December 2016 Calendar

Sip and Paint is Super Fun @ Girls' Night Out!

Super fun times for the Leopard Ladies of Modern Steps and their newest girlfriends!  The fun started with dinner at one of favorite places, The Village Pub, in Venetian Village off ParkShore Drive in Naples.  Jennifer and Kent Schooley were our fabulous hosts at the newly remodeled restaurant, overlooking Naples Bay.  The lovely ladies enjoyed cocktails and fabulous selections from their new menu, including scrumptious mussels and refreshing pico de gallo and chips.

Tammy and Eden, with Deborah and Kate
enjoying the view at The Village Pub

Front, Left to right: Eden, Tammy, Deborah, Kate
Back: Jennifer and Brenda
Everyone is wearing their GNO corsages
that Tammy gifted us.

From The Village Pub, it was off to Estero to Pinot's Palette for a fun night of creativity and ...well, some good old-fashioned hootin' and hollarin' from these gals!  We sure know how to have a good time, and the artists at Pinot's Palette will surely remember the gals from the dance studio!  We all created our own masterpieces from the lesson on "Autumn Reflections" and each lady took home her own unique style of art.  Everyone was encouraged to explore a new type of art, but instead of dancing on the ballroom floor, we took our brushes and put them to the canvas.  What a night to remember!

Arrived at Pinot's Palette in Estero!
Let the good times roll!

We are already having a good time and the
fun hasn't even started!

Our fearless leader, Miss Tammy!
A Pinot's Palette virgin!

The artists in their workshop-
go for it, Deborah!

Eden is one of our new Leopard Ladies-
welcome to the party, Eden!

Our fabulous instructor!

Something for everyone!
A truly wonderful evening!

Backseat drivers on the way to the fun!
It's a miracle we got there

Special corsages from Tammy for everyone-
'cuz everyone is special at Modern Steps!

Each Girls' Night Out event is something special, that brings us all together to have some fun off the dance floor.  Our next event is November 16, 2016 at 4pm.  We'll be having a special English Tea Party at Brenda Griebahn's on Marco Island.  Come and join us for a lovely cuppa and maybe a special craft project too!  You don't want to miss the fun at GNO!

Eden Rocks at Modern Steps!

It was a fortunate day when Tammy went to a class at the Marco Island YMCA and met Eden Looney.  Eden is the "Barre-ista" of EdenRocks and has brought her own special fitness program to Modern Steps.  Working with some great, ultra cool, ultra hip and ultra fun music and a barre just like the one you see in a ballet class, Eden is teaching us how to train our bodies to be leaner, stronger, and longer.  Her focus in the class is working on posture and finding balance in your body position.  Imagine that!  Posture and balance while dancing!  There's a connection here for students of ballroom dance!  Eden's story combines her love of dance, tennis and the need to train using less brawn and more brain.  Each class is an hour long, and meets three days a week at Modern Steps (Tuesday and Thursday at 9am, and Saturdays at 10am.)  She combines elements of barre exercise and ballet movements, with yoga and pilates, and then she throws in some serious cardio and ab workouts. And at the same time, she makes this a class for all ages and all levels of student ability.  If you are looking for a new dimension in fitness, come to Modern Steps and try this amazing hour of exercise--you just might get hooked!

Eden Looney leading the Barre Class.
Check her out on youtube.com.

Students lining up at the barre for warm-ups

Posture and balance are at the center of the class philosophy

Increasing flexibility is one of the class objectives.
Flexibility has been shown to decrease the
effects of aging.

Working on abs, or your core, strengthens back muscles
and reduces risks of osteoporosis and its symptoms.

Each student is encouraged to work at their own comfort level
and the community that builds in the class is also
a key to reducing depression and improving mental health.

For more information about the class, call Modern Steps at 239-775-3445 or email questions to modernsteps@gmail.com.

Girls' Night Out! It's A Hit!

Ladies!  If you haven't been coming to our Girls' Night Out events you must start!  Quickly becoming one of our favorite days of the month, we are pushing the envelope and trying to find out how much fun a group of gals can have!

Last month, we had a Fashion Show at Modern Steps.  Carla Bobka, a CAbi Style Consultant from Pennsylvania, brought her trunk of fabulous clothes to Naples, so that we could touch and feel and walk the runway!  What could be better than a little wine, some hors d'oerves and good friends going shopping?

Carla takes her CAbi Show on the road for
our Girls' Night Out

Pat V. models one of the great sweaters from the
cabionline.com collection

We're all looking forward to a spring show in February--be sure to stay in touch for details.

Coming Up in October

Our October GNO event has a different twist--we'll be Sipping and Painting at Pinot's Palette, Coconut Point, 23050 Via Villagio #109, Estero, FL 33928 on Thursday, October 20, 2016.  Meet at Modern Steps at 5:30pm and we can caravan to the party that is from 7-9pm.  Then dinner at Angelina's Ristorante to make it a night out!  Sign up using the Pinot's Palette link and be prepared for a good time!

