It Pays To Be A SeniorTeen

The gateway to the Nifty 50s/60s/70s Oldies Sock Hop Bash finally opened at the Pacific Beach Hotel Grand Ballroom this past Friday. Over 800 SeniorTeens were shephered in to the era when Rock & Roll, the Twist, the Jitterbug, the Disco, and the Hippee Generation was in full swing.  The Grand Ballroom was decorated with large poka dot balloons floating and anchored above each table.  Several battery operated centerpieces groomed each table like lighted fingers and there was a 6-pack carton of Coca-Cola. Two stages marked the ballroom.....one fully decorated picturing the days of the Drive-In eateries, and the other held the electronic gears of the music DeeJays Doug and Lisa Oshiro of Tapestry (From a singer with an 8-piece band to a Mobile DJ for the past 10 years). The ballroom was beaming with music of generations past and so were the faces of the guests as they boogie on to the dance floor each time. Will it be a night when my main squeeze will once again be merciless and Dance My A** Off?  All the ingredients of fun dancing was there...the Jitterbug, the Twist, Slow Dancing, Disco, Rock & Roll, and Boogie to the Oogie. How could I resist the temptation?

This year's registration went fast and furious and closed in July for this October Bash. Next year's Nifty 50s/60/s70s Oldies Sock Hop Bash will be on October 18 (2013).  If you want to be counted in the next "Class Reunion", please register when you recieve da word from Chairperson Wendell Kwan or from the Bash Committee.

It was another successful Nifty Bash and although the dance floor was crowded, everyone respected each others space.....no bumping into each other. Lani and I had fun dancing and chatting with the guests on our table. The 6-pack Coca-Cola was divided among the couples on our table and Lani and I went home with the beautiful flower and lights centerpiece only because I was the most SeniorTeen at our table. So it pays to be a SeniorTeen. Aloha fo' now.

 

Dreamgirls Spot Lights @ Pan Pacific Ballroom Dance Society Inaugural Ball

WOOWEE! What a night it turned out to be at the Pacific Beach Hotel Grand Ballroom. Prez Rudy Luat and da Society Crew pulled out all the stops in presenting one of their best showcases for an Inaugural Ball this past Friday.
Yeah! Rudy and Crew did good and with an attractive program brochure that was designed by Joanna Johnson of B&J Designs.

Then they got George Suetsugu to DeeJay his collection of sweet and mellow dance music that kept the hard floor filled with enthusiastic dancers. My main squeeze can be identified with that group 'cause she was merciless with me when it came to burning
da floor. But then dat's another story.

  Organizers and Event Chairpersons were Ed and Matilda Felix who were also in the Showcase part of the program.

EmCee was that little package of dynamite Kay Yahiku. Boy! This gal has got the eyesight of an eagle. She spotted and gave recognition to all the Presidents of the various dance clubs who were in attendance, and also to all the professional dance teachers and owners of dance studios.

Before dinner, invocationion was said by Jim McConnell.

Installation of Officers was presided by Marie Laderta.  And here's the wrap: President Rudy Luat, VP Eric Brienzo, Secretary Audrey Dang, Treasurer Matilda Felix, Auditor Amy Lau, Dance Director Ed Felix, and the Board of Directors Luby Brienzo, Ray Dang, Louise Fujiyama, Robert Lau, Lucy Matsunaga, Marie Perreira, and Greg Wong.

Rudy Luat gave an emotional President's Message. Besides the welcome address, he named several people who were loyal supporters of Pan Pacific BDS who were not able to attend the inauguration.

A lot of Free Dancing went on before the Dance Exhibition started at about 9:15.

Opening the Showcase with the International Waltz were Pan Pacific Dance Director Ed Felix and lovely wife Matilda. Their peformance was elegant and filled with experience and confidence.

Brian Fung and Ashley Salcedo explode on the floor with an electrifying International Samba...totally fiery and dynamic.

The Divino Ritmo Dance Formation Team performed a high-spirited Broadway number of Dreamgirls coached and choreographed by Yanna Samkova. The group included Ed & Remy Brion, Tom Colins, Maggie Deng, Cammy Divers, Paul & Marie Laderta, and Edward Nishimura. It was lively, ritzy, showy, energetic, and most of all, entertaining.

Another sparkling performance of the International Cha Cha by Ed and Charlotte Bugarin. A hot couple with a hot dance.

The Quickstep by Calvin and Debra Ota was the smoothest variation of the Quickstep that I've seen performed. It was sparkling clean, appealing with a light touch of Charleston, and enjoyable to watch as they glided around the dance floor..

Professional Carlos Chang with Elsie Hironaka danced a sultery International Rumba. A mint performance fo' sure. Fierce and spicey with all the elements of love.

