GCC-USABDA dance, 2nd and 4th Saturday of the Month, 7:30-11:00, at The Barn, 680 Cherokee Lane, Columbia, SC. Admission is $8/non-member, $5/member, student discount. Refreshments. Appropriate attire required.

March 13th - St. Patrick's Day Dance, dance lesson 8:00-8:30 pm by Robert Seay teaching Rumba.

March 27th - dance lesson 8:00-8:30 pm by Robert Seay teaching Rumba.

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Capital Ballroom, 
2732 Devine St., Columbia, SC, 799-2080, 
8-10 pm, Thursday, March 25th.

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Columbia Ballroom, 
35 Diamond Lane, Columbia, SC, 750-0181. 
Open group lesson Mondays, 7-8:00 pm. 
Theory lesson Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 pm. 
St. Patrick's Party, covered dish, 7:30 pm, March 13th.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for March 14, 2004, at 3:00 pm, in the Baker and Baker meeting room (room assignment tentative) at the Richland County Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC. Please contact Doris Wood with agenda items.

An election committee is needed to solicit nominations for three board positions that will need to be filled for 2005-2006. Composed of five members, this committee will need to hold a brief organizational meeting in April to become familiar with the election procedures mandated by National USABDA. Those of you interested in serving on the committee, please contact me or a member of the board.

Janet Girard has retired from her position as vice president. I am very grateful to Janet who, despite her very busy school schedule, has acted on my behalf during my absence. We will need to fill this position immediately. Anyone interested in serving out the remainder of this term (elections are November 2004) should call me at 796-8488.

The recovery from my by-pass surgery on January 16th is proceeding satisfactorily. I hope to be able to resume my duties and responsibilities as the president by May 1. 

I appreciate very much the encouragement and support that I have received from many of you. Thanks for the get well cards, the notes, telephone calls, flowers, and gifts of food. Thanks also for those of you who visited me at the hospital and at my home.

Thanks also to the board, the DJs, and those of you who have assisted as needed with the dances.

GCC-USABDA is currently teaching at Tri-City Leisure Center, 700 Dreher Road, W. Columbia, SC, on Thursday evenings, 7:15-8:15 pm. The classes run six weeks and are $30/singles or $50/couples. Office phone 939-9309.

Session IV, March 4 - April 18, beginner Waltz and Rumba, three weeks each.

Thanks to our February dance instructor Robert Seay for teaching Waltz.

Thanks to our DJs, Stephanie Muga and Al Jayne.

And a huge thanks to all who helped set up tables and chairs before the dance and who stayed to help clean and put tables and chairs away after the dance.

Phyllis Turner, Julian & Lee Minghi, Janet Girard, Joseph Clark, Warren Wintrode, Pamela Melton, Karen Corbett

We appreciate the attendance of all our guests and the opportunity to get to know you. We hope you enjoyed the dance. We look forward to seeing you again.

The Einstein Aging Study, summarized in the June 19, 2003, New England Journal of Medicine, found that ballroom dancing helps prevent dementia. Dementia in the study refers to both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s.

The study included participants in six brain-stimulating hobbies – reading, writing for pleasure, doing puzzles, board games or playing cards, group discussions and playing music. The study also included participants in 11 physical activities including team sports, swimming, bicycling and dance. Dance was the only physical activity that benefited the brain. This was attributed to the cerebral rather than the physical aspect of dance.

Researchers found that the relationship between the mind-stimulating effects of ballroom dancing, as well as in the above six types of hobbies, and the lowered risk of dementia remained strong even after they allowed for variables such as age, sex and education. Frequency of activity also was important! Subjects with scores in the highest third on the cognitive-activity scale had a risk of dementia that was 63 percent lower than that among subjects in the lowest third. We believe this emphasizes the importance of engaging in a regular program of ballroom dancing.

The need to learn and remember numerous dance movements produces a constant and very beneficial challenge to the brain. The social aspects of ballroom dancing, the relaxation it produces and the joy of dancing also is involved. The sense of accomplishment and confidence acquired by successfully completing a dance with a partner are beneficial, as well.

Fitness, both mental and physical, often begins with one’s state of mind. Mental acuity comes from mental exercise and if you’re ballroom dancing, you’re not sitting at home watching TV or feeling sorry for yourself. This applies to every one of all ages. Among mind-stimulating activities ballroom dancing is unique in that it also provides beneficial physical exercise.

Many people have gotten the message. That’s why we see increasing numbers of people of all ages having the time of their lives on dance floors all over the country. They are receiving a double payoff, mental and physical. 

KEEP YOUR BRAIN ALIVE! 

BALLROOM DANCE FREQUENTLY!

Contact Information: president@usabda.org

March 2-6, 2004, Heritage Classic DanceSport Championships, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC, 954-757-5101, www.theheritageclassic.com.

March 11-13, 2004, National Shag Dance Finals, Myrtle Beach, SC, shagdance.com

March 12-14, 2004, A three-day dance festival right here in River City, Columbia. Master classes and performances. Professional guest dancers in ballet, modern, and jazz. Other areas interest including ballroom dance. For more information contact Gayle Etheredge at 803-318-5548 or GWEtheredge@aol.com or http://scahperd.org/SCDAbrochure.pdf[1].pdf on the web. Sponsored by the SC Dance Association the SC Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

March 21, 2004, [R] NJ DanceSport Classic Spring Fling, Battista Dance Studio, Hackensack, NJ. organized by Mario Battista and Wendi Davies. for more information, 973-449-7654

March 18-21, 2004, Peach State C/W Dance Festival, Atlanta, GA, 404-325-0098 (c/w, swing)

March 25-28, 2004, Smokey Mountain Boogie, Gatlinburg, TN, 865-947-0494 (swing, hustle, shag)

March 26-28, 2004, OBSC Spring Break, Nags Head, NC, 252-491-2645 (swing)

April 6 2004, Three Rivers Festival, Columbia, SC

April 23-May 2, 2004, SOS Spring Safari in North Myrtle Beach, shagdance.com

April 24-25, 2004, North Central Regional Championship Indianapolis, IN. Convention Center. Hosted by Heartland Chapter. Qualifying event for USABDA National Championships. for more info contact Ron Wright at rt2dance@comcast.net.

Eight members of the Fancy Feet Dance Group (Emma Sharpe, Edna Free, Joyce Lagatore, Uriah Heben, David Tammen, Bob Sitko and Barb and Nisha Kubodera) performed on Valentine's Day in front of an audience of over 50 enthusiastic residents of Waterford Senior Living Center on Windsor Lake Blvd. It was the most well-attended event the Center had ever held, and the participants were urged to return soon for an encore performance. After the regular program, many residents joined the eight dancers in some foxtrot and waltz. The four male dancers wore red sequined vests made especially for the occasion by Emma. You can see photos of this event and others on our PHOTOS page.

The next performance of the Fancy Feet Dancers will be on Saturday, March 6 at 2:00 pm at Agape Senior Community at Kathwood.

If you are interested in joining the Fancy Feet group for future performances in nursing homes and retirement communities or if you know of any such facilities that would like to host such a performance, please contact Barbara Kubodera, Youth/Outreach Chairperson.

Emilie Tobias of the BDC in Evans and Valeri Ganiev of the BDC in Columbia are competing in the Rising Star and the open professional divisions at the Heritage Classic Dancesport Championship in Asheville, NC on March 2-7. They are sponsored by Deirder of London. You can see them modeling some of their dance outfits on the web at www.deirdreoflondon.com.

Mike Verdone

Our USABDA chapter provides snacks and refreshments at each of our dances. Your contributions of soft drinks and snacks are always welcomed. Please remember snack foods must fit into the category of finger foods. 

Volunteers to help set up the refreshments are also welcomed. Contact one of your board members if you have any questions or would like to volunteer for a specific evening.

