Palladium May 2010 Schedule

Finally got to meet the mysterious KI. Out of the hundreds of dancers at the USA Dance 17th Anniversary Ball, what's the chance of someone tapping you on the shoulder saying, "I recognize you from your photo. I'm KI"? KI, as you recall is the person who posts the Palladium monthly schedule of events on the Web which is a great service to all dancers. Mystery solved and a big Mahalo to KI.
(Left click on schedule to zoom in)

International Tango

The International Tango performed by Ed and Matilda Felix at the Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society 35th Anniversary Ball was art in motion. Lani and I met Ed and Matilda when we were dance instructors for HBDA under the direction of Eugene Ichinose.


It was at one of the HBDA social dance parties held occasionaly at Hickam Officers Club. That was mighty long ago but Ed and Matilda and our paths crossed occasionally during the past decades.


Today, Ed and Matilda teaches the International style of Ballroom dancinng for the Windward area CSA while Lani and I are with the Kaimuki CSA and Kaiser CSA teaching the American style.


We've always admired the dance performances this young couple do at Exhibitions and their Tango at this Anniversary Ball was no exception.



Good showmanship and strength in the International style of Tango.

Argentine Tango

Acording to one professional dance teacher, the Argentine Tango is a passionate, sensual, and tantalizing style of dancing. Truly the mood is expressed the moment a couple is in a closed dance position.



Very unlike the Competitive and some Exhibition International style where the couple no longer look at each other, the Argentine Tango performed by Bruce and Yoko Wee at the Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society 35th Anniversary Ball was truly a display of the "dance of love".


Throughout the entire performance, Bruce kept his eyes on Yoko which captured the essence of the dance. Rotation, Swiveling, and Fast Leg Manuevers by Yoko brought out the characteristics of this vibrant dance.



As Lani said, "they were sooo good!"

Tango Mix

It was billed "Tango Mix" on the agenda at the recent Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society 35th Anniversary Ball at the Palladium. Call it as you may..Tango Mix or Tango Fusion, this style of showcasing by Simon Escano and Aida Ancheta was very impressive.


It may have had a touch of "discipline" of the International style but the combination of American and Argentine tone had more freedom of expression which made the performance much more entertaining. It was an eye-appealing choreographed dance as Simon lead the beautiful Aida into spins and dips...a "Thriller" with snazzy Argentine leg maneuvers.

Filipino Tango

Filipino Tango is gaining popularity in our dancing community. If it keeps on jellying, I may have to change my blog title to Fil/American Ballroom & Latin Dancing.



Filipino Tango has a good mixture of American Tango with a sweet touch of Latin and Filipino passion. It won't be long before we will see more of it on the social dancing scene wthout too much effort.



Romeo Cabras and Tessie Pascual showcased the Filipino Tango at the recent Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society 35th Anniversary Ball at the Palladium. It was refreshing to see a new style of Tango break into the Showcase scene and performed very well by Romeo and Tessie.

Dance Hawaii Kai @Koko Head Elementary School

Social Foxtrot and East Coast Swing (Jitterbug) dance classes for the Absolute Beginners starts tonight.

Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society 35th Anniversary

The long awaited evening for the 35th Anniversary Ball finally came. Got my dancing shoes, my trusty paparazzi camera, and my main squeeze to the ballroom in plenty of time to pick up my tickets that Matilda Felix had reserved and to also pick up the bentos. Bentos had already been dished out as Lani and I stepped on to the second floor lanai....but no ticket, no bento.



Picked up my tickets at the reception table where an old friend, John Calleon with Luby, Eric, Sawaye, and Ed were greeting the dancers. There were other greeters, too, at the door..George, Lucy, and Helena (who was passing out ball point pens). More familiar faces at the Bento table..Herbert Omizo (this guy really gets around just like Annie Ferguson), Marie Perreira, Louise Fujiyama, and Amadeo Verzon. I gotta tell you Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society has class when it gets to serving bento. We were surprised to see decorated tables with flower arrangements and chairs set up for comfort. Bento included white rice topped with a slice of luncheon meat, chicken steak, fish cake, and a small Okinawan donut.
Rudy Luat came to chat with us when we were having our dinner. Boy, that guy has got a mind like a steel trap...he remembers people we both knew in the 60's when we were in the Hawaii Air National Guard. Rudy was in the 199th Fighter Squadron and I was in the 169th AC&W Squadron. Well so much for the good old days but you gotta know this....Rudy is a good conversationist.

