Dancing On Air Blog

The Tango Challenge

2009-05-11T08:08:00.001-04:00

I love this story! It was posted on oprah.com this week so I'd like to share it with you.

The Tango Challenge
By Marisa Silver

He leads? She follows? Not in Marisa Silver's house. But one little dance lesson wouldn't unbalance a blissfully equal relationship…would it?

I was not raised to be a follower.

I was a child in the '70s, in New York City, raised smack in the eye of the feminist storm. My mother was a trailblazer in her work, succeeding in a field in which, at that time, few women had. I went to an all-girls' school that was the antithesis of a finishing school. Far from being tidied and made marriageable, we were wild haired and brazen, clomping around in Frye boots. We studied Mary Wollstonecraft and The Communist Manifesto, which, for reasons still obscure, we were made to read nearly every year. We were taught to have a voice and to use it. There was no implied limit on what we were expected to achieve simply because we were girls. In the ninth grade, I asked a friend of mine what she wanted to "be" when she grew up. "A mother," she replied. I was speechless.

The only capitulation made to any sort of latent social convention was when I was sent to dancing school. The justification was that between my school and my house full of sisters, I was at risk of having no contact with boys whatsoever. Every week I would put on a dress, unscrew a carton of L'eggs, struggle into a dirty pair of white gloves, and take the bus to the Pierre hotel. There, in the ornate ballroom, I would curtsy to the dance instructor and wait to be asked to dance by one or another blazered boys'-school boy. It was horrible, the waiting. Humiliating. I was never first picked. Nor second, nor tenth. More often than not, I would not be asked at all but would be forced, by the pitiless dance teacher, into the arms of some short, sweaty-palmed leftover. We would dutifully execute the boxy waltz or the slightly more jazzy, if anachronistic, fox-trot, always placing the required imaginary body width between us. The teacher encouraged us to make conversation. "So, what grade are you in?" I'd say, launching a brilliant opening gambit. Invariably, my partner was looking over my higher shoulder to see what he was missing.

I hadn't taken a dance class in 30 years when my husband and I entered the tango classroom in Buenos Aires for our inaugural tango lesson. Wearing our sexless American running shoes and our loose-fitting jeans, we opened the door to a room filled with three-inch heels and polished brogans. The women wore tight-fitting dresses that flared out at the waist for maximum spin effect. The men wore slim pants and dress shirts, their figures knifelike and precise. The diminutive teacher had a dancer's carriage as she swanned over and looked us up and down. "Your shoes, they will stick," she announced unhappily.

The evening before, we'd been to a milonga—one of the many dances around town where regular folk showed up at midnight on any given weekday. I watched, fascinated, as couples moved about the floor, their feet interleaving like a well-shuffled deck of cards, their hips swiveling, their arms raised and frozen as if these limbs were ignorant of the excitement going on below. Couples were stout and slim, clunky and garish—none of them as glamorous or beautiful as the professional dancers we'd seen on another night at a Vegas-style professional tango show. A woman whose legs were poured into gold lamé tights brushed up against another dressed like a conservative grandmother. The men, hair slicked back, redolent with cologne, wore jackets and unmatched slacks. But despite their shabbier appearance, these dancers shared something with their more polished counterparts; they all looked like they were going to murder someone. Couples danced without speaking, their gazes off in the middle distance, their expressions grim and determined. Nothing in their faces communicated the erotic knowingness of their ritualized movements. It was no wonder that tango had begun in the bordellos of Buenos Aires. The dance was electric, poised and suggestive all at once. It was about danger and power and sex.

"Hey. We can do that!" I said to my husband excitedly. "I went to dancing school!"

Our instructor demonstrated the basic tango step, put us in a corner, so as not to upset the other more fluent dancers, and told us to practice. Dutifully, we did, counting the eight counts out loud, congratulating each other when we had successfully completed a round. We held ourselves apart from each other, staring down at our feet, as if they were wayward children who might run out of the room if we did not keep a close eye on them. Feeling confident, we called the instructor over and demonstrated our prowess. She nodded with approval and showed us the next step, a slightly more complicated variation that would move us not just in a circle but along the dance floor. I had visions of us at a milonga, gracefully sweeping around the room, as adept as New York taxi drivers at weaving in and out among the other couples, our private dance part of a larger tango ballet. Again, we counted, corrected each other gently, and mastered this second step enough to be shown the third, which, thrillingly, included a little hip swivel and a coquettish leg kick on my part. We were on our way.

"Okay," our instructor said once we had polished off the third step. "Now you dance."

Heads down, lips moving, we started with our first step. Satisfied, we made the joint decision to try a few rounds of the second step. When we'd accomplished this, we instructed each other to work on the third. This went on for a while, until it was obvious to us that something was terribly wrong. Why were we not twirling around the floor in fluid synchronicity like the other dancers in the class? Why did we look like a couple of kids from my long-ago days at the Pierre?

"You have to join the steps," our instructor told us, taking my chin in hand and lifting it so that I looked past my husband's shoulders, taking my husband's arm and placing it more firmly around my back.

"But how do we know which steps to do? How do we know when to change?" I said.

"Chest intention."

"Best intentions?"

"Chest intention."

My husband and I were flummoxed. My chest's intentions and my intentions for my chest diverged sharply after nursing two children. My husband—well, he has a lovely chest, but his extracurriculars run to playing the piano, not to more and more hours at the gym. Our instructor reached up and placed a hand between the shoulder blades of each of our backs and pushed. That imaginary dancer standing between us drew his last breath.

"His chest speaks to you. It is his heart, yes? It tells you what to do. It makes you go where he wants you to go. Your chest listens. Yes?"

In this moment, despite our apt-pupil diligence and our surpassing ability to count to eight over and over again, my husband and I knew we were being challenged at our cores. He would tell me what to do? I would happily surrender to his lead? Every knee-jerk instinct in my body rebelled at the idea of being pushed around against my will. My husband's instincts faltered because it is not in his nature to order anyone around. In his work he is, in fact, a leader. But it would never occur to him to use his authority in a heavy-handed way. He leads by inclusion, by gathering in people and their ideas. It is not a strategy. It is a genuine outgrowth of a kind and generous and emancipated personality. Our relationship is built, in part, on the acceptance of these aspects of our separate characters.

But now, in a basement dance hall in a barrio in Buenos Aires, I found myself calling our dynamic into question. The orthodox feminism I was reared on had become more nuanced over the years. I could have babies and wear feminine clothing, concern myself with issues both frivolous and weighty, and still be taken seriously in conversation and in my work. So, what was so wrong with being led around a dance floor? I watched as my instructor and her male counterpart demonstrated the dance for us. She was nothing if not powerful and in control. You would never know that she was being told what to do by the subtle press of her partner's chest. Would it be better, sexier even, if my husband and I could conform to more traditional roles? Just for one dance? Would it be…dare I say it…a thrill? Were we forever trapped because I read Mother Jones when I was 14 and he read about Gandhi?

"So," I said to my husband when our instructor had moved off to more able couples, "I guess you're supposed to tell me what to do."

"With my chest," he said.

"With your chest."

"Intentionally."

"Right."

It was a comedy. I'd feel him press against me and I'd move in the direction I thought he wanted me to go, try to execute the step I thought he wanted us to do, and he'd move the opposite way. Suddenly, our sneakers were sticking to the floor, our feet were tangled, and where we had been moderately adept in our practice rounds, we were now utterly awkward.

"We can do this," I said, determined. "You just have to push me around more."

"I am," he said.

"I can't tell."

"I'm doing it. But you have to follow."

"I am."

"You're not. You're pulling me the other way."

"Okay. Let's try again."

The music ended. The instructor clapped her hands. Blessedly, the class was over. If it had gone on any longer, it would have become the dance version of couple's therapy. My husband and I looked at each other, accepting the fact that we had failed to achieve any tango mojo whatsoever. We stumbled outside into the vibrant Buenos Aires night. We laughed, we berated ourselves, we took care of each other's bruised egos. We even casually toyed with the idea of taking more classes when we were back home. But we both knew that somehow, in the hurly-burly of kids and work and the stuff of our lives, this wouldn't happen. And there was something else we both knew, something that, for better or worse, our brush with tango confirmed:

As a couple, we don't lead and follow. We stumble forward together. It is not always clear, and only very rarely elegant. After many years of marriage, our journey does not often resemble a well-oiled dance but more the path made by a Seussian machine that rattles side to side and somehow inches forward. It's our particular dance. We're pretty good at it. We do it in sneakers.

National Dance Week!

2009-04-20T08:07:00.001-04:00

It's National Dance Week! (April 24th-May 3rd 2009)

So ... GET DANCIN' !!!

Our wide range of cartoons for Dancers and Non-Dancers alike!

2009-04-05T06:54:00.002-04:00

Hey all!

Don't forget our HUGE collection of cartoon that you can personalize to give to friends, your dance partner, family, your dance teacher, heck to EVERYBODY!

We have, of course, the Whimsies line of cartoons, as well as the extremely popular Friendly Folks, Name-that-Toon and Amazing Cartoons.

Be sure to type in what you're looking for in the search box and most likely we WILL have that cartoon for ya!

You can add text, title, name, * change hair color, style, add a moustache, freckes, glasses and wayyyyy more! Really personalize your cartoon so when they receive it they'll say, "WOW - she/he really took the time to find me a personalized gift - I lOVE it!"

* The Friendly Folks line of cartoons has fewer options, unfortunately, we can change skin tone from light to dark and add text and a name. Maybe in the future???

Have a wonderfully comical day!

~ Heather ~
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons

Life's Goals

2008-11-15T05:01:00.000-05:00

I just realized during my Zumba class last night that all my life's goals have been dance-oriented. Well, for as long as I can remember, that is...

1) I wanted to learn how to dance - did that (started September 1988)
2) I wanted to go into dance competitions - did that for about 4 years
3) I wanted to win at least one first-place trophy - did that, and more than one!
4) I wanted to do ballroom/latin dance shows for charities - did that, quite a few and lovin' it!
5) I wanted to find something to replace my yearning for dance since DH started feeling pain in his fingers while turning me in dancing, due to arthritis - did that, found Zumba
6) I wanted to become a Zumba instructor - did that (workshop May 31, 2008) and still going strong with 3 classes per week :-)
7) I wanted to become a ballroom/latin dance teacher and have a class - did that; have 1 class a week

Hmmmmmmmmm - what other goals did I ever have??? Can't seem to remember B.D. (before dance) - LOL!

Ballroom Dance Week - last few days!

2008-09-19T03:46:00.003-04:00

Hi all!

Well, I almost missed it: Ballroom Dance Week!!! At least I realized it with 4 (now 3) days left. Be sure to celebrate these last few days by supporting your local dance studio!

Much love and dancing,

Heather

While we're here, we Should DANCE! Cute saying...

2008-09-08T07:05:00.003-04:00

Here's a cute (true) saying someone emailed to me - wanted to share this with y'all!

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.

New Dancing With The Stars Lineup

2008-09-05T05:51:00.001-04:00

This is thanks to the Fred Astaire newsletter!

The excitement keeps building for Season 7 of Dancing With The Stars! The new season will be kicked off on September 22, 2008 and aired on ABC at 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. ET. The result show of the first episode airing on September 24 will have the Jonas Brothers and Jesse McCartney as guest performers.

Here is the rundown on the celebrities cast this season:

LANCE BASS - Lance Bass has sold over 50 million records as a member of the phenomenally successful pop group 'NSYNC. He also executive produced and starred in a number of film and television projects. In 2002, he successfully trained to be a cosmonaut at Russia's Star City and was certified by both the Russian Space Program and NASA for a mission aboard a Soyuz capsule. Lance is paired with the 2006 U.S. Youth Latin Champ, 2007 World Swing Dance Champ, and "So You Think You Can Dance" finalist Lacey Schwimmer.

TONI BRAXTON - The winner of six Grammy Awards, Toni Braxton is a Billboard chart-topping singer and actress, selling over forty million records worldwide. Her U.S. number-one hit "Un-Break My Heart" is the second biggest single by a female artist in history. Toni teams up with Season One champion, Alec Mazo.

BROOKE BURKE - A network host, actress, entrepreneur and celebrity mom, Brooke Burke has graced numerous magazine covers, has her own top-selling swimsuit calendars, and is regularly ranked in men's magazines as one of the sexiest women in the world. Brooke teams with Derek Hough, a former world champion in Latin-American Dance.

ROCCO DISPIRITO - The James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef and author Rocco DiSpirito is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and opened the 3-star Union Pacific in New York City in 1997. In 2003 he launched Rocco's for the reality series, "The Restaurant." He partners with Karina Smirnoff who is a five-time U.S. National Champion, World Trophy Champion, and Asian Open Champion. Smirnoff is "the first woman to ever make the British Professional Final with three different partners."

MAURICE GREENE - The winner of two gold medals in the 100m sprint and the 4x100m relay at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, track star Maurice Greene was dubbed the "World's Fastest Man" during his career. He is the current Indoor World Record holder in the 60m at 6.39 seconds. He teams up with two-time champion, Cheryl Burke.

KIM KARDASHIAN - Actress, model and reality television star, Kim Kardashian shot to stardom after the first airing of her hit E! reality series, "Keeping up with the Kardashians." Kardashian recently completed her first feature film, "Disaster Movie," and will also be seen on The N's series Beyond the Break. She teams up with defending champ, Mark Ballas, who returns for his third season.

CLORIS LEACHMAN - Actress Cloris Leachman's storied career has been recognized with nine Emmys®, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award®. Leachman has starred in a wide range of theater, television and motion picture projects, creating such indelible characters as Phyllis in the TV series "Phyllis" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Frau Blucher in "Young Frankenstein," Nurse Diesel in "High Anxiety," and Ruth Popper in "The Last Picture Show" (for which she won an Oscar® and a BAFTA). Cloris teams with World Latin Champion and Mark's father, Corky Ballas.

CODY LINLEY - Cody Linley will be the youngest contestant ever to compete on "Dancing with the Stars." He is best known for his role as Jake Ryan on the wildly popular Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana," a role in which he was nominated for a Young Artist Award. Cody's film credits include "My Dog Skip," "HOOT," "Miss Congeniality," and "Cheaper By the Dozen." He teams with two-time Dancing with the Stars champ, Julianne Hough.

SUSAN LUCCI - As the most famous face in daytime television history, Lucci has held audiences spellbound for years as the sexy, sassy, beautiful woman you love to hate, Erica Kane on "All My Children." In May 1999, all of America stood and cheered when Susan Lucci won the Emmy® Award for Best Actress. She teams with Fred Astaire Champion dancer Tony Dovolani.

MISTY MAY-TREANOR - Beach Volleyball champion Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh captured their second Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and became the first team ever to repeat as back-to-back champs. The victory also marked their 108th straight match win. Misty was also named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and 2006, Best Offensive Player in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and Best Defensive Player in 2006. She now joins a new teammate, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a Ukrainian Latin Ballroom Dance Champion, choreographer, and instructor.

TED MCGINLEY - Actor Ted McGinley's extensive television credits include "Married with Children," "Hope & Faith," "Happy Days," recurring roles on the critically-acclaimed series "The West Wing," "Sports Night," "Charlie Lawrence," "Dynasty," and "The Love Boat." He has also starred in major films, such as "Pearl Harbor, Daybreak," "Dick," "Major League: Back to the Minors," "Wayne's World 2," and the cult hit "Revenge of the Nerds." Newcomer Inna Brayer will be paired with Ted. Inna is the current US Amateur 10 Dance Champion.

JEFFREY ROSS - Comedian Jeffrey Ross a.k.a. the "Roastmaster General," has delivered numerous show stopping performances at celebrity roasts honoring the likes of William Shatner, Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump, Pamela Anderson, Bob Saget and Emmitt Smith, inspiring New York Magazine to crown him The Meanest Man in Comedy. He has also appeared in such films as the Farrelley Brothers' "Stuck on You," and the critical sensation, "The Aristocrats." He teams with Edyta Sliwinska, who is the only pro to compete in all seven seasons of Dancing with the Stars.

WARREN SAPP - Recently retired defensive tackle and Superbowl Champion Warren Sapp played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year career. His 96.5 career sacks are the second-highest career total sacks for a defensive tackle in the NFL. Warren was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, played in seven consecutive Pro Bowls and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003. He is teamed with Kym Johnson, an Australian former professional ballroom dancer, model, and television celebrity.

