Stars, Stripes and Tutu's!!!

Happy & Safe 4th of July to Pets, People and ALL!!!

P.S. John represents our holiday spirit Best !!!

YARD SALE in Bellingham !

We're having a YARD SALE in B'ham: 2717 Cornwall on Friday, July 9th!!! 10am until the evening ... we'll even have hot dogs and drinks!

We had so much fun and success at the last yard sale, that we can't help but do it again! Of course, cool stuff is our middle name (United We Cool Stuff Dance), so there will be plenty of good buys and great stuff to buy for cheap!!!
Have stuff you want to get rid of? Consider donating to us. Email: uwedance@gmail.com and to arrange a drop off.

10 fun things - Sea to Ski Grand Parade

It's B'ham's Sea to Ski Weekend (old timers know it as Blossom Time). Today was the Grand Parade and we had a front row view while selling hot dogs.

Here are 10 reasons I love parades!

1. Being outside in the spring weather.

2. Cheerfully decorated Floats

3. The Happy Clowns

4. Firetrucks and Flags

5. Plumes and Spats 

6. Old Guys (with spirit)

7. Friendly cops

8. Seeing folks we normally don't see...

 

9. Smiling with the Nile

 

#10 (Best Reason of All) OUR KIDS!

Bellingham Sea to Ski Kiddies Parade

Friday, May 21st at 5pm:
The Sea to Ski Kiddies Parade is comin' to town and Wendy Setter's The Dance Studio, at 1820 Cornwall Ave is ready! Dancers have been working out a routine to strut their stuff for weeks now, and the UWD parents (ah yes, the fundraisers again) are setting up a HOT DOG STAND to delight your tastebuds.
I have never gone to a public event without one of my kids getting hungry and thirsty.  Too often we're just too busy to pack the lunch and remember the wipes. Sometimes, even when I did bring the treats, the kids just wanted to go for the warm and tasty hot-dogs. It's part of the parade tradition!

So come on by the Dance Studio located midway through the parade route and join in the festivities!  It is a great spot to view the parade from either side of the street. (The dance studio even has bathrooms just in case your little one needs to go). We'll also have a Hand Washing Station! (ah, spills and mishaps!)

We'll be having FUN ... we always do!

P.S. We'll also be setting up shop..., I mean the HOT-DOG Stand, for the Grand Parade on Saturday, May 29th at Noon ... AND ... we'll be out at Hovander Homestead on Sunday May 30th to serve Sea to Ski Race Participants, support crew and family as they shuttle on by!  LOOK for US!

Movie Night at The Dance Studio

Ooooh!  This'll be fun! To help raise funds for their upcoming trip to Australia, the UWD dancers are hosting a Movie Night at the Dance Studio.
What does this mean?  It means NITE OUT for Moms and Dads!!!
Drop your child off at the dance studio, where they will enjoy a movie, popcorn & pretzels, games and dancing. The babysitters will be supervised by moms, so you can be sure that your child is in very good hands.

• Date: April 17, 2010
• Time: 6p to 9pm.  
• Cost : $10/child;   $8/3 or more kids.
• Ages: 4 - 12 yrs old.
• Place: The Dance Studio, 1820 Cornwall Ave, B'ham.

Call 360-734-1595 and reserve your child's spot today!
(For info on the babysitters, check out the bio's on this blog !)(They are a great bunch of girls).

Tuesday's Dancers

Spotlight today on Sarah and Katie! Our youngest (and therefore cutest!) 'UWD dancers'. These 12-1/2 yr olds are buds. They both started dancing at age 3, and like their co-dancers, they dance it all: ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, lyrical and hip-hop. Hip-hop is their mutual favorite.
Neither girl hosted an Australian dancer in December, so they're super excited about dancing for their hosts down-under!
Favorite thing to do outside of dance?

• Both were in agreement: hang out with my friends!

What are you looking forward to do in Australia?

• Katie - experience the Australian culture and maybe learn some different dance styles.
• Sarah: Meet my Australian host family, as I didn't get to host an Aussie when they came here.

What special thing will you be taking with you to Australia?

• Katie: my favorite blankey and my mom.
• Sarah: okay, I'll admit it ... my blankey, and my mom. (no worries girls ... Jessie Mays is bringing her blankey and mom too!)
  

Who will you miss the most?

• Katie: my dad.
• Sarah: my dad, my doggies.

What else to know about them:

• Katie: I like to ride horses, I like to act goofy and I LOVE to dance!
• Sarah: That I'm crazy, goofy, kind of a spaz! (in a good way though) And I love to dance!
  

Bellingham Birthday Parties !!!

Did you know that The Dance Studio hosts Birthday Parties? FUN Parties that include a one hour dance class taught by an advanced dancer followed by Cake and presents in the "Party Room".
Each child (or adult!) in the dance class gets to wear a costume and learn a little ditty. Dance style or special music can be requested. Lessons are age appropriate and all ages are possible!!! {how about learning a little hip-hop on grandma's 70th!!)
Cost is $150.00 for 10 kids, 2 hours. $5 for each additional participant, up to 20 max.