A lot of dancers were on the dance floor as Lani and I scanned the room for a good seating area. Matilda was taking care of playing the dance music and updating the chart that informs the dancers what the line up of dances will be. There must be a purpose for the chart!!?? General dancing went on till 7:45 then President Rudy Luat gave the WELCOME message. Shortly after Daniel Iki took over as EmCee for the evening. First on the agenda was the calling of Lucky Numbers for door prizes....the flower arrangements...., recognition of other dance club's presidents and Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society officers. Herbert Omizo was recognized for his continuing support for the Club. General dancing continued with Eric and Luby Brienzo substituting as DeeJay for Ed and Matilda.



Then a little after 8 o'clock the first Exhibition dance took place with Ed and Matilda dancing the International Tango. Now this couple has always performed very well in the International style and tonight they were at their very best. Good technique and strength and very disciplined as they danced the entire length of the Ballroom.



Next on were Romero Cabras and Tessie Pascual soon after with a rare treat in the Filipno Tango. This style of dancing is finding its way into our dancing community and Romero and Tessie danced some good moves to show that it will remain on the dance scene for a long time. A little touch of Latin gave the dance some punch and it was clever of the dancers to remain in the middle of the Ballroom so everyone could enjoy their rendition of the Filipino Tango. Well done, Romero and Tessie, and I hope you'll be invited to perform for other dance clubs, too.



Speaking of "punch", the Tango Mix was a dynamite performance by Simon Escano and Aida Ancheta. Their "mix" had such passion and emotional moves that their Tango may very well change the picture of Tango Exhibitions in the future. No doubt, their Tango Mix was a "Thriller" with the sweet taste of entertainment.



Bruce and Yoko Wee concluded the dance exhibition part of the program with the Argentine Tango. Here was another good performance that made the "Thriller" meter go ding. Lani said, "they were soooo good!" A lot of eye contact between Bruce and Yoko made their dance of love and hate more realistic and very enjoyable to watch.

Refreshments and snacks followed with cake and pastries from Aala Bakery thanks to Arhur & Joan Oda.
That's a wrap for now. (Left click on photo to zoom in).

Dance Hawaii Kai-2nd Quarter

The long rest since we concluded the 1st Quarter with the Waltz and Rumba at Koko Head Elementary School did Lani and me good. Dancing on those hard cement floors two hours a night, four times a week can sure cause some "itai" moments. But now, we're all rested and back in the game come April 13th. During the last Fall Session and this Spring Session at our CSA dance classes, Lani and I let loose the Jitterbug. That "bug" bit our students into a state of Swing Fever. All three classes loved the upbeat tempo of the music and the freedom to express themselves in this "it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing" dancing. So this quarter for Dance Hawaii Kai at Koko Head Elementary School, Lani and I will be letting loose the Jitterbug for our Absolute Beginners. And if they don't get bitten by the "bug", then maybe the Foxy Trot will get to them.
Registration is at 6:35 PM and class starts at 7. For more info phone 225-0326.

Make A Wish April Foolish Prty

Just got this forwarded e-mail hot off the press from Maurice Morita, President of Dance Hawaii (aka Dance Aliamanu). Check it out. It's a worthy fundraiser to grant the wishes of the young children who are inflicted with life threatening medical conditions. For more info please contact Lucy Cabiles (originator of this message).....

UHA presents The 24TH ANNUAL BOYS BUNCH APRIL FOOLISH FUNRAISER, supporting MAKE-A-WISH HAWAII. Hawaii’s Longest-Running April Fool’s Party is a FUNraiser disguised as a rocking party, with live bands and everyone dancing under the stars at Aloha Tower.

April Fool’s Day is no joke for the children of Make-A-Wish Hawaii whose wishes are granted each year through fundraising events like the Annual April Foolish Party held for the past 24 years.

Join us on Friday, April 9th from 5 p.m. at The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace for this great party. University Health Alliance (UHA) and the Boys Bunch will host this evening fundraiser featuring dancing to the classic rock-n-roll band "The Kingpins" and door prizes including a neighbor island getaway.