Dancing On Air - June 2008

2008-06-18T06:29:00.003-04:00

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

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IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "How to Keep from "Popping the Clutch"
3. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
4. Dance Giggles
5. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

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1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all!

Happy June and welcome to the warm winds of summer and all of the
wonderfully summery sensations that rush in as we recover from a
long, hard, snowy (for many of us) winter.

Don't forget - we now have personalized mousepads for all
you dance lovers out there! Absolutely ANY dance design (any
design at all - doesn't have to be dance - we have over 1200
cartoon designs to choose from!) available along with your name
and/or personalization. Check them out here:
http://www.whimsies-online.com/mousepads.htm

Be sure to check out our new page showing all our products that
we have available:http://www.whimsies-online.com/productlist.htm.
Loads of fun products for really unique personalized gifts!

Save on gas...shop at Whimsies for all your personalized gifts!
(shameless plug - grin!)

Don't forget to put in your order if you want a unique
personalized cartoon gift for that special friend, relative,
dance partner, dance teacher, or your significant other! If you
need something that you don't see on our website, give us a shout
at info@whimsies-online.com and we'll be more than happy to
help...

NEWS - I went to Ottawa for my Zumba Fitness instructor training
May 31st (I never danced so much in my life...not even when I was
a ballroom/Latin dance competitor - LOL! We danced from 9 a.m.
until about 4:15 or so with a break for lunch and two short
breaks along with maybe two times we were sitting on the floor
listening to the master instructor explain parts of the
instructor manual). Well I got my certificate to teach Zumba
Fitness and it's being proudly displayed on my home exercise room
wall Now I just have to find (or create) a class to teach...

For all of you who want to know more about the exciting Zumba
Fitness style including purchasing the DVD's, looking for a class
or becoming an instructor yourself, just check out
http://www.zumba.com. I've included a little info on Zumba
Fitness in the Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits section. Also,
please check out my blog for more info on Zumba:
http://to-dance-on-air.blogspot.com/. Also, I have a new blog
devoted entirely to Zumba:http://zumbawithheather.blogspot.com/

Here are some interesting articles on Zumba: "Zumba brings Latin
flavor to workouts It's dancing, it's fitness--it aims to be a
fun party, not just exercise. Rows of people strut forward as if
on a catwalk in Milan. As the music changes, they pause in
unison, then shimmy back. Later, the same group will perform
Jennifer Lopez-caliber booty shaking, along with a little air
guitar. Zumba incorporates Latin dance moves like salsa, cumbia
and merengue into a high-energy workout. A celebrity fitness
trainer created Zumba in Colombia in the mid-1990s and brought
the classes to the U.S. in 1999, according to the Zumba website (
http://www.zumba.com)." Read more: http://tinyurl.com/6ca7od and
"Zumba can help you shimmy off the pounds. The dance-aerobics
workout incorporates Latin music, footwork with fun.":
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16890767/

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

Heather
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. How to Keep from "Popping the Clutch"

Remember the days when you first learned how to drive a manual
transmission automobile? If you were like me, it probably took
you a long time to be able to start the car smoothly. But
eventually we all learned how to ease in to gear by letting out
the clutch gradually.

The beginning of a dance poses a similar problem. Many men don't
give their partner any clues that they are about to begin, and by
the time they actually start moving their partner feels a sudden
jerk. Dancers call this "popping the clutch".

To prevent such bad starts, become familiar with the principle of
leaning. A lean prevents you from "popping the clutch" and
getting off to a rough start. By preceding all movement with a
lean, you decrease the potential for false anticipation by your
partner and build her confidence in your ability to lead. Ladies,
by tapping into the man’s lean, you will be able to correctly
anticipate the direction he wishes to go. The amount of lean
directly corresponds to how large or how small the step will be.
If the man leans a lot, get ready to take a big step. If it's a
small amount of lean, take a shorter step. Pretty simple!

For more interesting articles, please check out our dance article
archive at http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

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3. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS, DANCE CRUISES AND MORE...

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

MEXICAN RIVIERA DANCE CAMP CRUISE - OCTOBER 26 THUR NOVEMBER 2,
2008

Leaving from Long Beach, CA., Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan,
Cabo San Lucas and 31/2 fun days at sea.

ONE TOTAL PRICE, INCLUDES EVERYTHING EXCEPT TIPS & GRATUITIES
(PRICE INCLUDES: Sailing, Room accommodations, Exciting ports,
Food, Entertainment, Port Charges, Taxes, Fuel Charges, 4
Qualified Instructors, Dance Hosts, All Private Workshops, All
Private Social Dances, All Practice Sessions, and Bryant
Cruises Amenities).

Instructor: Decho Fraev, Bree Watson, Brent Thomas, and Robert
Bryant

Inside room $973.67pp / Balcony room $1193pp / Oceanview (Sold
Out)

"Dance Hosts for the Ladies"

Limit attendance to 88 people, Rates increase closer to sailing,
prices are capacity controlled

First Deposit: $475pp - Due May 1, 2008 (Secure registration on
Line)

Final Payment: Due August 1, 2008

Come to our website for more information and details
http://www.bryantcruises.com 602-687-9615 or 888-527-9268
Email: bryantcruises@cox.net or bryant100@cox.net

...PLUS....

EASTERN CARIBBEAN FUN DANCE CRUISE - MARCH 7 - 14, 2009
Leaving from Miami to San Juan, St. Martin, and St. Thomas,
plus 3 1/2 fun days at sea.

ONE TOTAL PRICE, INCLUDES EVERYTHING EXCEPT TIPS & GRATUITIES
(PRICE INCLUDES: Sailing, Room accommodations, Exciting ports,
Food, Entertainment, Port Charges, Taxes, Fuel Charges, 4
Qualified Instructors, Dance Hosts, All Private Workshops, All
Private Social Dances, All Practice Sessions, and Bryant Cruises
Amenities).

Instuctors: Debbie Ramsey and Wesley Boz, Robert Bryant and two
TBA

Inside Room - $866pp /Ocean View Room - $986pp / Balcony Room -
$1199pp

Limit attendance to 88 people, Rates increase closer to sailing,
prices are capacity controlled

First Deposit: $375pp - Due October 1, 2008 (Secure registration
on Line)

Final Payment: Due December 15, 2008

Come to our website for more information and details
http://www.bryantcruises.com 602-687-9615 or 888-527-9268
Email: bryantcruises@cox.net or bryant100@cox.net

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What is Zumba?

Zumba is a very dynamic and exciting class full of Latin and
exotic music flavors. The routines feature aerobic interval
training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone
and sculpt the body. It targets areas such as glutes, legs, arms,
abdominals, and the most important muscle in the body, the heart!
It is a mixture of body sculpting movements and easy to follow
dance steps, although you do not have to know how to dance to do
zumba. Zumba is a fun, effective, and simple fitness system that
uses the principal of fitness interval training and resistance
training to maximize caloric output, fat burning, and total body
toning. The sexy and explosive Latin rhythms create a party like
atmosphere that delivers results, as well as a "feel happy"
workout.Zumba is fun, different, easy, exotic, effective, and is
rapidly becoming the next fitness sensation!

http://www.zumba.com

Zumba cartoon: http://www.arcamax.com/pic/49164/804974

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't miss the hottest Line Dance Cruise
Reserve your cabin today - 1-800-228-3304
http://www.DanceJamCruise.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greetings!

Join some of the top teachers in the world for a line dance
cruise Jan 5-10. Stars include: Rachael McEnaney (UK), Guyton
Mundy (USA), Kate Sala (UK), Scott Blevins (USA), Louie St.
George (USA), Brian Barakauskas (USA), Daan Geelen (Holland), Rob
Glover (UK), Zac Detweiler (USA), and more. Hosted by Barry
Durand, this 4th annual cruise will be a blast and prices start
at only $629 US dollars. (about 410 Euro or 315 Pounds) Upgrades,
balconies, suites are also available.
http://www.DanceJamCruise.com

It's all about fun! Enjoy a relaxing 6 day cruise with line dance
workshops during the day and dancing on deck under the stars at
night. Start in Tampa and cruise to Mexico visiting the Yucatan
and Cozumel. It's fun in the sun and dancing at night. Cruise
onboard the Royal Caribbean ship "Grandeur of the Seas"

This cruise starts Jan 5, the Monday after the "Country Dance
World Championships"TM - Worlds in Orlando, FL and we will have a
bus going from Disney WorldTM to the port in Tampa, then back to
the Orlando airport Saturday January 10 arriving about 2 or 2:30
pm after the cruise.

While this is a total line dance cruise..... There is also a
Swing/Hustle cruise going on the same ship and if you want to
attend their workshops or dances, you can do that too -
absolutely free! Its like getting 2 cruises in one.... that is
if you have any energy left after the non-stop line dancing!
Please call Carol at Unique Cruise and Travel to book your
cruise: 1-800-228-3304 or out of the USA call 1-908-789-3303.
Any questions please email me durand5678@aol.com Don't miss
this special line dance vacation.

Thanks and see you on the cruise,
Barry

Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carol at Unique Cruise and Travel 800-228-3304 or 1-908-789-3303
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

http://www.salsabootcamp.com/ "SalsaBootCamp is your place online
to learn how to salsa dance. From Bachata, and Merengue to Salsa
and Cha Cha..."

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

http://www.geocities.com/sd_au/ - check out their "Dance Survival
guides" !

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

Just Salsa Magazine ~ Find: Salsa Music & Dance, Salsa History
...Just Salsa - A Web Magazine Dedicated to Latin Music, Dance,
and Culture, Find: Salsa Music, Salsa Dance, Salsa Clubs, Salsa
History, Salsa Photos, ...http://www.justsalsa.com/

*****************************************************************

Dance freebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

Dancexcitement- Salsa & Merengue dance instructional videos,
latin dance lessons, private dance instruction.
http://dancevideos.qcommerce.com

*****************************************************************

Dancing With the Stars Calendar 2008 is still available at
Calendars.com! (along with hundreds of more calendars to suit
every taste)

http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo

*****************************************************************

http://www.geocities.com/sd_au/ - scroll down to the bottom of
this page to find their special articles such as "Preventing
Dance Injuries", "What to do when the Dance Floor gets Crowded?"
and more...

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

Salsa Boston

Boston's popular Salsa and Latin dance cruise series on Boston
Harbor is approaching its 8th season! Join SalsaBoston and Avive
Productions ... check their website for more information:
http://salsaboston.com/

*****************************************************************

** STUMPED AGAIN FOR THAT SPECIAL GIFT? **

Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or
dance teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message.

Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including
TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance
partners, and more!

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. DANCE GIGGLES

Thanks to Rene H. Zgraggen http://www.DancingWith.ReneZ.com

I went dancing last night. They had a traffic jam on the dance
floor. I was stuck for an hour and a half.

I tried to do a Mambo, but the music started on the wrong beat.

I did a real sexy Tango. I'm told it's even better with a
partner.

We did a Viennese Waltz. Took us seven minutes to unwind.

I asked a lady whether she would like to dance. She got on the
table and did a bump-and-grind.

There was a fox dancing with a lady. Boy could he trot.

My wife and I both love to dance. She goes on Tuesdays, I go on
Thursdays.

The dance floor was so fast they had an on ramp with a merge
sign.

I danced with a really bad follower. I did a right turn, she did
a promenade. I never saw her again.

We did an Argentine Tango. She did some fancy footwork. It was
very painful.

A lady was dancing with a porcupine. She didn't look very happy.
Could have been because he kept needling her.

Saw this duck dancing with a lady. Poor dancer. But he winged it
pretty good.

(these were thanks to Rene H. Zgraggen
http://www.DancingWith.ReneZ.com)

----------------

A piece of string walks out onto the dance floor. The DJ says,
"You'll have to leave. We don't let strings dance here." The
string walks into another club. The DJ says, "Sorry, we don't let
strings dance here." The string is a little miffed now. So he
tousles up his hair, ties a knot in his middle, and goes to a
third dance club. The DJ says, "We don't let strings dance here.
You are a string aren't you?" The string says, "No, I'm a frayed
knot."

----------------

Why do we start dances with 5-6-7-8? Many moons ago the first
line dance DJ was a German man named Hans. Hans had two children
named Vi and Sven. At every dinner dance Vi would never sit still
and Sven refused to eat but they both loved to line dance. In
frustration Hans the DJ yelled out to the crowd in a very heavy
accent- No one can dance until I see Vi Sit Und Sven Ate!

----------------

A dancer goes to the bar for a diet coke. She's sitting on the
stool, enjoying her drink when she hears, "You look great!" She
looks around but there's nobody near her. She hears the voice
again, "No really, you look terrific." She looks around again.
Nobody. She hears, "Is that a new top or something? Because you
are absolutely glowing!" She then realizes that the voice is
coming from a dish of nuts on the bar. "Hey," she calls to the
bartender, "What's with the nuts?" "Oh," the bartender answers,
"They're complimentary."

----------------

Definitions that should exist:

Arachnoleptic fit (n.) The frantic dance performed just after
you've accidentally walked through a spider web!

----------------

How many dance teachers does it take to change a light bulb?
Five!...Six!...Seven!...Eight!

----------------

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Ballroom Dancers' responses:

Crossing the road followed line of dance.
To get the judges' attention.
The road lead, the chicken followed.

More dance funnees at:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/ballroomhumor1.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2008 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Ode to Zumba

2008-05-02T05:48:00.001-04:00

Ode to Zumba (for all you Zumba Fitness lovers out there!)

Author unknown

We've been given a key.
Unlock the door.
Move your body. Move your feet.
The music is your guide.
Sculpt your body. change your body.
Join the party.
Learn the rhythms of the world.
Unite with its people.
Create energy.
Lift your head up.
Let go. have fun.
Find your rhythm.
Find a passion.
Gain confidence,
coordination.
and
an amazing full body work out.
Open the door.
ZUMBA!

Zumba!

2008-05-02T05:34:00.005-04:00

Hi all,

Been awhile, huh? I've been busy creating more personalized cartoons for dancers and others as well as taking Zumba classes left, right and center - LOL! I have fallen in love with Zumba and am going for my Zumba 'certification' so I can teach. This is May 31st in Ottawa and it's an all-day session from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. - WOOOOHOOOOOO! Hubby will go to his usual hardware stores - it's a guy thing - LOL!

Anyway, that being said, I have to tell you why I took to Zumba.

I'm an ex-ballroom/Latin dance competitor, used to do shows for charity, then got divorced. Met new hubby, hooked him into taking dance lessons which he did really well at and loved. Used to practice a couple of times a week, and even took private lessons. Well, hubby developed arthritis in his fingers and has pain everytime he tries to turn me. I know we could keep on doing ballroom and not Latin but it's the Latin that I miss the most and I can't see myself dancing with a partner and doing just ballroom anyway and watching everyone else do both.

Then I heard about Zumba and went on their website. Hmmmmmmm...my kinda music! Latin beat, cool latin moves.... So I found a class or two or three and took them around where I live. WOW! Love it. So I decided on paying the $210 for the certification so I can teach.

We are moving (hopefully this year) to the country where they have a teeny community center. I talked to the mayor (mayor/dentist - told ya it's a small town - LOL!) and he told me if I didn't charge too much he'd let me have the hall at no charge so I can teach Zumba Fitness! I mentioned to him that I didn't want to make alot of money - I just want to bring an exciting fitness class to the town, help everyone get/stay in shape and also keep myself fit as well as dance my beloved Latin dances to all those exciting Latin tunes - plus it's fun to do choreography and practice - brings back happy memories!

If you haven't heard of Zumba, here's some background from their website:

"Zumba combines high energy and motivating music with unique moves and combinations that allow the Zumba participants to dance away their worries. It is based on the principle that a workout should be "FUN AND EASY TO DO" allowing Zumba participants to stick to the Zumba Fitness program and achieve long-term health benefits. Zumba is a "feel-happy" workout that is great for both the body and the mind. ZUMBA is a fusion of Latin and International music - dance themes that create a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. Zumba utilizes the principles of fitness interval training and resistance training to maximize caloric output, fat burning and total body toning. It is a mixture of body sculpting movements with easy to follow dance steps."

