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| OHCC LIVING | APRIL 2024 | 15 The 2024 dance performance of Wild Wild West was a resounding success. The Dance Troupe has been working hard for the last two years to make this production one of our best shows. Everyone put a lot of energy, thought, and heart into this show from the dancers, the teachers, the singers, the stage crew, and of course our AV staff. But this article is about one very special person who has helped make our last four shows spectacular. That person is Helen Sloan. In 2014, our teacher of tap and jazz, Ellie Oakley, retired. Ellie not only choreographed our numbers but wrote and directed all our shows for more than 20 years. We had to find a new tap and jazz teacher and come up with an idea for our next show. We found the perfect teacher, Yvonne Romano. Now we just needed to figure out what kind of show we could do. I had an idea for the show and knew Helen. I also knew she was a great singer and had "star" quality. So, I asked her to help us out in the upcoming show. We needed singers and actors to fill in between the dance numbers so the dancers would have enough time to change costumes. In 2016, Back to the Present, a take- off from Back to the Future, would be our next show. We would use different decades of music to travel back into time and then return to the present time. So, Helen and I began to write a script. Helen would play Marty McFly and Lyn Asaro was our Dr. Emmet. Instead of a DeLorean car, we used an iPad to get us to each decade and back. Helen and Lyn sang and acted throughout the show. In 2018, our show was about Broadway musicals. In 2020, we had planned a circus theme. However, Covid hit, and that show was delayed until 2022. Helen wrote all the scripts, found other actors and singers to support the show, worked with AV, and created a work sheet that showed all the dances, the times spent dancing, the time spent on the in-between scenes, the lighting needed, the opening and closing of the curtains, etc. Helen went to countless dance practices and worked with our teachers. She researched songs for the support cast and created an audience participation interval in each of the shows. Helen and her team practiced long hours to make sure everything would run smoothly. She spent hours and hours on the script culling it down so the show wouldn't be too long. She and Yvonne worked together to direct the shows. Helen did just about everything but dance! The Ocean Hills Dance Troupe wants to acknowledge Helen's contribution to making our shows successful in every way. We are not just doing a dance recital. We are performing a show for our community, and Helen makes it special. Helen is a performer. She lights up the stage with her energy, her voice, her humor, and her charm. Written by: Rona Cole Ocean Hills Dance Troupe Village Squares A Special Person: Village Squares owes a big thank you to Steve Ward. He always has the best interests of the club at heart. To that end, he has been teaching a practice class every Tuesday afternoon from 1 to 2 pm in the Mykonos Room. He has undertaken this role many times over the past years. He is an excellent dancer himself and very skilled at teaching others. He notes the new calls, and spends a good part of time reviewing those. He also practices past calls, so the hour is an excellent review. His skill and good humor make for a very productive hour, and those who attend would agree. He is also half of a wonderful husband and wife team. He and Marcia were presidents of the Village Squares for three years and have always played a vital role in the club and all of its activities. He has recently been co-president with Robert Gross and currently serves as secretary. So, a big thank you, Steve for all you do and have done. We are lucky to have you! Written by: Valerie ompson

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