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FEATURE
Good times in good company:
Graphic designer's love of dancing segues into new career
By
Stephanie Murphy
Staff Writer
Anthony has remained one of my best friends.
A link to his real estate office is in my Resources.
You
know the drill, or most of us do: you're at a nightclub
or a private party and the band starts playing something
lively that calls for maneuvers – not just swaying
and twitching but moving your feet and turning without elbowing
your partner in the eye or gouging their palm with a fingernail.
You know a few steps and so does your partner, but, somehow,
the two of you are not in sync from the get-go. How come?
"Gentlemen,
she can't read your mind, so unless she's staring at your
feet, there's no way you'll start on the same beat,"
explains professional dance instructor Angela Nuran of Deerfield
Beach. "All you need to do is give her a non-verbal
signal, just a slight pressing of your hand on her back,
so she knows exactly when to step into the dance at the
same time you do."
She
gave this advice on a recent Sunday afternoon to several
dozen people who have reserved tickets for the May 1 "Starlight
Swing," a benefit dinner-dance and auction at Lighthouse
Point Yacht Club. Club members Richard and Liz Dudley are
honorary chairmen of the fund-raiser, which will benefit
Boca Ballet Theatre.
On the
particular day, Nuran and her partner, Anthony LoGerfo,
gave a demonstration of some lively moves, basic steps and
pointers for making the dance a more memorable occasion.
Even her simple advice on how you hold your partner's hand
for a turn that turns out right drew oohs and aahhs.
Nuran
also gave the ladies in the group some advice about stowing
the politics on sexism, at least for the duration of the
lesson. "In dancing, gentlemen lead and ladies follow,
so just deal with it," Nuran said, setting in motion
a truce as couples watched LoGerfo lead and Nuran follow
in some pretty fancy moves.
This
twosome's pairing isn't what you'd call a simple two-step.
Nuran majored in graphic design at Memphis State University
and started her own commercial design company after moving
to Florida in 1989. She began country/western dance lesson
in 1991, then took up ballroom studies in 1995. While a
student at Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Nuran was asked to
train as an instructor. LoGerfo moved to Florida in 1996
after completing his degree in culinary arts from the French
Culinary Institute of Manhattan in 1991.
Nuran
says he's been dancing less than a year. "Anthony saw
an ad offering ballroom dance lessons, and I was his instructor.
A few weeks later, I decided to start my own dance company.
We were friends and he would go with me to nightclubs to
dance just for fun. We attracted attention and new business,
and we've had a lot of fun."They
have appeared at P.G. Doogie's in Deerfield Beach with the
Peter Moss All Star Band and with the Boca Brass Band which
will be featured at "Starlight Swing."
Nuran,
who gives private lessons and teaches group classes at Manray
Nightclub in Lighthouse Point and the Athletic Club of Boca
Raton, also makes special appearances on cruise ships and
at corporate or private events such as "Starlight Swing"
– where she will be on hand during the evening to
give free lessons.
Besides
live music for dancing, swing dance lessons, dinner and
the auction, the evening will include dance selections from
"Just Swingin," an original ballet choreographed
by Boca Ballet co-artistic director Dan Guin, set to music
by Benny Goodman. Period dress is suggested, especially
for Daddy-O's with white dinner jackets. The gang of cool
cats will gather at Lighthouse Point Yacht Club on Saturday,
May 1, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets for "Starlight Swing"
are $75 each. To make reservations, call Boca Ballet Theatre,
561-995-0709.
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