Y'all want to learn more about Zumba Fitness? Check them out here: http://www.zumba.com and let me know what you think okay?

Have a *sunny* day,

~ Heather ~

Dancing On Air Ezine - February 2008 Issue

2008-02-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

Dancing On Air - February 2008

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "Se~xier, Sportier and More Popular Than Ever"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Dip into Salsa for Fun and Fitness"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Happy February - wooohoooooo...next month is SPRING!!!! Check out
our Valentine's day page for some fun ideas:
http://www.whimsies-online.com/valentine.htm and some more great
ideas for St. Pattie's Day:
http://www.whimsies-online.com/stpattysday.htm

By-the-way, I just got into this new aerobic class called Zumba
Fitness. Don't know if any of you have done this but it's latin
music as a background and basic steps of salsa, merengue, cumbia
and more, done aerobically - what a great workout! I am so
enjoying this. It's once a week for an hour and wish it was 5
days a week. Actually this fitness class prompted me to make a
tape of all my favorite fast latin dance music and I've been
basically 'going nutso' dancing about half an hour a day in the
basement to my new tape. Hopefully I'll lose some of the pounds I
gained over the holidays :-) You can check out Zumba fitness on
their website: http://www.zumba.com

Be sure to mark your calendar for the next season of Dancing with
the Stars which is scheduled for March 17! Don't forget to watch
AMERICA'S BALLROOM CHALLENGE' which airs Wednesdays, Jan. 30
through Feb. 27 from 8 to 9 p.m. ET on PBS and "Dance War: Bruno
vs. Carrie Ann" on Mondays.

You can still order the Dancing With the Stars 2008 calendar from
the good people at calendars.com - I ordered mine and it's
gorgeous! They're pretty impressive and very fast with their
deliveries. The link is: http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo.

Speaking of deliveries, don't forget to put in your order if you
want a unique personalized cartoon gift for that special friend,
relative, dance partner, dance teacher, or your significant
other! If you need something that you don't see on our website,
give us a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and we'll be more
than happy to help...

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Come visit with us on Facebook
(we'll announce specials now and then!)

* WHIMSIES PERSONALIZED CARTOONS *

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6637242466

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. Article: "Se~xier, Sportier and More Popular Than Ever"
by Lindsay Satterthwaite

For many people, ballroom dancing conjures up images of Fred
Astaire and Ginger Rogers gliding across a dance floor in a
tuxedo and a lavish ballgown.

But times are changing, and as a new addition to the Olympic
Games roster of sports, ballroom dancing is sexier, sportier, and
more popular than ever.

From a recreational level all the way to the Olympics, ballroom
dancing is making a comeback, with younger dancers falling in
love with it.

In the last five years, the trend has become younger people
dancing. Especially in the age range of five to 16," said Sandy
Brittain, president of the Ontario Amateur Dancesport
Association, adding that there has been a large increase in the
number of dancers overall.

Brittain attributes this steep incline to the increase in recent
years of families immigrating from countries like Poland and
Russia - places where competitive ballroom dancing is extremely
popular. "This has made quite a difference in the scene," she
said, explaining that it is very common for these families to put
their children in ballroom dancing because it is social and a
great way to meet people when they are new to the country.

The OADA, Brittain explained, is the association that deals with
and focuses on competitive ballroom dancing in Ontario, adding
that if you were just dancing socially, you wouldn’t need to
become a member.

"Dancing is something that is for life. You can do it anywhere,
anytime, singly or together with someone."

Anywhere from one-third to one-half of the memberships at the
OADA are of people under 16, she said.

"These young dancers come in with hopes of becoming the Canadian
champion one day, and younger adults go into as a way of staying
active," she explained.

In Dancesport, the dancers are competing at a championship level
and have to be extremely fit, Brittain explained. "Studies have
shown that dancing is comparable to running a middle-distance,"
she said. "A couple can dance five consecutive dances each for a
minimum of one-and-a-half minutes. It is very demanding."

Please read the rest of the article on
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/sexier.htm

For more great articles on ballroom dancing, please check out:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com,
http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):

What Christmas message is written here? (sorry - a little late -
hehehehehe!)

A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. Article: "Dip into Salsa for Fun and Fitness"

~ by William Sukala, MS, CSCS

Having fun learning salsa while keeping fit! Of course...all
forms of dancing are wonderful for the mind, body and spirit!

When you hear the Spanish word salsa, does it stir up a craving
for tacos and margaritas at your favorite Mexican restaurant?
Well, get up and swivel your hips because we're talking about
salsa dancing.

Salsa dancing is fun, extremely social, and above all, a superb
workout! A three-hour salsa outing can burn approximately 1000
calories*. "Salsa is a great exercise for losing weight. It works
the lower body muscles, the heart, and the collective
cardiovascular system," says Pablo Romo, salsa instructor in San
Diego and Tijuana. And it's so much fun that you forget you're
getting a workout!

Wallflower No More

If you're just getting started, you may want to take a few
beginner level classes. Find a dance studio in the yellow pages,
or through an internet search. Most major cities have dance
schools with salsa classes on the menu. Give a call and find out
days, times, and prices. Classes provide a safe, supportive
environment where it's ok to make mistakes, step on your
partner's feet, or bump into the couple next to you. This is
completely natural, so don't let it discourage you.

Group salsa classes are often structured so that if you show up
alone, you will merely partner up with whoever's next to you.
After a few minutes, the instructor signals you to change
partners. In essence, you're guaranteed to meet everyone in the
class the first night. Even if you showed up with a partner, most
instructors prefer that you rotate partners. More advanced
classmates help you progress more rapidly than dancing with the
same partner who's also a newbie.

Please read the rest here:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/salsaforfunandfitness.htm

Also, in keeping with the dance fitness theme, please check out
http://www.zumba.com to find a Zumba Fitness class near you (I
mentioned Zumba Fitness in my "Welcome from Heather" section at
the beginning of this ezine).

For more interesting articles on ballroom dancing, please check
out: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/dancearticles.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

** STUMPED AGAIN FOR THAT SPECIAL GIFT? **

Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or
dance teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message.

Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including
TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance
partners, and more!

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

*****************************************************************

Fr~ee hearing test:

http://www1.freehearingtest.ca/

What this test IS going to do is show you whether or not you
should go and have a hearing professional do a complete hearing
evaluation sooner rather than later (cause we should all have a
complete evaluation before we reach 60).

*****************************************************************

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

Latin Dance Routines: http://www.danceway.com/r.html

Ballroom Dance Routines: http://www.danceway.com/ballroom.html

*****************************************************************

Dancing With the Stars Calendar 2008 is here and it's available
at Calendars.com!

http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo

*****************************************************************

Dance Associations
International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF)
Represents more than four million dancers in 84 National Member
Federations on five continents
http://www.idsf.net

International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA)
Provides examination services for the public, professional
performers, and teachers
http://www.idta.co.uk

National Dance Council of America (NDCA)
Represents the interests of those in the dance profession and
other dance-related organizations
http://www.ndca.org

USA Dance (formerly USABDA)
Contains information about independent dance studios, dance
merchants and dance vendors
http://www.usabda.org

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

Major Competitions

DancesportInfo
Results and photos from most major competitions
http://www.dancesportinfo.net

The Ohio Star Ball
Where America's Ballroom Challenge is taped
http://www.ohiostarball.com

Blackpool Dance Festival in England
One of the oldest and most prestigious competitions in the world
http://www.blackpooldancefestival.net

World Pro-Am DanceSport Series
Holds over 70 dance competitions across the United States
http://www.dancesportsuperbowl.com

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

International Dance Directory: Directory of dancers, with
sections for locating teachers, studios and merchandise

http://www.dancedirectory.com

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

Dance Directory, with sections for locating dance teachers,
studios and merchandise for dancers:

http://www.dancedirectory.com/index.html

*****************************************************************

Dance fre~ebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

Here's a HUGE amount of wonderful links to do with dancing:

http://dancevision.com/links/

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****

Think you've figured it out?

Click on this link to see if you're right!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle2.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

7. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2008 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

WHIMSIES PERSONALIZED CARTOONS: JANUARY WHITE SALE!!!

2008-01-10T09:45:00.000-05:00

*** WHIMSIES JANUARY WHITE SALE! ***

$1 OFF EACH PERSONALIZED CARTOON PRODUCT YOU ORDER ... ABSOLUTELY NO LIMITS!!!

It's simple - just order the personalized cartoon product(s) you want and when your PayPal order goes through you'll get a refund for $1 per product you ordered! Any questions??? Just contact Heather at info@whimsies-online.com

Dancing On Air Ezine - December 2007

2007-12-08T05:30:00.000-05:00

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

Dancing On Air - December 2007

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

Note: the links in this ezine are not 'clickable' - just copy
and paste them to your browser window to access the websites -
thanks!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. News: "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Dance Your Way to Fun and Health "
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all and happy December!

That being said, hey, what is it with this old fashioned winter?
I don't know where all of you are living but I'm in Canada and
I'm just not ready for this - guess we've been spoiled the last
few years - huh?

So what did you all think of the results in Dancing with the
Stars??? We were thrilled that Helio won although Mel was
absolutely amazing, wasn't she? According to Fred Astaire Dance
Studios, "Just look at IndyCar driver Helio Castrovenes, who beat
out frontrunner Melanie Brown in the season five finale of
'Dancing With the Stars' this week. Helio, who had no dance
experience before his stint on the show, took home the coveted
disco ball trophy. In doing so, he reaffirmed the belief that
even those who don't know the difference between a Mambo and a
Samba can be taught to dance beautifully."

You can read what Armando Martin of Fred Astaire Studios says
about the last episode: http://tinyurl.com/3ymc69

And another article about the winners here, entitled "Helio
Quicksteps his way to Victory": http://tinyurl.com/2wbpkr

Be sure to mark your calendar for the next season of Dancing with
the Stars which is scheduled for March 2008!

By-the-way, you can order the Dancing With the Stars 2008
calendar from the good people at calendars.com - I ordered
mine and it's gorgeous! They're pretty impressive and very
fast with their deliveries. The link is:
http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo.

Speaking of deliveries, don't forget to put in your order early
this month if you want a unique personalized cartoon for that
special friend, relative, dance partner or dance teacher, for
Christmas! If you need something that you don't see on our
website, give us a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and we'll be
more than happy to help...

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. News: "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann"

According to Fred Astaire Dance Studios newsletter:

"Inaba, Tonioli prepare for ‘War’

Once this season's 'Dancing With the Stars' crowns a champion,
judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli will begin presiding
over a different dance floor.

For several months, ABC has been working on a 'Dancing With the
Stars' spin-off called "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann."

In addition to Inaba and Tonioli, the new show also includes
second-season 'Dancing With the Stars' champion Drew Lachey, who
will serve as host.

During September and October, auditions were held in several U.S.
cities. Inaba recently told the New York Post that the schedule
has been tough, especially for Tonioli.

"Bruno is actually working on three shows," she said in the
article. "He's also been flying to England to appear on 'Strictly
Come Ballroom,'" the British series that was the "DWTS"
predecessor.

"Dancing War" will pit teams of six amateur dancers and singers
against each other. One team will be coached and choreographed by
Inaba, the other by Tonioli.

The new show - which will run for just six weeks in its first
season - is a cross between "So You Think You Can Dance" and "The
Apprentice."

You can read more about this new reality show here:
http://www.movieweb.com/tv/news/98/22398.php
http://www.theinsideronline.com/news/2007/08/12144/index.html

and don't forget the 'carryann vs bruno' page on myspace!
http://www.myspace.com/carrieannvsbruno

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com,
http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):

Oops - riddles have to take a break now and then too

Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. Article: "Dance Your Way to Fun and Health" thanks to Bottom
Line Secrets Ezine, http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/

by Bonnie L. Vorenberg, ArtAge Publications

Using treadmills and stationary bicycles at home might be
convenient, but they're not what most people would call fun.

Alternative: Dancing -- a way to have fun with others and get
great exercise, almost without realizing it.

Today, there are more opportunities to dance than ever before,
thanks to public organizations and dance schools that are putting
a new emphasis on senior participants. That includes pportunities
to take up dancing for the first time or brush up on moves that
you might have learned back when you "rocked around the clock."

MORE THAN JUST FUN

When you're dancing, you have so much fun that you forget about
the physical effort you're putting into it. That effort, however,
can have a big payoff. The American Heart Association recently
reported a study that showed health benefits -- including a
stronger heart -- from 21 minutes (alternating between slow for
five minutes and fast for three) of waltzing three times a week.

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter, in fact, encourages people of all
ages to try ballroom dancing as a way to burn calories and
improve the cardiovascular system.

A study by California State University shows that ballroom
dancers can easily burn 250 calories to 300 calories an hour. And
another study at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York
concluded that dementia is less likely when people over the age
of 75 dance regularly. According to the study, the lower
incidence of dementia is associated with executing complex dance
steps and moving in rhythm to the music.

Though there may not be any formal studies on the subject, it's
clear that dancing can also improve your balance, and that can be
important in preventing falls. When people learn specific dance
steps and rhythms, they become more aware of their physical
movements and their range of motion as well. That, too, can help
prevent accidents.

Most dancers also improve their posture, a move that gives them a
younger, more vibrant, appearance.

If all of these benefits aren't enough to convince you, consider
that dancing...

Puts you in touch with music, which has benefits of its own. When
in a grouchy mood, for instance, if you hear an upbeat tune, your
mood is likely to change.

Is a route to socializing. As we grow older, there's a tendency
to isolate ourselves. Dancing provides an enjoyable way to get
together with others -- often younger people with whom we might
not otherwise socialize.

THE BEAT GOES ON

Most seniors grew up in an era when there was a new dance craze
every few months -- the Bristol stomp, fly, jerk, locomotion,
loop de loop, Madison, mashed potato, pony, shake, stroll, twist
and Watusi, just to name a few.

If you were a little old for those steps, you may have grown up
in an earlier era of great dances -- the fox-trot, Jersey bounce,
jitterbug, Lindy and boogie-woogie. Or your parents may have
taught you some of their own favorite moves, such as the
Charleston or the shimmy.

If you like more traditional dances, there are dozens to choose
from -- the rumba, slow fox-trot, square dances, tango and waltz.
Today, people of all ages are often interested in dances
associated with particular cultures -- Balinese, German, Irish,
Israeli, Latin American, Polish and Russian, for instance.

And even ballet and tap dancing are becoming popular with seniors
who are willing to put in the effort to learn.

Don't worry if you don't have a partner. Line dancing lets
singles move to the music in an ever increasing number of ways.
And for women, belly dancing, which is great exercise because it
strengthens stomach muscles, is increasingly popular with a
rowing number of dancers throughout the US -- yes, even among
seniors.

TAKE THE LEAD

To find inexpensive dance classes, contact your local parks and
recreation department, senior center or adult education program.
Or consult the Yellow Pages for commercial dance studios, more of
which now have classes specifically for people age 50 and older.

Helpful: Find dance studio directories on the Internet at
http://www.centralhome.com/dance-studios.htm. And by using Google
or another Web search engine, you can find instructors for
specific types of dances.

Example: Belly dance teachers are listed at
http://www.orientaldancer.net/belly-dance-instructors and hula
instructors at http://www.mele.com/resources/hula.html

Smart move: Before you sign up for lessons, ask to observe a
class and also talk with some of the students. Consider enrolling
only if you like what you see and the students believe they're
getting value for their money.

Courses taught at senior centers, local government facilities or
religious organizations are usually inexpensive.

Examples: The Senior Center in West Covina, California, charges
$25 for six one-hour tap dance classes. A package of 10 ballet
lessons at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, costs
$105.

Commercial dance studios charge more. Typical: A Fred Astaire
Dance Studio in Manhattan charges $75 for two half-hour
introductory lessons plus a practice session. A package of five
private follow-up lessons costs $475 for an individual or a
couple. Fees are similar at Arthur Murray studios, the other
major chain of dance schools.

Though the best way to learn dancing is from an instructor,
videos can also be useful, particularly those produced for
seniors.

Examples: Nick Felix's Swing Dancing for Seniors and Paul
Merola's Most Popular Line Dances for Seniors.

