DANCE FLOOR TURNS LIVES AROUND.Byline: Sandra J. Terrell Staff Writer THOUSAND OAKS Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. - ``Mentoring Our Youth'' is the theme of the new Mrs. California International 2000, whose reign runs through June 25. Gail Arias, a former Mrs. Thousand Oaks, has mentored children and teens for more than 15 years. ``I believe that dreams do come true,'' said Arias, a dance teacher. ``If we give our kids the confidence and encouragement they need to pursue their dreams, we help them to become the self-actualized leaders of our future.'' Arias recalled one student who turned his life around because of dance. After being expelled from high school, the youth had to finish his senior year at a continuation school continuation school: see vocational education. - something that gave him a very negative outlook on life. Learning to dance gave him something to strive for and helped improve his self-esteem. He now is a student at Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. . ``It is so nice when kids can perfect their social skills through dancing,'' said Arias. ``They can learn how to be disciplined, interact with others, and learn to be gracious gra·cious adj. 1. Characterized by kindness and warm courtesy. 2. Characterized by tact and propriety: responded to the insult with gracious humor. 3. .'' It was because of one of her dance school students that she entered the Mrs. Thousand Oaks pageant pageant, modern dramatic spectacle or procession celebrating a special occasion or an event in the history of a locality. In medieval times the word pageant had meant the wagon or the movable stage on which one scene of a mystery or miracle play was performed. , held last April. ``I was so surprised when I was crowned the winner. It was really an honor,'' she said. ``It was a wonderful and delightful experience. I was just so happy to be representing our state.'' She met her husband, Jamie, while dancing eight years ago and they have been dancing together ever since. In 1995 they won first place in the World Swing Dance Competition in Anaheim, and in 1998 they were inducted into the Swing Dance Hall of Fame The Swing Dance Hall of Fame is an award ("Hall of Fame") establised and sponsored by the World Swing Dance Council in the United States. Established are the Swing Dance National Hall of Fame and the Halls of Fame for individual states. . Gail and Jamie Arias own and operate the Arias Dance Academy in Thousand Oaks. They teach beginning through advanced classes in swing, ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. , salsa and all forms of partner dancing. For information, call (805) 494-6418 or visit www.mrscalifornia2000.com. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Gail Arias |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion