COMMENTS FROM OTHERS
Midnight Rodeo Winter Workshop 2010
FROM: D. PROVEAUX
Just wanted to say thank you to Marilyn McNeal for once again hosting an excellent event. Jo Thompson Szymanski was delightful. And Ray McNeal's culinary contribution was yummy.
It was good to see so many of my favorite dancers and it appeared to me that everyone was having a great time. Thanks Marilyn and Ray for everything you do for the line dance community. See you in March.
FROM: Carol A. Huban, North Port, FL (jandchuban@aol.com)
This is the first report I've ever submitted on a line dancing event, but I just had to rave about the Midnight Rodeo's Winter Workshop in Ocala, FL hosted by Marilyn & Ray McNeal on Saturday, January 23. It was absolutely the BEST workshop I have ever attended. Bionic woman, Jo Thompson Szymanski, dazzled us with her teaching and dancing style. Class all the way, and what a superb instructor -- Jo has the ability to make the most intricate steps easy to learn and retain. Watching her dance is such a treat. Jo mixed the old dances with the new, and reviewed the dances often during the day and evening. I loved every single dance Jo taught, and plan to teach them to my students:
Dances taught choreographed by Jo Thompson Szymanski:
SHOES OF ANOTHER MAN (beautiful WCS) - danced to "Shoes Of Another Man" by Brother Yusef. I absolutely adore this dance which ance was No. 3 on the World Line Dance Newsletter Survey Ending 1/17/10. I wouldn't be surprised if it's No. 1 in the next week or two.
DANCING IN THE DARK - danced to "Smoke Rings In The Dark" by Gary Allan. Can't wait to teach this one to my Improvers. Jo choreographed it in June 2000.
JUST FOR GRINS - danced to "Billy B. Bad" by George Jones. Alternate songs suggested to me by other instructors for JUST FOR GRINS are "Club Savoy" by Rockin' Louie & Mamma Jammers and "Bill's Laundromat Bar & Grill" by Confederate Railroad.
SING A NEW SONG - DANCE A NEW DANCE (cute polka) - danced to "Sing A New Song, Dance A New Dance" by Scooter Lee.
YEARS FROM NOW WALTZ - danced to "Years From Now" by Don Williams.
POR TI SERE (4 U I WILL BE) - danced to "Por Ti Sere (4 U I Will Be)" by Ronnie Beard (this was a great repeat of a blast from the past).
Jo expertly taught the following dances she choreographed with other instructors:
LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE, choreographed by Joanne Brady, Gordon Elliott, Max Perry and Jo Thompson - danced to "He's My Little Jalapeno" by Scooter Lee.
HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY? - danced to "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" by Van Morrison, choreographed by Jo Thompson Szymanski and Kathy Hunyadi (4 years in the making of this beautiful nightclub line dance). From what I heard from attendees, this was the favorite dance of the day. I couldn't pick a favorite -- I loved them all.
Jo also taught the following great dances choreographed by other instructors:
IT HAD TO BE YOU, choreographed by Denise Boyle - danced to "It Had To Be You" by Rod Stewart.
LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE, choreographed by Joanne Brady, Gordon Elliott, Max Perry and Jo Thompson - danced to "He's My Little Jalapeno" by Scooter Lee.
FRENCH GIRL SHUFFLE, choreographed by Knox Rhine - danced to "Miss Kiss Kiss Bang (Radio Version)" by Alex Swings Oscar Sings. Great floor split for Scott Blevin's COOCHIE BANG BANG.
Marilyn organized a fantastic day of dancing and eating, thanks to the wonderful cooking of her husband, Ray. The whole day flew by, and dancing at the Midnight Rodeo at night was added "icing on the cake." If you have never attended one of Marilyn and Ray's events, you're missing out on a super time. Sign up now for their March 27, 2010 Spring Workshop at Midnight Rodeo featuring Rachael McEnaney. It promises to be another McNeal workshop to remember for a long, long time. It will definitely sell out soon so don't delay.
Carol Huban
North Port, FL
jandchuban@aol.com
FROM: lindy kicknboot@cfl.rr.com
I don't know how they do it, but Marilyn and Ray outdo themselves again every time.....What a wonderful event. There is just no one on the planet like Jo Thompson and what fun it all was. I think Jo had as much fun just dancing open dance as everyone else too. I was soooooo relieved when she did one count-in wrong during a teach!!! whew!!! What a relief to know that it happens even to the best! lol It was just such a fun, laid-back, wonderful weekend of getting together with old friends and new and always just a 'private party/family reunion' kind of atmosphere. Thanks to everyone who made it so great.
DANCE!!! :-) lindy
lindy's lines
407-721-5106
FROM: LEMAYTERESA@YAHOO.COM
Wow, what an awesome day in Ocala. Marylin and Ray do such a nice job of hosting an event. It is absolutly wonderful. Everything from the start to the end on sunday> The folks who help also do a wonderful job.It was just so pleasant.
Jo Thompson is one unbelievable woman!!!!!!!!!!!!She is a beautiful dancer, great instructor, and a beautiful persson inside and out> She is a real treat to be in the same room with>
I havent been dancing much the past year and this day really made me appreciate the FRIENDS I have in this family of dance.
Thanks to everyone who made this weekend so special---Jo,Marylin,Ray,volunteers and my dear friends.
I just needed to say Jo Thompson is such an inspiration to life she makes you want to live life to the fullest every day>
Teresa
FROM: nkeefover@netzero.com
The Jo Thompson workshop, hosted by Marilyn McNeal, at Midnight Rodeo, Sataurday was absolutely wonderful. Jo is so great. I cannot not praise her enough. She is so gracious, charming, energetic. Energetic is an understatement when discribing Jo Thompson, she is like the Everready bunny, she just keeps going and going...... And, Marilyn and Ray along with their helpers are wonderful hosts. They work sooooooooo hard for us dancers, and it shows. Ray and David's home made Buffet lunch, is to die for. And, then they cook and serve a buffet breakfast, at their home, in their wonderful linedance barn, with the huge (wood) dance floor to the out of town dancers who attended Jo's workshop. And, Jo taught another dance, after breakfast. It does not get better than this. .
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