The Pan Pacific Formation Team included Eric & Luby Brienzo, Robert & Amy Lau, Ray & Audrey Dang, Noli & Wowie Boado, Lung & Catherine, Stan & Geri Katayama, Ed & Matilda Felix, and Jim & April McConnell. The Team danced a "Medley" that started with the Waltz, followed by the Tango, then the Foxtrrot, and concluded the showcase with the Waltz. The performance was colorful, stylish, and savoir faire.

General Dancing continued till closing. Special Thanks to Marie Perreira for the Inaugural Leis, and to Meryl Suetsugu for the Flower Arrangements and Centerpieces.

Hermi and Letty's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Lani and I met Hermi and Letty Tesoro some years back when we did a dance show with 23 other couples for the University of Hawaii 25th Anniversary of the Performing Arts Department under the direction of then Dance Director Judy Allen. The dance showcase went for five nights at the Kennedy Theater and the 25 couples who were dance performers became close since we had to work together during the rehearsals and stage performance. It was the year 1989 when gasoline prices were very low and the countless times for rehearsal and practices were not so much a hardship. I think Hermi and Letty were the only Filipino couple in the program. (And me being Filipino was able to spark them easily). They were a handsome and cute couple but very quiet and at times we only acknowledged each other with a cordial "Hi or Hello". After the 25th Anniversary at the UH, we lost contact until last August at the Candonian of Hawaii Scholarship Fund Dance at the Pacific Beach Hotel where I saw Hermi and Letty. Lani and I felt very honored that Hermi and Letty remembered us when we received the invitation to their 50th Anniversary Celebration.

It's Saturday, October 6 and Lani  and I are heading to the Hale Koa Hotel  where the celebration is to take place. Weekend traffic on Kuhio Avenue wasn't too bad and the parking for the Hale Koa wasn't bad either.

 

 

Hermi and Letty greeted us and other guests at the Ft. DeRussey Banquet Room. The room was already filled with early guests and the fabulous music from the DeeJays from Starpoint Productions echoed throughout the room. Letty whispered to me that there will be dancing. Sure enough, there was a dance floor all ready to accept the first couple to get on it. Now you all know how many times Lani has made me "dance my A** off" and I know that I'm not in the same league as her when it comes to burning the dance floor. The sweet sound of the Waltz music was sugar to her dancing feet that we were already warming up the floor for other couples to get on it. After dancing the Waltz, Rumba, Cha Cha, and the Swing, it was time to vacate the dance floor for other dancers and head for a cool glass of refreshing red wine.

EmCees were Roland and Edith Pascua who officiated splendidly that kept the moments upbeat. Incidentally, thank you Roland and Edith for sharing your notes for this blog. Hermi and Letty have two sons and two daughters.  Roland and Edith are good dancers and joined us on the dance floor before others joined in.

There were many picture and video taking throughout the evening, especially when Hermi and Letty entered the Banquet room. As more guests arrived, the dance floor became filled with dancers. As I mentioned earlier, the dance music was fabulous covering a variety of Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Line Dancing, and Boogie.

The buffet was fabulous and ono too, along with the line up of dessert. Lani and I were sitting at a table near the dance floor. It gave us to be-line to the dance floor at every opportune time and have a clear view of the dancers when the floor got  too crowded.

The program started immediately after dinner with a Hula performed by Shirley (Hermi and Letty's youngest daughter) with hula sisters of 30 plus years, Maelia and Gerilyn to the song Ke Aloha.

Another Hula followed with granddaughters Phoebe and Hi'ilei along with Maelia, Gerilyn, and Shirley.to the tune Papalina Lahilahi.

Granddaughter Hi'ilei also showed that she had a talent for singing. She sang two songs and accompanied by Hermi and Letty's son-in-law Mark on the guitar.

All though out the evening, the EmCees encouraged the guests to keep an open eye on the photos that was flashed on a large screen because a prize will be given to the person that answers correctly a question referring to the photos. As the video of photos rolled on covering Hermi and Letty's early life together, their children, grandchildren, and their trips as world travelers to Paris, Germany, Italy, the Caribbean, the Philippines, and Alaska, one would wonder what the question would be.

Hermi Jr. and Ben (Hermi and Letty's two sons) came to the podium explaining how their parents met. There were several versions but each one was amusing and hilarious the way they explained them. They were like stand up comedians and going by the laughter, and the hand clapping everyone appreciated their humor and the way they delivered their message. Lani and I certainly enjoyed every bit of it. Upon leaving the podium, Hermi Jr. and Ben led everyone to a special toast to Hermi and Letty.

The cutting of the wedding cake soon followed with the traditional feeding each other with a piece of the cake.....and of course with a kiss.

