USA Dance

The Greater Memphis Chapter of USA Dance put on its first Youth Ballroom Dance Workshop, for all ages of young people, in January 2006. Students learned Foxtrot, Rumba, Swing, and just a little Merengue. Several people are responsible for the workshop's outstanding success, two of whom are singled out here. (Other people also deserve our thanks, but trying to name everybody without forgetting someone never works.)

Carol Lybanon got it done. She came up with the idea and saw it through to completion. Desiree McCain deserves everyone's thanks for keeping about 20 young people in a wide range of ages interested (not a strong enough word--they thought they were at a party) while teaching them how to dance. If the children in your life are interested in continuing, or if they missed the workshop but would like to learn to dance, get in touch with Desiree at DeSoto Ballroom. There is so much interest that she is continuing the dance classes.

They started each class by warming up.

These kids listened to the teacher,

Leading and following Technique is important, Rumba crossover breaks

Thank you, USA Dance Member Kayleigh Richardson, for helping with the workshop.

At the end of the workshop, USA Dance presented each student family with a custom-made CD of Foxtrot, Rumba, and Swing music, so they would have music to practice the dances they learned during the workshop.