WALTZ ME AROUND AGAIN, WILLIE

 

I danced with a folkdance group when I was in grade school.  We danced for school programs.  One of my favorite things was doing the Maypole dance with other dance groups from the entire school district on May Day out on a big field.  I got to do it two years in a row and our group did it perfectly both times!

The Maypole Dance  - I’ll go this way, you go that, over, under, over, under . . .

My middle Sis & brother kicking up their heels at our annual “New Year’s Eve” nut party.

 

Here, both sisters were trying to do that tricky business where you make your knees look like they’re crisscrossing while you’re dancing.  Youngest Sis doesn’t look like she’s quite got the hang of it.  Our Dad used to be able to do it perfectly.

1956 formal high school prom.  I’m in the dark dress in the center of the photo with my back to the camera.  The dress was actually my Mom’s.  It was a gorgeous purple with an overall scroll design in black flocking.

1958 Cheerleaders kicking up our heels at a basketball game vs our archrivals if I remember correctly.  I’m third in from the left. (Click on the picture if you wish to enlarge it.)

Dancing at a college fraternity winter ball with my then, beau.  I think we were doing the Samba.

Dancing with my Dad at my wedding reception in 1968.

Dancing with my husband at our wedding reception, doing the Charleston.

Here are some other folks doing the Charleston for the 1970 Gascapades in Gasquet, CA.  L-R: Louise, Shirley, Lynn, & Betty.

Eight years later I was dancing onstage with the “Grub Gulch Garter Girls”. ^  We opened every show doing the Can Can.  I was 38 at the time & gasping for breath at the end of the dance but didn’t feel bad about it because our youngest dancer, at 24, was gasping for breath every bit as desperately as I was! 

I also danced with the “Grub Gulch Garter Girls & Guys”.  I’m the 4^th gal in from the left.  My dance partner was a California Highway Patrol Officer.  I once kiddingly suggested he’d, of course, never give his dance partner a ticket!  He just smiled and said I’d best not put it to the test. (click on the picture to enlarge it if you wish.)

Thirty-two years later there I was once again in dance shoes ^ waiting to tap my way across the stage in a Pine Cone Performers variety show.

When we were in Scotland we saw Highland dancers, of course.

And then there’s Paco, my granddaughter’s Cockatoo, the cutest dancer of all who loved to dance to music and kept perfect time to the beat! 

:-> 

La Nightingail

P.S. 

Here’s a fun video of a Cockatoo dancing to music.  He’s/she’s obviously watching someone for cues, which is kind of cute in itself, & the rhythm is perfect. J

Waltz Me Around Again Willie ('Round, 'Round, 'Round)

And, if you’re up for another video, the Can Can done in the 1960 movie “Can Can”.  The Grub Gulch Garter Girls weren’t quite this energetic!  We didn’t do the splits, and only a couple of us who could (not me!) did cartwheels, but we did a lot of high kicking & other breath-stealing stuff.

As I recall Khrushchev was visiting the U.S. at the time the film was being made and was treated to a filming of the dance.  He was apparently shocked at the display, saying it was pornographic, depraved, and immoral.  Geez Louise, what a party poop!