Blog 7: Dance is my Home

ON DAYS LIKE THESE, MY EMOTIONS ARE MORE THAN WHAT’S HEARSAY

NOT GREAT, NOT GOOD, NOR BAD, BUT SOMEWHERE AROUND OKAY

PARANOIA SEEMS TO ADD TO THIS RELEVANT FRAME OF MIND

REAPING COMMON STRESS AND WORRY AND ANXIETY OF EVERY KIND

BUT INSOFAR I’M PAST THE FOIBLES OF MENTAL DISFUNCTION

IMPERVIOUS TO DEPRESSION AND ALL THAT IN CONJUNCTION

AS LOVE FOR ME DOES NOT EXIST ON ANY SUPERFICIAL LEVEL

NO MORE DANCING WITH THE CONCEPT ON FEET THAT ARE BEVELLED

AS TO REACH THE GREATER HEAVENS, TO TOUCH THE HANDS OF GOD

HAVE SOLELY BECOME THE FEAT OF BIGGER FEET THAT PLOD

THAT STAND FIRM ON THEIR GROUND, THAT STAY PUT WHEN THEY’RE TOLD

ON VAST LAND FULL OF RICHNESS THAT NEVER CAN BE SOLD

BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, TO GIVEN HISTORY AND PAST

FOR ALL THAT I REMEMBER OF THINGS I THOUGHT WOULD LAST

SOMETIMES I MISS WHAT I HAD, THINK BACK ON WHERE I’VE ROAMED

REGRET I HAD TO MOVE ON, FROM THE PLACE I ONCE CALLED HOME…

Photo taken by: Cory Ida

 I wrote this poem almost four years ago when I was at a crossroads in my life: in my love type relationships, living situation, family life and my career.  And without going into too much detail about it, I lost faith in love, life and just living in general. So I knew that something had to change, or else, I’d hit rock bottom.

After almost two years of soul-searching, I discovered Ballroom and Latin dance.  And it has since become my new home.

Truthfully, though, dance has always been my home and a part of my life for 15 years now.  I always say that, without it, I’d be some crazy, obese person–and I mean this with the utmost sincerity.  But Ballroom and Latin dance has done something for me that I never dreamed possible.  It has made me a confident and self-assured person.  Mostly, it has allowed me to look at myself in the mirror and, on most days (I’m still working on it), say that I like who I am.

I cannot pinpoint exactly how it’s done this, but I know that a lot of it has to deal with the social aspects of Ballroom and Latin dance.  The idea of courting someone and being chivalrous–or simply asking someone “Would you like to dance?”   Also, having the ability to be in someone’s personal space and not feel intimidated, uncomfortable or awkward is something that this dance style has taught me.  Or lastly, just being able to present myself with poise and good posture is something I lacked and never cared to learn early on in my life.

All in all, I am posting this blog, not because I want to promote  Ballroom and Latin dance and get more students or clientele.  But, I do want to say that as a dying tradition, I can say firsthand that Ballroom and Latin dance is so much more fulfilling and purposeful than most would think.  It has given me a new life and a new place that I consider home.  It has made me a much stronger and happier person today.

In the last two lines of this poem I say, “Sometimes I miss what I had, think back on where I’ve roamed/Regret I had to move on, from the place I once called home…”  This still holds true, and I think a part of me will always miss the things that were, although complacent, comfortable and home-like.  But I know that I’m in a good and healthy place right now, and I am hoping to keep it that way.  And it is mostly because I have Ballroom and Latin dance in my life.

Photo taken by: Sharon Holck Photography

Blog 6: The Wondrous Waltz

For my “Dance in World Cultures” class I had to write a 10-page research paper on the Waltz.  What I discovered was that the Waltz has an intriguing history that is contrary to what people think of the Waltz today.  Here is a very small part of the paper I wrote.  Once I get it back, I will post it in its entirety.

Waltz (noun)

1. a. A ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat.

b. A piece of music for this dance.

    c. An instrumental or vocal composition in triple time.

2. Informal Something that presents no difficulties and can be accomplished with little effort.

The word “Waltz” has different connotations.  Even after looking up the word in the dictionary, there are conflicting definitions of what it is and different contexts in which the word may be used.  As noted above, the Waltz is commonly known as a “ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat” and then also informally known as “something that presents no difficulties and can be accomplished with little effort.”  But what do we know about the Waltz and what comes to mind when we hear the word?

