July 2003 - Nr. 7
Abtanzball at Kessler’s in Waterloo
by Herwig Wandschneider
Anyone remember dance lessons? You know, Gesellschaftstanz
(Social Dancing)? Goes way back to the teenage days in Germany, when
everyone learned the Samba as a teenage routine? It is right here in
Kitchener – European Style. Complete with Abtanzball. (Graduation Dance).
And it is not intended for boy meets girl (not so sure that wasn’t the
original purpose in teenage days). Here and now, it is to learn how to
dance. For the joy of
dancing,
for exercise (beats stationary exercise equipment anytime!!), to refine your
style, to compete locally and internationally, or just to have fun. South
American Dances of all kinds, Swing, ye ole Foxtrot and Waltzes, Jitterbug,
Chicken Dance, you name it. All you need is a willingness to learn.
Watching
the result of Horst Kessler’s teachings is pure joy. You can see the various
stages of advancement (or beginnings). You can see the progressive success.
His teaching methods are at the same time funny and serious, but never
embarrassing. He demonstrates (don’t let that paunch fool you). If you draw
him into a conversation you immediately know that dance is his passion. The
entire history of whatever dance you choose, he knows where it comes from,
how it developed and how it is done today. And that is why he is a full
member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association (CDTA) with A+ standing.
Depending
on your background and experience, he places people into various categories.
Gesellschaftstanz is where you begin, as in Dance 101, 201 and 301 - you
know what I mean. After that it gets into what Horst calls "Hobby Dancing":
Pre-Bronze, Bronze and Silver. Then comes Vorbereitungs-Training für
Tournier Tanz. (Preparatory Training for Competitive Dance). One or two
couples in Kessler’s Studio of Dancing are in this category.
Cathy and Rick Arthur, for example. "We have been here with some interruptions for 14 years," explained Cathy. "At the beginning you may not plan to advance to this level, but with time we developed a desire to perfect our style". Will they advance to Gold? "Who knows, but not likely. You need to be world class for that. And you need to have time for daily practise". To see them dance, you can see talent, experience and … a lot of practise. A sumptuous feast for the eye.
To be sure, if you have it in you and you are ambitious, Horst will draw it out. But if all you want is Gesellschaftstanz (Social Dancing) and want to enjoy the pure pleasure of knowing how to – single or as a couple – Horst will teach you the rhythm, the steps and well, yes, how to use your entire body, including swinging the hips. The elegance of that is breath-taking. The pleasure priceless.
