Strictly Westie - Farewell Sharla!

Thursday night at Blarney in NYC Michael Diener and Jennifer Czarkowski threw a major bash of a send-off for Sharla Robinson. The room was charmingly decorated in blue and green streamers and balloons - scrumptious cake was served - awesome music played and 60+ people showed up to dance in celebration and sadness as one of our own ventures out of NYC onto the Yellow Brick Road of life.

Sharla, along with Michael and Jennifer, helped to resuscitate west coast swing in New York City. Once a vibrant dance scene, it slipped into a coma for several years. These three wonderful people infused the joy, beauty and creativity back into west coast and inaugurated a new era of dance - really its more like a social movement - reminiscent of the Jazz era.

Michael Diener is a man with a golden touch. Already running an extremely successful dance on Tuesday nights at Connolly's in Times Square, he has started a weekly dance at Blarney on Wednesday nights along with a guided practice session. A year ago, all his dances were held there but the crowd outgrew the space. For this more intimate fête, it was great to go back to Blarney.

Blarney Stone is located at 31st & 8th Ave. Downstairs its an "Irish" dive bar and sometimes there is karaoke. (Yikes?!) Ascend to the second floor where west coast swing heaven and a private bar awaits. On this occasion we had awesome cake! Can't have a party without! The Strictly Westie group really knows how to have a good time.

DJ "extraordinaire" and All-Star Dancer Haider Kahn was in town and brought lots of new tunes. This guy read the mood of the room like a Clive Clusser action novel. We were on fire! No one could sit out a dance. Currently, Haider teaches and DJs at Sandunga on Wednesday nights in Dallas. Thanks Michael - it was a special treat! http://www.westiedallas.com

There was, of course, a dance-off. All the guys (and a few gals) lined up for one last chance with Sharla. Bittersweet. The girl can really dance and is such an inspiration to the newer dancers coming up. We could just watch her and learn. That's how clear she is when she dances.


"You have to leave the ground if you are going to fly."(Zox) So, fly - Sharla - fly. But remember you can always come back to your many wonderful friends who miss you already. Thank you for the time we shared with you.

http://www.strictlywestie.com/