Well, when I first heard the word Waltz, I immediately thought traditional, regal, soft, pretty, easy and even old.  And I believe many would agree with me about many of these words I’ve associated with the Waltz—at least in one way or another.  However, if we were to look at the Waltz in a historical and chronological context, there is a wealth of information and past to the Waltz that many would find surprising.  This past has shaped and constructed our notion of the word today, to the point that misconceptions and misunderstandings of the Waltz are plentiful.  More than that, it has influenced our view, perhaps, to the point of negativity and uncertainty about the Waltz.

Photo taken by: Sharon Holck Photography

Misconceptions and Misunderstandings of the Waltz

Today, the Waltz and the Tango are the most commonly-known ballroom dances.  The Waltz is also the dance most often sought after when doing wedding first dances or father/daughter dances.  From this current understanding and idea of the Waltz, it is fair to say that in a nutshell, the Waltz is a popular, simple and traditional dance.  But these concepts of the Waltz do no justice to what the Waltz is and furthermore was.

The Waltz is indeed a popular dance—but so popular that it was the foundation (the “mother” as they call it) for all ballroom dances and in essence the origin of modern-day partner dancing as we know it. Furthermore, the Waltz has become its own popular music genre that is still heard today.  In terms of its simplicity, the Waltz may have started out as a basic-step dance, but it has evolved into one of the most difficult, competitive and athletic dances nowadays.  Lastly, the idea of the Waltz being traditional can be looked at as an understatement.  The dance’s earliest documentation dates back almost 300 years—making it one of the oldest partner dances (or what we call social dancing today) ever.  In addition, the Waltz was at one point so fresh and edgy that it was banned and deemed taboo.

Nevertheless, in order for anyone to fully understand any dance style we must look at its past.  This paper will take a comprehensive look at the Waltz from its birth to its present so that our definition of the word Waltz will go beyond just a simple ballroom dance. Because truthfully, the Waltz is a complex dance that is rich in history and substance.

Here is a video of one my favorite male ballroom dancers, Nick Kosovich, showing all the complexities of the Waltz:

Blog 5: Style or Substance?

There’s a funny scene in the movie “To Wong Foo,” where a bunch of drag queens are deciding on a car at a dealership.  Because they are traveling across the country, the question of whether they should take the more stylish Cadillac or the more reliable Toyota Corolla comes up.  One of the drag queens says, “It’s that age-old question: style or substance.”  Then they drive off in the Cadillac.

And so when I’ve been dancing and teaching ballroom lately, I’ve been oddly thinking about this question: style or substance?  Ballroom is a dance style that looks a lot easier than it really is.  With all the showmanship and glitz and glamour of the costumes, some of the more technical aspects of the dancing often get overlooked.  Furthermore, because ballroom is often associated with the older generation, most people automatically assume it’s not that difficult and that anyone can do it.  This cannot be further from the truth.  In fact, ballroom is the  hardest dance style I’ve ever done—even trumping the you-need-be-trained-everyday-from-a-young-age ballet.

Photo taken by: Sharon Holck Photography

Hence, I find myself asking what is more important as a dancer, teacher and choreographer: the style of the dancing or the technique (substance) behind it.  And as politically correct as this will sound, they both are equally important to me.  Since this may seem like a cop-out answer, I will say that finding that happy medium is extremely hard and that most Ballroom and Latin dancers (including myself) will never achieve it.  Let me explain why briefly:

First and foremost, Ballroom and Latin Dancing involves a partner.  Dancing by ourselves is hard enough, but with a partner, it is even more difficult (refer to my previous blogs about lead and follow).  Having a partner is just one more, big thing to worry about.  Secondly, ballroom is extremely competitive in the way it is performed and formatted.   Couples are usually on the floor all at the same time, performing their routines or freestyling.  This makes for some very interesting happenings and dynamics, because couples are not only focusing on the partnership and techniques, but they are focusing on standing out with their distinct styles—in their looks or dance.  Lastly, style is such a broad and eclectic thing.  The way you present yourself in costume or the way you articulate your arms and hands are all parts of style.  At the same time, technique is very black and white in Ballroom and Latin dancing; there is a right way to do things and a wrong way.  This makes it extremely hard to find a balance because both style and techique are such opposite things.