Party-ware is provided. You bring the cake/treats.
BEST of ALL: SET-UP / CLEAN-UP is provided!!!
Give us a call! 360-734-1595
(way better than McDonalds!)

Monday Dance Class

Hurray! Selling Krispy Kreme's on Saturday was profitable and fun! We sold 30 dozen of the sweet little donuts and as you can see from the photos, the girls had a blast! They put on quite a show in front of the dance studio... of course, they're naturals at this!!!

Oven Fresh - Krispy Kreme Donuts!!!

Fresh from the KRISPY KREME ovens his Saturday, March 6th! The Dance Studio will have a load of Krispy Kreme donuts for sale !!! YUM! Price is $9.50/dozen or .80/each! Warm, sweet and gooey!!
You can pre-order at the Dance Studio, or call 360-734-1595.
Better yet, stop by this Saturday - 1820 Cornwall Ave, B'ham - across from the old "Dewaard & Bode". It'll sweeten your disposition!!!!

Thursday's Dancers

Centerstage today are dancers Jessie F. and Amber. These two middle-schoolers started dancing at The Dance Studio at age 5. They each dance ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop and musical theater. Full of energy and fun, these two like to hang with their 'besties'! Both girls hosted Aussie's in December and are looking forward to seeing them again in July.

• What are they taking to Australia with them? Jessie: my mom, my sister and camera. Amber: my mom, my teddy-bear, plus my Ipod and cell phone.
• What will they miss? Jessie: My kitty! Amber: My puppy.
• What do you want people to know about you? Jessie: I love everyone at The Dance Studio, they're like my family! Amber: I'm a crazy random person who loves my dance family!

Olympic Hockey Tickets !!!

We got 'em! Olympic Hockey Tickets up for BID at our Feb 6th Auction, Northwood Hall in Bellingham! Here's the scoop:

• 6 Tickets
• Norway vs. Switzerland
• Game date: Feb 20th
• Game time: Noon
• Seats: Sections 117, Row 15, Seats 9,10,107,108
• Section 118, Row 15, Seats 9 & 10
• LIVE Auction Item

Comparable Tickets are being sold on Ebay today for over $300.00 !!!!
Our starting bid is far, far less than that !!!

AND this is a totally WIN-WIN deal. You get hockey tix, we get to make a dancer's dream to experience another culture ... and see koalas and kangaroos ... come true!
A $25.00 Auction Ticket gets you a place in line for these tickets!
Call 360-734-1595 & buy your auction ticket today !!!

Tuesday's Dancers

Two Dancers traveling to Australia this summer are middle-schoolers, Leah and Mackenzie. Nutcracker '09 audiences saw these two dance together as Drosselmeyer's doll and toy soldier in the Party Scene. Both dance ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, musical theater and hip hop. Leah's favorite style of dance is Hip Hop. Mackenzie's is "either lyrical or musical theater". Outside of 'Dance' these two like to hangout with friends. Leah is looking forward to performing and shopping in Australia this summer. When asked what she would be bringing, she answered "Definitely my journal and my camera!" Leah hosted an aussie dancer in December,as did Mackenzie, who hosted two sisters. Mackenzie is looking forward to seeing the Sydney Opera House and will be bringing a birthday present for her host family sister.
What would you most like people to know about you? Leah: 'I'm really looking forward to Australia since this is my 11th year dancing and I'm finally getting to travel with the studio."
Mackenzie: "I looooove the arts. I play several instruments, dance and have an ok singing voice. I also like acting!"
What will they miss? Both answered, their dogs! (oh yeah, family & friends too!)

Bowling Ballerina Babes

I know, I've already mentioned how fun and fantastic our Feb 6th Auction is going to be, so I won't say it again (smile). Instead, I'll give you a sneak peek of a unique item that has been donated to our tables: a shrine made by Paula Purcell of Windswept Art Farm on Marrowstone Island. This shrine is fun and full of whimsy. It's for ballerinas who like to bowl, or bowlers who like ballerinas! Or maybe it's just for babes who like to have fun , and we all know there are a lot of those!!! Paula's shrines have humor, whimsy and joy. Check out her facebook site: link below. She also sells on Etsy, one of the best websites on planet earth (ok,ok. my opinion only!)
Two weeks til Auction time ... you're gonna love it!

Wines from around the World!

At our upcoming Wine Tasting/Auction on Feb 6th, we will be presenting Wines from around the World.The selection of white wines includes: DaVinci Pinot Grigio from Italy, Martin Codax Albarino from Spain and Whitehaven Sauvignon Blank from New Zealand.
Domestic whites include a Select Riesling from Washington's Chateau Ste.Michelle and Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay from California.
As for Red wines, we'll have a McWilliams Merlot from Australia (yeah Auzzie-land!), LasRocas Garnacha from Spain and Alamos Malbec from Argentina. There will be two Washington Reds: Columbia Crest Grand Estates Shiraz and Chateau Ste.Michelle's Indian Wells Cabernet.
For Beer lovers, we'll have a 'Beer Tasting'. Of course, we'll also provide soft-drinks, teas and coffee.
As I've said before, there will simply be something for everyone at this auction!

