In this issue, scroll down:
1 Meet
Edwin Roa!
The song did it. (Which song inspires, gets you on your feet, takes you to where you've never been before... every single time
3
Would you like free entry to the dance?
4
Why you should become a Member of USA Dance!
(... the reasons are just irresistible!)
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WELCOME BACK TO OUR DANCE FLOOR!
USA Dance Charlottesville
Saturday, August 24th
7:15-10 PM
END OF SUMMER DANCE
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SAMBA!
Edwin Roa teaches a beginner lesson with an intermediate twist, of the hips, that is! Fun and flavor, all in one lesson with this delightful instructor!
(sketch by Rosy Noguchi)
Saturday August 24th at 7:15 PM!
Dance the evening away with fabulous new music 8-10 PM!
*It's our END OF SUMMER dance theme...
stay cool in your shades, tank tops, t-shirts, Hawaiian shirts and sundresses!
* Don't miss our two mixers & announced Ladies' Choice dances!
For an unbeatable evening of fun and music among friends new and old, join us! General Admission is $12, USA Dance members pay $9, students $6. Enjoy the beautiful ballroom at Unity Church with ample and easy parking (2825 Hydraulic Circle, Charlottesville, near Albemarle High School).
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 Edwin grew up in Bogotá, Colombia and came to the USA in 1995. He got into the dancing world because he was first introduced to dance as a child, mainly because of his twin sister! However back then he did not like it because as a boy (in his eyes) dancing was not a masculine thing to do. But once he became a teenager, he started to look at partner dance as a tool to become more social! Eventually, once in the US, and because of his difficulties with the English language, dancing became an artistic outlet for him. He decided to develop it further and make it into my career
1) Do you have a favorite song and why?
Yes, it is "Imagine" by John Lennon. Simply because it invites us to be tolerant and imagine a world where we can view ourselves as equals, without prejudicing others by their racial background, religion believes, political views, etc... "Imagine all the people sharing all the world..."
2) What do you think is the most important thing any dancer should know about dance?
I think we must start by understanding that there are many ways to look at dance. We should first acknowledge that there is a big difference between dancers and performers. Of course we could do both, but they are definitely not the same. In a nutshell, a performer repeats and a dancer creates.
Above all I consider that dance is an art form, and therefore it is a personal outlet available for us to express our own ideas and emotions. For that reason, anyone who is aiming to explore and study the art of partner dance has to realize that there is no one way to interpret motion. In other words, there is no such a thing as right or wrong.
My advice to all students is to view it as a language. The objective is for you to freely communicate with your partner(s) and dominate the language to the point that you can articulate your ideas and clearly interact with anyone, anywhere.
If we are not willing to play, explore and challenge our ideas of music and movement, and all we do is shield ourselves in the comfort of the patterns given to us by our teachers, then we must agree that we have become good performers, but still we cannot regard ourselves as dancers.
3) What do you like to do in your non-dancing spare time?
I'm truly addicted to social dance, so if I'm not teaching a class I like to go out to clubs or other social events. However when the weather is good, I enjoy walking, hiking and swimming. I also enjoy painting and watching documentaries.
4) What is your recent favorite movie?
I enjoy a bit of everything, but recently I saw a documentary from NOVA called "Earth from Space" and I thought it was really impressive.
5) What do few people know about your past?
Few people know that teaching dance was not in my plans, yet I started my teaching career here in Virginia due to a series of unpredictable events. I have a degree in textile designing and I used to work in a textile factory. My little sister was taking classes at a local dance studio, and one night, as I was picking her up from one of her classes, they had a salsa song playing through the speakers and I started to dance with her. That same night I was asked if I would be interested in becoming a trainee teacher for their studio, and since my schedule allowed it, and I wanted to continue learning, I agreed.
By mid 1998, the textile industry was dying, and the factory I had worked for eventually closed down. Needless to say, I was laid off. So my part-time job as a dance teacher suddenly became a full time one. As I became serious and very interested in developing my career, I realized that I could not agree with the studio's teaching method nor their business motto, so I decided to quit and pursue my career as a dancer.
In 2000 I moved to Richmond and became a company member and performer for the Latin Ballet of Virginia. For the next 3 years I grew as a dancer as well as a teacher and I was able to solidify my view of partner dance. In the fall of 2003 I started my independent teaching career and Zabor (my teaching method) was born.
6) Tell us more about your teaching approach!
Zabor is a teaching method that offers students a perspective of partner dance that focuses equally on the culture, the musicality and the movement of any given subject.
The name Zabor came as a result of the combination of 3 words that describe our core philosophy. The Spanish words Sabor and Saber, meaning Flavor and Knowledge, and the English word Zest. After all, all I'm trying to do, is to offer my students the knowledge of the culture and the roots of the dances, the flavor and understanding of the music, and the zest for sharing and interacting with others.
We offer classes in ballroom styles (Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quick Step, Viennese Waltz, Paso Doble, Samba, Cha-Cha, East coast Swing, Jive, Rhumba, Mambo, and Bolero) as well as social club dances (Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Kizomba, Vallenato, Hustle, Lindy Hop, West coast Swing, and Argentine Tango).
I'm very interested in helping people understand and develop their dance potential, but above all I want to promote social dance and contribute to the formation of true dancers. This is why I like to work with higher education establishments, such as colleges and universities in the area, as well as local social dance organizations such as Salsa, Swing and Tango clubs. |
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2) Which song is it that makes YOU fall in love with ballroom, latin or swing dancing every time? Tell us: we want to play the song for you on our dance floor this year!
You know what I'm talking about... the song that makes your feet move, your heart soar, your body come alive! The one that makes you fall in love, utterly or almost, with your partner, for just that moment? Which is yours? Email us: we want to know 1) the name of the song, 2) the artist, and 3) the dance you like to dance to it! We want to add it to our playlist for you!
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| 3) Get into the dance FREE!
If you are a USA Dance Member, volunteer at the front desk for half an hour and you get into the dance free! You'd be greeting friends as they arrive, helping them to sign in, giving your feet/knee/hip a break, and all the while watching fabulous dancing on the floor! Thank you for your support! Check in to see slot availability when you arrive.
(NOTE: this opportunity is available on a dance by dance basis as slots become available at the discretion of and subject to the approval of USA Dance Board members.)
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4) Why you should become a Member of USA Dance!
~Instead of $12, you pay only $9 at each dance
(for a possible savings of up to $27 each year)!
~Your membership card gives you membership rates at any other USA Dance you attend across the region or nation, not just ours.
~At our local chapter, volunteering at the front desk (when slots are available, subject to the board's discretion) gains free admission to the dance.
~You support a non-profit organization that welcomes all ballroom dancers from throughout the area, regardless of where/whether they have taken lessons.
~All members receive a subscription to the national organization's exciting bimonthly magazine, American Dancer. Members can use free Dancemart classified advertising in American Dancer magazine to sell personal costumes, shoes etc. or search for a partner. See magazine for details.
~There are several categories of membership; a common one is Social Adult Dancer Membership, at $25 per year.
~For more information or to sign up, ask at our front desk at the next dance, or visit our
USA Dance Charlottesville website
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