In the end, I want to say to share a video of one of my favorite female ballroom dancers ever.  Her name is Yulia Zagoruychenko.  She is the perfect blend between captivating style and flawless technique.  If you don’t think so, I know the drag queens from “To Wong Foo” would.

Blog 4: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ favorite wins finale but is outshined

As promised in my previous blog, this season’s DWTS finale was the most entertaining and most competitive one yet.  But surprisingly, the winner J.R. Martinez did not deserve to win.  Indeed, even if J.R. was my favorite to win throughout the season, the coveted mirror ball trophy and DWTS title should have gone to Rob Kardashian.

In seasons past, most of the winners of DWTS were deserving of their win.  This year, however, more than any other year, Rob was “robbed.”  He deserved to win DWTS not only because he danced the best in the finale, but because he had the most growth of all the contestants.

Even his professional partner, Cheryl Burke, said candidly that she was never so proud of any contestant’s progression in all the seasons she’s been on the show.  Indeed, Rob started off as a boy living in the shadow of his family but then ended the season as a man, dancer and showman.   I imagine, he will now be getting more press and celebrity coverage than any of the Kardashians—and positive press most likely.  

Nevertheless, I am happy that J.R. won, mostly because he is a war hero, and also because his professional partner Karina Smirnoff (who I love and am inspired by) has never won the title.  Their freestyle dance was awe-inspiring and made up for all the other flubs J.R. had in the semi-finals and finals.  Here it is:

All together, I stand by what I said in my previous blog about this season being my favorite.  The level of dancing was elevated from the beginning of the season, and all the contestants who made it to the finale were worthy of the win.   Even the third place winner, Ricki Lake, danced amazingly in the finale—to the point where, up until the end, I was very uncertain of whom the winner would be.   

DWTS is now on their 13^th season and still going strong.  Unlike other reality televisions shows, such as American Idol and Survivor, DWTS still has just as big of a viewership and audience as it did when it first started.  A season like this one makes the show’s popularity that much more possible and palpable.

Blog 3: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ final will be the most fabulous ever

As it gets closer to the Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) final, I am anticipating this final more than any other season’s final, for several reasons:

First, I feel that this final is the most evenly matched final to date (although, J.R. Martinez is my favorite to win) and that America and the judges got it right this time.  Second, all the finalists have had their share of setbacks and comebacks.  Last but not least, as expected, the bar has been raised ,and the dancing and choreography has been the best this season—so I imagine the final will follow that trend.

As far as the playing field, the final will feature war-hero and actor J.R. Martinez, former talk-show host Ricki Lake, and reality television star Rob Kardashian.   All are good dancers in their own respect.  J.R. Martinez is probably the most entertaining and has the X-factor.  He’s received the most standing ovations and seems to be the most well-liked by the crowd.  He fares well in both the Ballroom and Latin dances.  Ricki Lake is the most natural of all the dancers.  Her quality of movement is always at a high-level, and she never looks awkward.  Ricki tends to look better in the Smooth dances.   With Rob Kardashian, he has good work ethic and sex appeal.  He fares better in the Latin dances.  So together, they all bring something different to the final, making the playing field that much more even.

However, these contestants share in common the fact that they have had major setbacks in their life and risen from them.  Although, J.R. was permanently physically disfigured in the Iraq war, he managed to still pursue an acting career and land a role on the soap opera All My Children.  Ricki Lake was molested when she was young, has had issues with being overweight and has also gone through many faulty love-type relationships.  Despite this, she was able to host one of the most successful talk-shows of all time.  And Rob Kardashian, the youngest of the contestants, has dealt with the death of his father and living in the shadow of his famous family members.  Through DWTS he is making a name for himself.   These contestants’ setbacks have actually made them stronger people and their determination and willpower is evident in their dancing on the show.

Lastly, the choreography and dancing has been overall the best this season.  J.R.’s Waltz, Ricki’s Tango and Rob’s Samba have all been stellar performances.  In the final, I expect the most exciting round to watch of the three, will be the freestyle round.  In the freestyle round, anything goes.  And because everyone is so different, I expect a very eclectic mix of Ballroom, Latin, other dance styles and crazy lifts.  It’s going to be amazing.

