Before we talk about the second annual Festival of Dance.

Doctor Curtis, this building.

Yes.

How amazing.

Yes, the back of the Murphy, of course, opened in January.

Yeah.

Just stunning.

My first time here.

It is absolutely beautiful.

I mean, it's just it's breathtaking.

It really is beautiful.

Congratulations to everybody involved with this.

And it a great view of the river.

We do.

Yeah.

A lovely view outside here as well.

And so it must be such a joy to have this here.

And I know that you're looking forward to June to the second annual Festival of Dance.

Can you tell me a little bit about last year and why this all began?

As last year we decided to celebrate the anniversary of Southall Dance Theater.

They were 50 years old last year.

So Sarah Taylor and I talked about putting together a program to help celebrate and inviting other dance companies to come to help that.

So we put together a program where every dance company got to be on the stage for ten minutes.

They got 20 minutes.

And so it was eight dance companies, almost 100 people total.

And you had different kinds of dance, ballet at least, and, tap, flamenco, African.

And it was just a variety program.

And so they came in on that morning Saturday morning, rehearsed, and then came back that night and performed.

Why was it important for you to to bring dance like that?

I mean, if you could have just done this once, one time for the 50th anniversary and then left it.

But why did you feel like carrying it on?

Well, there's a lot of dance companies in this town, and part of my job with equity and the arts is to bring people to the stage.

Most people come to the Morris, the sit in the audience, and for a performer to sit on that stage is very important.

Yeah.

And so, I invited two people last year, Eric being and Willie Hinton, who are both dancers to come and watch.

And they came, got excited, so we decided to invite them back.

We got a grant for Willie and he will be here as, I guess, choreographer.

Nice.

So it's something you're hoping really continues on?

Yes.

Yep.

Ruby, I'm slightly frightened by you.

You're.

I'm frightened by my wife and you now as well, because you're holding a sword.

So what's what?

What kind of dance is this?

Frightened men dance.

Or what's.

And it keeps us in control.

Look at the way she's gripping onto that thing.

He's leaning back.

We are doing Middle Eastern dance.

The style.

Mainly Egyptian style And we did two performances that used props last year.

We used skirts and we used the beautiful, beautiful silk veils.

This year we're going to dance with our sword, our swords, and these are, three and a half pound swords that are made for balancing.

That has a sharp point, but nothing else is sharp.

But we give the illusion that all of this is sharp, and we balance this on different parts of our shoulder, our head, and dance and move and do all of our undulations with this.

So we're going to use this in the show, and we're also going to do a candle dance.

And these are votive holders.

And we will have lights in here that we will dance with and do some pharaonic movement which is of the pharaohs and it's, ritual type dance.

That we have about 15 dancers doing this.

It's going to be quite unique and exciting to see.

Both dancers will be.

It'll be the hottest dance of the night.

Yes.

Right.

I don't know about that.

I think they'll be.

I think we all equally dance really well and put on an amazing exhibition.

Oh, yeah.

And, Doctor Curtis, this is happening in June this year.

Is that when it happened last year as well?

Yes.

Yeah, it happens on June 6th.

Okay.

Seven, 7:00 in the most performing arts center.

Free admission.

It is free admission.

Admission.

And so this is the main festival that's happening in June.

But I know that you also have another event coming up soon.

Yes.

That's, kind of like a little taste of what's going to be coming up.

Can you tell me about that as well?

So on Thursday, April 16th, it's at 6:00.

We'll it will be heavily hinted.

Who is a dancer from North Carolina will be in this room with anybody that wants to come.

And he's going to do an hour and a half movement class.

Wow.

So the only requirement is that you come in your socks and no jewelry and a bit of bottled water.

Okay.

Well, that's a pretty solid checklist for for dancing.

So you mentioned that it's free, which is absolutely amazing.

And it kind of fits in line with the spirit of trying to get as many people on stage who may not have an opportunity otherwise, but also getting people in here who may not also have the opportunity to come as well.

And it's important that they experience this.

Yes.

This is a spectacular place.

Spectacular view.

Yeah.