Tickets to attend are only $25 in advance and $30 at the door and that includes one free drink and heavy pupu early in the evening. All net proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish Hawaii. Ticket purchases in excess of $5 are tax-deductible. To purchase tickets, call Lucy Cabiles @ #265-8989.

Make-A-Wish Hawaii’s mission is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Each year, 40 to 50 children from Hawaii have their wishes granted with the most popular being traveling to Disney World in Orlando to meet Mickey Mouse. Other popular wishes include going on shopping sprees, meeting a celebrity and trips to visit loved ones.
Aloha,
Lucy Cabiles, RA
Young Properties, Inc.
#265-8989
www.youngproperties.com

Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society 35th Anniversary Ball

Like IBDI, Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society has gotta be one of the granddaddy dance clubs in the islands. Come April 10th, the organization will be celebrating its 35th year with a "Ball" at the Palladium. On tap will be General Dancing, Dance Exhibitions, Door Prizes, and Bento to the tune of 8 bucks....a very good deal plus dancing till 9:45 PM.

10 Year Old Wins Dance Essay Contest

10 YEAR OLD WINS DANCE ESSAY CONTEST! was submitted by Rita O'Conner. The Valley Isle has gotta be proud that one of their young native sons has won this contest and found the passion for ballroom dancing..


Maui, HAWAII –Private Image Dance Studio sponsored a "Love Of Dance" essay contest (with three different topic options) to keiki & adults of Maui. Judges (from the mainland) chose Maui youth Sol Singer, age 10, as the winner of this year's contest! Sol received a gift certificate for a private dance lesson with Dance Professional Rita O'Connor, NDCA. Sol has been involved with the Ballroom & Latin Dance Program of South Maui Parks & Recreation Community Classes for less than a year!

Here is his winning entry:
"I love to dance. It is fun. Merengue is my favorite because I can do all these creative, complex moves with a simple step. East-coast Swing has some nice moves too. I look forward to learning new steps and hot dances at class. As I hear that music, that rhythm - I am overcome with the urge to dance. My feet start to heat-up with anticipation as I eagerly make my way to the dance floor. 5-6-7-8 DANCE! I am instantly filled with happiness. Everyone should learn to dance, especially my mom and dad who I love dearly. If I win the essay contest, I choose to gift the private lesson to my parents. In this way, I can share my passion for Ballroom Dancing with them."

ILIMA Ballroom Dance Club 27th Anniversary Ball

Got all duked up for the Ilima Ballroom Dance Club 27th Anniversary Ball at the Palladium last night. Got my ticket and got my girl Lani to the Ballroom a little after 5PM. A lot of parking space available but there were busy people at work upstairs in the kitchen as they prepared the evening snack of turkey (or was it chicken?)sandwich, fresh lettuce salad topped with dressing, and a good serving of sliced peaches. Diane Wong, President of Ilima Dance Club was there pitching in with the kitchen crew. There were the early dancers in the foyer chomping down their meal as they waited to enter the Ballroom. JoAnn and Betty at the reception table greeted us with a smile.


Dance music was already playing and a few dancers getting warmed up for the evening of dancing and the Showcase. Lani and I have been to a few dances hosted by clubs that teach only the International style. So we had expected, like the other clubs, to be only International style tempo. But not so with Dr. Wong's selection of dance music....slow tempo Waltz but the Foxtrot, Jive, Tango, West Coast Swing, Cha Cha, Mambo, Rumba, etc. were in tempo with the International and American style. There was also Merengue which is rare. Thanks, Dr. Wong! And also thanks to the Setup Crew (Club members and Ronald Kim & Robert Lai).

Now to the main event. EmCee for the event was Roger Izumigawa, a well known celebrity in the dance community, who kept the audience in tuned with the Dance Exhibition part of the program. Club President Diane Wong gave a Welcome message. Then Roger acknowledged the Presidents of Aiea Ballroom Dance Assn. (Deanie Bates), Aloha Dance Club (Gladys Lee), Friends of Ala Wai Dance Academy (Warren Mitsunaga), Gardenia Dance Assn.(Ivan John), International Ballroom Dance Inc. (Chris Jay), USA Dance Honolulu Chapter (Glenn Okazaki), and Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance of Hawaii (Rudy Luat) who attended as Ilima's guests. Also acknowledgement went to Herbert Omizo & Annie Furguson and the many individuals that helped with the ticket sales.


