Public School Program Winter 2012

Public School Ballroom Program
Winter 2012

Choo-Choo Chapter
Public School Ballroom Program
Take The Lead

Meet the Winter 2012 Instructors

Amy Sandy
North River Ballroom
While Amy has enjoyed social dancing throughout her life, she began to learn ballroom dance in 1995. In 2001, she partnered with instructor Jeff Sandy for performances and later began assisting him in group classes, starting with a class of high school age students in Dunlap, Tennessee.

For several years, Amy and Jeff taught the UTC Ballroom Class at The Dance Floor in East Ridge, as well as group ballroom classes for adults and youth at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, East Brainerd Church of God, and White Oak Methodist Church.

Every weekend in October they teach polka at Rocktober Fest at Rock City, with many children taking part. She has also taught ballroom at the Theatre Centre.

Steve Creswell
Alicia’s School of Dance
In the early 1990s, Steve Creswell became an avid ballroom dancer, assembled party tapes, and even publicly proposed to his wife at one of the dances. But dancing fell by the wayside until years later when his best friend asked for a few pre-cruise dance lessons. That prompted the friend's sister to ask him to teach a class of home school students, and he has been teaching ever since.

Steve holds a Music Education degree from UTC, is a ballroom music D,J, and teaches social ballroom dancing. He has never created a routine nor been to a competition.

"I love to help my students discover the fun of dancing beginning through intermediate dance steps without the pressure of competition,” he says. “However, many of my students have gone on to take advanced ballroom and compete with the wonderful instructors we have in Chattanooga, becoming much better than me."

Nelson Rodriguez
NelRod Studio
Teaching the Art of Social Dancing and Dancesport for over 30 years, Nelson specializes in teaching and training competitive and non-competitive students, beginner to advanced, in all styles of dance.

Nelson began his career as a professional dancer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As a professional ballroom dancer, he has reached high levels of excellence in teaching, competing, choreography, and professional demonstrations.

Throughout his career, Nelson has both managed and taught at independent dance studios and with the Arthur Murray organizations across the country. In the professional ballroom competition circuit, he finished fourth in the Theatre Arts Division at the Florida Grand Nationals in Miami in 1992, was an American Smooth U.S. Rising Star Finalist at the Atlanta Open Dancesport Championship in 1993.

POSTED JAN 18, 2012
Hannah Chretien, a USA Dance youth member and ballroom student at Chattanooga DanceSport, is conducting a shoe drive for Brainerd High School students in the Take the Lead school program, and Buddy’s Shoe Repair in Hixson has agreed to fix the gently worn shoes at no charge. Hannah volunteered to spearhead this initiative after noticing that none of the Take the Lead showcase dancers at the December 9 USA Dance party were wearing “real” ballroom shoes, a luxury most of the students cannot afford.

To donate your gently worn shoes (ladies’ or men’s) please contact Hannah at 423-508-2335. A collection table will also be set up at the February 10 USA Dance party at Allemande Hall. The repaired shoes will be distributed to the Take the Lead students during their ballroom classes at Brainerd High School, so the sooner you donate, the better. Thanks for supporting this important cause!

POSTED FEB 1, 2012
“Take the Lead” officially kicked off its second semester at Brainerd High School on January 25. Classes will run through April 11 and will culminate in student showcases at the USA Dance party on April 13. Three groups of students taught by Nelson Rodriguez of NelRod Studios, Amy Sandy of North River Ballroom, and Steve Creswell of Alicia’s School of Dance are learning east coast swing and rumba and building on the basic ballroom skills they learned during the fall 2011 pilot program.

The after-school program, co-sponsored by the Choo-Choo Chapter of USA Dance and the City of Chattanooga’s Education, Arts and Culture Department, is the first step in a chapter initiative designed to nurture young ballroom dancers by initiating programs at both the K-12 and college levels.

