July 1, 2010. The deposit is refundable until June 20th. Final payment is due for all bookings on July 1, 2010. From July 21 to August 19 the cancellation fee is $100.00 per person. From August 20 to September 10 the cancellation fee is 50% per person. From September 11 to departure date the cancellation fee is 100%.

QUESTIONS: Contact Herbert and Carol Traxler at caroltraxler@yahoo.com. Questions regarding the cruise may be directed to our cruise specialist Rosie Gollehon, bluediamondcruising@gmail.com, 443-817-2350.

Hot Jazz and Cool Blues

Saturday, May 15, 6:30 - 11:30 pm
Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo Park

Waltz Time is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Gala in the Park, and we invite you to join us. The annual Gala in the Park is a wonderful way for dancers to support the Park's programs and facilities and enjoy a fabulous evening of dining, awards, live blues music, and dancing to hot jazz! Honorees include Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and the Washington Folk Festival produced by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. Cokie and Steve Roberts are the Honorary Co-Chairs and Rob Bamberger is the Master of Ceremonies.

There are two ticket levels:

• $175 per person to attend the full event ($100 is tax-deductible). Attendees will enjoy a cocktail reception featuring live blues music by the Sherwood Blues Band, a gourmet dinner, the awards ceremony, swing dancing to the Boilermaker Jazz Band, performances by Fidgety Feet and members of the 15th Street Stompers, and free carousel rides.
• $25 per person to attend the Swing Dance portion of the evening. Attendees will enjoy a one-hour swing dance lesson from 8 - 9pm in the Bumper Car Pavilion, followed by swing dancing to the Boilermaker Jazz Band in the Spanish Ballroom, performances by Fidgety Feet and members of the 15th Street Stompers, desserts generously provided by Georgetown Cupcake, coffee and tea, and free carousel rides.

All tickets will be held at the check-in table in the Bumper Car Pavilion.

Please join us for a fun night while supporting the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture. Gala proceeds help keep all the programs, including our dances, alive and well. For more information and to purchase tickets, please call Debbie Mueller at 301.634.2230 or visit Glen Echo Park.