There were 13 out-of-town family and guests who were given leis and recognition. The leis were of ohai and ali'i and composed of nearly 500 flowers each. They were made by Letty and her brother Bernie as a warm mahalo for travelling the distance to celebrate this occasion with Hermi and Letty.

Each table was groomed with a beautiful centerpiece of a bouquet of red roses in a vase. EmCee Edith announced that the centerpiece goes to the married couple that have been together the longest. Everyone was told to stand up and as she called out each status, those fitting the level would have to sit down. The singles were first to go, then those married for ten years followed. As the years climbed to 30 years, Lani and I were still standing. I think we were fortunate since our table had 3 singles, 2 ladies with out partners, and a young couple.

Now it was time for the big question on the photos. "Who was the government official in the photo with Hermi and Letty?" Quick like a flash, a gal rushed to the microphone and named, "Ben Cayatano" and she was right. Lucky gal!

Concluding the program, Hermi and Letty dance the Waltz, and then the Swing with vigor. They hadn't lost their touch for dancing. Fifty years together is an astonishing long time but their energy and their youthful attitude is one to be admired and copied.

Lani and I had a great and enjoyable time at Hermi and Letty's 50th Anniversary Celebration. As we had bid them "good night" and "thank you" for thinking of us and inviting us, they in turn thanked us for being there.  That is so humble!

General dancing continued as Lani and I left the Hale Koa banquet room.
(Left click on photo to zoom in)


  

Swingers @The 2012 Seniors' Fair

It's the time of the year when the Silver Generation make the journey to the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall for the annual Hawaii Seniors' Fair - The Good Life Expo; if not for the entertainment or selecting a vendor that appeals to them or maybe to renew their ZIPPY's Senior Discount Card. Yeah! September is a great month and it finds Lani and me heading to the Blaisdell this fine Saturday morning after a onolicious breakfast at ZIPPY's in Hawaii Kai. Traffic was a little heavy on the K Highway and I wondered if everyone was headed to the Seniors' Fair,  too.  Okay, admission is free to the Fair but the parking fee is still 6 bucks no matter if you stayed all the way to  4:30PM which is when the Fair ends.  Anyway, we got see a lot of vendors offering Senior Care, Health Care Insurance, Flu Shots, Travel Literatures and lots more that would be of concern and interest for the Silver Generation. My interest was the programs on stage while my main squeeze was more in tuned with the booths that offered avenues to maintain good health. I'll never know who I'm gonna meet while pushing my way to the stage area. Yeah! it was crowded alright. Some of our dance students who we haven't seen for a long time came up to us with a "hello" and a hand shake or hug. Got those greetings from the politicians, too, but the Governor was more giving with a handshake and passing out sealed packages of colored popcorn. Must've been good tasting popcorn 'cause Lani dugged into half a package before I knew it. Dat's okay but when Lani came back from her excursion of the nearby booths and said that a lady at the booth said that she knows me from working together at Safeway Stores way back in the 60's, the big question was a shaky "Oh!Oh!who can she be????"    

On the Main Stage were our friends from the STEPTACULARS, the performing dance group that have appeared for at the Seniors' Fair time and time again. I didn't get to see the whole show but I did get to see our friend Salome, Ron and his wife Manjit, and a new act with Sonny and Cher impersonators singing "I Got You, Babe". It was an entertaining and colorful show with music and dancing as only the StepTaculars can do it.

There were Hula Dancers from Na Wahine O Ka Hula Mai Ko Pu'uwai, Silver Sneakers Group Exercise Class from 24 Hour Fitness, and 808 Zumba from Washington Fitness. The latter two encouraged the seniors to participate in the movement exercises.

I had missed Bill Doherty of the StepTaculars Flamenco and Cape Dance earlier but lo and behold there was another Flamenco Dance performance scheduled at the Galeria Stage. Lani and I got to meet Marquis Johnson before he got on stage with the three ladies who were gonna dance the Flamenco with him. Except for the fast footwork, it was a different Flamenco dance from the ones that I observed in the past. It was a striking performance that drew a large audience and even got my main squeeze interested in Flamenco Dancing.

Lani and I were very, very impressed with the performance by the Nanakuli High School Performing Arts students. They put on a musical show like one from Broadway with many solo singers, many dancers, and singers that danced also. Most if not all the songs and music were from the Rock & Roll era of the 40's to the 60's way before these young students were born. (Songs made popular by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and others). And they carried the tunes and dances as though they were projected back in time. No doubt the singers and dancers were top-notch performers.
(Left click on photos to zoom in)

IBDI 5th Term Dance Schedule 2012

Registration for dance classes is from 5:30PM to 6PM