These and other dance-instruction videos are usually available at
Internet retailers such as http://www.amazon.com and
http://www.centralhome.com. You can find more videos by keying in
senior dance videos into a search engine. Videos typically range
in price from $14.95 to $25.95, and most are available in VHS and
DVD formats.

There's a thin line between actual dancing and exercising to
music. Straddling this line are Rise and Shine and other videos
by dancer Ann Smith. This kind of movement is a fine choice for
people who, for whatever reason, don't actually want to dance.
Smith's videos are available from most Internet retailers.

STEPPING OUT

Dance instructors and schools usually know about places where you
can dance, and there are probably more of them than you realize
-- social organizations, nightclubs, cruise ships, religious
groups, community events and senior centers. In addition, ballet
and tap dancing schools often hold recitals where students
perform.

There may be even more opportunities to dance on stage whenever a
local theater group produces a musical with roles for older
dancers. The best sources of information are the theater
departments at local colleges and universities. My own
organization, ArtAge Publications, also provides information
about senior theaters throughout the country.

For specific types of dances, it's often helpful to contact the
associations that promote them. The World Swing Dance Council,
for instance, provides contact information for nearly two dozen
organizations that hold regular swing dances throughout the
country.

After a few turns on the dance floor, you'll get a good idea of
whether you want to continue. If you decide that dancing isn't
for you, at least you won't have spent hundreds of dollars on a
treadmill that soon gets stored in a closet. But who knows?
There's a time for every wallflower to bloom.

DANCES YOU LOVE

Organizations that can provide information on instruction, clubs
and other opportunities to get out there and dance...

Ballroom. USA Dance, 800-447-9047,
http://usabda.org

Belly dancing. International Academy of Middle Eastern
Dance, 818-343-4410, http://www.bellydance.org

Bop, jitterbug and shag. American Bop Association,
http://www.americanbopassociation.com

Country western, including line dancing. United Country
Western Dance Council, www.ucwdc.com, and Country Western
Dance Information, 559-784-2341,
http://www.cwdi.org

Folk. Folk Dance Association, http://www.folkdancing.org

Hustle. International Hustle Dance Association,
http://www.i-h-d-a.com

Square dancing. United Square Dancers of America,
http://www.usda.org

Swing. World Swing Dance Council,
http://www.swingdancecouncil.com

Tango, rumba, salsa and other Latin dances. Latin Dance,
http://www.latin-dance.com

Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Bonnie L. Vorenberg, a former
professional dance instructor who is now president of ArtAge
Publications, a Portland, Oregon-based supplier of resources for
senior theater (800-858-4998, http://www.seniortheatre.com ).

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

STUMPED AGAIN FOR THAT SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT?

Looking for a fun holiday gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or
dance teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message.
Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including
TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance
partners, and more!

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

*****************************************************************

Here's a smile for you!
http://www.frontiernet.net/~jimdandy/specials/friend/friend.html

*****************************************************************

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

This a Jukebox; but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all
of your favorite songs from 1950 through 1984. Each year has a
scroll or drop down box that shows all the great songs for that
year. Most years have over 40 songs. There is even a section at
the bottom that allows you to listen to show tunes, TV show
themes, Doo Wop and several others. This is pretty neat....and it
is free. Read the rest of this and then click on the site at the
bottom.

Once you click on a song it will play and when it finishes it
Automatically plays the next song in the list and continues until
it has played all the songs of that group. This is really cool!!!

It has a volume control which you should use in conjunction with
your computers volume control.

One of the best features is that it will play in the background.
That means you can be doing other computer work on a different
screen.

Pick and play any popular song from 1952 through 1982 or go to
the specialty areas. You can't miss them. They are listed in very
bright colors. That is for older eyes!!!

There are some latin and ballroom tunes as well!

http://www.tropicalglen.com/

*****************************************************************

Dancing With the Stars Calendar 2008 is here and it's available
at Calendars.com!

http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo

*****************************************************************

Interesting dance articles to read:
http://www.danceway.com/articles.html

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

Want a dance dictionary? http://www.danceway.com/dictionary.html

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

Just for Fun: Play DANCE! Online for Fr~ee

DANCE! Online is a free-to-play Massively Multiplayer Online
Dancing Game where you and thousands of players can meet and
dance together. Just register (for fr~ee) download, sign in and
dance your butt off! http://dance.acclaim.com/

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

Dance Publications Listing: http://dcdancenet.com/newsletters/

*****************************************************************

Dance fre~ebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

Places to dance all across the U.S.:
http://dcdancenet.com/moredancing/othercities.shtml

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

Dance Camps, cruises and vacations:
http://dcdancenet.com/dancecamps/cruises/vacations/

*****************************************************************

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ SPECIAL MENTIONS _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Have fun creating your own customized clothing with Customized
Girl! http://www.jdoqocy.com/jt82hz74z6MPSPUVQVMONRSWPWO

*****************************************************************

Choose from over 250+ Styles and Colors in our Custom T-Shirts &
Save 5% off orders 2 or more! Add any dance-related text for a
really personalized dancer's shirt.
http://www.dpbolvw.net/ln79gv30v2ILOLQRMRIKJNKNOKL

*****************************************************************

Create Custom T-Shirts Online at DesignAShirt.com - unique as
gifts or even for yourself. Get as creative as you want with any
kind of dance message you like!
http://www.jdoqocy.com/1p115lnwtnvADGDIJEJACBFGEIJD

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****

Think you've figured it out?

Click on this link to see if you're right!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle2.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Dancing On Air Ezine - November 2007

2007-11-10T06:26:00.000-05:00

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

Dancing On Air - November 2007

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. News: "Dancing Dentist Sued"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Dance with your own Stars"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all and happy November!

Sorry for being a little late with this issue. Wow, did we have
server problems...my website and emails were down for about 72
hours -not too good for business, huh?

So what did you all think of Sabrina being eliminated in Dancing
with the Stars??? We definitely were shocked as we figured she
would win! You can read what Fred Astaire Dance Studios has to
say about each episode:
http://fred-astaire.blogspot.com/2007/10/dancing-with-stars-
week-6.html

By-the-way, you can order the Dancing With the Stars
2008 calendar from the good people at calendars.com - I ordered
mine and am anxiously awaiting my shipment! The link is:
http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo. They're pretty impressive and very
fast with their deliveries.

Speaking of deliveries, don't forget to put in your order early
if you want a unique personalized cartoon for that special
friend, relative, dance partner or dance teacher, for Christmas!
If you need something that you don't see on our website, give us
a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and we'll be more than happy
to help...

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. News: "Syracuse, N.Y. dentist sued for dancing while drilling,
injuring patient"

By The Associated Press

ADVERTISEMENT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A dentist was dancing to a song on the radio
while drilling on a woman's tooth, and she wound up in the
hospital when the drill bit snapped off and lodged near her eye,
a lawsuit alleges.

Brandy Fanning, 31, said she had to undergo emergency surgery and
spent three days in the hospital because of the October 2004
mishap.

The federal lawsuit filed last month against Dr. George Trusty
seeks US$600,000 for her medical expenses, pain and suffering.

Trusty, 57, a dentist at Syracuse Community Health Center,
declined to comment, as did Dr. Ruben Cowart, the centre' s
president and CEO.

Fanning said she went to the centre' s emergency dental clinic
after pain in a left molar started getting worse. With a root
canal ruled out as an option, Trusty gave her some Novocain and
began drilling to break up the tooth before extracting it, she
said.

As Trusty drilled, he was "performing rhythmical steps and
movements to the song 'Car Wash',"' which was on the radio,
according to the lawsuit. Then, Fanning heard a snap.

Trusty tried to use a metal hook to pull the bit out, but that
only pushed it farther up, driving it through the sinus and bone
near her eye socket, the lawsuit alleged.

After first minimizing the problem, Trusty talked to an oral
surgeon to set up an appointment, and then told Fanning she
needed to get to an emergency room immediately, according to the
lawsuit.

She claimed he had initially told she would likely sneeze the
drill bit out, but doctors said later that if she really had
sneezed, the drill bit could have blinded her left eye.

Fanning said she sued because Trusty failed on a promise to pay
her medical bills. She said she still suffers facial swelling,
nerve damage and chronic infections.

The suit is in federal court because the health centre operates
under federal law.

Heather's comment: I guess Dr. George 'Trusty' wasn't..., right?

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com,
http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):

I'm as small as an ant, as big as a whale. I'll approach like a
breeeze, but can come like a gale. By some I get hit, but all
have shown fear. I'll dance to the music, though I can't hear. Of
names I have many, of names I have one. I'm as slow as a snail,
but from me you can't run. What am I?

Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. Article: "Dance with your own Stars"

For many, their love of ballroom dancing - and its health
benefits - was firmly entrenched before shows like "Dancing With
the Stars" became a cultural phenomenon.
According to a study conducted by Dr. Hermes Ilarraza, of the
National Institute of Cardiology in Mexico, ballroom dancing can
give as good an aerobic workout as more conventional forms of
exercise.

Ilarazza followed a group of 40 heart disease patients, all of
whom committed to 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week,
for five weeks. Half of the study’s participants got their
exercise from a dance routine choreographed by a professional
dancer, while the others exercised on stationary bicycles.
Ilarraza found that the dance group’s exercise capacity increased
by 28 percent, almost as much as the 31 percent increase for the
cycling group.
A 140-pound person can burn an average of 350 calories in an hour
of fast dancing such as swing, quickstep and salsa, and can burn
about 200 calories with slower styles like the tango or
traditional ballroom (cha-cha, foxtrot and waltz). Plus, in
addition to toning your leg muscles, dancing contributes to good
posture and body alignment, it works your core and upper body,
encourages gentle stretching, increases your flexibility and
stamina, builds up healthy bones and develops your balance.

Setting the physical benefits aside, dancing can also be life
changing. It can lift your spirit in a way most other exercise
routines cannot. If you are suffering from depression or
experiencing a difficult time in your life, heading to the dance
studio is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Not only does your body begin to pump massive amounts of the
feel-good hormone serotonin with each movement, the music can
ease an aching soul. Dancing also reawakens a nearly forgotten
sense of chivalry and graciousness that we all still secretly
yearn for from time to time.
Ballroom dancing is not only ideal for the single, lonely or
overweight. It can also re-ignite passion within even the longest
and mundane of relationships. Just imagine, both you and your
mate feeling fit, energized and a whole lot sexier, together. Now
that’s worth celebrating.

Excerpt from "Dance with your Own Stars", an article by Nancy
Christie that ran in the Fall 2007 edition of HealthSmart Today

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

STUMPED AGAIN FOR THAT SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT?

Looking for a fun holiday gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or
dance teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message.
Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including
TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance
partners, and more!

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

*****************************************************************

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

Dancing With the Stars Calendar 2008 is here and it's available
at Calendars.com!

http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

Fr~ee bath and beauty samples from Abby's Fre~ebies:

http://abbys-good-stuff.com/free/index.php?cat=4

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

http://www.harvardballroom.org/ All about the Harvard Ballroom
Dance Team

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

http://www.exploredance.com/ - a huge resource on all types of
dancing.

*****************************************************************

Dance fre~ebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

Loads of Diet, Health & Nutrition Fre~ebies:
http://abbys-good-stuff.com/free/index.php?cat=14

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

http://www.dancetv.com/tutorial/index.html: Online tutorial from
dancetv: To begin learning how to ballroom dance, click on the
category of your choice. Each category contains lessons listed in
order from least difficult to advanced. If you are a beginner, we
recommend that you start with the Ballroom Basics. From there,
you can progress to other categories of interest. If you are at
an intermediate or advanced level, we recommend that you review
the basics section as well before moving on. It will introduce
you to the format of our online dance tutorial. Happy dancing!

*****************************************************************

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ SPECIAL MENTIONS _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Have fun creating your own customized clothing with Customized
Girl! http://www.jdoqocy.com/jt82hz74z6MPSPUVQVMONRSWPWO

*****************************************************************

Choose from over 250+ Styles and Colors in our Custom T-Shirts &
Save 5% off orders 2 or more! Add any dance-related text for a
really personalized dancer's shirt.
http://www.dpbolvw.net/ln79gv30v2ILOLQRMRIKJNKNOKL

*****************************************************************

Create Custom T-Shirts Online at DesignAShirt.com - unique as
gifts or even for yourself. Get as creative as you want with any
kind of dance message you like!
http://www.jdoqocy.com/1p115lnwtnvADGDIJEJACBFGEIJD

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****

Think you've figured it out?

Click on this link to see if you're right!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Dancing On Air Ezine - October 2007 Issue

2007-10-03T08:45:00.000-04:00

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

Dancing On Air - October 2007

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "Ultimate Partnering"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Ballroom Dancing for Dogs!"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all and happy October - hope you're getting ready for
those chilly nights! I'm just about to put those flannelette
sheets on the bed soon

NEW ON OUR SITE: We've put together a new page with links to show
many of the Custom Cartoons we've created over the last few
years. You can check it out here:
http://www.whimsies-online.com/customcartoonsamples.htm

Well, another season of Dancing with the Stars has started -
WOOOOHOOOOO!!! Any favorites yet? (we're crazy about Sabrina,
Helio and Melanie!) By-the-way, you can order the Dancing With
the Stars 2008 calendar from the good people at calendars.com - I
just ordered mine and am anxiously awaiting my shipment! The link
is:http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo. They're pretty impressive and very
fast with their deliveries!

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. Article: Ultimate Partnering (thanks to Musings by Richard
Powers from http://socialdance.stanford.edu/

Knowing many dance steps and figures is fun, but the true art of
social dancing, and its greatest pleasures, lie in great
partnering. As the swing tune goes, "It ain't what you do, but
the way that you do it." The nonverbal lead-follow connection
between partners is the essence of social dancing.

This page briefly discusses the fact that ultimate leading and
following are not only a matter of skill, but also of attitude.
But first I'd like to clarify that...

I'm not fond of the term "following."

I don't like that term for two reasons. The less important reason
is that this term still carries some negative baggage left over
from the early 20th century:

After centuries of ballroom emphasis on dancing for the pleasure
of one's partner the 1930s saw the emergence of a particularly
disagreeable phase of social dance, when the term lead came to
mean "command" and follow meant "obey".

L. Ray of Chicago wrote in 1930, "Never should the so-called
gentler sex be quite so gentle and acquiescent as when dancing.
No matter what her views on suffrage and feminism may be, it is a
woman's duty to let the man lead on the ballroom floor. His is
the guiding spirit; hers, the following. He is the pace-maker;
she is his shadow."

Suffrage and feminism?! Yes, this new ballroom dance attitude
developed soon after American women won the right to vote.

This attitude quickly spread to England. Courtenay Castle of
London wrote, "Now, men, in these days of sex equality you can
take heart from the fact that, on the dance floor at any rate,
the man is still the boss. It is he that decides when and where
any particular step is danced. He designs the pattern of the
dance. The man will do most of the work while his partner just
makes a pretty picture." And he continued with, "Now for the
ladies. You don't have much to say in the matter at all, although
I imagine you will make some pointed comment should your partner
seize you in a vice-like grip with the seeming intention of
breaking your back." (Yes, those were his actual words.)

The British ballroom champion Alex Moore wrote, "The lady's part
is to follow, whether the man is dancing a figure correctly or
not. She must not have a mind of her own. She must just follow
whatever the man does and not attempt to correct him."

Victor Sylvester, another British ballroom champion, gave simpler
advice to women in 1927: "Submit yourself entirely to your
partner."

Arthur Murray continued this attitude into the 1940s and 50s,
writing, "The dance floor is the one place where the weaker sex
prefers to remain submissive."

If you'd like to see further quotations on this, they are here.
Warning: some are brutal, because the original wording has not
been changed.

That was back then. Fortunately we've become more enlightened
and understanding since then.

It's not accurate.

The main reason I don't like the term following is that it
doesn't accurately describe the role. Women do not "follow,"
they interpret signals they're given, with a keen responsiveness
that is not passive.

As with a language interpreter at the United Nations, a dancer's
ability to interpret signals requires intelligence and
experience. Guys, if you want to make a good impression on your
partner, show her that you respect this intelligence and
experience. How? If she does something that you didn't intend,
recognize that she still made a valid alternate interpretation of
the signals you gave her. She didn't make a "mistake".

