Thank you Judy for submitting this entry to the World Line Dance Newsletter!

SUBJECT: IRA WEISBURD WORKSHOP, PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA, OCT. 20, 2012
From: Judy

Curiosity and fidelity – two traits that can make things happen. One can kill the cat the other could save it. The one enduring image of IRA WEISBURD for me was his wedding video which he posted in this newsletter, the one where the rabbi asked Diane if she would take Ira for her husband and before she could answer asked her if she’d like to exercise her lifeline and poll the audience. That scene sent me reeling off my chair with laughter. I thought that a guy who could make fun of himself at such a solemn moment and probably the most important event in his life must be way up there in the stratosphere of “cool”. I was curious to see this cool guy in person and decided to go to his workshop. Also it was being put up by DOLLY URQUHART, GRETA SUMAGANDAY and BRENDA SHATTO of the Wine Country Linedance and these ladies are way up there in my regards. Fidelity dictates that I attend the workshop. So on a perfectly gorgeous Saturday afternoon when the sun was at its shiniest, I drove once again over the Golden Gate Bridge to Petaluma while the seductive scenery beaconed me to get out of my car and commune with nature while in my ear I could hear my friend asking “you’re going to Ira’s workshop? That’s for beginners, there’ll be mostly beginners there and the teach would be very slooooooowww.” I like all dances, beginners or whatever and we do beginner dances at least every 3rd dance at our clubs. But as I was driving, I started questioning myself “do I really want to spend 4 hours of this beautiful day dancing beginner dances?” I was mulling that question when I realized I have reached my destination. I stepped into the ballroom and WHOA! the room was full and prancing in a big circle dance called CHI BALLA MIXER, 32 ct. beg couple mixer done to polka music Chi Balla by Orchestra Mario Riccardi of Italy. Millie Dusha was there doing her woohoos and there were a lot of intermediate dancers which translates to intermediate dances during open dancing in between teaches. The prospect for the afternoon had made a 180 degree turn.

On the stage was the cool guy all in black against the black curtains of the stage. They had to put a big white panel behind him so he can be seen. Ira taught SAMBALERO, 32 ct. beg/improv to samba music Mueve by Orchestra Bagutti; WHEN I DANCE, 64 ct. high beg/improv foxtrot linedance to Seduction by Frank Sinatra; BEAUTIFUL, 32 ct. high beg/improv rhumba to La Belleza by Marta Sanchez; CHA CHA SUAVITO, 32 ct beg/inter to Baile De Suavito by M. Gomez; and WHIPPED CREAM, 44 ct. 1 wall beginner to Whipped Cream by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. Yes, all beginners but very well choreographed done to very danceable music and simpatico and guapito IRA teaches in such an even, affable, suave style, things just flowed pleasantly by. He chose his dances well, for the very beginners, I imagine, it was challenging but not daunting and for the more advanced, it was soothing and relaxing where they could just let their body do the dancing and enjoy the music. DIANE, who became his wife by virtue of a decisive vote by their wedding guests, was his able assistant and back wall. For the open dancing in between, we got to do a mix of intermediate and beginner dances (yay!), to name a few: Beautiful In My Eyes, Boys Will Be Boys, Half Past Nothing, Caballero, Seduced, Night Nurse, Something in The Water, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Silk and Satin and Dream On Texas Ladies both by Evelyn Khinoo who was there. The afternoon went quickly by. It wasn’t the outdoors but the indoors was just as pleasurable. The hall was festive with decorations and balloons, perfect temperature, bountiful food and drinks, great raffles prizes, the most gracious and friendliest of hostesses and wonderful dancers. As for the cat, curiosity didn’t kill it, it gained one more life to the 9 it already got and fidelity for the ladies went up another notch. Let’s drink, I mean, dance to that.

Judy Romanenkov
judybmr@sbcglobal.net
www.jbmrpaintings.com