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Friday, January 4, 2013 — The Weekender
On the Cover
Gandy Dancers square dance club offers lessons for beginners BY SHARON GUINN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Like many others you may be thinking that you want to begin the year 2013 by resolving to make fitness a part of your life. If you have tried before to get in more exercise you may have found that you quickly became bored with a stationary bike or the rowing machine and treadmill at home or at your local gym. That’s what happened to Evelyn, but when a friend coaxed her to go along with her for an evening of free square dance lessons, she realized that exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s true! Whether your whirling across the floor to a Beatles song or doing do-si-dos to the to the commands of a square dance caller, you’re getting exercise and probably having fun, too.
From burning calories to socializing with friends, dancing offers these benefits: Calories — Dancing can burn as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a bike, as many as 200-400 in a half hour. Cardio — Regular exercise provides cardiovascular conditioning that can lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol. Strong bones — helping to prevent osteoporosis, falls and fractures. Rehabilitation — If you’re recovering from heart or orthopedic surgery dancing is a positive adjunct to your physical therapy. Sociability — Square dancing is often thought of as “friendship set to music.” You could even live ten years longer! PHOTOS COURTESY OF GANDY DANCERS
Square dancing is fun and great exercise. The Gandy Dancers square dance club offers lessons for beginners starting Jan. 9 in Downtown Tehachapi.
A surprising new study shows that square dancing is the perfect exercise. It combines all the positive aspects of intense physical activity with none of the negative elements. This study was based on physical examinations which indicated that both female and male square dancers could expect to live well into their 90s. The square dance movements raise the heart rate like any good aerobic exercise should. All the quick changes of direction loosen and tone up the muscles — but not so severely as to cause injury. In square dancing, when you’re not moving, you’re clapping hands or tapping feet, which all contributes to long term fitness.
Patrick Ball at Beekay Jan. 5 and 6
Considered one of the premier Celtic harp players in the world, Patrick Ball will return to Tehachapi Jan. 5 and 6 in “O’Carolan’s Farewell to Music,” a oneman show presented by Fiddlers Crossing at the Beekay Theatre. Written by Ball and Peter Glazer, the play brings to the stage the legendary life, turbulent times and captivating music of Ireland’s most celebrated artist. Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries was a troubled, tumultuous place. The old Gaelic order had been shattered by the English invaders, and the poets, the bards and the harp players were set out to walk the roads from place to place in search of shelter and patronage. Yet this dark period of Irish history produced, in Turlough O’Carolan, a Celtic harper and composer of such brilliance, grace and character that he is to this day regarded as the country’s greatest and most
beloved musician. In “O’Carolan’s Farewell to Music,” Ball tells the blind harper’s story through the character of poet and fellow harper, Charles MacCabe, O’Carolan’s life-long friend and traveling companion. Through MacCabe’s eyes and 14 of Carolan’s tunes played on the rare wirestrung harp, we are drawn into this storm-tossed chapter of Irish history. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 6, at the Beekay Theatre, 110 S. Green St., Tehachapi. Tickets may be purchased at Mountain Music, 206 E. “F” St., at the Apple Shed, 333 E. Tehachapi Blvd., or with a credit card by calling 823-9994. Tickets Tickets are $25. Doors open one-half hour before the performance. For lastminute ticket availability on the day of the performance, call 823-9994.
Classes are held beginning Jan. 9 on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:15 p.m. at the Tehachapi Community Church, 100 E. “E” St. Your first class is free, then a donation of $6 per person is asked for those over 18 years of age. Teenagers 12-18 are free all the time. Registration will be open for three weeks). Caller Rod Shuping will instruct the classes and members will be there to dance with you so you will have fun as you are learning. So, if you are a couple or a single and between the ages of 12 and 90, come on out and give it a try. For more information call Linda at 821-0493 or Sharon at 821-3455.
Would you like to be on our cover? The Weekender is seeking subjects for upcoming covers. If you or your group are involved in one of the topics covered by The Weekender — Arts & Entertainment, Sports & Recreation, Health & Fitness or Home & Garden — and have an open to the public event or activity coming up, you are a candidate to be featured on our cover. Our cov-
erage area includes Tehachapi and Southeastern Kern County. Please give us as much notice of your interest as possible so we can work with you to arrange photography and a story to go with the cover photo. Send inquiries by email to: celliott@tehachapinews.com or call Editor Claudia Elliott at 823-6370.