Summer Schedule

Here is our summer schedule which runs from July 12-August 20. Note the new beginner modern class on Tuesdays from 7-8pm.

Healthy Bites - Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a lidded skillet over medium-low heat. Cook and stir orzo pasta until golden brown. Stir in onion and cook until onion becomes translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the rice and chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 245 Total Fat: 6.6g Cholesterol: 18mg

Professional Portait: Bill Robinson

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was born on May 25, 1878 in Richmond, VA. He was an American tap dancer and actor of stage and film. Audiences enjoyed his understated style, which eschewed the frenetic manner of the jitterbug in favor of cool and reserve; rarely did he use his upper body, relying instead on busy, inventive feet and an expressive face.

A figure in both the Black and White entertainment worlds of his era he is best known today for his dancing with Shirley Temple in a series of films duirng the 1930s.

At the age of six, Robinson began dancing for a living, appearing as a "hoofer" or song-and-dance man in local beer gardens. He soon dropped out of school to pursue dancing as a career. In 1886, he joined Mayme Remington's troupe in Washington, DC and toured with them. In 1891, at the age of 12, he joined a travelling company in The South Before the War, and in 1905 worked with George Cooper as a vadeville team. Not until he was 50 did he dance for white audiences, having devoted his early career exclusively to apperances on the black theater circuit.

In 1989, a joint U.S. Senate/House resolution declared "National Tap Danced Day" to be May 25, the anniversary of Bill Robinson's birth.

Source: Wikipedia

Healthy Bites - Asparagus

Easy to cook, easy to eat, and always delicious! Baked, steamed, grilled, or quickly browned on the stove and tossed with a little vinaigrette, these spears make the perfect fresh and healthy snack for spring.

"The special thing about this recipe is that it's so simple. Fresh asparagus with a little oil, salt, and pepper is cooked quickly over high heat on the grill. Enjoy the natural flavor of your veggies."


Ingredients:

1 Pound Fresh Asparagus Spears, trimmed
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

Callories: 53; Total Fat 3.5 g; Cholesterol 0 mg

Student Spotlight - Jaylyn T.

Jaylyn T.

Age: 6

Grade: K-5

Favorite Subject: Science

Favorite Style of Dance: Jazz

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Color: Purple

Future Occupation: Doctor

"I love dance because it feels good!" - Jaylyn T.

Professional Portrait: Martha Graham

Martha Graham was an American dancer and choreographer regarded as one of the foremost pioneers of modern dance. She invented a new language of movement, and used it to reveal the passion, the rage and the ecstasy common to human experience. She danced and choreographed for over seventy years, and during that time was the first dancer ever to perform at The White House, the first dancer ever to travel abroad as a cultural ambassador, and the first dancer ever to receive the highest civilian award of the USA: the Medal of Freedom.

In 1926, the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance was established. Graham became the company's first director, groomed its first generation of dancers, and created dances for the company.

In 1936, Graham made her defining work, "Chronicle," which signaled the beginning of a new era in contemporary dance. The dance brought serious issues to the stage for the general public in a dramatic manner.