CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF RHYTHM & MOTION!
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF RHYTHM & MOTION!
Thank you for joining our celebration
on December 30th!
Stay tuned to this page as we rejoice and
reflect on the wondrous event.
LINKS:
December 19th Flash Mob Footage!
Short Film: "Sunday Morning at Rhythm & Motion" by Erica Jordan
December 2009 R&M E-Newsletter featuring Interview with Consuelo Faust
Words of Thanks From Consuelo Faust, Founder & Artistic Director or Rhythm & Motion:
Dear 30th Anniversary Event teachers, performers, and supporters,
I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your generosity in donating your time and energy to Rhythm & Motion and to our community! The whole day was so wonderful and amazing--it was more of a success than any of us of had even hoped for, in terms of the turn out of new students and old students alike. The classes were jammin', the energy that you all put out was THROUGH THE ROOF, and the performances were sublime!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You all are truly the heart and soul of Rhythm & Motion.
Warm regards to all of you,
Consuelo
Words of Love & Thanks From Our Wonderful Community:
“Oh so many congratulations on your 30th big one!!!” -Brenda Way, Founder & Artistic Director, ODC Dance
“Consuelo and All, many many congratulations!” -KT Nelson, Artistic Director, ODC Dance
“Lines out the doors, packed hallways, overstuffed classes … there is a pulse, there is an energy, there is pure joyfulness… It’s a veritable mad house – if you are in the neighborhood, poke your head in and be invigorated – it is fantastic! It feels great! Congratulations to Consuelo, Thor and Samantha for 30 years of dance for everyone. -Lori Laqua, Managing Director, ODC Dance
"I could not be more honored to have been able to help out for the 30th anniversary event. What a great day it was, for so many people! I loved hearing the stories from folks who were there about what it means to them to be able to dance at R&M. Colleen Irwin, for example, told me that the event was the happiest day of her life. A former colleague of mine who had never been to class came and, after two classes, left all aglow, saying how he can't wait to come back for more. I'm so pleased I could contribute and, now that I've had a few days to recover, am looking forward to doing it again. Back in 2001, I started taking Amara's class on Sunday mornigs at the old studio. One class she taught Free Xone, and suddenly it all came together for me: the people (Amara knows how to make her dancers feel so sexy!), the moves, the atmosphere (all the other enthusiastic dancers), and just the spirit of the place. If I estimate correctly, I've taken between one and two thousand classes since then. I just can't get enough of R&M! What you started has infused every one of those clssses, and made R&M what is is today. I am truly so very grateful, and also in awe of the beauty that is R&M. I love you guys! And Happy New year to you, too. - J. Portnick, R&M Student and Volunteer Coordinator Extraordinaire.
"Congratulations! The event was incredible and I hope you've gotten some rest. Thank you for all you do! I never expected to find such a community as R&M when I first started taking classes. Happy New Year!" - M. Gee, R&M Student
Thank YOU all for creating such an incredible event and an amazing program. I was so honored to participate and am so grateful to be part of this beautiful, supportive and healing community. Thank you thank you thank you!!! My love and gratitude" -Elizabeth Soberanes, R&M Dance Workout Teacher
"Consuelo, it was a pleasure! You put on an amazing event. Congratulations!" -Jill Parker, Global Dance Instructor
"I was happy to participate. So happy R&M has been around since I was a kid." -Robin, R&M Student
"Happy 30th Anniversary!!! I have been thinking of you all day and I am so grateful for you and Rhythm & Motion. You have helped to change the lives of so many people, including me. Thank you, thank you! Can't wait to hear all about the festivities, oh and the flash mob was beautiful, soooooooo much joy:)" -Heather Britt, Cincinnatti R&M Dance Workout Teacher
"Hi Dancers- I'm exhausted, but so happy. As you know, yesterday was R&M's 30th anniversary celebration at ODC, and what an extravaganza it was! The festivities started at 10:30 a.m. and ended (as far as I know) around midnight: the Master Classes, the Intro Fusion classes, the World Beat Classes, followed by a reception, instructor performance, and DJ dance party. There were so many R&M supporters there: students, instructors, past instructors (Alena Cawthorne and Howard Tom were two past instructors I saw) and friends of students and instructors. Every person I met-- and there were hundreds-- were filled with the spirit of Rhythm and Motion: longtime students enjoyed new classes they had never taken before (Bollywood and the House Dance classes were major hits) in addition to the Master Classes earlier in the day; our fabulous teachers lead the morning Master Classes, then most performed again that night. (How do they do it?). Folks new to R&M showed up, took a class they'd never taken before, and left bubbling over with enthusiasm about what they'd just experienced. It was all around an amazing and highly memorable day.