So tune in tomorrow at 7 p.m. on KITV for what I’m anticipating to be the best final of DWTS.  At least, I hope so…

Blog 2: The Virtues of a Good Follow

Even if I never heeded those ancient words of wisdom about patience being a virtue, I’ve had to live by them for the last two years because of my job.  And it’s been a revelation for me, not only professionally but personally as well.

As an Arthur Murray instructor, I am required to learn both the male and female steps (the lead and follow respectively).  It is logical and necessary to learn the follow since typically I have to teach woman.  Furthermore, they say as a male, you should be a better follow than a lead because of the fact that you are mostly teaching woman.  This rationale makes sense, but I find that, (I say this with much hesitation) more times than not, guys do not make good follows.

Nevertheless, it is my job to learn how to follow, and truthfully I am a better leader because of it.  In the basic steps of ballroom, like the Box, it is quite easy.  The woman’s steps are natural opposites of the man.   He goes forward, she goes backward.  He steps right, and she steps left.  And the process pretty much repeats itself.  It’s conceptually simple, but not so much physically.  Let me explain why.

Photo taken by: Sharon Holck Photography

The best way I’ve heard a good follower defined is that the woman is the reaction to the man’s action.  By this reasoning, the woman is not allowed to move until the man does, which requires extreme patience and sensitivity to the man’s lead.  Assuming or anticipating is the worst thing a woman can do.  This disqualifies most people in being a good follow.  In dance, it is in our nature to move our bodies freely and on our own—to feel the music and react without limits.  Being confined to only moving in response to someone else’s body signals goes totally against what’s natural.    Furthermore, as the ballroom steps become more complex, the lady is not only required to react to and wait for the man, but she also needs to know her steps (as they are often no longer natural opposites of the man’s part).

Once I had the experience of dancing with an older woman, who was the best follow I’ve ever danced with.  Basically, I felt like I was dancing by myself.  Every step I made she not only waited and reacted to, but she also accented with her own style.  It was an amazing experience and I knew then that that’s what following is all about: being so patient that when you move, you become an extension of the man and therefore the partnership becomes one entity.

Yet, through my experiences of learning the follow and teaching it, I am finding that I have a lot to learn as a follow.  Basically, I am trying to be as patient and light as that woman I danced with.  This mission to learn how to follow has made me not only a better dancer but also a better person.  I find that outside of the ballroom, I am more easy-going and less stubborn when it comes to waiting and reacting to things.  Funny how it took me only two years of ballroom dancing to learn something that’s been pounded into my head since I was little.

Blog 1: The Power of the Lead

What does it mean to lead?  Well, according to the Webster dictionary it means “to guide someone or something along a way.”  To great people like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., leading means to inspire and impel into action.  But whether it’s through a subtle guiding or an effective urging, to lead is to exert power.

Much is the case for the man in ballroom and  the power of his lead is crucial to every aspect of “partner dancing”.

From the get go, it is established in the Arthur Murray teachings that the role of a man is to lead and the role of a woman is to follow.  Although this idea is conceptually simple, developing a strong lead requires  a lot of skill, practice and most importantly constant reinforcement.

The main element of a good lead starts with the ability for the man to direct the lady in both where she steps (direction) and when she steps (timing).  If done correctly, this gives the man full autonomy over the lady’s movement–especially when social dancing or freestyling.

To add to this, a metaphor often used to describe the relationship between a man and woman is that the man is the frame and the woman is the picture in the frame.  By this definition , the man is there to not only keep the woman safe and secure but also to accent the woman’s steps.  This is a lot of responsibility and emphasizes my point that it takes a lot of power to lead.

Photo taken by: Ginger Fenna

Recently, a female student of mine asked to lead me in a Cha Cha at a party.  Although our dancing was quite clumsy, it was a great learning experience for the both of us.  She learned that it requires a lot more thought and ability to lead than she had ever anticipated.  And I learned that a woman cannot truly understand how hard it is to lead unless they actually do it.  Exposing a woman to leading is something to consider whenever a woman complains about not being led correctly or not being able to feel the man (and the same applies for the man complaining about “backleading”, but we’ll cover that in another blog).

All in all, I have to reiterate my point about the power of a good lead.  In ballroom dancing, it is vital to both the success and survival of a couple on the dancefloor.  A good lead indicates direction and timing for the woman and also makes her feel safe and secure.  Likewise, a good lead highlights the woman and then makes her feel empowered.  That ability to exert power which arouses power is truly remarkable.

University of Hawaii dancers have school spirit and personal pride

After the game, she felt the agony of defeat as much as the UH football players around her.  And as Hawaii fans optimistically burst into song, she felt a sense of pride.  It was her first year as a UH Rainbow Warrior dancer and a defining moment.

“There’s this one specific game that sticks out in my mind, and I’m sure everyone on the team that was there would remember it.  After we loss the Sugar Bowl in 2007, the seats were filled with Hawaii fans dressed in white.

The fans started singing ‘Hawaii Pono’i’ and it was incredibly loud.  I was standing there in awe.  That was one of the most special moments I’ve ever had: being a part of the school, knowing that everyone traveled so far and that people were still supporting the team even if we loss.” says UH Rainbow Warrior (UHRW) dancer O’oe Carr.

Certainly, this moment continued to define Carr and she is currently in her fourth year as a UHRW dancer and is also the team’s co-captain.  As a UHRW dancer, she is required to train at least three days of the week and attend all home games for the UHRW football and basketball team.  Although it’s a lot of work and a big commitment, Carr says that she is more than happy with the team this year.  “Everybody’s personalities mesh.  There’s no drama.  It’s a really good team,” she says.

Another dancer on the team, Noelani Pearson, adds, “It’s a small team but all of us get along well.”

However, things have not always been easy for the UHRW dance team and they have endured their share of struggles—some of which they still endure.   Even if the UHRW dance team has been around for almost 20 years now, there was an initial concern over the number of girls that tried out for the team.

“At one point, there were only seven girls that tried out for the team.  There was no interest. Now, on average, between 40 and 50 people audition,” explains current Director and choreographer for the UHRW dancers, Marcelo Pacleb.

This made the audition process a lot more intense.  The most recent audition lasted two days and prospective dancers were required to audition in five different phases.  Most of the phases were dance-related but the audition also included cheering and even an interview. Pacleb explains, “It’s important for us to know where they’re coming from as a person and to see their morals and values.”

Carr adds, “They’re looking for the whole package—someone who will work well on the team.  You could be the best dancer in the world but not have a personality that meshes well with the team.”

In total, 18 members made it onto the team: 16 girls and 2 boys.  The addition of boys to the team is recent, because in years before, fans sometimes harassed the male dancers.  Pearson tells a story of one male team member getting beer poured on him.

But the harassment doesn’t stop at the boys and this poses another struggle for the UHRW dancers.  Although Carr and Pearson feel that they are generally well-received by the fans, Pearson says there are your “occasional obnoxious comments and stares from certain fans”

To add to this, there is also the problem of the UHRW dancers being confused with the cheerleaders.  Pearson says because they have pom-poms, they “always get mistaken for the UH cheerleaders.”

Sports blogger and UH football fan Baron Hashimoto feels indifferent about the UHRW dance team. “Well, it’s good that they’re there to support.  But I don’t really see the point of having both cheerleaders and dancers,” says Hashimoto.

Above all, though, the biggest struggle for the UHRW dancers is the fact that the UH Athletic department does not fund them.  While all UHRW dancers that attend the Manoa campus get a partial tuition waiver and one school credit, the monies for all other expenses have to be fundraised or come out of the dancer’s pockets.  Whether it is car washes or selling calendars, the team dedicates extra time on the weekends to fundraise money for any costs.

“We have to buy everything ourselves—from costumes to uniforms and shoes,” explains Pearson.

Carr adds, “I wish we had some kind of funding from the university.  We would love to travel with the team and the band.”

Despite this, Hashimoto questions what the UHRW dancers would get out of traveling—even if he does feel it’s unfair.

Nevertheless, Carr emphasizes that as a dance team they feel just as much unity and pride as the other UH sports teams do.  “The best part about being a UHRW dancer is being part of a team of people who love to do the same thing as you. It’s just a great opportunity,” she says.

Pacleb adds, “Being on a team for any college or university, there’s so much camaraderie and school spirit.  There’s something different about the University of Hawaii, though.  We have aloha spirit here and I see that in everyone on the dance team.”

Young studio owner ‘races’ to the top

With her can-do attitude and strong will, Gisella Anelle West could easily win her favorite television program, The Amazing Race.  For a competition that involves worldly smarts and wonderful survival tactics , West has already developed many of the life skills that are needed to succeed in such a show.