No, don't just recognize it. Show her that you know she didn't
make a mistake, by flowing along with her during her valid
alternate interpretation. She's dancing - keep up with her.

But unlike language translating, interpreting a dance lead can
also include the woman leaving her own stamp of individuality,
adding flourishes and flair which her partner admires. In swing,
salsa and tango Argentino she may also invent her own footwork
variations which fit within her partner's footwork.

Men, I probably don't have to state the obvious, but you must
give her a clear lead to interpret. Just as a language
interpreter can't translate mumbling, she can't interpret a
mumbled lead. And forceful leading is no more helpful than is
the shouting of unintelligible mumbling. Israel Heaton of
Brigham Young University wrote, "When a girl does not react
readily to her partner's lead, he should hold her firmer and give
a stronger lead." But I disagree. Clear leading is the physical
equivalent of perfect diction, not shouting.

And better yet, great male partners have learned to "speak" in a
friendly warm tone with their partnering. Guys, be clear and
precise, but also warm and friendly with your leads. And
instantly flexible when she comes up with an alternate
interpretation of your signals.

The follow role is mentally and physically active, like the flow
state in sports.

We admire the football player who zigzags brilliantly through the
field, completely aware of his surroundings and responding
instantly to each moment, rather than the one who uses brute
force to steamroller straight into the opponents, or the one who
slavishly follows a game plan which is no longer working. The
nimble, intelligent player is in the flow state of relaxed
responsiveness, paying highly active attention to possibilities.
Ideally, both the lead and follow roles in couple dancing do the
same.

But don't you still use the term follow?

Yes, I'm not going to change the dance world's use of the terms
lead and follow. I just want to clarify what I mean by
following.

And leading?

That has also changed since the dark ages of ballroom dance. The
best dancers now know that a part of great leading is following.
(I prefer the term tracking.) He is perceptive and responsive to
her situation. "Tracking" her means that he watches where his
partner is going, where her feet are, where her momentum is
heading, which steps flow smoothly from her current step. He
knows and he cares what is comfortable for her, what is
pleasurable or fun. He dances for his partner's ability and
comfort.

A good lead clearly suggests an option, which is different from
controlling her. He proposes, not prescribes, a certain way of
moving. If his partner does not go with his proposal (does not
'follow'), he refrains from exerting more power to press her to
accept the proposal.

As with the follow's role and sports, the aware lead dancer also
enjoys the flow state of relaxed responsiveness. Both follow and
lead roles benefit by paying highly active attention to
possibilities. Both remain flexible.

As we dance, we constantly discover new opportunities , which
open doors to possibilities, as opposed to rules and restrictions
which close doors. We generously adjust our own dancing to be
compatible with our various dance partners, rather than insisting
that they conform to us. We enjoy the individuality of our dance
partners, and we continually modify our dancing to maximize their
comfort and pleasure.

Then once we discover the benefits of this awareness on the dance
floor, we find that it applies to our other activities and
relationships as well.

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

No riddle this month...instead we have a link to some pretty
silly dance cartoons!

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/D/Dance.asp

and...

http://offthemarkcartoons.com/search-results/key/dance/

as well as...

http://pioneer.net/~mchumor/music_dance_cartoons.html

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. Article: Ballroom Dancing for Dogs!

"Dancing the day away with your dog" by Kate Murphy

Thanks to the New Mexico Daily Lobo of October 1, 2007
(http://www.dailylobo.com)

Rosalie James makes no bones about the fact that her class is a
bit unusual.

"We're going to be asking our dogs to do some strange things that
they don't normally do," said James, the instructor of Ballroom
Dancing for Dogs.

The class, offered through UNM's Continuing Education, is
described in the catalog as "the doggie version of 'Dancing with
the Stars.'"

Ballroom Dancing for Dogs, known as canine freestyle, consists of
obedience, tricks and dance.

The owner dances around the dog while it spins and jumps on
command.

It is an interaction between the dog and its owner, she said.

"Dogs are here to have fun with mama, not with the other dogs,"
she said.

The six-week course costs $175.

Eight women and their pets are signed up for the class.

They meet Friday at the West Mesa School for Dogs at 4487 Irving
Blvd.

Ramsey Lofton, a student in the class, said it combines the two
things she loves most - ballroom dancing and dogs.

"I'm totally into 'Dancing with the Stars,'" she said.

James, who runs the canine freestyle club Dancing Paws in Rio
Rancho, has been dancing with her dog, Rocky, for about 3 years.

"The goal of this class is to have fun," she said.

James begins and ends each session in the same way - the dogs and
their owners circle the room to a song called "Positive Doggone
Attitude."

In order to show students how complex and fun canine freestyle
can be, she played a few short videos for the class.

In one video, a tall blonde dances to "You're the One that I
Want" from the musical "Grease," while her dog spins and leaps.

There are videos of canine freestyle on YouTube.com.

Dancing is not attempted during the first or second class, James
said.

Certain tricks have to be learned before the dogs and their
owners can try dancing, she said.

One of the most important tricks a dog has to learn is to wait,
James said.

That way, a dog's owner can dance alone without being followed by
the dog.

Waiting was taught on the first day, along with simple twists and
circles.

James said rewarding a dog is the easiest and best way to train
it, so she encourages her students to help their dogs along with
treats.

"It's not possible to train a dog to look like it's having fun if
it's not," she said.

The last Ballroom Dancing for Dogs class will be a recital.

It will be at the West Mesa School for Dogs on Oct. 12.

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

Dancing With the Stars Calendar 2008 is here and it's available
at Calendars.com!

http://tinyurl.com/yvrguo

*****************************************************************

The Dulaine Dancenter is now operated as the American Ballroom
Dance Studio.

Come TAKE THE LEAD at the dance studio that inspires HOLLYWOOD!

http://www.pierredulaine.com/

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

Want something different? How about a ballroom dance weekend?
"Spend a fantastic weekend of ballroom dancing at Purity Spring
Resort. With the largest dance floor in the Mount Washington
Valley, Purity Spring offers you the perfect setting to polish
your technique or learn a few new tricks."

http://www.purityspring.com/theme-ballroom.htm

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

Index of Dance Camps, Cruises and Vacations:
http://dcdancenet.com/dancecamps/cruises/vacations/

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

Fred Astaire National Blog:

Click here to visit the blog for our national website. You'll
find information on our other dance studios, upcoming
competitions, and other dance related news.

http://fred-astaire.blogspot.com/

*****************************************************************

Dance fre~ebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

Here's a dance blog with some pretty interesting posts - I found
this one in my internet searches:
http://whydance.godance.biz/

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

http://journals.rpungin.fotki.com/dwts/
"This link will take you to a site that has all of the dances
from all the celebrities of season 1, 2 and 3 of Dancing With
The Stars. For those of you who missed the show or just want to
see the dances again."

*****************************************************************

STUMPED AGAIN?

Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or dance
teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message. Cartoons for any hobby,
occupation, sport, or occasion. including TONS of personalized
cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance partners, and more!
(Now over 1200 to choose from!)

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

*****************************************************************

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ SPECIAL MENTIONS _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Have fun creating your own customized clothing with Customized
Girl! http://www.jdoqocy.com/jt82hz74z6MPSPUVQVMONRSWPWO

*****************************************************************

Choose from over 250+ Styles and Colors in our Custom T-Shirts &
Save 5% off orders 2 or more! Add any dance-related text for a
really personalized dancer's shirt.
http://www.dpbolvw.net/ln79gv30v2ILOLQRMRIKJNKNOKL

*****************************************************************

Create Custom T-Shirts Online at DesignAShirt.com - unique as
gifts or even for yourself. Get as creative as you want with any
kind of dance message you like!
http://www.jdoqocy.com/1p115lnwtnvADGDIJEJACBFGEIJD

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Q and A's About Whimsies Personalized Cartoons

2007-09-28T06:48:00.000-04:00

1a. Tell us something about Whimsies Personalized Cartoons.

Whimsies are a line of over 1200 cartoons that can be personalized with names, titles, sayings, dates and any other text you can think of. We now have Friendly Folks, Amazing Cartoons and Name-That-Toon as well as our own Whimsies line of personalized cartoons! Tons to choose from but if you still don't find what you're looking for you can request a Custom Cartoon and we'll design one just for you!

Whimsies is different from other personalized cartoon companies in that I can change, at no extra charge, details in my own Whimsies cartoon characters according to what the customer wants. This means that I can change hair color, style, length; eye color, clothing color, skin tone, even add a moustache, a dimple or some freckles! See how you can customize your cartoon here.

I also have two special collections (soon to be more) apart from my many general cartoons for hobbies, occupations, pets, sports, etc. The first is a line of personalized wedding cartoons for everyone in the wedding party. I offer a free service where I can change clothing and bouquet colors to match their wedding colors. The second is a line of personalized dance cartoons. I was a ballroom/Latin dance competitor for a number of years and the comical moments you'd see in the dressing rooms while changing for a competition was enough to send a budding cartoonist off for her sketch pad!

I think the fact that I can change all the details of a cartoon character, and also that I don't charge for this service, has skyrocketed Whimsies to the top three to eight spots for all of the relevant keywords, in all the top search engines, where it has remained for the last few years!

1b. How do you go about doing a personalized cartoon for someone you haven't met?
When I receive an order from a customer, along with the description and personalization they've emailed to me, I sketch out the design in pencil. When I'm happy with the drawing plan, I ink it in over the penciled lines. If, at this point, I'm missing any details from the customer, or if I have an idea for something, I'll send them an email.

After I have the final inked design, I then erase the pencil lines and scan the cartoon into my art program. I do a final clean up of the lines and details using a pen tablet.

After the lines are cleaned up, I colorize the cartoon. I may have more questions or ideas for the customer at this point.

Once the cartoon has been colorized, I add the personalization the customer wants. This can be a title, a saying (I have a page of Whimsical Expression (http://www.whimsies-online.com/sayings.htm) for all occasions that the customer can choose from, if they wish), a date, names on the characters or on different items in the cartoon such as on Christmas gifts or luggage.

One fun detail I came up with, which is very popular, is that I can add a photo (jpg) to the cartoon. For example, if my customer emails me a photo of their cat, I can add a frame around it and size it according to the background and then place it on a wall in the cartoon.

After the cartoon is finished, I print it out in best quality print onto heavy glossy photo paper (the colors are very vibrant when printed on photo paper). I add the mat in the color chosen by the customer and ship it off along with a surprise personalized gift (can't say what it is...it'll spoil the surprise!)

2. Are you also an author? What genre is your work in? Where may it be
found? How did you get the idea for a chocolate cookbook?

I've always loved to write. I've written a number of articles on a wide range of subjects, anywhere from 'Protecting your Home and Family against Fires' (with the help of my firefighter husband and his fire chief friend) to '21 Free or Low Cost Ways to Promote your Online Business'; and comical articles such as 'How to Understand your Cat in 6 Easy Lessons' to 'Ballroom Jitters - Souvenirs of a First Dance Competition' (ah...memories!). These articles and more can be found on http://www.whimsies-online.com/freecontent.htm. There's one I had a lot of fun writing called 'Once Upon a Squirrel - or Hobbies for Retirement'. It's all about my newly-retired husband, his crazy antics with a humane squirrel trap and a lot of time to spare! (oh, and several skunks later...thank you Ron!)

Then I decided to write a book, so I picked one of my favorite topics! 'Easy Mouthwatering Homemade Chocolates and other Candies' was easy to write because of two things...my love of chocolates and the fact that I love to make them. I got the idea for this cookbook because of my family and friends constantly asking me for recipes for the various confections I've served and given as gifts.

3. What are your future plans for Whimsies? Do you have any new projects
you'd like to talk about?

Future plans for Whimsies? I'd like to add another line such as 'The Baby Collection' which would be personalized cartoons about babies, children, new moms, obstetrician, pediatrician, etc. I think this collection would be a lot of fun to design and a great follow up to my Personalized Wedding Collection.

4. What is your website url that readers can click on for a visit? How can
visitors order your work and books? How may they contact you if they have
questions?

Whimsies Personalized Cartoons and Custom Cartoons can be found and ordered on http://www.whimsies-online.com and info about my Chocolate Cookbook, as well as free recipes and a tutorial on how to make homemade chocolates is on http://www.whimsies-online.com/chocolate.htm. If anyone has any questions, they can send me an email at info@whimsies-online.com - I'd be more than happy to help!

5. Is there anything you'd like to tell the readers about your work?

I'm very passionate about my work; I love expressing myself through my cartoon designs and each cartoon I create is a labor of love from the heart. I love working with my customers/friends to create a one-of-a-kind personalized cartoon gift for that special someone in their lives, and I truly enjoy knowing that one of my designs has brought a giggle or a smile to someone's lips!

6. Do you have any advice for others contemplating a similar website and
work? What qualifications does one need to become a cartoonist?

Advice for others contemplating a similar website and work? Expect to devote a lot of time and hard work to get things ready for the internet and to be successful at it. Read everything about websites, online marketing, promotional ideas and search engine optimization that you can get your hands on. I put together an article about this entitled, '21 Free or Low Cost Ways to Promote your Online Business' which can be found at http://www.whimsies-online.com/promotionalideas.htm.

I have some motivational sayings that I keep on my office wall - just re-reading them once in awhile helps me get out of a rut!

1) An idea is a funny thing...it does nothing unless you do.
2) Once you start, keep going. Once you stop, you'll have to start all over!

As for the qualifications you need to be a cartoonist, watch people constantly...try to see the funny side in every situation...picture how you would describe these situations in pencil...then DO IT! Don't be afraid - you can always erase or throw out the sheet of paper! Buy books on how to cartoon. Look at the cartoons in newspapers and clip them out to pop into a file or make a scrapbook. Study them and practice constantly!

But creativity in designing is self-explanatory; persistence and perseverance are definitely needed to succeed. All too often we hear of small businesses 'going under' because the owners get discouraged and gave up too soon without really giving it a fighting chance.

Remember, there's no such word as 'can't'; if they can do it, YOU can do it!

One last thing I'd like to mention: believe in your product. Be proud and excited about your product. If you look at your product and you get goose bumps, this is good! And no matter what happens, don't give up too quickly...believe in yourself!

Dancing On Air Ezine - September 2007 Issue

2007-09-10T06:39:00.000-04:00

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

Dancing On Air - September 2007

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "Self-talk and Exercise"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Why is Ballroom Dancing better than a Blind
Date?"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all!

September...crisp, fresh air blowing on your cheeks...stained-
glass-colored leaves sailing in the wind...crunchy apples...fresh
spicy pies right out of the oven...the season for recovering from
the hot, humid summer days is upon us! And with the freshness of
fall, we have some fresh new articles for you, interesting links
and loads of new personalized cartoons to give as gifts!

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. Article: Self-talk and Exercise (from the good people at
http://www.dukediet.com)

This wonderful article can be adapted to those of us practicing
dancing!

When you work out, what messages are running through your head?
How you think about exercise greatly influences how you feel
about it - and how likely you are to stick with it. If your self-
talk during exercise is all negative, your experience with
exercise will be negative, too.

Do any of the following thoughts sound familiar?

I don't like exercise.
I'm not a natural athlete.
I'll never get better at this.
Everyone is looking at me.
I missed a workout, so I may as well give up.
I'm too tired for this.
I'm never going to reach my goal.
If I exercise, I'll feel exhausted afterward.
If any of these - or any other - negative messages come to mind
during your workouts, try replacing them with the following:

I will keep trying until I find an activity I enjoy.
My body is made to move.
I will gain skill over time.
Others can think what they like - I won't let it stop me.
I may have missed a workout, but I can get back on track today.
I'm tired, but I'll aim for just 10 minutes of exercise and then
see how I feel.
I can and will reach my goal.
After I exercise, I really feel good about myself.

This week, pay attention to the thoughts you're having during
exercise and focus on replacing negative thoughts with positive
ones. Doing so will make your workouts more productive and
enjoyable.

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com,
http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):

I am strongest when you see me as round, but I am often viewed in
other forms. I lift & drop the sea with my tremendous strength,
and a man with a name like 'powerful bicep' was the first to
tread on me.

What am I?

Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. Why is Ballroom Dancing better than a Blind Date?

