First of a series
John Cassese, the notable Dance Doctor, relates the story of Sunday’s upcoming ceremony at the same languorous, gliding gait that he teaches couples and non-couples how to floridly convert carmel-colored dance floors into artists’ easels.
[img]1415|left|||no_popup[/img]
Mr. Cassese and his dance partner Jenelle Wax
Nice and easy. No reason to hurry.
At the beginning of May, one of his favorite student couples telephoned with the ultimate news that was related by a beaming young woman.
“We know you probably get a lot of these invitations,” she said. “But we would be really honored to have you at our wedding on Sunday the 20th. It will be a beautiful affair, outdoors in Malibu.”
Mr. Cassese, Santa Monica-based and Dance Doctor to the stars and the rest of us for almost 30 years, was delighted for the couple, of course.
But a traditional reaction would not do.
Congratulations Can Wait
A devilish, puckish look streaked across his handsome, neatly coiffed black bearded face as he recalled that his congratulations were extended second. His first reaction was, “That means you better come in for a couple more lessons,” and he couldn’t suppress a grin.
The “really cute” couple, John and Elizabeth, are in their happy, carefree 20s. They have followed Mr. Cassese’s carefully reached prescription, to enroll at his busy studio, 1440 4th St., downtown Santa Monica, four to six months ahead of their intended nuptials date.
“John and Elizabeth have been learning two dances,” he explains, “the fox trot and the rumba.”
But, ahem, it seems their dedication to mastering the new steps lately has faded.
The Dance Doctor’s clientele spans the pretty broad spectrum of Westside residents, and when engaged couples inquire, he introduces them to his intended agenda:
“• Consider the type of dance you’d like to perform. In addition to traditional dances like the waltz, we can create custom choreography for the mambo, salsa, swing, cha cha, hustle and samba to name a few.
• “Be prepared to work. Dance is a great form of exercise, so expect it to feel like a workout.
• “Don’t stress out. You may think dance lessons sound stressful, but dance is actually an unbelievable stress-reliever.
• “Be prepared for quality time with your fiancé. Dance lessons require you to work alongside your partner, motivating one another and enjoying the process of learning something together.”
Returning to Elizabeth and John, our almost-wed couple, Mr. Cassese approaches them with familial familiarity.
They are students. He is their teacher, and now it was time to scold.
“I told them, ‘You guys have not been practicing as much as you were before.’ I said, ‘Don’t be resting on your laurels. You better be good. Otherwise I am going to disown you.
“‘I will just disappear at your wedding.’”
The wedding call really was not unusual for the much accomplished Mr. Cassese.
A native New Yorker born into a proud Italian Catholic family, he danced professionally for years on the East Coast before moving to Santa Monica and going into the wide-open dance instruction business in 1984.
Whether Mr. Cassese accepts the stream of wedding invites “depends on the couple,” he says. “I enjoy going, though, because it always is good to see the results of my work.
“I feel like the proud father,” the bachelor says.
He spoke candidly about the couple, and sometimes he sounded like an athletic coach.
“They have good ability,” Mr. Cassese says. “The problem is, they just don’t practice enough. The problem with everyone is, once they are away from the studio, it is very easy to fall back. I told them that last night. They were having a little bit of a relapse to their non-dancing days.”
Are these final pre-weddding ceremony days like cramming for a threatening exam?
Mr. Cassese nodded.
John and Elizabeth were in Mr. Cassesse’s spacious, mirrored dance studio this afternoon for their last terpischory checkup with the Doctor.
Happily, they earned a passing grade.
(To be continued)
