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Champion dancers show off Latin steps at Gala
July 24, 2003 | |||||
The elegant postures, sensual costumes, and hesitating hip movements of Latin dancers are more than just visual delights, says champion dancer and instructor Dian Hollowell. On September 20, when she and partner Scott Shoot move through the cha cha, the rumba, the bolero, and the mambo at IU Kokomo’s Scholarship Gala, persons watching should see a romantic drama unfold.
With its flashy footwork, the cha cha is “a flirtation dance,” Hollowell said, designed to catch someone’s eye “across a room.” The slower Cuban rumba is like “a first date—you’re touching hands and letting go.” A Latin American cousin to the waltz, the bolero is “the most intimate dance,” marked by bodies swaying in unison. The deliberate staccato motions of the mambo say there are “no secrets any more” between the dancers, according to Hollowell. “They say, ‘We know everything about each other.’ ” Clearly, Hollowell knows much about dance. It has been her life since she began classes around age 5. Her parents, John and Beverly Hollowell of Kokomo, developed the Delco Dance Club. For 13 years, they enthusiastically supported their daughter’s involvement in amateur competitions and performances across the country. Dian won nine U.S. amateur titles; she performed for Public Broadcasting twice and once on Canadian television in a recital for the International Olympic Committee at Calgary. At 19, Hollowell began competing professionally, winning several titles in the American Rhythm category, which includes Latin dancing. She opened Hollowell Studio of Dance in Kokomo in 1998. Injuries forced her out of competition for a while, but, over the last five months, she and Shoot have been practicing, so they can compete next year. Shoot teaches ballroom, ballet, and jazz dancing in Indianapolis and has won several regional and national titles in country (western) dancing. Gala co-chair Dr. Walter Brown II invited Hollowell and Shoot to perform at the 2003 Gala. Hollowell has coached Brown in ballroom dancing, guiding him toward some program competition wins. “Dian is one of the top professional dancers in the world and a little known secret in Kokomo,” Brown said. “She and Scott will present an exciting performance of Latin dances to put everyone at the Gala in the mood for a great night of dancing.” Hollowell’s special talent in American Rhythm dancing fits superbly with the Gala’s Hispanic theme, “Fiesta En Mi Casa,” or “Party at Our House,” Brown added. “The theme acknowledges our guests of honor—the members of the REALTORS® Association of Central Indiana—as well as the university’s interest in engaging the growing Hispanic population of north central Indiana.” Proceeds from the Scholarship Gala provide financial assistance to students of both IU Kokomo and the Purdue University School of Technology at Kokomo. The September 20 event includes dinner, a silent auction, and dancing to live music by Cool City Swing Band. First National City Bank and Trust of Kokomo is the presenting sponsor for the 2003 Scholarship Gala. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available. For sponsorship or ticket information, contact IU Kokomo Director of Annual Giving Susan Kinsella at (765) 455-9412.
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