Mo Hurley Remember
when we tap danced in the Sebastopol Safeway and everyone looking
around for all that clattering? A flamenco dancer came into the store
the other day and danced in front of my cheese booth. It was a scream.
Customers joined in, clapping, saying
Olé. Do you remember the flamenco guitarist Enrique Sanchez? She is his
blind musician friend Augustine's wife. I met them when I was producing
the art/poetry events at the InterCultural Center at SSU. Didn't we book
them for Garbo's too? RRWG?
Donna Champion Ah,
yes, tap dancing in Safeway. I'd almost forgotten that. I think my most
obscure tap experience was in a convalescent home. I think they enjoyed
the show. One old man yelled out, "Look at the girlies!" I don't
remember any flamenco dancers/musicians performing for the Guild, but
anything was possible in those days--not too many restrictions on what
we called "poetry & prose."
Mo Hurley Great
floor acoustics. Was it the bowling alley? No that was farther down Hwy 116.
Donna Champion Well, it was a DANCE floor! I thought it used to be a bowling alley and they converted it into Garbo's.Yeah, it wasn't a full-sized bowling alley, but it made a pretty good nightclub.
Mo Hurley Ninepins!
Donna, did you give me those old school flamenco button-up boots with
the hobnail heel taps? I was telling Augustine's wife I needed to be a
contortionist to get them buttoned up. Didn't wear them often! I remember those too, Sistha! And the Guamanian slips that I wore as dresses and how your mother was so scandalized.
Donna Champion I think I gave you a pair of sexy black heels with ankle straps and buttons on the sides.I
just donated all of my old dance costumes to the local thrift store. I
gave my tap shoes to my great-nieces years ago. **sigh** Life goes
on....
Mo Hurley But you've ballet dances in the family now. Didn't Galena dance in the SF Nutcracker?
Donna Champion How did this conversation go from ants to tap shoes? They do come in handy for killing ants, I suppose.
Mo Hurley Curiouser and curiouser. You'd think this thread would be under the Rita Moreno post.
Donna Champion Yes,
several ballerinas. Galina has hung up her toe shoes and teaches at
City Ballet, the studio that she and Kenny own in SF. They're all in
Moscow now with several of their students who are doing an internship
with the Bolshoi. Connie's with them.
Mo Hurley I
remember standing outside the Bolshoi, mid-winter, snow falling in
feathers. Valera Stupachenko (remember him) sang there when he was
famous. Ah, memory. The man I didn't marry.
and some comments on the same thread from Joel Blum that I pulled out for my Rits Moreno post.Mo Hurley I saw Rita Moreno last night— She's recovering from hip surgery—she even did a halting little two-step for me. So precioso!
When we got off topic with dance and romance, was the best bit of the thread.
and some comments on the same thread from Joel Blum that I pulled out for my Rits Moreno post.Mo Hurley I saw Rita Moreno last night— She's recovering from hip surgery—she even did a halting little two-step for me. So precioso!
Joel Blum God bless her
Mo Hurley She's still in the game. I asked if she was going to restage her One Woman Show. She said Tal vez. If I can dance.
The first time I met Rita, she looked like she was at death's door. Her husband had recently passed away. She was frail, barely mobile. Shopping was an effort. But today she walked unaided. Sans walker. Today the red shopping cart was her surrogate walker. But it was banished to the far side of the aisle. She carefully walked over to me unaided.
She said: Look, I am off my walker, but I keep it it in the car—she's living dangerously. Wow! The hip replacement surgery was a success.
She did a halting little two-step and said Look, I can walk again—maybe even dance again! She said, smiling, her arm leading with a slow spin. Now those are immortal words to live by.
She said, But the balance is not so good. With a wave of the hand, she tottered off pushing the cart, like a frail hummingbird. My heart in my throat.
The first time I met Rita, she looked like she was at death's door. Her husband had recently passed away. She was frail, barely mobile. Shopping was an effort. But today she walked unaided. Sans walker. Today the red shopping cart was her surrogate walker. But it was banished to the far side of the aisle. She carefully walked over to me unaided.
She said: Look, I am off my walker, but I keep it it in the car—she's living dangerously. Wow! The hip replacement surgery was a success.
She did a halting little two-step and said Look, I can walk again—maybe even dance again! She said, smiling, her arm leading with a slow spin. Now those are immortal words to live by.
She said, But the balance is not so good. With a wave of the hand, she tottered off pushing the cart, like a frail hummingbird. My heart in my throat.
I had a kindergarden student say to me in my poetry class: If I were king of the universe, I'd dance for a living. Joel Blum, you must be among royalty! Are you in any production now? Tapshoe, tapshoe, tapshoe TAP! Joel—how's your leg, did it heal completely?
Joel Blum I'm
still touring with Billy Elliot. I don't dance in this one. Just in the
finally. I play the comic character guy. That's what I do now. More
acting and singing and less dancing. But I will tap until I die.
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