LOCALS DANCE IN NEW YEAR.Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard Whether it was to the pulse of a Latin beat, or a polka, many Eugene and Springfield residents rang in 2005 with their party gowns and dance shoes. Some even found time to deck the walls of a Whiteaker gallery in bright red, black and white colors. In the early evening hours, Sterling Wallach of Possum Place gallery in the Whitaker neighborhood was flicking paint with his brush onto his studio wall in a style that would make Jackson Pollock proud. White paint splattered splat·ter v. splat·tered, splat·ter·ing, splat·ters v.tr. To spatter (something), especially to soil with splashes of liquid. v.intr. on the wall and anyone not wearing a protective smock. Wallach's gallery was one of the stops on the monthly First Friday First Friday is a city-wide public event that occurs on the first Friday of every month. The events may take on many purposes, including art gallery openings and social networking. Art Walk, which offered a quiet and cultured New Year's Eve activity for a handful of art enthusiasts. "We're a collective community of artists and musicians that come together to express ourselves," Wallach said. Later Friday night, samba and tango music Tango is a style of music that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay. It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, doublebass, and two bandoneons. filled Cozmic Pizza during an all-ages party to usher in Verb 1. usher in - be a precursor of; "The fall of the Berlin Wall ushered in the post-Cold War period" inaugurate, introduce commence, lead off, start, begin - set in motion, cause to start; "The U.S. the new year. Tango instructors Rebecca Smith Rebecca Smith is a reporter in the Los Angeles, California, bureau of the Wall Street Journal. In 1996 she shared a Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished financial and economics reporting. and Andrew McCollough of the Tango Center The Tango Center is a non-profit social dance center, in downtown Eugene, Oregon. It is one of the largest community-based non-profit social dance centers in the US, and the largest in North America dedicated to Argentine Tango. The facility is over 8,000 sq. ft. of Eugene captivated cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. the near capacity crowd with their dance moves. "The beauty of tango can be found in the poetry of connection between partners," said Smith, adding that it's not uncommon for the woman to also take the lead in tango. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do than dance the tango to start the new year." Smith and McCollough were quickly joined by about a dozen couples, including Jean and Tom Heneghan of Eugene. "Where ever I go I take my dancing shoes," Jean said. The passion - the expression of desire - makes tango special, McCollough said during a break between bands. "At the stroke of midnight some people like to be kissing, some people like to be taking a drink, I like to be dancing the tango," he said. Meantime, in Springfield, some other couples were dancing cheek-to-cheek. About 120 people, some decked out in sequined se·quin n. 1. A small shiny ornamental disk, often sewn on cloth; a spangle. 2. A gold coin of the Venetian Republic. Also called zecchino. tr.v. gowns, ushered in 2005 at a New Year's Party at the Willamalane Adult Activity Center. The couples' danced waltzes, polkas and swing. Bill Marsh, 82, and his partner of seven years, June Rose Carle, 88, both of Eugene, said they have been looking forward to the event for weeks. But, June said, she planned to cut out early before the stroke of midnight. "In the past, all of the guys come up to me and they want a kiss at midnight, Carle said. |
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