If you presently receive this newsletter via e-mail, we thank you for helping us to conserve time and money. The unavoidable expense of producing a newsletter is the time and effort put into its content. The avoidable expense of producing a newsletter is the money spent on stamps, seals, paper, copying and the time spent stapling, folding, and mailing.

If you aren't currently receiving your newsletter via e-mail and you have Internet access, we would like to suggest that you consider allowing us to e-mail your newsletter to you each month. You may call or e-mail your request to Deborah Thomas, 939-0299 or debnjeff@bellsouth.net.

Looking for someplace to dance those times when we don't have a GCC-USABDA dance? Visit the "Places To Dance" listing on our website or pick up a copy of the handout at the GCC-USABDA dances.

Big Band dancing Thursdays, 6:00-9:00, Adam's Mark, 1200 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201, 803-771-7000.

Fridays, Capital Senior Center, Maxcy Gregg Park, 1650 Park Circle, Columbia, SC, 803-779-1971.

Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 pm, Sumter Ballroom Dance Club, Sumter County Recreational Department, 155 Haynesworth Street, Sumter, SC, Bob Wall 803-469-4014

Friday, March 12, 7:30-11:00, Palmetto Ballroom Dance Club, Florence, SC, 803-393-6206, palmettodanceclub.org.

First Saturday of each month, 7:00-11:00 pm, USABDA Greenville, Starlight Ballroom, 108 Trade Street, Greer, SC, Ginger 864-292-6750, odellgirl@aol.com.

The following survey was taken of the members attending the dance on February 28th. Board members were not asked to vote at this time so that more time could be spent polling the non-board members. 

There was a total of 22 voters. I apologize if you attended the dance and were not given an opportunity to vote. I did not anticipate that the survey would take up so much time; therefore, I was not able to speak to each of you.

Thank you and I enjoyed visiting with those of you that I did get to poll.

Deborah Thomas, Editor



DANCE THEMES POLL

Vote for your 12 favorite themes:

Theme - number of votes

• Christmas Dance (formal attire) - 19
• Big Band Era (40s attire) - 15
• Anniversary/Natl Ballroom Dance - 14
• Valentine's Day Dance (semi-formal attire) - 14
• Luau Beach Party - 13
• Havana Nights (Latin flavor attire) - 11
• Halloween Costume Ball - 11
• Holiday Ball (formal attire) - 11
• Ice Cream and Swing (40-50s attire) - 11
• St. Patrick's Day Dance (wearing green) 10
• Mardi Gras Carnival (carnival attire) - 9
• Azalea Ball (traditionally April, semi-formal) - 8
• Ragtime (roaring 20s attire) - 8
• Saturday Night Fever (disco attire) - 8
• College/Student Night (free admission) - 7
• Crazy Hat Dance (create own headgear) - 7
• Sweetheart Ball (traditionally February) - 7
• Blue Suede Shoes Dance (50s attire) - 6
• Red White & Blue Cookout (patriotic attire) - 6
• Ice Cream Social - 5
• Red White Blue & Country, too (c/w attire) - 5
• USO Night (military/WWII) - 5
• Lemonade & Pie Festival - 2

Write-ins of other suggested themes:

• Sock Hop - 4

We average 50 songs/dances per night. What percentage of theme dance music, in addition to our regular mix, would you like to hear during the dance? 

Percentage/number of dances - number of votes

• 5% (2-3) - 1
• 10% (5) - 17
• 15% (7-8) - 0
• 20% (10) - 2
• 25% (12-13) - 2
• More - 0

I would like the dance lesson to be appropriately coordinated with the theme. 

• Yes - 19
• No - 2

I would like to have a food drive associated with one or our dances each year. 

• Yes - 16
• No - 5

I would like to have a toy drive associated with one of our dances each year. 

• Yes - 18
• No - 3

We also received a suggestion regarding beginning the dances a little bit later in the summer so that gardeners have more daylight hours. And we received a suggestion regarding one song a month for those having birthdays whereby the birthday people would get to dance with everyone possible during that one dance.

Thanks for your participation.