DANCING WITH THE DOGS! by Teresa Russell

Teams pose after a dress rehearsal at Napa's Sunrise Park. Not pictured: Trish - photo from Teresa. Click on image to view larger.

On June 5, 2010, a group of NVDTC members and their dogs performed at the Imagine! Dancing Horses Horse Show and Equine Extravaganza in Auburn. Led by Vange Leonis and her Corgi Radar—our group presented a line dance to the music “If Bubba Can Dance.” To make a long story short, we were a hit! Upon entering the horse arena in predetermined columns to twangy country music, we were greeted with thunderous applause. What an energy boost that was! It was impossible to keep a wide grin off all of our faces.

The dogs took all the noise and smells in stride. Vange had practiced us and practiced us ‘til we were confident in our moves. We had also gotten there early and practiced a run through on the horse arena floor. We were able to watch some of the other “acts,” particularly the dancing Friesen horses, which are gorgeous black Dutch horses with unusually long flowing manes and tails that brush the ground. These powerful horses are related to draft horses but are extremely agile and graceful.
The event was a fundraiser for Horses for Healing, which is dedicated to “enhancing the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of special needs individuals and their loved ones through involvement with horses.” The event included a Food Court, Silent Auction, Raffle, face painting, and pony rides. It sold out and there was standing room only.

Vange put together our dog dancing act upon invitation by Judy Gamet of Dogs Can Dance. The owner handler teams included Karen Jackson and her Golden Maddie, Sue Osborn and her German Shorthaired Pointer Dakota, Katherine and Lynda Rhyno with their Aussie Storm and white Poodle Bridget, Kathleen Sutherland with her Greyhound Tuxedo, and Teresa Russell and her yellow Lab Perry. For the dance, we were joined by three members of the Vallejo DTC: Trish Iriye, Lynne Dilsaver, and Michelle Antonio and their dogs: a little Terrier cross, a Greyhound, and a white Chihuahua cross.

A teenage girl come up to Vange Leonis before the performance and asked, "What time do the dogs dance? Because I came to see the dogs dance." We fulfilled her wish and had an enjoyable time doing it!

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