I have a few shout outs I'd like to send, if you will indulge me:
To Consuelo Faust , our gracious hostess yesterday, who founded R&M and shapes the experience of R&M every day. We salute you, Consuelo! Also, I thoroughly enjoyed working with Consuelo and Thor's daughters, Madeleine and Thea, who are lovely young women and who were very helpful at the event. Thor handled the technical side of the day seamlessly. He was everywhere with that video camera, I must say. I am looking forward to seeing video from the event.
To our Dance Workout instructors, who rocked the house early in the day, then came together again for a crowd-pleasing show in the evening. Dudley even helped clean up at night, after multiple classes and a performance. The energy you guys have is just amazing. We are blessed to dance with our teachers and thank you all for what you give us every class, every day. What an awe inspiring group you are!
To Samantha Allen, who brought all the details together to make one amazing day, and who did the work of five people yesterday. How do you do it Samantha? Thank you so much.
To the R&M Front Desk staff who handled a very large number of transactions smoothly and efficiently. They also kept the lines down. I don't think anyone waited more than a very few minutes to be completely checked in.
To the R&M Work Exchange Crew, all R&M students like me, who sliced and served orange slices, served trays of food, opened and poured countless bottles of wine, cleaned up and organized and straightened. Thanks so much guys, for your efforts, your contributions mean alot.
To Jeri Taylor, who captured the spirit of the day on film, when she could have been dancing. I hope you'll publish photos, Jeri, we'd love to see them.
I hope I haven't left anyone out, but if I have, please let me know.
Cheers to all, and Happy New Year! "- J. Portnick, R&M Student, Passionfordance Moderator, and Cheerful Dancer
The flower you created leaves mine in the dust! 24 years for me! Thank you. And Happy New Year.-Gary
In gratitude to Rhythm & Motion Dance Program on it’s 30th Anniversary…
In the beginning your un-skinny sculpted beauty invited my 15-year-old chunky self into the splendor of my curves
There your leaps showed me how to celebrate the female power blooming in the arch of my back and the depth of my thighs
The slow roll of your hip along with an “Uh huh, come on now” wrapped my growing sensuality in a cocoon of divinity leaving no room for doubt or objectification
Then a change in song engaged your playful pelvic thrust igniting my teenage angst into serious fun
I entered college my body remembered with seeds of Sacred Dance tucked inside my heart
Now I am a woman grown awake in life sustained by love where planted feet spirals belly into an unencumbered voice
My body is a doorway for healing and movement is my medicine
Your dancing spirit transforms exercise into a daily prayer composting grief into inspiration
Amidst waving arms and stomping feet your living glory is a compass of choice leading away from victimhood and into an open heart
Inside you are a fluid Oz weaving music into a tapestry of moving love lifting us on dancing strands of soul as we rise with the sun
Beside sincere humility your artful essence creates a rhythmic temple where together we experience embodied joy great love becomes
-Staci Boden
My heart and spirit are with you on this very, very special day. From the time I took my first R&M class when I came to SF in 1987, R&M has come to be a place of comfort, security and family for me. You personally have been, and will always be, a source of great inspiration to me. For that I cannot thank you enough, Consuelo. 30 years is a long time to do anything. Congratulations on what is truly an amazing accomplishment. I hope you have an absolutely great day and anniversary celebration and that you fully appreciate and take pride in your CONGRATULATIONS!! -Tom