The Dance Exhibition started with Kay Yahiku & Warick Sargent dancing the International Foxtrot. There were some lifting in the dance as Warick twirled Kay about shoulder height that wooed the audience.

Nice moves by Hami Draper & Tom Sutton as they danced their interpretation of the International Cha Cha. We hope to see more of this couple in other showcases.


Aileen & David Hashimoto soon followed with the International Tango. Lani and I thought that David had full control of the dance as he masterly lead Aileen in the dance of passion.

Now every dance showcase has a THRILLER or two. But I gotta hand it to Charlotte & Edwin Bugarin for their performance of the International Cha Cha. They were there to entertain and please the audience with their terrific expertise in showcase dancing. In fact they were the only dancers who performed in the middle of the large dance floor so everyone could see and enjoy their performance. That's akamai Exhibition Dancing!

As a finale, there was an International SURPRISE Dance. It started as a skit with three guys arguing (Nancy Luckie impersonated as a guy) with no audio. Almost like watching the first black and white movie of the early 1900's. A lot of animation going on by Don Smith as Ivan John (dressed like a drag queen) enters the scene. A little confusing of what's going on at first but as the story unveils, Ivan John teaches the three guys (sorry I didn't get the name of the third guy but I'm guessing it was David Mayman) how to dance the International Tango. Maybe that's what the argument among the three guys were about. Anyway, Ivan got to dance with the three guys. No more arguments...just entertainment that got the audience a belly full of laughter. (I couldn't get a good photo of the group of Ivan John, Nancy Luckie and Friends but you can view Ivan John all decked up sitting on my friend Calvin Ota's lap in one of the photos).


So it turned out to be any evening of fine dancing and an entertaining showcase by the Exhibition Dancers. This photo pictures some of the dancers that were happy to be at the Ball. Hopefully, someone will remember to turn up all the lights in the ballroom when there is a Dance Exhibition. After all, the beautiful costumes and the expressions on the dancers' faces and eyes are 50 percent of the performance.
(Left click on photo to zoom in).

St. Paddy Dance Party @Star-Struck Studio

"BRRRRRR! Baby, It's Cold Outside". It was a cold and breezy night last night. You know....da kine night bettah to stay in a warm and cozy home with a hot cup of java. But Lani and I were invited to the St.Paddy's Dance Party at the Star-Struck Studio. Couldn't disappoint the hosts John and Alicia Aros after saying that we'd be there. Lani and I got to the studio before eight. Salsa music was playing but only a handful of John and Alicia's students were there. We were greeted by John and later by Alicia as she entered the mini ballroom. Their two lovely children with their nanny were there also to enjoy the festivity.

As more students trickled into the studio, John and Alicia got the party started by demonstrating the Foxtrot and then had everyone on the dance floor to dance the Slow-Slow-Quick-Quick steps. The party got warmed up when more students came in. There were light refreshments and puu puus at the bar. For the adventurous dancers, there were Napa Valley nectars and the brews from hops.
It was a dance party so John and Alicia availed themselves to dancing with their students the Foxtrot, Waltz, Swing, Cha Cha. Tango, and the Hustle. And the students enjoyed that. I got to enjoy dancing with Alicia, too...the East Coast Swing and the Merengue. Had a few dances with one of their students, also. It was an enjoyable night for Lani and me as we danced the Waltz, Cha Cha, Swing, Rumba, and a bit of Tango before the music ended.

We met and talked to nearly everyone at the party. Most if not all were new to ballroom dancing but they were a friendly bunch just like the hosts John and Alicia.
The night had turned from "BRRR! Baby It's Cold Outside to Heat Wave" and was well worth braving the cold and breezy weather.
Star-Struck Studio hosts student parties at least twice a month and are listed on their Website www.starstruck-studio.com

Latin Festival 2010

WOWEE! What an entertaining event it was at the Latin Festival this past Friday. Lani and I brought some of our dance students to the Big Dance. It was the first time for all of them to dance at the Palladium. We could see in their eyes the excitement of seeing so many dancers on a large scale floor. The Exhibition Dancing and the Mock Competition thrilled them moreso. Did they get to social dance? YES they did! But I think I'm getting a little ahead on this blog. Lani and I got to the Palladium a little before 5PM but we weren't the only ones. There were other dancers waiting in the foyer while the showcase performers and competition dancers were practicing their routine inside the ballroom. Bento was served while we waited to enter the ballroom. Light but not bad for 8 bucks including admission...rice, chicken katsu, hot dog, a piece of daikon, and a mini Okinawan doughnut. Coffee, juice, and water was enough to quench the thirst. I gotta thank the kitchen crew for doing such a good job in distributing the bento and serving those delicious cookies as refreshment from Old Aala Bakery. (Sorry I didn't get a photo of them).


