As the Dancer Turns...
/Saturday July 1st, 2017
Hello to our Dance Family!
Welcome to Phil Adams & Mindia Robin's Newsletter: "As the Dancer Turns..."
Time to take another spin with this uplifting issue.
Soap Opera Snippets
A day in the life of...
Photo Credit: Doug Silton
NEW STUFF!
HAPPY SUMMER!
First things first... Bravo to our Dance Team for their great performance at our last monthly event in June! (Phil thought that his bday party today should have been the first things first Lol!) Thanks Steve Stingley for the video... see it on FB or on YouTube! It will be on our web soon too. Second things 2nd...
TODAY! 1st SATURDAY WORKSHOP & DANCE, JULY 1st! CELEBRATING PHIL'S BIRTHDAY! COME GET CAKE! HELEN TOCCO WILL BE GUEST DJing after 10pm!
TODAY's festivities will include...
Cake options, snacks, & complimentary water.
Great: workshops, teachers (Lol!), DJs (Lol!), & music.
Great floor, big studio, & air conditioned too.
Great people, of course. Fabulous hosts ha!
And super memories to be made.
We will play the new FLASHMOB song during the social dance for people to practice what they have learned so far.
Join us for our fun, monthly event. 150 to 200 dancers come out to share their passion. COUNTRY 2-STEP, NIGHTCLUB 2-STEP, & WEST COAST SWING WORKSHOPS, followed by SOCIAL DANCING! Privates lessons may be available See link above (1st Saturday Monthly Event) for details. Ages 18 & up.
VENUE LOCATION:
SOUTH BAY DANCE CENTER
SAVERS PLAZA, behind O'Reilly Auto Parts
24817 S. Western Ave. (cross street is Lomita Blvd.)
Lomita, CA 90717
FREE PARKING!
FAMILY MATTERS...
Phil had an amazing surprise this Thursday when we were setting up for work at the Westchester Elks Lodge!
His cousin Roxanne surprised him... A cousin Phil didn't know he had until two month ago wow! The short story is that Phil & daughter Lauren have been exploring Ancestry.com; they found some relatives living in Australia (Phil's Mom's sister & fam) & some in Japan. Phil's parents both passed away around the time he was ten; he never knew any family members on either side (mom or dad). Phil's Mom was Japanese. So the recent news was miraculous. Then we found out about a week ago that Phil's Mom's sister's granddaughter Roxanne was here visiting LA for the first time. Phil was trying to get in touch with her to get together. But she beat us to it, & showed up Thursday night at our work! She was a true sweetheart, & hung out with us for about 4 hours at our classes & dance. Ask Phil for more info... So many blessings to be grateful for. And what great timing, the week of the kick off for Phil's bday celebrations.
2017 INTERNATIONAL WEST COAST SWING FLASHMOB ROUTINE UPDATE!!!
SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 9th (2nd Saturday monthly event).
We have had great turnouts in Playa Del Rey & Whittier for the first few weeks of Flashmob practice! And yes... we do have practice next week: Monday, July 3rd in PDR & Wednesday, July 5th in Whittier.
It is a challenging, but very fun routine. Lots of practice is a must Lol! Privates are encouraged for those needing help (hint hint.) Saturday, September 2nd, the Flashmob will be performed around the world. Los Angeles venue TBA. One week later, the Flashmob will be performed at our monthly event at South Bay Dance Center in Lomita! We will also be celebrating my Birthday that night YAY! (Occasionally we move our 1st Sat. event to 2nd Sat.)
***We need more leaders for the Flashmob; please get involved in this great experience. It's not too late.
***We now play the Flashmob song every Thursday at our weekly dance, for people to practice. We will also play it at our monthly events.
NO CLASSES at MEMORIES in WHITTIER TUESDAY, JULY 4th. Have a safe holiday.
JASPER (MR. JANUARY) IS OFFICIALLY AN INDOOR CAT... MEOW!