(thanks to http://www.danceace.com)

-A bad date lasts all evening, but a bad dance lasts three
minutes.
-You can dance with a dozen different partners in just one hour.
-If the dance partner is good, you can have another dance right
away.
-You can enjoy the music even if you don't enjoy your partner.
-You have an excuse not to talk if you don't want to.
-You are always dressed just right... look for a partner dressed
to match you.
-No awkward goodbye at the end of a dance.

For MEN:

-You don't have to pay for her dinner.
-You get to see her before you commit to spending any time with
her.
-You can get in close if you want to.
-If you like her, you can wrap her up in a cuddle without asking.
-You can take her for a test drive and see how she handles.
-You find out right away if she is a back seat driver.
-If she has bad breath you can spin her around to face away from
you.
-If she talks too much, you can ignore her and 'concentrate' on
the music.

For WOMEN:

-You get to buy a special pair of shoes for the occasion.
-You have more than 50 men to choose from on any given night.
-If you don't like his looks, you can decline the dance without
trauma.
-You find out right away if knows how to lead, or needs to be
led.
-You can ignore his bad jokes and 'concentrate' on following.
-If he smells bad, you can lean out away from him and people will
compliment you on your dancing style.
-Even if you don't meet any one interesting, you can get pleasant
exercise
-If he talks too much, you can step on his foot.
-If he gets in too close, you can step on his foot

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

Dancers at Sea is a unique opportunity to share your Ballroom
Dancing enthusiasm on a memorable cruise. Catering to both
singles and couples our gracious hosts offer excellent
instruction and unlimited dancing pleasure.
http://www.dancersatsea.com/

*****************************************************************

The Ballroomdancers.com Glossary of Ballroom Dancing Terms is
organized by letters of the alphabet. To look up a word, find the
starting letter and click on it.

http://www.ballroomdancers.com/Learning_Center/Glossary/Default.asp

Check out their Glossary of Abbreviations link at the bottom too.

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

http://usabda.org/dancesport_competitors/rules-policies-
bylaws/index.cfm

Theis is a new 2007-2008 DanceSport Rulebook for Dance
competitors - it's a PDF to download and it's fr~ee from
USABDA.org!

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

http://www.dancesport.uk.com/tid-bits/index.htm

Tid-bits is a fr~ee educational newsletter with loads of
wonderful hints on ballroom/Latin dancing

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~ballroom/resources.html

This website has basic figures and patterns for certain dances as
well as information about the dance, the instructors at CalTech
and the music. You will also find demos of the figures if
available.

*****************************************************************

Dance fre~ebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

http://www.ballroom.org/history_of_modern_ballroom_danci.htm

This article traces the history of the International Dancesport
championship "Modern Standard Ballroom" dances: Viennese Waltz,
Modern Waltz, Tango, Slow Foxtrot, and Quickstep.

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

http://www.ballroomdancingtour.com/

The Blackpool Dance Festival
International Ballroom and Latin Dance Competition
May 25 - June 1, 2008

Ever want to go to the Blackpool Festival? You can request a
fr~ee brochure on this trip?

*****************************************************************

STUMPED AGAIN?

Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or dance
teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message. Cartoons for any hobby,
occupation, sport, or occasion. including TONS of personalized
cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance partners, and more!
(Now over 1200 to choose from!)

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

*****************************************************************

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ SPECIAL MENTIONS _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Have fun creating your own customized clothing with Customized
Girl! http://www.jdoqocy.com/jt82hz74z6MPSPUVQVMONRSWPWO

*****************************************************************

Choose from over 250+ Styles and Colors in our Custom T-Shirts &
Save 5% off orders 2 or more! Add any dance-related text for a
really personalized dancer's shirt.
http://www.dpbolvw.net/ln79gv30v2ILOLQRMRIKJNKNOKL

*****************************************************************

Create Custom T-Shirts Online at DesignAShirt.com - unique as
gifts or even for yourself. Get as creative as you want with any
kind of dance message you like!
http://www.jdoqocy.com/1p115lnwtnvADGDIJEJACBFGEIJD

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****

Think you've figured it out?

Click on this link to see if you're right!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Dancing On Air Ezine - August 2007

2007-08-02T12:40:00.000-04:00

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

Dancing On Air - August 2007

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "Dance Your Way to Health & Fitness - You Can
Dance Like the Stars!"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Dancers and Eating Disorders"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all!

August already? I don't believe it! We had a 'crummy' month of
July, here in Quebec, and just now it's getting nice? With our
short summers this really puts me in the 'dumps'...that being
said, I wrote an article along those lines entitled "Curing the
Blues: 14 "Feel-Good" Ways to Get Out of the Dumps" - you can
read it here: http://www.whimsies-online.com/curingblues.htm.
Have a great August everyone!

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. Article: "Dance Your Way to Health & Fitness - You Can Dance
Like the Stars!"

Thanks to http://www.sparkpeople.com, By Leanne Beattie, Health &
Fitness Writer

If you’re looking for a new way to jazz up your fitness routine,
why not try dancing? With the popularity of TV dance shows these
days, there’s never been a better time to put on your dancing
shoes. Why should celebrities have all the fun?

Even though you've probably danced a little here and there, you
may not have considered it to be "real" exercise because it's so
enjoyable. This element of fun is exactly what makes dancing such
a great way to get in shape-if you like it, you'll do it more
often.

Experts recommend 60 minutes of exercise each day and dancing can
be a heart-healthy aerobic workout. If you pick up the pace, you
can burn as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a
bicycle. Besides being fun, each dance step you take counts
toward your "daily 10,000" (the amount of steps experts recommend
taking each day for general health). In one study, researchers
attached pedometers to square dancers and found that their steps
covered nearly five miles in a single evening of dancing.

Reason to Put on Your Dancing Shoes

Treadmills and exercise bikes are great ways to get in shape, but
your body can quickly get used to the technique-meaning you begin
to see fewer results over time. Dancing, however, is multi-
directional and forces your muscles to move in new ways. If
you're doing the foxtrot, you're taking long, graceful steps
backwards, for example-a move you'd never make running on a
treadmill. By working your muscles in new ways, dancing can help
you get over or prevent that dreaded plateau (when you stop
getting results from your fitness routine).

And while it's easy to zone out on the treadmill for thirty
minutes without paying attention to the sensations in your body,
dancing is different because it stimulates your mind during the
entire session. You have to pay attention to your steps at all
times and anticipate your next move, which keeps you connected to
your body the entire time, without getting bored.

This mental connection may be just what you need to stay sharp
into your senior years too. A 21-year study of senior citizens,
published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that
frequent dancing offered the greatest protection against
dementia-a phenomenal 76% reduction in risk as compared to other
physical activities like golf.

Not only does dancing increase blood flow to the brain, the
social aspect of dance reduces stress, depression and loneliness.
The need to memorize steps and work in sync with a partner also
provides a mental challenge that keeps the mind active.

Dance also counts as weight-bearing exercise, which means that it
can help strengthen bones and fight osteoporosis. It requires
agility, balance, and grace-qualities that aren't fostered in a
typical gym workout.

Health & Fitness Benefits

If you're looking to improve your health and fitness level, a
wide variety of dance styles can do the trick. From bellydance to
square dance, ballet to ballroom, and salsa to swing, you can get
a fun aerobic workout that also offers the following benefits:

Stronger bones
Greater endurance and stamina
Stress relief
More flexibility
Better posture
Improved balance
Total body toning
Enahnced weight loss
Cardiovascular benefits
Reduced back pain

Calorie Burn (hourly average for a 150-pound person): Ballet
(300), Ballroom (265), Bellydancing (380), Salsa (400), Square
dancing (300), Swing (280)

Dance Hall Days

If you're new to the dance scene, you may need some instruction
before you can begin. Check your local dance schools to see if
they're open to the public on certain nights for casual dancing
or join a class for formal lessons. Most schools accept singles,
so you can take part even without a partner. Another option is to
try the drop-in classes offered at fitness centers. There are
also plenty of dance clubs that accept new members, such as
square dance or clogging groups.

If you're a little shy, don't forget that you can always crank up
the tunes in your own living room and dance away to your heart's
content. The kids can even join in making for a fun family
fitness night. So put on your favorite music, grab a partner and
start boogying!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com,
http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):

A babysitter came over one day to baby-sit 10 children. She
decided to give them a snack. In a jar there were 10 cookies. She
wants to give each one a cookie, but still keep one in the jar.
How will she do it? (Without breaking any cookies - each child
has to get a whole!)

Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. Dancers and Eating Disorders

I recently read Ron Saxen's book, "The Good Eater" and reviewed
it for my website and ezine, "On A Whim". Well, I realized that a
good many dancers suffer from eating disorders given that
constant struggle with body image and being in the limelight
under the scrutiny of other slim dancers, judges, people in the
audience, everyone we constantly think of as "critics". I think
this book is a ray of hope for those with eating problems and
will help reverse their way of thinking about food so that they
have a chance at a happier life with normal eating patterns.

The Good Eater, by Ron Saxen - reviewed by Heather Diodati

Low self esteem, sense of failure and hopelessness, the feeling
that you don't deserve happiness, a troubled childhood, eating to
escape problems and feelings, destructive relationships, the
rollercoaster of extremes: diet and exercise then bingeing and
depression, feelings of being out of control ... does this sound
like you?

I began reading Ron Saxen's book, "The Good Eater" one Saturday
morning and couldn't stop until I had absorbed every word,
finishing late that same night. For anyone who has had any kind
of eating disorder or worries that they may have one, this book
is definitely a must-read. Ron's descriptive account of his
sometimes thrilling, often painful rollercoaster ride with
relationships, careers, feelings and subsequent destructive binge
eating and exercising patterns, speckled with his refreshing
sense of humor, helps you believe that you can finally control
your eating patterns.

To read more of this review, please click on
http://www.whimsies-online.com/thegoodeater.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

I found a site with loads of threads on how to make your own
ballroom and latin dance costumes! Check it out here:
http://tinyurl.com/yqpxnr

*****************************************************************

http://www.sunnycorner.com/movies/dances2.php - other movies that
have dancing in them...

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

http://www.leotards.ca - they have lots of comfy leotard styles,
including tops and skirts, to practice in.

*****************************************************************

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/q0115wktqks7ADAFGBG798CEBFCD - Need a
different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress
has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find
something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T-
shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much
more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

http://www.danceshopper.com/dance_supplies.aspx - check out their
full listing of supplies for dancers such as fishnets, body tan,
false eyelashes with rhinestones and more...

*****************************************************************

Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

http://www.lambiance.ca/VideoDanceLessons.htm - watch videos of
Waltz, Cha Cha, Rumba and Jive with others being added in the
future.

*****************************************************************

Dance freebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

*****************************************************************

International Latin Technique from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/International_Latin_Technique

*****************************************************************

Overview of Dance Figures from Ballroom Dancing UK:
http://www.dancesport.uk.com/training/index.htm

*****************************************************************

The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

http://www.ballroomdancers.com/Learning_Center/: an excellent
resource from BallroomDancers.com

*****************************************************************

STUMPED AGAIN?

Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for dancer or dance
teacher?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message.
Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including
TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance
partners, and more!

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

*****************************************************************

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ SPECIAL MENTIONS _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Have fun creating your own customized clothing with Customized
Girl! http://www.jdoqocy.com/jt82hz74z6MPSPUVQVMONRSWPWO

*****************************************************************

Choose from over 250+ Styles and Colors in our Custom T-Shirts &
Save 5% off orders 2 or more! Add any dance-related text for a
really personalized dancer's shirt.
http://www.dpbolvw.net/ln79gv30v2ILOLQRMRIKJNKNOKL

*****************************************************************

Create Custom T-Shirts Online at DesignAShirt.com - unique as
gifts or even for yourself. Get as creative as you want with any
kind of dance message you like!
http://www.jdoqocy.com/1p115lnwtnvADGDIJEJACBFGEIJD

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****

Think you've figured it out?

Click on this link to see if you're right!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle2.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Dancers and Eating Disorders

2007-07-28T06:23:00.001-04:00

I recently read Ron Saxen's book, "The Good Eater" and reviewed it for my website and ezine, "On A Whim". Well, I realized that a good many dancers suffer from eating disorders given that constant struggle with body image and being in the limelight under the scrutiny of other slim dancers, judges, people in the audience, everyone we constantly think of as "critics". I think this book is a ray of hope for those with eating problems and will help reverse their way of thinking about food so that they have a chance at a happier life with normal eating patterns.

The Good Eater, by Ron Saxen - reviewed by Heather Diodati

Low self esteem, sense of failure and hopelessness, the feeling that you don't deserve happiness, a troubled childhood, eating to escape problems and feelings, destructive relationships, the rollercoaster of extremes: diet and exercise then bingeing and depression, feelings of being out of control ... does this sound like you?

I began reading Ron Saxen's book, "The Good Eater" one Saturday morning and couldn't stop until I had absorbed every word, finishing late that same night. For anyone who has had any kind of eating disorder or worries that they may have one, this book is definitely a must-read. Ron's descriptive account of his sometimes thrilling, often painful rollercoaster ride with relationships, careers, feelings and subsequent destructive binge eating and exercising patterns, speckled with his refreshing sense of humor, helps you believe that you can finally control your eating patterns.

To read more of this review, please click on "The Good Eater"...

Dancing On Air Ezine - July 2007 Issue

2007-07-12T06:32:00.000-04:00

Dancing On Air - July 2007

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it
on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've
received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find
out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address
will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -
promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!

Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this
ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly
inconvenienced...

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "Foot Pain Can Stop You in Your Tracks"
3 Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Why Do We Dance?"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all!

Hope everyone had a wonderful FoUrth of July!

Well, as I mentioned last month we've been updating our website.
What a job - but it was fun, though! Now along with our own
Whimsies Cartoons, we have Name-That-Toon, Amazing Cartoons and
now - drum roll please......

Friendly Folks Cartoons!

That means we have almost 1,300 cartoons to personalize just for
you - many, many to choose from. You can check them out here:
http://www.whimsies-online.com

We are also now on MySpace - the more friends the merrier so come
on over to http://www.myspace.com/whimsiespersonalizedtoons and
join up as a friend!

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have
any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see
addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical
anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or
shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll
laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started
dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),
etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you
spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from
you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you
always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine
and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer
once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,

~ Heather ~
(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!

Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I
promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They
are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm

or you can download the files here:

http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,
The Dancer's Notebook"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2. Foot Pain Can Stop You in Your Tracks
By Pamela Adams D.C.

Ever stepped out of bed in the morning only to hop back in
because you felt a sharp pain in the bottom of your foot? Arch
pain or heel pain can signal a condition called plantar fascitis
and can keep you off your feet for months at a time. It's hard to
treat, slow to heal and hurts like heck with every step.The best
way to deal with this condition is to prevent it.

You're a candidate for plantar fascitis if you walk or stand for
a living. Or if you're a jogger, or player of any sport that
involves regular, sustained running. Especially if you rarely
stretch afterwards. Years of wearing flip-flops or going barefoot
can do it, too. You're even more at risk if either or both of
your feet pronate.

What is pronation? Normally when you put weight on your feet--
standing, walking, running-- your arches flatten out. If you
pronate, your arches flatten too much. They actually collapse.
Have you've been told you have flat feet? You may be a pronator.
. Do this test: Stand barefoot and have a friend try to place two
fingers under your arch. It should be easy. If not, you probably
pronate. Do your feet turn out? If you look at the soles of your
shoes, is there more wear on the outsides of your heels? If so,
you probably pronate.

What to do? First, you must wear supportive shoes. On the job,
it's not enough to wear shoes with cushioned insoles. You need
shoes that support your arch. Once you've endured the pain of
plantar fascitis, you'll gladly forego fashion for support. If
all else fails, consider orthotics.

Orthotics are shoe inserts made of a variety of materials some
flexible, some not, and are designed to fit and support your
foot. A good all-around insert can be found at
http://www.hapad.com Debilitating, chronic foot pain usually
calls for a custom orthotic made by a podiatrist.

Physiologically speaking, plantar fascitis is inflammation of the
connective tissue, or fascia, on the bottom of your foot. This
fascia connects your heel with the ball of your foot. Constantly
over-stretching it results in inflammation and pain. If it is
ignored long enough, it can cause something called a heel spur.

