Weekend Waltz

Friday night, July 8, was very hot and humid, but it didn't stop the dancers, a huge group of people who gathered at Cottonwood Square Shopping Center to learn the waltz.

Dancing Under the Stars is a free dance event that takes place Friday nights all summer. Last Friday was Ballroom Dancing night; dancers were treated to a free lesson on the key steps for dancing the waltz. The lesson started at 7 p.m. and a big circle of dancers moved cautiously on the makeshift dance floor.

Initially, the teachers provide instruction and a little background on the dance of the week. After an hour, the dancers are free to dance to music DJ'd by event coordinators, Tom Masterson and Catherine McHale.

Masterson, using a headset to speak over the music, and Max Murphy, a dance teacher sporting a flowy white dress, explained why they enjoy teaching ballroom dance. "I've been teaching ballroom longer than I can count," said Masterson. Masterson is the owner of his own studio located at 250 31st St. in Boulder and he's also the Director of the Postoley Dance Ensemble, http://www.postoley.org.

"The thing that's special about ballroom dancing is you get to interact with other people and experience your partner's love of dance and your own joie de vivre," Murphy said. "Teaching becomes an extension of that." Asked why she enjoys teaching the waltz, Murphy answered, "Dance is how the soul expresses itself and ballroom dancing is how to express your soul to another."

"The origins of ballroom dance first appeared in 16th century Europe-French philosopher, Michel de Montaigne, wrote of a dance that he observed in 1580 in Augsburg, Germany, where dancers moved together so closely that their faces touched." https://blog.dancevision.com/history-of-ballroom-dance

After more than an hour learning the steps to the waltz, the large circle of dancers applauded their efforts and occasionally broke from their main partners to try the steps with other dancers. The teachers provided guidance in dance manners. "Look at your partner's eyes and thank them for the dance before politely asking another," Masterson called out. Murphy added, "Driving on the Autobahn in Germany is supposedly like a dance because the drivers are so courteous. It's important in driving and in dancing to be predictable."

Taking a brief break from the waltz, dancer Shira Hopson from Broomfield said, "If they play a waltz at my funeral, I'll come back from beyond to dance."

Donations are appreciated. Look for the tip jar at the front of the square next Friday. Find out more at http://www.Niwot.com/dancing.