As we entered the ballroom, we were greeted by Ivan John (President), David Mayman (Vice President), Rose Loui (Treasurer), Gayle Kawahakui and Nancy Luckie (Directors) at the Reception Table.



Before I go any further, let me introduce to you some of the members of Hawaii Gardenia Circle that made this event an enjoyable one...the EmCee, the Event Organizer, and the DeeJay.
General Dancing continued from 5:30 to 7:45. Then there was a Horse Shoe Dance before the Exhibition Dancing part of the program. I gotta note here that some of the big names in professional ballroom dancing attended this affair..Geoffrey Fells (Lani and I had a small chat with him. Hope his right leg heals real soon), Christopher Bayot, and Albert Franz.


Richard and Lynn Nakamura opened the Exhibition Dancing with the International Quick Step. These two dancers from Dance Aliamanu always amaze Lani and me with their energy and quickness in their footwork. Running on high octane and they are always a crowd pleaser.


The Night Club Two Step followed immediately by Joshua Manzano and Jill Tengan from Dance Aliamanu. They are the youngest dance instructors for the club and are going places. Very nice showcase moves and technique and very enjoyable to watch.


Concluding this part of the Exhibition Dancing were Dr. Michael and Trudy Uechi who danced an impeccable International Waltz and Foxtrot Medley. Very disciplined posture and footwork as they flowed smoothly throughout the entire ballroom floor.

More General Dancing followed before the Mock Competition. The Mock Competiton consisted of the Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Mambo, Jive, and Paso Doble.


The Parade of Latin Festival competition dancers opened the program in style with introduction of the dancers by the EmCee.

Participating in the mock competition were Robert Schiff, Rosy Schiff, Patrick Stanley, Geraine Luna, Lyn Sodaria, Gene Peles, Karin Peles, Tom Collins, Hana Yin, Daniel Ng, Stephanie Yueg, Calvin Ota, Debra Ota, Joshua Manzano, Jill Tengan, Edwin Bugarin, Charlotte Bugain, Renna Villanueva, Gordon Wong, Sergio Villanueva, Jana Makasobe, Stacie Jo Stanley, and Rosy Thomas.


The Latin mock competition was the best I've seen at the Palladium. It was HOT! HOT! HOT! as the dancers sizzled with every dance. The costumes the contestants wore were striking and added color to the dances. Since Latin dancing is a spot dance and doesn't do much travelling (except maybe the Samba), Lani and I could only see the dancers at our end of the ballroom. Did the dancers dance with passion in the Rumba? Was there a fierce matador in the Paso Doble? Were the dancers enjoying the dance? Did they dance to entertain the audence? Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! We were fortunate to have some of Hawaii's most talented dancers display their ultimate skills in the Ballroom and Latin dancing for one evening. Hopefully these talented dancers will be invited to next year's Latin Festival. This was an evening of fine dancing and extraordinary entertainment organized by Hawaii Gardenia Circle. Bravo!


.

Hawaii Gardenia Circle's Latin Festival

Aloha Students of Dance. The Latin Festival hosted by Hawaii Gardenia Circle is a couple of Fridays away. It promises to be a ....... well let me have Marie Laderta give you a picture of what's gonna happen at this fun filled event.......

A Note From Marie Laderta:

Promising to be another fun-filled event on Friday, March 12th at the Palladium, the new leadership of Hawaii's Gardenia Circle has worked with new enthusiasm to provide us with a social dance which not only promises to entertain, but also provides a good opportunity for local dancers to practice their dancing in a simulated competition environment, all without the stress of a real competition! So, whether you end up participating in the mock competition or not, whether you just want to go there for some general dancing and fellowship, or just to support the mock competitors, it is expected that you should come away from it having some fun.

Join new Board members, President Ivan John, VP David Mayman, Secretary Don Smith,
Treasurer Rose Louie, Directors Nancy Luckie, Gayle Kawahakui & Reggie Gascon for an
energizing evening! As a prelude to the mock Latin competition, solo performances which include International Standard as well as American Smooth will also grace the floors of the majestic Palladium.

