September/October 2012

"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good."

Edwin Denby

Greetings from Waltz Time! This newsletter offers a calendar of upcoming waltz dances and workshops, dance community news and informative articles.

Our newsletter is sent every two months and offers a calendar of waltz dances and workshops, dance community news and informative articles. We encourage your articles for our newsletter. Or tell us 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. 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

Labor Day Weekend Festivities at Glen Echo Park

Here are four GREAT activities at Glen Echo Park that you can enjoy this weekend that encompass all of the best things in life: waltzing, art appreciation, music and dance performances and participatory workshops - see it all below...

Waltzing on Sunday, September 2

Waltz Time is sponsoring a lovely waltz on Sunday, September 2 with WALTZ DU JOUR, featuring musicians Alexander Mitchell on fiddle, Liz Donaldson on piano, and Ralph Gordon on bass.

There is an introductory lesson from 2:45 - 3:30 pm, followed by waltzing until 6:00 pm. The dance is held in the Bumper Car Pavilion because the 42nd Annual Labor Day Art Show will be open to the public in the Ballroom. During the waltz breaks, dancers can head over to the Ballroom and browse the art work!

Photo by Candace Clifford

 

Enjoy Irish Music & Dance - Free!

Gas prices keeping you local over the Labor Day weekend? Airfares keeping you from a transatlantic vacation? Well, you can take an in-town trip to Ireland thanks to the Irish Music & Dance Showcase at Glen Echo Park, Saturday, September 1 and Monday, September 3 in the Bumper Car Pavilion.

The festivities are free and open to the public. Enjoy music and dancing by our local Irish community, experts in their craft. You can DOWNLOAD the weekend's schedule to see all the performers and times.

 

The 42nd Annual Labor Day Art Show

Along with the Irish festivities, visitors can browse the 42nd Annual Labor Day Art Show in the Spanish Ballroom, beginning Friday, August 31 with the Opening Reception from 7 - 9 pm, and continuing Saturday through Monday, noon - 6 pm each day. You can see over 560 pieces of artwork including sculpture, paintings, ceramics, glass, jewelry, photography, pottery, fabrics, furniture, and more. It's fun to just browse this beautiful exhibition, but bring your checkbook in case you see something you really like - most of the artwork is for sale. Visit Glen Echo Park's Website for more information.

 

Open House

While you visit the Art Show and enjoy the Irish festivities, be sure to also join the Open House to learn more about our resident artists and their classes for all ages at Glen Echo Park. Visit resident artist studios, meet instructors, see visual arts and dance demonstrations and participate in free classes. The Open House is free and open to the public from noon - 4 pm on Saturday, September 1. Details at glenechopark.org.

All Labor Day weekend activities are presented by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, Inc. The Irish Music & Dance Showcase is also co-sponsored by the Irish Inn at Glen Echo.

Just Announced: Dance Cruise, April 13-20, 2013

Dear "Waltz Week in Vienna" aficionados,

Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, we will not be offering the "Waltz Week in Vienna" camp this winter (2013). But, not to fear. We will return to Vienna in full force in 2014, and we hope to see you there!

In lieu of Vienna Waltz Week, I would love to invite you to join Whitney, myself, Roll Up The Rug, and dancers from across the country April 13-20, 2013, as we embark on our first Caribbean dance cruise aboard the newest ship in the Celebrity fleet -- the brand new Celebrity "Reflection." The cruise will be geared toward int/adv level dancers, and will feature wonderful workshops in fun, playful, social-dance-style swing, ballroom, and latin among others, as well as a special group "night out" to one of the hottest salsa clubs in Puerto Rico, and many more non-dance opportunities for socializing, fun, and adventure.

For more information, visit our Dance Cruise page at rolluptherug.com. We hope to see you there!

Then & Wow is Fun and Historical!

Learn about Glen Echo Park - Come to Then & Wow!
Sunday, September 30, 11 am - 5 pm

Then & Wow is an annual celebration of the Park's past and present - a great outing for children with their families or grandparents! Enjoy a combination of historical exhibits, bumper cars, amusement rides, arcade games, vintage cars, juggling, magic shows and more:

• see a vintage car exhibit organized by Robert Patch
• play Skee-Ball and other arcade games to win PRIZES!
• See performances by magician Jay Mattioli
• see juggling performances and learn to juggle by a Pro!
• enjoy a chronological history of the Park in photo displays
• learn about the park through NPS exhibits
• drive a bumper car (really!) in the Bumper Car Pavilion
• enjoy facepainting, mini-golf, hula hoops
• ride the carousel on its last day of the season!
• browse the resident artists' exhibits
• learn about the Park's current programs

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please help us present a fun day for everyone, adults and children alike! Being a facepainter is a real hoot, the kids are so cute, and you do NOT have to be an artist to decorate their little faces. We have a sample book that shows lots of images for simple designs - hearts, rainbows, and smiley faces are easy - YOU CAN DO THIS!

We also need volunteers to handle our prize table, manage the ballroom, teach visitors how to make a balloon animal (we will train you!), and so many other easy and fun volunteer jobs - and you'll get a free lunch and carousel ticket. To volunteer email Dwight at drundle@glenechopark.org.

The festival is open to the public, free admission. Rides and some activities will require ticket purchase ($1.25 each or 10 tickets for $10).

Presented by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. Call (301) 634-2222 for more information or visit www.glenechopark.org.

Volunteer with Waltz Time!

Give us 45 minutes of your time and you can dance for free! Waltz Time is seeking volunteers for each Sunday waltz. There are several slots available, including attaching wristbands and sweeping after the dance. We also need someone to monitor the area by the cafe stairs; with increased traffic in the park during the summer months, visitors often wander in and don't realize they're in a "restricted" area. To volunteer, simply sign up before the waltz on the appointed day. There will be a sign-up sheet at the table. We appreciate your help!