After a full year, we have finally transitioned Jasper to be a house-cat. We had been trying to find the balance between indoor & outdoor life for him... But there have been so many outdoor issues, that we gradually kept him inside more & more. We have lost most of our neighborhood cats due to coyotes, & other outdoor risks. It has been very sad. Jasper is lucky to be alive. Then we found out we had to move, & decided to not let him out anymore. I feel relieved because he is much safer, but we are having some new issues in the house Lol! One night we came home to a broken vase (he tried to find a way out of the window), & Phil had to create a barricade in the kitchen (counter tops & windows) to block Jasper! Also noticed claw marks in the blinds. Any advice for transitioning a cat indoors? Or for moving transitions? Hopefully all will settle down soon. Jasper is mostly a happy, loving cat, who brings lots of joy & healing to people.
CALL YOU OUT!
Here is where we get to pick on our readers, instead of each other! Calling out David K. He saw my hair & said that somebody must have spilled grape juice on it Lol!
TUNE-UP YOUR PLAYLIST!
We want to share with you our favorite songs of the week!
Mindia's Pick: "Love Love Love" by Andy Grammer
Phil's Pick: "Rudimental" by Moxie Raia
Phil & Mindia's joint pick! "Love Forever" by David & Brittany Farkas.
***NOTE***
Thanks to Terry Cricksman for getting a video of Phil & I dancing at the Hacienda Hotel (2014)! It was an exhibition of West Coast Swing that we were asked to perform at a Latin event. And thanks, Terry, for posting it on YouTube. Sorry we forgot to mention that with earlier postings. You can view the video on YouTube (search: Phil and Mindia), or go to the Home page on our website for the link.
ONGOING STUFF!
IN SEARCH OF... NEW NESTING PLACE!
If Phil & I seem to be extra busy the next few months, it's because we got unexpected notice to move (again Lol!), & are in search of a new place to live. We are looking in & near the Long Beach areas. And of course we are taking the Calendar Cat with us! Phil put a box together for me to start packing, & then Jasper jumped in the box. So I said that we were officially ready to move; the most important thing was packed Lol! We are going on a great adventure... Wonder where we will end up.
2017 INTERNATIONAL WEST COAST SWING FLASHMOB ROUTINE
Phil & I had so much fun with everybody last year; we are excited to be teaching the new routine with such a great song. We had 34 couples perform last year at the Santa Monica Promenade on the big day. Flashmob is an "unscheduled" performance of a choreographed dance routine, usually in a busy, public place (train station, park, airport etc.). Last year, over 6000 dancers around the world learned the same WCS routine, & performed it in 39 countries & 240 cities... WOW, on the same day. Such a wonderful way to share our dance with so many people. Thank you to our friends in France for creating another great WCS dance routine to share with the world. They chose another very fun song... "Kiss the Sky" by Jason Derulo.
DETAILS
SCHEDULE:
MONDAYS: Westchester Elks Lodge in Playa Del Rey: 7:30 to 9pm. $10 per person.
WEDNESDAYS: Memories in Whittier: 7 to 8pm. $10 per person.
ODDS & ENDS:
*Try & find your partner now. If you need one, let us know. We will try & help you pair up. The first month or so of practice, we will rotate. So you don't need a partner at first. Maybe you will meet somebody there Lol!
*Must be at least Intermediate level for West Coast Swing. Must be very comfortable with basics & beyond. Check with us if unsure about your ability.
*The big performance day will be Saturday, September 2nd. Venue TBA. We are open to suggestions.
*Be sure to join the FB group: Los Angeles International Flashmob West Coast Swing for updates (make sure that you click to get notifications).
*The 2017 routine is posted on the FB group mentioned above. Or look it up on You Tube.
*Let us know if you are interested in doing a private lesson to work on the routine.
"LOVE FOREVER" MUSIC VIDEO RELEASED!
