Academy Dance News 2005 - Latin and Ballroom Dancing on Maui

After wild applause, the
showcase dancers all gathered together
to present Rita <strong>and</strong> Brian with roses <strong>and</strong>
love. Rita shared how even though she
<strong>and</strong> Brian have no children, that “her
babies are all around.“ Each of us were
certainly grateful for the opportunity to
have known <strong>and</strong> loved her.
Slowly, everyone returned to
their seats, the lights dimmed <strong>and</strong> the
strains of a waltz began to play. As the
last dance came to a close, so did this
magical evening <strong>and</strong> the people of the
Aloha <strong>Ballroom</strong> <strong>Dance</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> left to
enjoy another balmy Maui night.
Mayor Alan Arakawa has his h<strong>and</strong>s full with 3
beautiful ladies at the <strong>Academy</strong> Star Ball
(Kimberley Day, his wife Ann, Rita O’Connor).
Photo by Dan Cunningham
THE MAUI NEWS – CURRENTS
“LET’S TALK…”
By Liz Janes-Brown
Sunday, June 19, <strong>2005</strong>
“There’ll be some high stepping at the
<strong>Academy</strong> Star Ball at the Fairmont Kea
Lani, Saturday (June 25, <strong>2005</strong>). Students
of dance professional Rita O’Connor will
be strutting their stuff, among them Eric
Roberts <strong>and</strong> physician Julie Claire
Holmes doing the tango. (Now we know
where Julie’s son, Christian, gets his
terpsichorean talent).”
THE MAUI NEWS – CURRENTS
“LET’S TALK…”
By Liz Janes-Brown
Sunday, July 3, <strong>2005</strong>
“<strong>Dance</strong> fever: The Aloha <strong>Ballroom</strong> <strong>Dance</strong>
<strong>Academy</strong> put on a show to rival “<strong>Dancing</strong>
with the Stars” at their <strong>Academy</strong> Star
Ball at the Fairmont Kea Lani last
weekend. Rita O’Connor, looking smashing
in a strapless column of gold <strong>and</strong> black,
noted that about 240 people are signed
up for the Wednesday classes in Kihei
from 14-year-old Kai Johnson to 92year-old
Jack Condy. Both dapper
gentlemen cut fine figures on the dance
floor, but it was the performances from
swing to cha-cha that really brought out
the razzle dazzle. The glamorous gowns
<strong>and</strong> tuxes turned the ballroom into a
swirl of light <strong>and</strong> color. And in an only-in-
Hawaii moment, the opening invocation
was a traditional Hawaiian chant
beautifully delivered by Keoki Sousa
resplendent in a tux accessorized by a
jaunty red bow tie <strong>and</strong> cummerbund.”
Dapper Jack Condy <strong>and</strong> radiant Anne Elaine
Johnson enjoy an elegant evening at the Ball.
Photo by Dan Cunningham
FREE ADVERTISING FOR ACADEMY
STUDENTS’ BUSINESSES!
The <strong>Academy</strong> has a designated
bulletin board prominently displayed near
the water cooler on the back wall <strong>and</strong>
would be happy to post <strong>Academy</strong>
students’ business cards for over 200
fellow dancers to see! Please see Vice
President, Les Grimes.
UPCOMING…would you like to
have your business card size
advertisement appear in the <strong>Academy</strong>
<strong>Dance</strong> <strong>News</strong> for a small fee? See Rita
for more details!
DANCING THROUGH MY EYES
By Barbara Flowers
I’ve always been blessed with
good rhythm <strong>and</strong> natural dance ability.
(My Mom <strong>and</strong> Dad both had natural dance
ability). But, I had very little formal
5
dance training <strong>and</strong> mainly danced disco
free style because it allowed me latitude
for creative expression.
I’ve always been enthralled with
well executed ballroom dance, but
considered the expense for lessons,
privates, shoes, clothes, etc., to be out of
my league. One day I went to a hole-inthe-wall
night club where the seniors
were ballroom dancing. An older
gentleman who had been an instructor on
a cruise ship, quickly took me under his
wing <strong>and</strong> taught me what he knew right on
the dance floor.
I started formal lessons but
found them to be tortuous <strong>and</strong> slow, <strong>and</strong>
I did not like dancing with beginners. I’m
a quick learner <strong>and</strong> while out dancing
always seemed to attract instructors or
ex-instructors who wanted to train a
partner, so I got most of my training
right on the dance floor. The drawback
is that the nuance of the dance cannot be
addressed while socially dancing. I
wanted to take lessons <strong>and</strong> privates to
improve my skills, but my dance partners
usually were interested in more than just
dancing. Sometimes free is just too high
of a price to pay.
When I moved to Maui I quickly
realized that the soul of the dance
experience in Maui is at the community
center in Kihei. With dread I signed up
for classes fearing that I would be bored
stiff in beginning classes <strong>and</strong> get
manh<strong>and</strong>led by beginning dancers. I was
surprised <strong>and</strong> delighted to find that you
are excellent instructors <strong>and</strong> address
each dance on different levels to give the
beginners as well as the more
experienced dancers personal challenges
<strong>and</strong> insights to honing their dancing skills.
I quickly found a partner who was at my
level.
One of the most delightful
surprises is that we get the best dance
instructors I’ve ever experienced for
about $1.25 a class. Phenomenal! Even
better news (for me) was to find out that
Rita offered private lessons for almost
half of what it cost on the mainl<strong>and</strong>, yet
the quality was better than most
instructors who teach!
But I’ve got to tell you what
impresses me the most. While attending
class I found that many of the more
experienced dancers joined in with the
beginners in rotation. Several of them
expressed to me the gratitude they had
to you for your commitment <strong>and</strong>
dedication to the art of dancing <strong>and</strong>
helping others, <strong>and</strong> one way they have of