THESE SWEETHEARTS WILL DANCE INTO YOUR HEARTS
(Written by Pete Porter, Photographs by Margaret Porter - RSVP)
Bobbi Rogers gives a Sweethearts "Hello" to the audience at the Canterbury.
Jo Renzi, Pat Ramsey, Sue Hensel, Betty King, Judi Haase, Bobbie Rogers, Janice Murry, Sandy Lincoln and Patty Bree.
Jackie Coury (hidden behind Bobbi Rogers)

Formed in May, 1997, the Sweethearts of Tap Dancing is a dance troupe mostly made up of RSVP members who perform throughout the year at various locales around the South Bay. Under the direction of Bobbi Rogers, they strut their stuff at Senior Centers; Kiwanas, Elks and Rotary Clubs; Churches; Convalescent Homes and many other similar venues. Tap Dancing is only one of the many items that feature in their presentation and their performance includes Soft Shoe numbers as well as Broadway songs, Ballroom Dancing and even a Clogger.
At the end of March, I was lucky to be there when the Sweethearts put on a show at the Canterbury Retirement Home in Palos Verdes, and what a show it was! Janice Murry told me that, although the show was basically one of two standard sets that they perform, they would also be breaking in a new blues number on this occasion. The members of the troupe all have a solid grounding in this form of entertainment and this certainly shows in the professional presentation that we saw today.

Bobbi Rogers used to be a professional dancer performing with another lady as the Baker Sisters. Although she doesn’t dance anymore, Bobbi still keeps active choreographing the shows, teaching and running the weekly practice sessions at the Hermosa Beach Kiwanas Club. She told me that she also makes all of the terrific looking outfits for the many different numbers that the group performs.
Jo Renzi, Janice Murry and Patty Bree performed an amusing number aptly entitieled "Goofus" whilst Jackie Coury and Pat Ramsey performed a Fan Dance to the tune of "Sisters". Janice Murry said that she had concentrated on Ballroom Dancing since she was a teenager and only started Tap Dancing after she joined the Sweethearts. Another of the Sweethearts, Jo Renzi performs at the Norris Theatre when she’s not helping to put on shows with Bobbi Rogers’ group. Patti Bree’s experience was in Interpretive Dancing and Jackie Coury has been Tap Dancing since she was a child.

Betty King did an astounding job as a Clogger, dancing to "California Here I Come", whilst Sandy Lincoln gave two wonderful exhibitions of Ballroom Dance with her partner, George deVerry.

Although she is not a dancing member of the group, Judi Haase provides wonderful interludes of song during the proceedings so that the other performers have a chance to make one of the many changes required for the various presentations. As a tribute to the season, Judi sang a terrific rendition of "In Your Easter Bonnet" that was greatly appreciated by her audience.

These are just a few of the numbers that the troupe performed on this occasion and the residents of "The Canterbury" gave everyone a big round of applause after the group finished with a stirring rendition of "New York - New York".

If you want to audition for this group or book a Show, please call RSVP at 310 320-3322.
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