Waltz into Christmas2025
Home Up Waltz into Chrismas 2024

 
 

Waltz into Christmas 2025

Waltz into Christmas 2023

Waltz into Christmas 2024

 

 

A Holiday Celebration of  Community through Music and Dance.  Last Year's Party was attended by 150 Guests.

We raised $4,000 for Charity
 

 
 

TRADITION OF GIVING AT CHRISTMAS
 
11-01-2025
Rick Archer's Note:
 

Chapelwood Methodist Church has been kind enough to sponsor my Monday night dance class for 15 years.  In 2022, I learned about Chapelwood's Christmas Manna program for the first time.  Once I realized  the purpose was to help families in need at Christmas, it took a nanosecond for my inner "Tiny Tim/Scrooge" instinct to kick in.  One the spot I thought of how a Christmas dance party could turn into a delightful way to support Chapelwood's worthwhile effort. 

2025 will be the third year that Marla and I have sponsored this party.  Our previous efforts have been a huge success.  Both years our large crowd of 150 guests had great fun dancing for a worthy cause.  I might add our guests were very generous.  We raised $3,000 in 2023 and $4,000 in 2024. 

This amazing display of support from Houston's Dance Community exceeds far beyond anything we could have expected.

So why do we call our party "Waltz into Christmas"?  Waltz has a rich musical legacy at Christmas.  Classics such as The First Noel, What Child is This, and Carol of the Bells are all Waltzes.  Each year I enjoy playing these carols at our party as a unique way to pay tribute to our Lord.  That said, the Waltz music will comprise only 20% of the music played.  The bulk of the music will be Texas Twostep, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Sinatra Foxtrot and Salsa. 

In addition we will conduct three Circle Dances:  The Barn Dance, the Beer Barrel Polka, plus my favorite, The Celtic Circle Dance.  The purpose of these dances is to offer a chance for everyone to dance with everyone as a Celebration of our Dance Community.  These are extremely easy dances to learn.  All you have to do is come early at 6 pm and learn these 3 dances in advance.   

For further information about the class and/or the party, please contact Rick Archer, rick@ssqq.com 

 


CHAPELWOOD SAYS 'THANK YOU!'

From: Suzanne Harter
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 11:28 AM
To: rick@ssqq.com
Subject: Christmas Manna Donation

Rick, Thank you so much for your dancing group's donation to Chapelwood's Christmas Manna program.  Your donation bought presents for over 40 children this year!  I appreciate this generous gift.

Suzanne Harter
Director of Serving Ministries, Chapelwood UMC
.....................

From: Colleen Lingle
Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2024 10:04 AM
To: rick@ssqq.com
Subject: Donation to Chapelwood and Receipts

Hi Rick, Thank you for the $4,000 donation to the Manna program from your dance group!  When you dropped off the donation, you also dropped off some receipts which we don't need.  Would you like me to mail them back to you or can I go ahead and shred?

Colleen Lingle
Accounting Manager, Chapelwood UMC

 

ABOUT THE DANCE PARTY
 

WHEN:  MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 6:30 - 9:00 PM

PRE-PARTY WORKSHOP: 6:00-6:30 PM:  3 Circle Dances taught by Rick Archer
The Barn Dance, The Beer Barrel Polka, The Celtic Circle

WHERE: Chapelwood Methodist Church11140 Green Bay, 77024.

WHO IS INVITED:  ANYONE WHO LIKES TO DANCE REGARDLESS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AND ABILITY.  COME ONE, COME ALL FOR A WORTHY CAUSE.

COST:  $20 PER PERSON.  PEOPLE ARE WELCOME TO CONTRIBUTE MORE IN THE COOKIE JAR IF THEY WISH, BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARY NOR IS IT EXPECTED.  FOR THAT MATTER, IF YOU ARE BROKE, WE INVITE YOU TO COME FOR FREE.

DRESS:  WEAR WHATEVER YOU WANT.  THIS IS NOT A FORMAL DANCE PARTY, THIS IS A FUN DANCE PARTY.  PLEASE DRESS COMFORTABLE.

FOOD:  IT DEPENDS ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS.  TYPICALLY PEOPLE BRING ENERGY FOOD TO MUNCH ON... COOKIES, CAKE, CHEESE, FRUIT, CRACKERS AND GUACAMOLE.  A TABLE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR FOOD CONTRIBUTIONS.

DRINK:  WATER AND LEMONADE WILL BE PROVIDED.   (NO ALCOHOL, PLEASE.  REMEMBER, THIS IS A CHURCH.)  

QUESTIONS:  Rick@ssqq.com

 

ABOUT THE DANCING

 

MUSIC:  WALTZ, COUNTRY-WESTERN TWOSTEP AND POLKA, BIG BAND SWING, WEST COAST SWING, CHA-CHA, SALSA and FOXTROT. 

THE CIRCLE DANCE WORKSHOP (6:00-6:30 pm)

1. RICK ARCHER will teach the Waltz Pattern used in the Grand Waltz Procession.
                          This class will target people with little to no Waltz experience.
2. SHARON SHAW will teach an Advanced Waltz pattern. 
3. TRACY AKIN will teach the fundamentals of Texas Twostep for beginners.

DANCE WORKSHOP:  THERE IS NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR THE WORKSHOP.  THE IDEA IS TO GIVE PEOPLE WITH A MINIMUM OF SOCIAL DANCE EXPERIENCE A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DANCING AT THE PARTY.

CLICK HERE FOR MAP TO CHAPELWOOD AND FELLOWSHIP HALL.

 

 

 

 
Would you like to see photographs from our previous parties?

Waltz into Christmas 2023 , Waltz into Christmas 2024

 
 

Waltz into Christmas 2024

Waltz into Christmas 2025

Waltz into Christmas 2023

 
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