Thursday's Dancers

While moms and dads are busy fundraising for Australia, the dancers are dancing. Of the 14 girls traveling to Australia, 3 are in highschool. Colleen, Jessie and Emma are 11th graders who've been dancing together since 2nd grade. They dance ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, M.T., tap and hip hop. Colleen's favorite style is Lyrical, Emma's is ballet and Jessie's loves Musical Theater and Tap. These girls have plenty on their plates! They're already thinking beyond high school, worrying about SAT scores and senior projects. Colleen volunteers at a Special Ed Preschool, Jessie loves to sing and act and Emma is a WCC Running Start student.
Hosting an aussie dancer got them excited for their upcoming trip! What are they looking forward to in Australia? The white sand beaches of Port Stephens, hangin' with their aussie friends again, and "seeing Kangaroos and Koalas!" What special items are they taking with them? two moms, one dad and a blankey! What will they miss? Their dogs! (of course, friends and family too!)

Something for Everyone !!!

Our Wine Tasting/Auction on February 6th will have SOMETHING of Interest FOR EVERYONE !!! Take a look at the list of Donors to the left, below: from A to Z, we got the goods!!! Golf, Nights out on the town, Weekends Away, Pampering, Treats, Art Objects, Clothes .... you name it, you can get it here!!!

New items are being donated everyday. Want to know more? Call The Dance Studio at 360-734-1595. It's gonna be fun! (Oh! Of course, there is also the Wine!)

Hot Stuff at our Wine Tasting / Auction

How does homemade pizza, piping hot from a Wood Stone Pizza Baking Slate in your own kitchen sound! Good huh? Wood Stone products are top of the line wonderful! and we'll have two of their Baking Slates up for bid at our Feb 6th Auction at Northwood Hall in Bellingham, starting at 6pm. There will be lots of other unique items as well, due to the generosity of many Whatcom County Businesses. So stay tuned and reserve your place in the fun by calling The Dance Studio at 360-734-1595. Tickets are $25.00 per person, one of the best deals in town!

Katie's Cupcakes & UWD Wine Tasting/Auction

One of the cutest and tastiest new spots in town is Katie's Cupcakes. We went there with our Auzzie dancer's and they were as impressed as I! News Flash! Katie is a tap dancer too! And while she is an enthusiastic dancer, she is an even better baker! Every one of her cupcakes taste great (although I've yet to taste every variety... I'm working on it!).
Katie is also one of our sponsors at the UWD Wine Tasting & Auction held on February 6th at Northwood Hall here in Bellingham. When it comes time to win a dessert of your choice in the Dessert Dash, a platter of Katie's cupcakes will be one of the delicacies waiting for you!!!
Other auction events include: a hosted wine tasting, hearty hor d'oevres, silent auction, live auction and raffle. Of course, there will also be live entertainment by our dancers and MORE!
BTW, there will also be some great buys. It's simply a win-win situation: you get to have fun and support cross-cultural exchange and the arts; we get to have fun and help our dancers make this wonderful opportunity a reality!

Aussie's are here!!!

The dancers from the Robyn Yvettte Dance Studio in Port Stephens, Australia are here!!! They've been performing in area Elementary Schools. I spoke with 18 yr. old Madalynne, who is on her second trip to the U.S. She's been dancing, shopping, touring and just basically enjoying B'ham.
What's the weirdest thing you've experienced? The North Fork Beer Shrine that served Pizza and was also a Wedding Chapel. Pumpkin Ice-cream is a close second.
What are the biggest differences? The weather (freezing!), the houses and how BIG everthing is... (we didn't even take her to McDonalds for a Supersizer).
What did you like the best about Bellingham? How friendly everyone is.
What was a cool, funky, fun thing to do? Go to Everyone's Store in Acme.
What will you miss the most about Bellingham? Meeting people and getting "rugged up" (i.e. putting on layers, hats, scarves, etc) and my host family.
What do you miss from home? Vegemite (yeast spread), milo (kinda like Ovaltine)and definately the beach! Also my family!
What's the funniest thing that happened while you were here? Well, it was fun talking to the little kids after the performances and also to the sales clerks at Zumiez ... especially one in particular!!!

Rebecca's Flowers

Many thanks to Rebecca's Flowers on Harris Avenue in Fairhaven!!! She helped us with our Flower Sales Fundraiser and also donated to the Event. It's local businesses like this that make our town such a great place to live. Visit her "Flower Shoppe" at 1003 Harris Ave, located between the Bead Bazaar and Katie's Cupcakes. It's a charming store with beautiful plants, flowers and gift items. BTW, the Flower Sales were a big success and the Nutcracker performances were OUTSTANDING! We are so grateful for all the hard work and energy that went into this event!
Rebecca's Flower Shop: www.rebeccasflowershoppe.com