Back in the nineties, I started Friday dances with Renee Ziegner over in West Barnstable Community Center, no teaching except by request. Eventually, Vince and Julie Kraft, president and treasurer, set up dances with scheduled lessons before the dance.I taught Salsa at one of the last dances in West Barnstable. CIABDA went on to hold them at the Hyannis Senior Center and at Betsy's Ballroom, adding lessons by local and off-Cape instructors, twice a month. CIABDA made good money, building a bank account far beyond the $200 we had in 1995.
At the time, there were only a few places to get lessons. Then the Rof Mar closed, and the Sons of Italy closed, and there was nowhere to dance except to Betsy's favorite group, the Sandpipers, at the Yarmouth Senior Center's big room that she got set up with the wooden floor. (Once a month, she let Curt and Roz Curtis use the venue.)
Once Betsy died, the Saturdays at Betsy's Ballroom got more interesting, with Lestyn Gilmore, Debbie Israel, Doug McHugh offering lessons before the dances. CCBD also has special club dances four times a year. I even went that far to hold the Mary French Memorial.
This latest Friday night went very well, maybe 30 people, a nice range of beginner to advanced dancers, got home at bedtime.
No comments:
Post a Comment