“I love that show: the adventures they go on, the things that they have to solve and do.  I would absolutely go on that show,” says West.

And she means it. “I’m a firm-believer in action.  Anybody can just talk.  You have to ‘do’ to get somewhere,” she states.

Indeed, West is already going places.  At only 29 years old, she is currently the franchisee and owner of the Arthur Murray Dance Centre of Honolulu.  The studio is part of a well-known, worldwide chain of Arthur Murray studios that offer lessons in ballroom dancing.

After working as a supervisor at an Arthur Murray studio in Washington, West was given the opportunity to take over the steadily declining Hawaii studio.  Within a year’s time, she managed to not only significantly increase the number of students and revenues, but also to renovate and refurnish the entire place.

“The studio was on a downwards spiral at the end of 2009.  There were a lot of bills to be paid and it was a huge struggle.  But still, we were able to ‘build our little nest.’” she explains.

By “we,” West is referring to her boyfriend of two years, Rodney Schultz.  Schultz has been a huge moral support for her and a devoted financial backing for the studio.

Together, they have plans to do more.  “We still want to have another studio [in Hawaii], though.  It’ll help this one grow and give the current staff growth opportunities as well,” she says.

That kind of mentality of continuous growth was something that was instilled in West as a kid and through her teen years, when she lived in Panama City, Panama.  Growing up with parents who both worked for the military, she developed a sense of discipline, hard work and focus and an aspiration for higher education early on.

Because her parents were divorced, West lived with her mom most of the time, and spent the summers with her dad.  Although family was “always extremely important” to West, she admits to being closer to her dad, because her mom was hardly there. With her dad, she would go on lots of road trips.   It was only when West got involved with sports that her mom was around.

“She was not a very conventional mother.  She liked to gamble and play Bingo.  All weekend long, she would be off doing that.  But I played basketball, soccer, and volleyball and paddled and my mom was extremely supportive of that,” she says.

Nevertheless, West has two older sisters Rosie and Liz, who she considers to be her mother figures.  Although both are polar opposites in personality, West looks up to both and feel she has inherited a lot of their traits.

She explains, “Rosie is very responsible and by-the-book.  Liz is more free-spirited.  I am very close to both but have very different relationships with them.”

That kind of loving relationship with her sisters made it easy for West to leave Panama city when she was 18, and move in with them while attending the University of Washington.  There, West was a full-time student double-majoring in Graphic Design and Latin American Studies.  Besides that she worked part-time at a stock-brokerage firm.

One day she was bored at work and randomly wanted to learn Flamenco dancing.  Prior to this, the only dancing she was involved with was cheerleading in high school and the traditional Latin dancing that she did for fun with her family when she was young.

She describes that fateful day.  “I typed in dance studio and found Arthur Murray in Bellevue.  I called them and said that I wanted to learn Flamenco.  The lady said, ‘We don’t teach Flamenco, but we teach Paso Doble—which is very similar.  And we just had a cancellation with one of our top instructors.’ So I said okay.”

When her instructor showed her a bunch of new dances, West said that she “was hooked right away and thought it was amazing.”

From there, West took classes as often as she could afford it or had the time.  After a year as a student, the studio’s office manager asked if she’d like to train to become a teacher.  West took the opportunity and trained for 6 months.  When she first became a teacher, however, she had her share of humble beginnings.  “I sucked.  I did not understand why people didn’t just wanna dance.  I didn’t get it,” she says.

Thereafter, she wanted to quit.    But the studio’s franchisee convinced her to give it three more months, and she decided to stick it out.   Fortunately so, because from there West was able to transition into a supervisory role—of which she was quite successful in.  In fact, at one point, West once held the record for the most lessons taught by a dance instructor and was even deemed a top supervisor in the entire franchise.

Today, her role as a supervisor has now risen to her role as franchisee.  Even if she may never say it, she seems to be very proud of that.  At 5’2, she exudes the poise, grace and wisdom of a woman well beyond her years but still has a fun-loving and youthful spirit.  Although she’d probably laugh at such a comment, this kind of wisdom has inspired a work ethic in those around her.

