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It's Non-Stop Fun!

Posted in Musings at 6:11 PM on August 16, 2010

"Our state fair is a great state fair." That's from the chorus of the musical that celebrates corn dogs, cattle barns, and grandstand shows--the Iowa State Fair--and it ranks among the best fairs in the US.

Held in Des Moines each August, the Iowa State Fair is a highpoint of the summer for over a million folks each season. It's even more of a "must do" for many of our dancers who take the stage each August at the culmination of our summer programs.

Nearly perfect weather, enthusiastic audiences, and energy to spare jumpstarted our Junior-Senior dancers this year at the Riley Stage, named for Bill Riley Sr., originator of the State Fair Talent Search.

It's always a bit nostalgic for me to be there and see photos of Bill Riley and his wife Anne on the double doors in the center. I remember watching Bill come out onto the stage for the last time the year before he passed away. I remember many years of watching him emcee his show, including the one when my sprouts won. And I especially remember the year I danced on the Riley Stage with my partner Terry. At that time Bill had a television show. We had qualified at a county fair, and then appeared on TV. Bill asked us to tour the state with him to perform while the judges tabulated their scores during qualifying contests. Good times.

This year our kids performed at a different venue: the Anderson Erickson Stage. We'd performed there many years ago and the stage has been remodeled, but it was like coming home. The AE slogan on the back wall made me smile. "Ridiculously high standards." We fit right in.

I had a front row seat for both shows, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching our kids dance. A job well done, with a boatload of help from some pretty special people. My mother and I celebrated after the second show with our traditional corn dogs and lemonade. Mmmm good!

The Iowa State Fair. It lives up to it's theme: it really is "non-stop fun!"

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Dance It Forward

Posted in Musings at 12:41 PM on August 5, 2010

Yesterday I witnessed “The Magic of Dance” at it’s best. There was no carefully constructed scenery, no glistening backdrops, no stage lights gelled in pink or lavender. The stage was only 9’ x 9’ and the audience sat in a variety of chairs pulled into uneven rows. The music played on a boom box that wasn’t quite loud enough to fill the room, and the program lasted less than half an hour. But the magic was there, and it was amazing.

Several weeks ago I’d received an email from Sandra, an intern at a local retirement home. A recent U of I graduate, she had taught four weeks of tap class to several residents, and they wanted to “put on a show” as a culmination of their session. Some of the students had tapped before, but some were first-timers. As a highlight to the program, Sandra wanted some local tap dancers to perform so the audience could see what proficient tappers can do.

Performing in a retirement home evidently didn’t catch the imagination of nearly all the studios Sandra had contacted. We were the only one interested, and it was a gift. Nick and John, dressed in their custom-fit dark blue suits, slick black fedoras, and broad smiles, executed their tricky moves like the pre-professionals they’ve become. Debonair and suave, they tapped, riffled, and articulated their moves like masters, injecting charm and comedy throughout their performance. They were great!

Elderly audiences are among the best—so appreciative and joyful—and Nick and John received a response beyond enthusiastic! Many of the residents came over after the performance to offer personal congratulations to “our guys,” and shook their hands. It wasn’t a red carpet, but our two tappers felt like stars.

What’s even more impressive? Two seventeen-year-old good-looking guys (that could have been texting girls or hangin’ with their homies) spent their summer afternoon spreading sunshine to a 60-plus crowd through dance. And when it was over they said they’d like to do it again. It’s amazing what life can bring you, if you are willing to receive it.

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