Remembering our First Respondents & Military

On the dance floor we might just know them as ‘that lead with the killer swing out’ or the ‘chick with the amazing swivels’ but by day, some of our closest friends and dancers are also community heroes!

Often, the uniformed men and women who serve our communities- protecting our nation, homes, and bodies from harm- are nameless and under-appreciated.  They’re just there – doing their jobs, saving lives and supporting us.  Today we’re going to take a break to honor those friends (and the many others we do not know personally) who put themselves in harms way to help keep us and our communities safe.  EMTs, Fire Fighters, Police Officers, and our active military are in tough situations, making difficult decisions and confronting danger.  Thank You for all that you do on a daily basis!  Thank You for taking on the responsibility!  And thank you friends, for letting us be a part of your life out-of-danger!

Dancing with Danger

Dancing is a great stress release!  So I’m not terribly surprised when I learn of a dancer who has a dangerous or high-stress occupation by day.  But did you know that there are a number of dancers at Atomic Ballroom and throughout southern California, who rush to our aid during a structure fire,  pull us out of mangled cars on the freeway and defend the nation from foreign threats.  Jesse Niou joined the military just after 9/11.  Augie Freeman served us in Iraq.  Bill Dakin is a Fireman.  And Josh Gomez saved lives as an EMT (now a LA Fireman).

Until you join their ranks, you may not know what joys they share – from tackling difficult situations, acknowledging and pushing their physical limits, and bonding with a team dedicated to supporting each other in the dangers ahead.  Then, you realize that they really love what they do, beyond the possibility of being a hero, because it is their calling.

So today we thank them for choosing a career that is essential of a community’s strength and well-being.  We thank them for all the little things they do to help us survive.  And we thank them for being the proud few.

In Gratitude and Appreciation…Thank You