See “Activities of Chapters” on the USA Dance website: http://www.usadance.org/chapters/activities-of-chapters/ for more information about how our chapter’s projects align with the national USA Dance mission.

POSTED MAR. 9, 2012
We would like to extend a special "Thank You" to Buddy's Shoe Repair. Hannah Chretien asked them to repair and refurbish any gently used ballroom shoes that were donated for our "Take The Lead" program. They worked quite a bit because over 50 pairs of shoes were donated. Please show your appreciation to Buddy's Shoe Repair by getting your shoes worked on there.

Buddy’s Shoe Repair are located at 5221 Hixson Pike, Hixson TN 37343. (423) 870-8911. They are family-owned and have been open for 105 years. Located about four blocks North of Northgate Mall, next door to Maxi Muffler. Closed Wednesday & Sunday. Basically, if what you have is made of leather and is fixable, they can do it! While you are there, tell them "thanks from Chattanooga USA Dance."

     Choo-Choo Chapter Public School
                 Ballroom Program
                   TAKE THE LEAD
          September 2012 SEMESTER

Nelson Rodriguez, NelRod Studios

POSTED AUG 13, 2012
Nelson Rodriguez of NelRod Studios will be teaching at Howard High School in our Take the Lead program this fall. We’re adding a new twist this time: The program will also include Seniors from Mary Walker Towers, many of whom attended Howard during the civil rights movement and now live across the street from the school. So we’ll have two generations learning at the same time. Classes start September 11 and will culminate in showcases at our USA Dance party on November 9. As before, we’re partnering with the City of Chattanooga’s Arts, Education and Culture Department.

Meet the Instructor
Nelson Rodriguez, NelRod Studios
Teaching the Art of Social Dancing and Dancesport for over 30 years, Nelson specializes in teaching/training competitive and non-competitive students, beginner to advanced, in all styles of dance. He began his career as a professional dancer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As a
Professional Ballroom Dancer, he has reached high levels of excellence in teaching, competing, choreography, and professional demonstrations. Throughout his career, Nelson has both managed and taught at independent dance studios and with the Arthur Murray organizations across the country. In the Professional Ballroom Competition circuit, he finished fourth in the Theatre Arts Division at the FLORIDA GRAND NATIONALS in Miami in 1992; was an American Smooth U.S. Rising Star Finalist at the ATLANTA OPEN DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIP in 1993.

As the ballroom coach for Covenant College in Chattanooga since 2004, his students have placed high at the many amateur and collegiate competitions that they have attended. Nelson has taught in the school system of many elementary and high schools throughout the Georgia and Tennessee area for the past 10 years. He is also the affiliated ballroom teacher for the Southeastern Junior Cotillion of Dalton. "As owner of two dance studios for over 15 years, in Cleveland, Tenn., and Dalton, Ga., I am always in the never ending pursuit of keeping the beautiful art of dance up-to-date, affordable, fun and challenging. How fortunate I have been to be able to find a job that is my passion and allows me to share my expertise with others in such a fun way."

Instructor Nelson Rodriguez of NelRod Dance Studios & Instructor Natalie Honkonen of NelRod Dance Studios dance for the kick off at Howard High School.

POSTED SEPT 5, 2012
On August 28, Nelson Rodriguez and Natalie Honkonen, instructors at NelRod Dance Studios, performed a sultry rumba at Howard High School to give students a glimpse of what they’ll be learning during the “Take the Lead” ballroom program this semester. After the demonstration, Nelson, who will be teaching the 8-week class at Howard, answered questions from the audience, then he and Natalie granted the students’ enthusiastic request for an encore. The “Take the Lead” lessons start September 11 and culminate in a performance by the students at the USA Dance party on November 9. The Choo-Choo Chapter of USA Dance is working in partnership with the City of Chattanooga’s Education, Arts and Culture Department and the Hamilton County School system to bring ballroom dancing to underserved students.

POSTED OCT 23, 2012
Week 4 pictures from the class and shoe drive to distribute the donated ballroom shoes.