October Calendar at Modern Steps

Summer Adventures for Modern Steps Students Part 1

We all love living in Southwest Florida, but as everyone knows, it gets a little quiet in Naples during the summer.  So where do all those people go?  A lot of our students "fly north" for the summer, but some of them have interesting adventures that take them away.  Pat Vautrinot is one of our students who went on a grand adventure this summer, exploring the two youngest states of America.  She traveled with her family, first to Alaska and the Denali National Park, and then also to the western United States' Paradise of the Pacific, Hawaii.  Here are some of the spectacular areas that she was able to enjoy last month.  Thanks for sharing your journey, Pat!

The Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley
The peak itself in all it's glory!  Usually covered by clouds,
Denali is only visible about 30% of the time.

Pat flying out from Kanchitna, after a 6 hr ride in a park service bus to get in!
Living strong, Pat went white-water rafting while visiting the National Park.

Pat and children, Frosty and "almost" son Ralph were
 part of a larger family reunion.

Little store that is home to "Mayor Murphy," the cat!
You expect a moose to stroll by at any minute.

Pat's son, Ted, giving our own private concert, though
many passersby dropped in to enjoy his music.

Saw the calving of this glacier!  Calving is when a chunk
of ice falls off the glacier, creating an iceberg.
Learn something new everyday!

Just your normal, friendly, grizzly bear.
(We'll assume Pat was in a vehicle of some kind and not asking the bear for a dance!)

View of a waterfall inside an old volcano on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.
Pat's riding in a helicopter, one of several modes of transportation
needed for these great views.

Aboard the museum of the USS Arizona

Tea time for the Leopard Ladies!

Excuse me, your Lordship, but this table is reserved for the Leopard Ladies!  It was off for a little English culture at Brambles' Tea Room on Wednesday, July 27, for the ladies of Modern Steps.  If you have never enjoyed an afternoon tea, someday you should enter the land of fine china and tiny sandwiches and pastries.  There you will experience the calming effects of warm tea and delightful friends, while sharing in one of Britain's most enduring traditions.

Cindy Swanson, with our hostess, Tammy Clemens

The ladies waiting enjoying their tea-Pat Vautrinot, Susan Grigsby, Carol Speidel

Some of our Leopard Ladies!
Deborah Jansen, Brenda Griebahn, Pat Vautrinot

The whole group, except our photographer, Jennifer Schooley

The Leopard Ladies' next Girls' Night Out will be Friday, September 16 at 5:30pm at Modern Steps.  Come and join us for a relaxing cocktail hour and fashion show, featuring Cabi fall fashions presented by Carla Bobka

He Dances, He Sings, He's our very own Jim Clemens!

Sometimes we have diamonds in our very own backyard and we never really see them.  One of our shining, multi-faceted diamonds is Jim Clemens, owner and instructor at Modern Steps School of Dance.  You have probably seen Jim at the studio teaching lessons, or dancing at a competition, winning great accolades with his students and for the studio.  But you may not know that he is also a popular singer with a local group of entertainers called the Consecutones.  The trio of Jim, Antoine "Motown" Walker and Steve Fenntiman perform a wide selection of favorites from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's and you can see them on Friday nights in July at Bill's Steak and Seafood Restaurant, located at the corner of Lakewood Blvd and Tamiami Trail East in Naples.  Not only can you get a great meal at Bill's, but you can enjoy this talented group of gentlemen as they bring back oldies and our favorite love songs from 6:30-9:30pm.
Social dancing is one of Jim's passions, and you usually see him on Friday night dancing with students at Bill's and enjoying the music from the dancer's shoes he wears so well.  He has another side that we don't see as often, but his wonderful renditions of our favorite songs are a testimony to the shiny facet that you don't want to miss on this gem we are proud to call one of ours

Jim and Tammy before the show.

Steve Fenntiman and Antoine "Motown" Walker are
the other two thirds of The Consecutones.

The Consecutones at Bill's Steak and Seafood Restaurant

In addition to enjoying the great music, friends get together to dance and enjoy an evening out at Bill's.  You will often see students and friends of Modern Steps out enjoying the music and dancing around town at various venues.  Social dancing is just that--a great way to meet friends, dance and feel the joy of the music, all wrapped up in one great package.

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Part 2 of "An Evening in the Spotlight"

Here are some more great shots by Joe Parisi of Frame, Focus, Shoot from our Spotlight performance on April 29. 2016.  Enjoy!!

Jennifer sets the Paso Doble on fire!

Nancy and Mac connect in the ChaCha

Cindy-our lady in blue!

Tango time for Thelma and Jim!

Deborah strikes a pose in her tango

Brenda and Lynn loving the waltz

Quickstep!

Tammy and Mac

The Greggs take their bow