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"If you can walk, you can dance!"
Private or group lessons available at your site or the studio in Pasadena. The more, the merrier. Call or e-mail for price and availability. (Area code 713) 598-8317 or valinapolka(at)yahoo.com Valina has taught lessons to school age students at the following: Kinkaid in Houston Queen of Angels Academy in Dickinson 7 Lakes High School Clements High School Deer Park High School Deutsche Samstag Many of her students in 2011 perform their dances at the Tomball German Heritage Festivals. Valina has been teaching crash courses in basic polka, waltz, schottische and simple folk dances to the public at various festivals, clubs and dancehalls: Houston's Continental Club (prior to Brave Combo shows) Discovery Green (also alongside Brave Combo) Saint Arnold's Brewery Oktoberfests Sengelmann Hall in Schulenburg Muenster Germanfest Tomball German Heritage Festival The Woodlands Oktoberfest Friesenhaus Restaurant Wurstfest (alongside Terry Cavanagh's Alpine Express Band) She began teaching the Siemens Transformer employees at their annual conference in September 2008. Every year, she and Ross are invited to teach at whatever location they have their conference. Her class grows each year with more engineers who were sure they would never dance. Most have found they are quite good at it! Dancing is her love. Teaching is her thrill. Seeing her students learn it; That is her passion. Valina is energetic, positive, disciplined, encouraging and patient. She teaches what she likes to call "Bar room" style polka, waltz, and schottische lessons. Her proven method of teaching is progressive; beginning with very basic steps, then building on a foundation until she can polish the end product. She also teaches German and Dutch folk dancing. However, with a dance background encompasing most of Europe, the British Isles, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Western Russia and even some Phillipino, she can teach basics from many cultures. She has a knack for picking out problems students have and helping them find ways to improve. Her method builds the confidence her students need in order to feel great about what they do on the dance floor. With the help of her dancing mother, Valina began taking ballet and tap dance lessons at the age of 3. At age 7, she joined a children's Dutch folk dance group, learning basic folk steps with others her age. She even organized, rehearsed and performed a Dutch duet at her Elementary school honoring the school's namesake. (This was probably her first attempt at coordinating an act for the stage.) She joined an adult Dutch folk dance group with her family when she was 11. With this group, she learned partner dances, new steps and styles. At 18, she traveled to The Netherlands as an exchange student. She joined an International folk dance group there and began learning many difficult and intricate passages. She moved from beginner to advanced in weeks, and just six months later was invited to join the performing group for a show before the end of her school year. Upon returning to Texas, she reunited with the Dutch group, joined a Renaissance festival Irish group, a Russian and Ukranian group, and a German folk dance group. During this time, she learned many new figures, steps, dancing styles and performance techniques. German is her favorite style. To this day, Valina dances with her family in the Dutch folk dance group. She also performs German dances with her new group Die Lustige Tanzers. Since 1997, she's performed as a professional folk dancer at festivals and corporate events. She has been teaching "bar room" and folk dancing for all ages and private lessons since 2004. She began teaching school children in 2007, and high school German club dance groups in 2008. The results have been impressive. So far, her dancers have placed in the top three in Houston, and in 2011, one of her teams was top three at state. Exercise, fun, learning about and respecting different cultures, teamwork, lasting friendships, building self confidence and expanding horizons is what folk dancing is all about. Valina can teach nearly anyone to dance, one step at a time. |