Bone is dynamic. It is constantly changing and renewing itself.
It changes in response to stress, mechanical stress. When the
fascia is constantly tugging on the bone at the insertion point,
the bone responds by adding more bone at that spot to relieve the
tension. It's as if it were trying to give the fascia some slack.
It's how a heel spur forms. But if you take care of it, when the
plantar fascitis heals, the bone spur is a non-issue.

Being on your feet 8-10 hours a day is an athletic event. Make a
practice of stretching achilles and calf muscles throughout the
day, and, of course, after each run, hike, ride or game. To
stretch your achilles, find a curb, step, or rung of a chair
that's 3"to 4" high.

For more of this article, please go to:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/footpain.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com,
http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):

No sooner spoken than broken. What is it?

Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

4. "Why Do We Dance?"
Thanks to www.havetodance.com

Why do we dance? Why do YOU dance? Is it for exercise; do you
want to lose weight or be in better shape? Do you want to meet
people? Do you want to keep your mind active? Or perhaps all of
these things? Remember: "People do not stop dancing because they
get older, they get older because they stop dancing" - author
unknown.

A lot of people wonder why we put so much energy into dancing.
Considering all the fun things to do, some of us put a
disportionate amount of time (and money) into dancing. On the
other hand, we could be asking why some people spend a ton of
money to go skiing or to buy a neat car. Why do people go running
all the time? For some of us, dancing is a part of what we are;
it makes us feel good. For some, it's a timely escape from the
today's reality. Here are some reasons why you should get into
it.

Top ten reasons...?

Please check them out here:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/whydance.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo,
West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start
dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com

*****************************************************************

http://www.dancestudent.com/newsletters.html - great dance tips
and article on this site.

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http://usadance6.org/TRAINING.html - a lot of good info here for
the seasoned dancer as well as for the beginner!

*****************************************************************

Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online
info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee
ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!

http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

*****************************************************************

Fr~ee ballroom tutorial and online dance courses:
http://www.selfmadescholar.com/classes.php?tag=dance

*****************************************************************

http://tinyurl.com/y98zwx - Need a different kind of gift idea
for your favorite dancer? CafePress has so many fun gift items to
choose from, you're sure to find something special... all kinds
of fun ballroom items such as T- shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs,
Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much more, and all for dancing
enthusiasts!

Their regular shipping policy is really reasonable: 5 items for
$5 shipping, in the US, anyway and they do ship internationally,
just check their site for details.

CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they
sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the
products they offer and their service.

*****************************************************************

http://www.selfmadescholar.com/classes.php?tag=dance: Tutorials
and classes on dancing.

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Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers!
Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm

Save on selected items!

*****************************************************************

http://www.anidance.de/: The Virtual Animated dancing school.

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Dance freebies:
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm

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http://www.dancesportinfo.net/: results and photos from most
major competitions

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http://www.dancesportsuperbowl.com/: Holds over 70 dance
competitions across the United States

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The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style!
Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and
will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great
idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs

*****************************************************************

http://www.waltzballs.org/social.html: Instruction on Social
Ballroom Dancing with step diagrams

*****************************************************************

STUMPED AGAIN?

Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for person?

Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason!
Personalized with any name or message.
Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including
TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance
partners, and more!

We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair
color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...

Always at ~ no extra charge ~
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons.
We can create any cartoon you'd like!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****

Think you've figured it out?

Click on this link to see if you're right!

http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle.htm

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!

Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati
(c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be
used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear,
Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the
Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not
specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable
Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com
Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)

Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom
dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------

To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this
issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're
reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now
for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The
Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable
forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and
routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance
notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On
Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in
Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just
give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name
of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???;
how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have
published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com
or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us
from another address other than the one you use to receive our
ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address.
We'll be sorry to see you go!

To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it
on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com
mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0
Canada

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This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam
Act of the FCC.

This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or
solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email
newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false
accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of
all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages
for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines
that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state,
local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the
false spam accusation.

Dancing On Air Ezine - June 2007

2007-06-06T12:24:00.000-04:00

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Dancing On Air - June 2007
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This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.
Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality - promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!
Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced...
----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Welcome from Heather! 2. Article: "Choosing your first ballroom competition dress" 3 Riddle of the Month 4. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits 5. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!
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1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!
Welcome all!
Boy, have we been updating our website! What a job - but it was fun, though! For example we've changed the way each cartoon page looks - now you can choose the color of mat you'd like to see and the cartoon will be automatically surrounded with that color! Please see: http://www.whimsies-online.com/argtango.htm
Also, we've teamed up with Name-That-Toon to offer even more personalized cartoon choices - over 400 more, AND, we're working with another major personalized cartoon software company to provide even MORE cartoon choices - over 500! PHEW!
Oh, almost forgot - most of the Name-That-Toon cartoon pages also have the option of viewing the cartoon in either male or female, or amount of family members such as: http://www.whimsies-online.com/backyardbbq.htm
We also offer a guarantee - check it out on our main page: http://www.whimsies-online.com
Next month I hope to have all of the newest cartoons on the website whenever this 'major deal' goes through - will keep ya posted!
We are also now on MySpace - the more friends the merrier so come on over to http://www.myspace.com/whimsiespersonalizedtoons and join up as a friend!
Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements), etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.
Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.
And remember: "People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."
- Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, Psychiatrist and Author
Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer once told me:
Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)
Whimsically yours,
~ Heather ~ (meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!
Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm
or you can download the files here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs
Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
2. Choosing your first ballroom competition dress
(Thanks to Ballroom Fashion tips by Maria Chitul http://www.ballroomsparkle.com - Maria is the owner of Ballroom Sparkle studio, designing gowns for ballroom dancers all over the world. At her site you will find a lot of gown designs, articles about ballroom fashion and style advice for beginners.)
Part I
***
If you haven't been taking part in dance shows or stage performances before, choosing your first ballroom competition dress might turn to be a challenging task. Most probably you are not ready to spend a fortune on your first competition costume, you are also not sure what color or design to choose, you might not even know where to buy a dress for dance competitions at all. Still, this is your first big show and you want to look great and be the queen of the ball. This article addresses some of the basic questions most of the beginners bump into when looking for their dance costumes for competition.
Question N1. Do I need a dance costume?
Some couples decide not to bother with their dance costumes for competition at all. I've noticed people wearing their disco party clothes or their evening gowns at ballroom competition. To some extent it makes sense of course. You might not even be sure if you are going to continue dancing at all. Why buy a competition ballroom dress to leave it dust in your closet afterwards?
However, I don't think it's really a good option. Mainly for the reason you are unlikely to feel comfortable wearing these clothes. Party and evening dresses are often made of a non- stretchy fabric that is not suited for ballroom dancing. The ballroom competition costumes are specifically designed to show off the ballroom movements and positions to best advantage. Long full skirts in smooth/standard dances accentuate the gliding movements of the dancer, while fringed or ripped skirts show off the hip work and fast movements in latin. The regular evening dress simply wouldn't make the same impression.
The second reason you should consider your looks seriously is that despite everything the judges and teachers say - ballroom dancing is quite a subjective sport. It's important for you to stand out on the dance floor. And a good ballroom costume is one of the factors that will help you do so.
So my position here is: if you are a beginning dancer who doesn't want to spend large sums on dance costumes for competitions - go for professional look at the cheapest cost you can find. You may either rent a costume, or order a simple undecorated dress from a tailor - neither will require a fortune.
Question N.2. Where do I find dance costumes for competition?
Start your quest for a ballroom competition costume from your dancing teacher. He is the person who usually knows good tailors or ballroom dance shops in your area and who can recommend you one. He also knows the actual level of the approaching competition and can advice you what kind of gown would be appropriate to wear for it. The dress code may vary from competition to competition - you want to be neither overly dressed nor look too modest compared to other couples.
Ballroom dress seamstress
Having your competition dress custom made is probably the best option, given that you managed to find a good ballroom dress maker . A custom made dress is guaranteed to fit your figure, compliment your face complexion and be adjusted to your budget. By having your dress made - you get much more flexibility in choosing fabric, colors, and ballroom dress design. You will also get some professional advice from the seamstresses who designed many ballroom dresses before and therefore know what ballroom dress design would suit you best. A good ballroom dress tailor will always recommend you how to save on a dress if you have a limited budget. For instance the tailor may design the dress in a way so he could add more decorations or extra floats/feathers/skirts later on. The only possible disadvantage of a custom-made gown is that it takes some time before it is ready.
Pre-owned gowns
If you need a ballroom competition dress quickly you may consider buying a second hand gown from other dancers. The pre-owned gowns come in all shapes and sizes, priced extremely differently. From cheap "home-made" gowns, to brand new "designer sponsored" dresses, which were only worn once and are now offered for sale with a discount. Sponsored gowns are usually beautiful, heavily stoned, but quite expensive for a beginner. Still, the range of gowns is very big so you are likely to find something appropriate for your level and your pocket.
When buying a pre-worn gown be sure to ask how many times this dress was worn, require a closer picture of the dress and possibly agree on a return in case the dress turns to be not quite as "brand new" as promised.
Ballroom dress rentals
Renting a ballroom dancing gown is another option you might consider. If you are not sure about what design or color would suit you best, don't have more than 200 USD to spend and still want a nice professional competition dress - consider a dress rental. The rentals would usually let you choose between two or three dresses, too. And some would even let you buy the dress, if you loved it too much to give it back.
Part II
Style
There isn't a single answer as to what ballroom dress would suit you best. The first and probably the most important condition is that you have to feel comfortable both emotionally and physically in the dress of your choice. Take some time and think - how do you see yourself on the dance floor? Are you chick? Romantic? Passionate? Flirty? You should choose a design that would appeal to your inner self and to your style of dancing. In my experience the time spent on finding your own style pays off much better than any designer-made dress stuffed with stones from head to toes.
Be sure to discuss your preferences with your partner. Ideally you should develop a common image of you as a couple. A couple where the girl looks like a high-class sophisticated lady while her partner plays a hot Macho man looks somehow weird.
Basic Fit
Take a few simple precautions to ensure you will feel ok in your costumes during the competition. Raise your hands, make a couple of moves in front of the mirror, and observe the skirt motion. For standard dresses - make sure not to choose a very long skirt or you risk catching your heels in it. For latin gowns - it's important that your top stays in place while you are dancing. The straps should be elastic and strong enough not to fall off your shoulders, and your bra or the sewed-in bra cups shouldn't move from your breasts. Take some time to practice dancing together with your partner in your competition costumes. Your skirt should allow enough room for motion for both of you, and your sleeves should not impede your partner to hold your hands or change places.
Every competition follows a certain dress code, which might not allow some fabrics or decorations for your dance level. It's better to learn them in advance not to get banned from the dance floor only for wearing latin competition gown decorated with feathers which were not allowed.
Colors - safe black or blatant pink?
Choosing dull colors is probably the commonest mistake a beginning performer makes. Being scared away by the bright colors, he would never wear in the real life, like pink or bright-green he ends up choosing something absolutely plain like grey, charcoal or brown.There's nothing wrong with choosing dim colors, but any dancing competition - is still a show and it is important to stand out. If all the other dancers are in red, your black dress will look gorgeous. But if you have no idea what other competitors wear - my suggestion is to bet for brighter colors.
Of course this doesn't cancel the need to choose the colors that suit your complexion and compliment your figure. Not everyone can safely wear bright 'electric' colors, like orange or fuchsia. Orange would look great on dark haired tanned girls while a blond girl would look greenish in it. Pink shades suit many skin types and are quite popular among dancers, yet they can add you several extra kg’s, so pick the design carefully.
Black always looks elegant and sophisticated, but it usually requires some bright accessories or a lot of sparkling stones to help it stand out. Otherwise, since your partner is usually wearing black it is likely you will blend on his background. Brown and sand colors should be picked carefully for the same reason - they tend to blend you with the floor. White looks great on most people, it gives a fresh and rich impression, yet it is quite impractical.
Summarizing the above said - besides matching your taste and complexion - the color should not be dim or 'dusty', it shouldn't blend with your face, your partner's clothes or the dance floor. If you are picking a popular color, which many dancers are likely to wear, such as flame red or pink - try to find an unusual ballroom gown design that would let you stand out. Or, ask your tailor to design a special ballroom dress just for you.
Stage look
Another little thing you should keep in mind while choosing dress fabric and design. It mostly matters how you look at a distance. You dance for the audience, which sits quite far from you (5-10-15-20 m away). Any small pattern would either go unnoticed or would look silly. And vice-versa: If the dress you are looking at looks vulgar to you - put it on the rack and get a second look at a 10m distance. You might change your mind then.
Say no to small dots, little flowers, and the like. The only exception is probably animal print, but again, make sure it's visible from a 10 m. distance. My personal opinion is that it's always better to buy a fabric with no patterns and decorate the dress with stones and appliqué work after that: this method leaves you with more space for improvisation.
A final platitude for a summary
No matter how gorgeous your dress is - it does not guarantee you the finals. But a well chosen dress - one that fits your figure, has an interesting design, right colors, topped with a good makeup - will definitely make you stand out. Wearing it, you will feel comfortable during your performance and will get the biggest prize for any dancer: the audience applauses.
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3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH
This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com, http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):
What gets wetter the more it dries?
Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!
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4. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS
Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo, West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com
*****************************************************************
Read the wonderful tips that Stanley McCalla, a former US amateur champion in Latin, Standard and 10 dances, has to offer: http://www.fred-astaire.blogspot.com
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Dance Your Way to Health & Fitness: You Can Dance Like the Stars! This is an excellent article from the good people at: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/Fitness_articles.asp?id=850
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Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com
*****************************************************************
Fr~ee ballroom tutorial and online dance courses: http://www.selfmadescholar.com/classes.php?tag=dance
*****************************************************************
http://tinyurl.com/y98zwx - Need a different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T- shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!
Their regular shipping policy is really reasonable: 5 items for $5 shipping, in the US, anyway and they do ship internationally, just check their site for details.
CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the products they offer and their service.
*****************************************************************
Use It or Lose It: Dancing Makes You Smarter - Musings by Richard Powers
http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter.htm
*****************************************************************
Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers! Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm
Save on selected items!
*****************************************************************
All About Ballroom Dancing Welcome to the magical world of ballroom dancing! There has never been a better time to become involved in ballroom dancing, whether as a newcomer or accomplished dancer who just needs to brush up on their steps. This site is dedicated to all ballroom dancers and to all those who aspire to be.
http://www.ballroom-dancing.blogspot.com/
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Dance freebies: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm
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Dance animation software for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows http://www.credo-interactive.com/danceforms/index.html
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Salsa Nights: 2007 Wall Calendar
This new wall calendar for 2007 features paintings by Bill Brauer portraying couples indulging in the smooth & sultry rhythms of the salsa dance. Brauer's palette of rich colors and beautifully rendered shapes evokes the sensuousness of the female form. A truly wonderful gift for your favorite dancer, or for you!
http://tinyurl.com/y5ay52
Check out their huge collection of calendars of all types too!
*****************************************************************
The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style! Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs
*****************************************************************
Fr~ee online dance lessons - you can even download the PDF so you can read the 'book' later on - the PDF is also fr~ee~ http://www.thedancelesson.com/
*****************************************************************
STUMPED AGAIN?
Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for person?
Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!
Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason! Personalized with any name or message. Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion. including TONS of personalized cartoons for dancers, dance teachers, dance partners, and more!
We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more...
Always at ~ no extra charge ~ http://www.whimsies-online.com
Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons. We can create any cartoon you'd like! http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm
----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------
***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****
Think you've figured it out?
Click on this link to see if you're right!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle2.htm
----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------
5. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!
Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati (c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.
Any articles are the property of the original author and can be used only with the author's permission.
Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear, Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not specifically endorse these products or services.
Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)
Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com
----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------
To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm
Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )
So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???; how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have published in Dancing On Air.
To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us from another address other than the one you use to receive our ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address. We'll be sorry to see you go!
To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm
email: info@whimsies-online.com mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0 Canada
----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------
This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam Act of the FCC.
This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state, local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the false spam accusation.

Dancing On Air Ezine - May 2007

2007-06-04T05:17:00.000-04:00

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Dancing On Air - May 2007
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This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for it on one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've received this Ezine in er~ror or wish to leave us, please find out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine.

Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality - promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver!
Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced
----------<<>>---------<<>>----------<<>>----------<<>>----------
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Welcome from Heather! 2. Article: "How to tell if your Budgie has been taking Argentine Tango Lessons" 3 Riddle of the Month 4. Article: "A Twelve-Step Program S-S-Q-Q-S-S-Q&Q&SS" 5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits 6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!
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1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Welcome all!

This is the birthday edition - mine!!! (yech) - or since I have budgies, I'll call it the bird-day edition (hehehehe). My birthday is May 5th. (I share the same birth year as the Corvette!)
Here are my thoughts on getting older for anyone who is interested. If you're not interested you can scroll down to skip this part, but I'll throw what's left of my birthday cake at you!!!
Wendy Cope states, "I'm aiming by the time I'm fifty to stop being an adolescent."
That's not me! Whenever anyone tells me to act my age, I always say, "I'm not in my second childhood; I never left my first!" Here's a quote I definitely agree with:

From Doug Larson: "The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball"

You know what? It's fun to be silly and it's especially fun to be silly with someone you love who acts just as silly! Sure there are times to be serious, which we are, but you can't go through life being serious 100% of the time - it's not fun! One of the silliest times I had was when I put a popsicle down my husband's shorts and he chased me outside with the garden hose while all the neighbors applauded!

A few years ago, hubby and I were "fencing" in the kitchen - he had an empty plastic soda bottle and I had a plastic spaghetti fork. He knocked it out of my hand and we cracked the fish tank! Luckily it was only a leak and we were able to save the babies in the small tank; transferring them to a bowl and running out to buy a replacement tank! Be a little crazy; have a food fight with your loved one, even when you're fifty!!! (The kids will really think you've lost it - hehehehe!)

By-the-way, we're busily doing a major, major update to our website...please stay 'tuned'!
Oh, and we've been profiled in Idea Cafe! http://tinyurl.com/yp9uvs

Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements), etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com.

Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care.

Remember, Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer once told me:

Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours,
Heather (meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

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NEW SUBSCRIBERS:Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!
Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts I promised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm
or you can download the files here:
http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs
Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook"

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2. HOW TO TELL IF YOUR BUDGIE HAS BEEN TAKING ARGENTINE TANGO LESSONS
By Heather Diodati

1. Her posture has improved dramatically.
2. She's constantly backing up and kicking her leg through her cage bars in rhythmic patterns.
3. Someone from a dance shoe store just left a message on your answering machine for a Ms. Tweety.
4. There's bird gravel in your dance bag.
5. She disappears for hours on end and the spare money from your cookie jar is missing.
6. Your Julio Iglesias Tango CD is missing.
7. When you come home, you notice your livingroom carpet is not in the same place.
8. There are little budgie claw prints on your latest copy of Dancing Times Magazine.

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3. RIDDLE OF THE MONTH

This months' riddle (Thanks to http://www.riddlenut.com, http://www.allriddles.com or http://www.justriddlesandmore.com):
Using the words DROVES and NEWS write seven words using each letter once.
Take a guess, then scroll down for the answer link!

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4. BALLROOM DANCE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS: A Twelve-Step Program S-S-Q-Q-S-S-Q&Q&SS
(thanks to www.Dance Dimension.com)

You might be a ballroom addict if...
* you have, at least once in the past year, spent more time driving to a dance event than you knew you would actually spend dancing.
* your e-mail address, password, or screensaver is dance- related.
* you go to non-dance social functions with other dancers but cannot carry on a conversation for longer than 15 minutes without talking about dance (this includes gossiping about people at dance class.)
* you subscribe to more than one dance-related magazine or newsletter
* at least two gifts per year (received or given by you) are dance-related: clothing, music, video, money for dance lessons, etc.
* you cheered out loud for your favorite couples during "Dance With Me" in the movie theatre.
* you cringe when you see the Spice Girls start the Cha-Cha on one.
* you have pets, at least one of them has a dance-related name - a cat named Grapevine, a dog named Samba, a bird named Polka, etc.
* when you're debating whether or not to buy a new article of clothing, a chief factor in the decision is whether or not you can wear it dancing (Ed.note: I can relate to this one! - will the skirt open wide enough to accommodate a wide side step in waltz?...is the long skirt just short enough so my heel will not get caught in the hem?...will the shoulder straps stay up during a vigorous jive?...etc!)
* you have ever paid more than $20 for a CD because it has your favorite dance tune on it.
* you stay in a relationship you feel is bad for you because your partner is a good dancer and you don't think you will be able to find a replacement.

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5. COOL SITES AND NEWS TIDBITS

Do you want a smart, affordable way to learn more Hustle, Mambo, West Coast Swing & Cha Cha Steps? Visit Dancestudent.com & start dancing by your own design. http://www.dancestudent.com
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Dance Lovers Ballroom Dancing DVDs and Videos
Instructional Ballroom Dancing DVDs and Videos for the Social Dancer. Choose from over 20 dances. Ballad, Bolero, Cha Cha, Country Western, Country Two Step, Foxtrot, Hustle, Line Dance, Mambo, Merengue, Nightclub Two Step, Polka, Quickstep, Rumba, Samba, Shag, East and West Coast Swing, Tango, Viennese Waltz and Waltz.
http://www.dancelovers.com?a_aid=50eea036
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http://www.loveofdance.com is having a Going Out Of Business sale - check out their wonderful dance gifts such as collectibles, charms, picture frames and more.
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Ballroom-Dance-Resource is your one-stop ballroom dance online info resource. Sign up for Dancing On Air, our fr~ee ballroom/Latin dance ezine...Welcome and Happy Dancing!
http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com
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Check out their online dance classes and tutorials! For example, they offer an Online Ballroom Dance Tutorial, Learn to Dance online videos, The Dance Store Learning Center full of fr~ee info for dance enthusiasts, and more:
http://www.selfmadescholar.com/classes.php?tag=dance
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http://tinyurl.com/y98zwx - Need a different kind of gift idea for your favorite dancer? CafePress has so many fun gift items to choose from, you're sure to find something special... all kinds of fun ballroom items such as T- shirts, Bags, Hats, Mugs, Notebooks, Clothing, Clocks and much more, and all for dancing enthusiasts!
Their regular shipping policy is really reasonable: 5 items for $5 shipping, in the US, anyway and they do ship internationally, just check their site for details.
CafePress offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on everything they sell, I've bought from them and I've always been pleased with the products they offer and their service.
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Cuban Salsa Dance http://bailemos-salsa2002.netfirms.com/english
Cuban Salsa dance lessons and videos.
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Exciting gifts for ballroom and Latin dancers! Mugs, T-shirts, wall clocks, tote bags and more!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/whimsieswear.htm
Save on selected items!
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World of Dance Visions - Story Shorts http://hometown.aol.com/ithacadance/index.html
Story shorts on Ballroom, Ballet, Belly Dance, Hip Hop, Lindy Hop, Latin, Modern Dance, and Swing dance experiences by the people who lived them.
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Dance freebies: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/freebies.htm
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One Ballroom Way http://oneballroomway.com
Ballroom dancing events, news, articles, videos and photos.
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Salsa Nights: 2007 Wall Calendar
This new wall calendar for 2007 features paintings by Bill Brauer portraying couples indulging in the smooth & sultry rhythms of the salsa dance. Brauer's palette of rich colors and beautifully rendered shapes evokes the sensuousness of the female form. A truly wonderful gift for your favorite dancer, or for you!
http://tinyurl.com/y5ay52
Check out their huge collection of calendars of all types too!
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The folding ballroom shoe brush...the shoe brush with style! Makes a change from the old-style dance shoe brush - it folds and will protect hands and things from scrapes and scratches! Great idea and a must for your dance bag!! Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs
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BallroomDanceTalk.com http://www.ballroomdancetalk.com
Ballroom Dance Forum and Discussion
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STUMPED AGAIN?
Looking for a fun gift for that hard-to-buy-for person?
Never fear...Whimsies Personalized Cartoons are Here!
Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; any reason! Personalized with any name or message. Cartoons for any hobby, occupation, sport, or occasion.
We can change any Whimsies Personalized Cartoon character's hair color, skin tone, add glasses or a moustache and more... Always at ~ no extra charge ~ http://www.whimsies-online.com

Can't find what you want? Check out our Custom Cartoons. We can create any cartoon you'd like! http://www.whimsies-online.com/designyourown.htm

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***** ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S RIDDLE *****
Think you've figured it out?
Click on this link to see if you're right!
http://www.whimsies-online.com/riddle.htm

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6. SUBSCRIPTION INFO AND THE USUAL END-OF-EZINE STUFF!
Dancing On Air is published monthly by Heather Diodati (c) Copyright 2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

Any articles are the property of the original author and can be used only with the author's permission.

Disclaimer: The ads for products other than Whimsies Wear, Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, and The Pet Computer Virus in the Sponsor Ad Section are a service to subscribers and we do not specifically endorse these products or services.

Visit our site: Whimsies! Personalized Cartoons and the adorable Pet Computer Virus at http://www.whimsies-online.com Shop on-line with us anytime! (clothes optional)
Check out our newest site chock-full of useful info for ballroom dancers: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

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To recommend this Ezine, or subscribe: How's about spreading this issue around. Encourage your friends to subscribe! If you're reading someone else's copy, why don't you subscribe right now for fr~ee and we'll e-mail you the link to your gift of The Ballroom Dancer's Notebook, a great new system with printable forms created to facilitate recording your dance steps and routines; and you can keep track of those all-important dance notes, phone numbers and dates. Please subscribe to Dancing On Air on our site: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm

Don't forget to send in your suggestions so we can include you in Dancing On Air! (see "Welcome from Heather" )

So...you publish an Ezine too? Would you like to swap ads? Just give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com and tell me the name of your Ezine; whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, or ???; how many subscribers you have and the ad you'd like to have published in Dancing On Air.

To leave this list, please e-mail us at info@whimsies-online.com or use the link at the end of this ezine. If you're e-mailing us from another address other than the one you use to receive our ezine, please make sure you indicate the correct e-mail address. We'll be sorry to see you go!
To subscribe to On A Whim... ezine also, please read all about it on http://www.whimsies-online.com/ezineform.htm

email: info@whimsies-online.com mailing address: 3516-126th rue, St. Anicet, Quebec, J0S 1M0 Canada

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This ezine is carefully created in compliance with the Can-Spam Act of the FCC.
This ezine contains commercial messages as an advertisement or solicitation. The subscriber agrees, by accepting this email newsletter subscription, to indemnify the publisher against false accusations of spam to include, but not limited to, payment of all damages, loss of web hosting fees and services, all damages for loss of business and goodwill, and any and all fees or fines that may be imposed against the publisher by any federal, state, local authority or civilian business entity as a result of the false spam accusation.

Plagiarism and the Internet

2007-04-05T12:18:00.000-04:00

I was very recently upset to find out that an article I added to my website, with proper credit (or so it seemed) to the author of the article was, in fact, an article that had been taken from another source and manipulated, so to speak, in the website's favor!

I'm not going to go into an indepth discussion on the subject of plagiarism here. I will simply quote Wikipedia (note the proper credit :-) as saying, "Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. Unlike cases of forgery, in which the authenticity of the writing, document, or some other kind of object, itself is in question, plagiarism is concerned with the issue of false attribution."

For those curious, here is the page where I had published this article, which has now been deleted of course, with a small explanation therein: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/promises.htm

Whimsies offers Free Customization to all their Personalized Cartoons

2007-04-02T15:46:00.000-04:00

Unique to Whimsies Personalized Cartoons, changes to cartoon characters are offered free of charge.

“I decided to offer something that no other personalized cartoon company offers for free; that the customer can change basically anything they want in their cartoon characters”, Heather Diodati of Whimsies Personalized Cartoons explains.

For example, a customer chooses a cartoon that will be personalized with a name, date, title, saying (many sayings are also offered on the Whimsies website but the customer can specify their own); any text at all. Then the customer can request changes such as hair color, style and length (even bald or partially bald); gender, eye color, and even freckles, glasses or a moustache. This way, the cartoon is not only personalized with text but also has the characteristics of the person receiving the gift.

Special idea for weddings: they can also change dress colors to match wedding colors. “This idea has been very popular”, Heather explains.

Each cartoon is an original work, a labor of love from the heart. A personalized cartoon is a treasured gift, perfect for the person who has everything. Heather loves to work with her customers/friends in order to create a one-of-a-kind personalized gift for that special person in their lives and she truly enjoys knowing that one of her designs has brought a giggle or a smile to someone's lips. Heather’s work can be seen, and ordered, at http://www.whimsies-online.com

Dancing On Air Ezine - Current Issue

2007-04-01T14:03:00.000-04:00

Dancing On Air - March 2007

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This Ezine has been e-mailed to you because you signed up for iton one of our websites: http://www.whimsies-online.com or http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com. If you feel you've received this Ezine in error or wish to leave us, please find out how to leave this list at the end of this ezine. Please note that I respect your privacy. Your e-mail address will never be distributed. I guarantee your confidentiality -promise - they can string me up by my toes and feed me liver! Important Note: No trees were killed in the sending of this ezine...however, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced :-)

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IN THIS ISSUE

1. Welcome from Heather!
2. Article: "Pitfalls in Ballroom Dancing"
3. Riddle of the Month
4. Article: "Shoes, Shoes, Shoes"
5. Cool Sites and Interesting Tidbits
6. Subscription Info & the usual end-of-ezine stuff!

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1. WELCOME FROM HEATHER!

Hi all and happy March! Well, hopefully spring weather will arrive this month - getting really tired of all that white stuff! What happened to that wonderful spring-like weather we had in January? Mother Nature battling with Ol' Man Winter again - ah yes...the age old battles between men and women :-)A note on International Dance Day: On the 29th of April, as every year since 1982, Dance Day will be celebrated all over the world by the international community of dancers and dance enthusiasts. For more info on International Dance Day, check out this website: http://www.cid-unesco.org/html/dance_day.html Let me know what you think about Dancing On Air and if you have any suggestions for ballroom dance topics you'd like to see addressed; or you'd like to submit clean jokes, comical anecdotes, stress reliever ideas for dance competitions and/or shows, your most embarrassing and comical experiences (we'll laugh with you!), fun ideas, dance hints, how you started dancing, your news (any dance news, competitions, announcements),etc., Comments? Questions? Just need to vent about the coffee you spilled all over yourself this morning? I'd love to hear from you. Give me a shout at info@whimsies-online.com. Have a great month and don't forget, keep in touch...May you always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that care. Remember, Dancing On Air is for you - we want to bring a little sunshine and laughter into your life! Keep dancin'! or as a fellow dancer once told me: Carpe Dancem (seize the dance)

Whimsically yours, Heather(meet the artist: http://www.whimsies-online.com/theartist.htm)

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NEW SUBSCRIBERS: Here's your Fr~ee Gift, The Dancer's Notebook!Here's the link to access the download page for the fr~ee gifts Ipromised you when you signed up for Dancing On Air Ezine. They are all Word files - hope you find them as useful as I do! http://www.whimsies-online.com/dancingonairgifts.htm or you can download the files here: http://tinyurl.com/6zbcs Scroll down to where it says "Sign up and receive a Fr~ee Gift,The Dancer's Notebook"

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2. "Pitfalls in Ballroom Dancing"~ by Dr. Victor Jean Ouellette ~My toes, my toes, my aching toes I got clobbered in a one foot pose.- It can break up a marriage if she wants to lead. If the lady is leading then the man is a wimp. The good thing is that the wimp phase of the learning curve usually doesn't last too long.- You buy nice new expensive special suede soled dance shoes, then some beginner steps all over them. LOL- Dancing with a dance instructor is mega intimidation. It doesn't matter how nice or how good the dance instructor is, dancing with them is always intimidating.- Never dance close when dancing with a dance instructor.- You learn a nice dance step in dance class then go to a REAL DANCE and are standing on the floor with a blank look on your face trying to remember what that great step was that you just learned.- Playing bumper cars can be fun sometimes but on the dance floor it means no FRAME. Gees, only the initiated will know what that means. Read more here: http://www.ballroom-dance-resource.com/pitfalls.htm

For more of this ezine, please subscribe at: http://www.whimsies-online.com/danceezine.htm