Posts Tagged ‘dance workshop’

Roberta Kulik will teach a Hula Hoop dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

A hula hoop is a ring made of metal, wood or plastic that can be rotated on any part of the body including hips, chest, neck, shoulders, thighs, knees, arms, hands, thumbs, feet and toes. It is often filled with rocks or other materials to serve as weights and carry the hoop around the body. In addition, it can be rotated off the body as well.

The modern hula hoop was invented by Arthur K. Melin and Richard Knerr in 1958. Today the hula hoop is gaining popularity among adults and is generally referred to either as “hoopdance” or “hooping.”

Hooping is an artistic movement using a hoop either as a prop or dance partner. The hoops are used to combine technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing and are typically accompanied by music. This type of dance is inspired by forms such as rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, fire dance and poi, among many others.

Kulik will teach user friendly steps and choreography for dancing with the hula hoop.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Heather Lindstrom at 708-386-4040.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Kulik will teach 15 minutes of basic tap moves that can be done either sitting or standing. Tap shoes are welcome but not required. This type of dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Roberta Kulik will teach a Pom-Pons dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

A pom-pon (French word referring to a small decorative ball made of fabric or feathers) is a loose, fluffy tuft of fibrous materials typically recognized for being shaken by cheerleaders and sports fans during athletic games. They come in a wide array of materials including wool, cotton, paper and plastic.

A man named Jim Hazlewood holds the copyright for the modern pom-pon, although the origins of the American pom-pon date back to the 1930s. Lawrence Herkimer first created the design that became the predecessor to Hazlewood’s version.

During that time high schools and universities began incorporating the poms into their routines to entertain the crowd and distract their opponents during games.

Today school and university dance teams utilize pom-pons to add color and showmanship to their performances. In addition, it is an added element to strengthen the idea of belonging to the team.

Kulik will teach user friendly steps and choreography for dancing with pom-pons.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Kulik will teach 15 minutes of basic tap moves that can be done either sitting or standing. Tap shoes are welcome but not required. This type of dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Roberta Kulik will teach a Country and Western line dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Line dancing is performed in rows with all people facing either each other or in the same direction. All dancers, male and female, execute the same movements without physically touching one another. Each dance consists of a number of walls (a wall is the direction the dancers face at any given time) and has no regard for gender or partners.

This form of dance is similar to folk dancing and mostly performed to country western music. It has accompanied many popular music styles since the early 1970s, however, including pop, swing, rock and roll, disco, Latin and Jazz.

Kulik will teach user friendly steps and choreography for Country and Western line dancing.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Roberta Kulik will teach a Hawaiian and Tahitian dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 9, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Developed in the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians, the Hula is a traditional dance of Hawaii accompanied by a chant (oli) or song (mele). The Hula has also been called a prayer, because the dance moves are meant to interpret the words of the oli or mele.

Tahitian dance has many different styles, often depending on the movement and the performers. Until the early 20th century, traditional dance was illegal in Tahiti. Momentum for its revival was gained in the 1950s, and today, it is a celebrated piece of Tahitian culture again.

There is little difference between Hula and Tahitian dancing, aside from the pace at which the dances are set. Both dances are meant to tell a story. Tahitian dances portray day-to-day life occupations. Hula dances share a story of the history of how the civilization came to be.

Both dances largely emphasize the hips, while some Tahitian dances require a much faster pace, sometimes referred to as “hip shaking.” Although Hula dances may go just as fast, they are considered more graceful and include the hands more in the storytelling aspect of the dance.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Roberta Kulik will teach a Hollywood-inspired dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 11, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

This workshop, based on kaleidoscopic Hollywood choreographies, will feature user-friendly geometric dance patterns and routines taught by Kulik, who hosts a dance workshop focusing on a different form of dance monthly at the Arms.

This month’s theme draws inspiration from Busby Berkeley, a well-known Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. Berkeley often composed elaborate dance routines using complex geometric patterns performed by large numbers of showgirls. The patterns combined with the number of performers and the use of props produced a stunning kaleidoscopic stage effect.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, Feb. 14, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Kulik will teach 15 minutes of basic tap moves that can be done either sitting or standing. Tap shoes are welcome, though not required. This type of dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly dance workshop takes place at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. This month Kulik will teach square and round dancing.

Square dancing is typically a dance of four couples arranged in a square with each couple facing the middle of the square. Movements are based on steps and figures used in traditional folk dances from many countries and prompted by a “caller” to the beat, often from a stage.

Round dancing is broken down into two categories. The first belongs to an ethnic, folk or country category, while the second resembles ballroom dancing. Modern round dancing is cued ballroom dancing progressing in a circular pattern counter-clockwise around the dance floor.

Kulik will teach senior-friendly square and round dance steps and choreography.

Both forms of dance are great ways to reduce stress and improve balance, coordination and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Roberta Kulik will teach a World Folk Dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

In this genre of dance, folk dances from different ethnic groups are performed by the same dancers. Kulik will teach basic dance steps of folk dances and give participants the opportunity to test out the steps in “user-friendly” choreography.

Dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.