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| Advocate staff photo by Kerry Maloney |
| Richard Stewartand his wife Donna Stewart dance together at Saturday Night Ballroom put on by the Baton Rouge Ball Room Dance Society at the American Legion Hall. |
But for these local dancers, it's a little of both, and that's exactly what keeps them coming back to the classes that challenge them to some pretty fancy footwork.
Israeli Folk Dance
Since ancient times, the Jewish people have danced to celebrate, and folk dancing remains a way of life in modern-day Israel. If one word could capture the essence of this type of dance, it would be "togetherness."
The communal aspect of Israeli folk dance is evident in the hand-holding, clapping and circular formation in which dancers move together. Names like "Sulam Yacou" (Jacob's Ladder) and "Eretz" (Land of Israel) denote religious origins, but many dances are simply fun to do.
"Folk dancing is a very popular recreational activity in Israel," said David Kirshner, who teaches Israeli folk dance in Baton Rouge. "The pop songs of the day all have choreography. Choreographers are like rock stars over there."
Kirshner and about a half-dozen dancers were warm and welcoming on a recent Sunday night as they pulled this reporter and her young daughter away from the sidelines and into the class. Showing lots of patience, they demonstrated kick-ball-chain steps, pivots and turns. The hand-holding, swaying and meeting at the center of the circle is clearly designed to make every dancer feel like a part of something bigger.
"We have dancers of all ages, Jewish and non-Jewish," Kirshner said. "It's a lovely and dynamic art form and we love sharing it with others."
Advocate staff photo by Patrick Dennis
Members of an Israeli folk dance class practice the Ad Beli Dai, a Hassidic traditional dance from Eastern Europe. Pictured here are (from left) instructor David Kirshner, Ellen Bander, John Pizer and Cynthia Sabathier.
Irish Step Dance
Historical records show that Irish dance was in full swing during the 16th century with round and figure dancing, jigs, sword dances and trenchmores (free-form country dances). What distinguished Irish from English dances at the time was music. Irish music tended to have a quicker tempo and included side steps.
"That's what drew me to Irish dance," said Kent Hopkins, who, along with Kate Laborde, offers a weekly get-together for dancers. "It was definitely the music."
Irish dance includes ceili (derived from group set dances and French quadrilles), country set (similar to American square dancing) and solo step dancing (think Riverdance).
"I was hooked as soon as I learned my first step," said Hopkins. "And I was 45 years old when I started! It was just so much fun."
Hopkins' group focuses on solo step dancing, both soft- and hard-shoe. "People don't realize what a high-impact, highly aerobic activity it is," she said. "We get a good workout, but we also have a lot of fun."
An instructor from the New Orleans School of Irish Dance visits about once a month to offer lessons, Hopkins said. The organization also hosts occasional competitions and workshops.
Advocate staff photo by Patrick Dennis
Jennifer Schneider, left, dances a traditional Irish 'soft-shoe' jig with instructor Joni Muggivan at the Baton Rouge School of Performing Arts.
Ballroom Dance
Waltz, tango, foxtrot, rumba, cha-cha, Western swing. These are different types of ballroom dance that produce images of men in tuxedos and women in long gloves and evening gowns. In fact, that's the element that sets ballroom dancing apart from other styles. It's an elegant, intimate and romantic style of dance designed for couples.
A few years ago, five local couples were so enamored with it that they founded their own ballroom dancing club. Debra Cooper was one of those founders. "We loved to dance and wanted a club that was open to everyone," she said, "so we started Saturday Night Ballroom."
SNB hosts 10 dances per year and often invites big-band style performers to its events. The group attracts not just locals, but visitors from as far away as Texas and Mississippi.
The group does not, however, provide lessons. "We're an independent group that's partial to no one (studio), but friendly to all," said music coordinator Larry Pentecost. However, he adds, SNB can direct new members to dance studios throughout the area, and also provides information on dance competitions in the region.
Pentecost was exposed to ballroom dance when he signed up for a leisure class at LSU. "I really loved it and when it was over, I started taking lessons," he said. Now, he selects music to accompany SNB's dances on a regular basis.
Cooper says the best thing about ballroom dance is that you only need to know a couple of steps to have a great time.
"There's a real social aspect to it," she said. "When I'm out, I just want to mingle with others who share my love of dance and have fun."
SNB dances are held at the American Legion Hall, 151 Wooddale Blvd. For more details, send e-mail to snbdancer@cox.net, call 225-753-0021, or visit the Web at http://www.saturdaynightballroom.org.
This is just a sampling of the dance club scene in Baton Rouge. The city offers many other types of dance clubs, including Cajun, jazz, East Indian, 19th century and others. See the Yellow Pages for more information.
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