And to dance towards the river.

Hopefully it'll be like this next week, you know.

Yeah, we hope so.

It's been so nice lately and it is free.

But can people get tickets online in advance?

Actually, are those tickets have to show up at the door downstairs?

Yeah.

Or you can go to the website.

South Bend, things are supposed to be.

Yeah.

Dot org.

Yeah.

Okay.

And this is, there's a, you can register there.

You can register, but, it's a free visit, and you can just show up with your socks and your water clothing, your water and no jewelry.

And Ogilvie Staples was no jewelry and.

And Ruby with your dance.

It's very Egyptian.

Your.

Is that where your your heritage is from your family?

No, I was born.

Raised here.

No, I married you were born here, but just and but my background is actually Russian.

Oh it is.

And so how did you get into this style of dancing?

Oh, I just got involved with it at the YWCA back in the 80s.

And, there was a class there that I took and just fell in love with it and have been doing it ever since.

Being in the right place at the right time helped.

And so in terms of dance in this area, what else do you do throughout the year?

Is is this one of your main things?

This is one of my main things.

I'm retired from ISP.

That's where I met Doctor Curtis.

Teaching Middle Eastern dance for 22 years there.

And I'm still teaching classes, locally and, on a couple nights a week.

And I don't think I will ever stop until I'm stuck.

Okay, now the checklist for what's coming up on April 16th was water.

No jewelry and socks.

Do you have to bring your own sword if you're going to get some lessons from you?

Yes you do.

Okay.

I don't have a sword.

And I know that we have some artists who are here as well, besides Ruby and some of the instructors that we're going to talk to about what's going to be happening on April 16th as well.

And just, you know, dance is one of those things that, you know, I feel like I have two left feet, you know, but it's I don't know, it's feel nervous to get into it, you know.

But but once you do it you feel so good.

Come on a 16th.

Yeah.

That's what I should do.

All right.

Well the 16th and then June 6th we have all that coming up.

And it sounds so exciting, but we're going to speak to some of the performers there as well about what's happening on April 16th.

So thank you so much for your thank you, thank you, thank you.

I'm here with Carolyn and Brian, who are two of the performers in the second annual Festival of Dance that's coming up.

Carolyn, tell me about La Rosa.

Your your dance theater.

Yes, we are a Spanish flamenco dance company.

La Rosa Spanish Dance Theater.

And we do a lot of variety of Spanish dancing.

And, my husband, Brian Edington, composes and plays flamenco music for a group.

Nice.

How did you get into this?

I mean, it's I was one of those things where, you know, today you're the director.

How did that happen?

What did you always have a love for this music?

Yes.

My mother was a professional dancer in Chicago before I was born.

So she would dance around the house, and I was her little shadow, and she would have so much fun.

I just grew up with it.

This was just something I wanted to do the rest of my life.

Brian, do you love it or are you forced to do it because your wife asked you to do it?

Was forced.

You gotta get away.

All right.

I've been playing guitar for half a century now, and I, I've been through all kinds of styles, and, I when I, flamenco is, like, the highest form of guitar, I think.

Wow.

And so has it been the most challenging?

Yes.

The master.

Yes.

And so I know that coming up on April 16th, we have this event that's coming up where people can come in and kind of learn to dance, and you're going to be part of that, right?

Yes.

I have two, flamenco dancers, and I wondered if that would work out because we make a lot of noise.

And, Lele said, oh, bring them in.

He said, yes, let's do it.

So he wants us to bring our individual, experiences into what he's doing.

And I know, I know that.

Then in June, you're going to be performing at the festival as well.

So, so great.

So there's lots of opportunities for people on April 16th and then also on June 6th at the actual festival.

So we're going to finish up right now.

But I know that we're going to finish up the show with a special performance of you both.

So are you feeling good about this?

Oh, yes.

We're ready.

Can you tell me what it is that you're going to perform?

Is there name to it?

Well, my husband composed the music.

It's called Spanish rumba, and the rumble that we do in flamenco is very different than the Roomba that you see on the dance floor.

So I'll give a little demonstrat