A while back, a sweet couple (former students), David & Brittany Farkas, came to our Thursday venue at Westchester Elks (Playa Del Rey) to film a music video for a song from their new album! We were so thrilled to be a part of this music video project with our dance family! David & Brittany are a lovely couple; they are talented musicians as well. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Please enjoy the music video... fun-loving with a surprise is at the very end! It was a treat to get to dance to their beautiful song "Love Forever,", & share all the joy with everyone. Go to our FB wall (mine or Phil's), or view the video on You tube.
2014 DANCE DOWN MEMORY LANE!
Somebody re-posted a video on FB from Phil & I dancing a West Coast Swing exhibition at the Hacienda in 2014 ha! Check us out. Many of you will recognize the song; I get credit for picking it Lol! Improvised dancing, as usual. Also on You tube ( search "Phil and Mindia"). Thanks to Terry Cricksman for taking the video & for posting on YouTube!
LOOKING FOR FOLLOWERS TO SPLIT PRIVATE LESSONS!
I still have a few leaders looking to share private dance lessons. Followers please let me know if interested. You will have fun, & learn stuff too! Mondays, Thursdays, or some Saturdays.
JOIN US EVERY THURSDAY
At WESTCHESTER ELKS LODGE in Playa Del Rey for WEST COAST SWING CLASSES & DANCING! (No outside beverages please.) GREAT: Classes, dancing, music, big hardwood floor, & of course people! Also has AC & free parking! Ages 21 & up. See Thursday Classes Elks link above for info. PHIL & I WILL TEACH INTERMEDIATE & INTERMED./ADV. WCS CLASSES TOGETHER, & DJ EVERY WEEK! FUN BEGINNER SERIES w/ LARRY WINTER. (Click on link above for details.) We usually get between 70 & 90 people every Thursday... It has been a fun night every week.
LOCATION:
Westchester Elks Lodge
8025 West Manchester Avenue,
Playa Del Rey, 90293
PARKING: FREE lot behind the lodge; enter the building through the door w/ "Elks" sign; enter from the parking lot.
CLASSES EVERY TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY w/ PHIL at MEMORIES in WHITTIER! Spread the word! (See Class Schedule link above for details.)
DANCE TEAM!
We are still looking for a few more team people; let us know if interested. Team practice starts up again in September!
DANCE DVDs!
We have two DVDs available, Beginner & Intermediate WCS. You can purchase them with a credit card in person (cash or check is fine also), or through our web store! More info about payment & options under Highlights.
PUNCH CARDS
We have punch cards available for purchase: ten classes for $100 w/ the eleventh class FREE! Punch cards do not expire. We do take credit cards in person or through our web-store.
SHAMELESS PLUG
* We are available for PRIVATE LESSONS throughout the week; contact us to schedule. You get a $5 discount per DVD when you do a private.
Highlights... Takin' Care of Business
*DANCE DVD'S!
Payment & Options: Dance DVSs are $35 each (plus tax if credit card payment). Credit card payments are available in person, (or cash or check in person is fine also), or through our web store. If order your DVDs through our website, you have the option to click the "pick up at class" option (to avoid shipping charges), or you can have them shipped.
* Please add our joint business e-mail to your contact/address book, to avoid Spam difficulties: info@PhilAndMindiaDance.com Please use this contact for any future communications.
* All of our classes are drop-in (some do run in a series). No partner needed for any of our classes. No prior dance experience needed for Beginner classes. Two left feet are welcomed; we will introduce you to your right foot! (Phil wanted credit for that last comment.)
* Once you have moved up from our Beginner level classes to Intermediate and then later Advanced, you are welcome to continue taking our Beginner classes for FREE! We want to encourage you to continue working on your basics; that is most important to develop a strong foundation. The best dancers usually are the ones who have worked on their basics for years. When you keep taking Beginner classes, you are also helping the new students to progress faster, since they get to rotate & dance with more experienced dancers.
We hope that you have enjoyed this episode of "As the Dancer Turns..." I know that we have! Stay tuned for more entertaining issues.
Please explore our website for more info. We are also available for private dance lessons. Send us Facebook friend requests if you want to be informed/updated by our Newsfeed and Wall Posts.
Hope to see you dancing soon,
Mindia... & Phil ;-)