Dancing with the Stars—Robson Ranch style

Nancy Toppan

The ladies who attended the September Robson Ranch Women’s Club luncheon were dazzled by Robson’s own, “Dancing With The Stars.” Our Robson stars danced to the music of Denton’s “Young at Heart Orchestra” which presented a variety of musical arrangements we have all loved over the years.

Nine dancers from Henry Evans’ Robson Ranch Ballroom Dance Class galvanized the audience with varied expressions of Ballroom Dance. Dancers were Connie and Ken Dubois, Elizabeth and Paul Gage, Marilyn and Steve Melo, Geraldine Gawle, Nancy Toppan and our marvelous instructor, Henry Evans. These stunning dancers performed in elegant ballroom attire.

Young At Heart Orchestra kicked off the show with Alright, Okay, You Win.

The dance production began with the presentation of dancers, opening with Geraldine Gawle and Ken Dubois followed by our striking stars to a rumba tune South Of The Border. Rumba, originating in Cuba, has a character of passion and romance and is one of the most erotic and sensual of all the Latin dance styles with its slow rhythms and hip movements that create intense expressions.

A nostalgic song, How High The Moon, was played for all our dancing stars to show the sophisticated, yet playful foxtrot taking us back to the smooth dancing style of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Leading off the Rolls Royce of ballroom dance was Nancy Toppan and Henry Evans.

The jitterbug is an exuberant dance that became popular in the 1930s and 40s, originating in the U.S. and spreading internationally by U.S. Armed Forces during WWII. Nancy Toppan and Henry Evans boogied with electrifying invigoration to In The Mood, popularized by Glenn Miller in the big band era.

The Tango is originally from Spain and made its way to Europe at the turn of the 20th century. It is danced with immense feeling and a sense of energy and seduction flowing between close-holding partners. Elizabeth and Paul Gage embraced in an enchanting American Tango to Hernando’s Hideaway.

The East Coast Swing belongs to a group of swing dances and was created in the 1940s based on the Lindy Hop. The dancers presented a vibrant and exhilarating East Coast Swing led by Marilyn and Steve Melo to St Louis Blues.

Young At Heart Orchestra was featured, playing their rendition of Ain’t Misbehavin.

The Waltz, introduced in mid-19th century, represents the gold standard and most famous dance of ballrooms around the world. The graceful Waltz was eloquently performed by Connie and Ken Dubois to Charade. Their Waltz presentation was beautifully depicted with smooth and flowing motion, continuous turns and lavish open movements.

The sizzling finale was the lively and flirtatious Cha Cha, a Cuban innovation becoming popular in 1954. The dancers showed off their charm and sexy Cuban motion in the grand finale to Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.

Dance is a song of the body, an expression of emotions, a poem of which each movement is a word. To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.