If you buy your ticket now it is only $8 (with bento!), or if you wait to get it at the door it is still a reasonable $10. Save the date: Friday, March 12, 2010. For tickets, please call Gayle at 223-8052.

IBDI Inaugural Ball 2010

I guess many of those who bought tickets to this past Saturday IBDI Inaugural Ball at the Pacific Beach Hotel were in suspense whether the Tsunami was going to hit Waikiki or not. Well Lani and I waited till 3PM for the alert to fade away which it finally did. We headed to the Pacific Beach Hotel early...got there about 5PM. A little early. No one was at the Reception Table, so we went moseying down to the shops to kill some time. Found a shop selling things at reduced price because it was going out of business and Lani wanted to try out her bargaining skills that she acquired on our trips to China. Yep! she got what she wanted at the price she bargained with the proprietor.


By the time we got to the Ballroom on the 7th floor, the lobby was filled with dancers. The "front line" reception table friendly workers were already busy collecting tickets and directing the dancers to their assigned tables. It was nice to see Dana Morey who with her late husband were students of Lani and me. Our first stop in the Ballroom was to wish our friends Calvin and Debra Ota the very best in the Paso Doble exhibition.


There were many dancers in attendance who Lani and I knew from way back when we were teaching for IBDC (now IBDI). General dancing was in full swing to the enticing music from the collections of Henry Lee with the assistance of Jane......not only International tempo music but a good number of American tempo also. General dancing went on for about an hour before the first wave of dancers were ushered to the buffet line. Emcee for the evening was Kay Yahiku who handled the podium with humor and a big voice. Renna Villanueva gave the invocation....then it was dinner time. (No need to hash over the buffet menu 'cause anyone who has attended functions at the PBH knows the entries are ono ono).



After dinner, the IBDI new officers for 2010 were introduced, and then installed by Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Peter Carlisle. Here's the line up: President: Christopher Jay, 1st VP: Grace Nohara, 2nd VP: Steven Sambrano, Secretary: Marsha Ninomiya, and Treasurer: Paul Araki. Board of Diectors: Shirley Igarashi, Arnold Lee, Edward Matsuda, Dana Morey, Anna Omizo, and Fred Tsuda. A President's Message by Christopher Jay followed and then a VIP dance and a SnowBall (aka Ice Breaker) before the Exhibition Dance. Somewhere sandwiched in between was the calling of lucky numbers for door prizes and the winner of the table centerpiece.


About 9 o'clock, Calvin and Debra Ota opened the Exhibition program with the Paso Doble choreographed by Albert Franz. Calvin wore a black Latin outfit and Debra dressed as a Flamenco dancer. It was what Lani and I had expected to see as Calvin and Debra scorched the dance floor with the inspiring passion, power, and strength of a matador facing a raging bull with his cape. And Debra as the "cape" shared with the required high level technical ability. A touch of Flamenco dancing and styling and the dance well performed by two seasoned dancers made it a terrific and exciting performance to watch.


What was billed on the agenda as Latin Medley by Dance Appeal Troupe (comprised of 13dance performers) did not happen but there was fire...Latin Fire.. in the performance danced by Sergio and Renna Villanueva. Boy, they were hot to trot as they covered the entire length of the dance floor with a medley of ballroom and broadway dancing. The blond wig together with the silvery costume that Renna wore sure gave substance to their performance. Dynamite and very entertaining performance by Sergio and Renna.


The International Waltz by Thomas Nakamura and Stephanie Uechi concluded the Exhibition Dance part of the program. Lani and I have seen Thomas dance in exhibitions and socially but this night, he performed superbly and smooth as butter with a lot of control. And as for Stephanie, the beautiful lines she displayed in her dance shows a lot of strength in her movements. A top notch International Waltz performance by Thomas & Stephanie and very enjoyable to watch.

The Hustle by Lucas Jaime & Ellen Osler, and the International Tango by Steven Sambrano & Shirlene Yuen never materialized. Maybe we'll see the performances at next year's IBDI Inaugural Ball.

The program as a whole was well organized. It moved along smoothly which allowed more general dancing. The night was still young and general dancing continued till closing. (Left click on photos to zoom in).