Jacob Himoto, a studio instructor, talks about this work ethic.  “As a boss, she’s a go-getter, which is a good thing when you’re a boss.  She’s not bossy, though, and still thinks about the team and what will be the best way to succeed as a team.  She makes sure everything runs as smoothly as possible and takes care of our [the studio’s] students,” he says.

Shauna Masaki, a student at the studio for the last 4 years, adds, “The business is doing well—a lot more students are enrolled now. And the studio looks amazing.”

It is fitting then that West has ended up in Hawaii—both for the studio and for herself.  She admits that Hawaii reminds her a lot of her home in Panama City.   “I love the people here.  Everybody’s so welcoming.  They take you into their homes—when you just met them five minutes ago.  That’s exactly how Panama is.  I feel like I fit in here.”

This sense of comfort and ease has allowed West to see a long-term future in Hawaii.  As she contends in her own ‘amazing race’ to the top she is determined to finish first—not for the cash prize but just to say she is a better person because of it.

24-7 danceforce spawns serious dance talent

A group of local dancers are finding major success on the mainland, performing with the likes of Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.  Aside from their budding dance careers, these dancers share another thing in common: They all have trained at the same studio, 24-7 danceforce (24-7).

“In general, Hawaii has a lot of talented dancers.  I’m just glad 24-7 has the facility, staff and connections to help further the careers of its dancers,” says Marcelo Pacleb, director and founder of 24-7.

The studio is a non-profit organization located in the Windward Mall, open to ages 4 and up.  Prices range from $13-$18 a class and are offered at various times on Monday thru Saturday.

In the last two decades, 24-7 grew from a group of friends having fun on the dance floor to a serious outlet for grooming Hawaii’s top talent.

“We started in 1991 and it was an all male company then,” Pacleb explains.

“After school or work, we would all get together and play around and dance. When a friend asked us to perform at their restaurant, we decided to put together a number. Because we couldn’t find a time to rehearse, we ended up rehearsing at 4 o’clock in the morning. From that day on, we said we’d rehearse any time of the day. That’s how we got our name”

24-7’s mission is “to continuously motivate and create as a company in the art of dance and life: to always grow as individuals, becoming people of good character and integrity—always compassionate for others while inspiring others to strive for their highest.”

It’s a message that’s reflected in the success of Pacleb’s choreography and continued on through 24-7’s dancers. Pacleb is director for the UH Rainbow Warrior Dancers and has choreographed many theatre productions (one for which he won a Na Hoku Hanohano award). The studio also does charity work for the mentally disabled and has a regular gig performing at the annual Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant.

Outside of the islands, 24-7 has represented well in the nationally televised dance show So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD).  24-7’s own Mark Kanemura and Kupono Aweau both made it to the top 10 and danced on the SYTYCD tour. Aweau now performs various gigs around the United States and Kanemura was a part of Lady Gaga’s latest Monster Ball Tour. More recently, Kanemura danced with Lady Gaga at the 2011 Grammy awards.  To add to that, 24-7 alumnus Whyley Yoshimura was touring with Rihanna on The Last Girl on Earth Tour.

And last year, Lake Smits, another former dancer of 24-7, performed on the American Idol finale with Janet Jackson. From there, he went on tour with Jackson.  He says about this:

“This is the most amazing experience any dancer can go through. It’s like living in a dream,” Smits says. “The training at 24-7 has prepared me for this big gig. If it weren’t for 24-7, I wouldn’t be where I am today–thanks a lot to Marcelo and the support of my family.

And the buck doesn’t stop there. 24-7’s talent has also extended over into movies. Former 24-7 dancer Alicia Vela-Bailey was a stunt double for the lead character, Zoe Saldana, in the blockbuster Avatar. Furthermore, Vela-Bailey’s latest stunting projects include the upcoming movies, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Underworld 4: New Dawn. She says about her initial experience with Avatar: “I had no idea Avatar was going to be so big. I loved working on Avatar; it was so much fun. I felt so lucky and honored to be a part of something so groundbreaking.”

“Because of my dance training, I am able to pick up new choreography and movement that I’m not used to,” Vela-Bailey adds. “Staying humble and having a good positive attitude while working, no matter how stressed you are, is also something I learned while dancing at 24-7.”

With the studio’s lasting message of compassion and integrity reflected in its dancers, 24-7’s latest crop of success is sure to inspire Hawaii’s next generation of talent.