Why Mary Hoedeman?
You think you can dance..and then you take a lesson from Mary.
Owen Berow
Thank the Dance Gods for Mary Hoedeman,
Once in a lifetime if we are lucky, we meet someone who changes our lives for the better. We happen to meet someone who is willing to sacrifice so that our lives are better. Thank the Dance Gods a lot of us met Mary Hoedeman.
In the early nineties Mary came to
Mary has always been there for her students and she still is. Mary is still presenting Dance Camp. It is a Week of Dance instruction nightly dances and shows headlining her students. If you ever get a change to attend Dance Camp treat yourself and do it. Whether it is in
Larry and Adrienne Davis
Reflections on dance... I started taking group workshop classes with Mary Hoedeman in 1993 and always find her to be very energetic and highly motivating. Her classes are fun and packed full of dance information. When I began taking private dance lessons from Mary, I became acutely aware that her priority is to give me the knowledge and confidence to look and feel beautiful on the dance floor. I know that she works to achieve what is best for each of her students. Ruth Whitehead
It was many reasons, here goes!!
1. We love to dance and it was a whole week with many types of dances, all
day and pick and choose what dances you wanted and with certain instructors.
2. It was in a park, what a beautiful setting, beautiful cabins and new friends to meet and share housing with. We met Mark and Ann Hussey(?spelling) and had a blast.
3. You made it affordable for all of us and the food, oh my was delicious.
4. Most of all was YOU, we got to spend a whole week with you, Mary. You are exciting and we love being with you and no one, no one can teach like you.
We lov you,
Jon and Mary
We first saw you when you won Div 1 in
top level competitor. We then took a couple of clinics that you gave in
S&F
A long time ago….I made a phone call to a Dance Company down in Texas…..asking about dancing and they said they had videos I could
purchase from them……I asked so many questions…..they handed the phone to Mary Hoedeman……and our relationship began.
I must have spent at least 2 hours talking to Mary on the telephone….discussing dancing and all kinds of dance related things. How delightful to talk to someone who wasn’t so into themselves that she would take the time to talk to a person from Canada….who knew absolutely nothing about dancing and was so eager to grasp everything I could.
Then I got a personal invitation from Mary to come to her teacher training workshops in
I drove all night on a Friday night to get to
The following week I drove back to Boston to take the 2nd course with Mary….was about to check into the Ramada Inn….called Mary….and yep she invited me to come stay with her at a cottage on the water……life was getting even better…..I made a friend….I remember getting up in the morning ironing her blouse so she could go give her lessons which I was a part of.....Then things got even better.
Mary made some dance videos in Nashville Tennessee….and yup again I got invited to participate in the making of them……this was a thrill of a lifetime being with someone who I truly adored at this point and not to mention making a video with…..life was so good.
I then followed Mary almost everywhere I could possibly be….just to take lessons from her…..and private ones whenever I could with my husband till I developed Cancer and had to give up dancing for a while…..but hopefully I getting back into it again little by little.
I finished 5 levels with Mary in teacher training…..and I’ve used them to the fullest over the years that I have been teaching here in
Why did I take lessons from this Woman…..because she is so down to earth…..goes out of her way to help people understand what it is she’s teaching them……all the moves being taught made sense to me…..lead and follow as
Mary always said is what gives the illusion a dancer is looking for…..and without the lead and follow the moves seem to fall apart on the floor being taught by some instructors whom I’ve also taken lessons under. Some instructors are great at showing moves…Mary Hoedeman is not a shower….she is a Teacher….and an excellent one.
And, If you’ve never experienced taking dance lessons under the direction of Mary Hoedeman……you sure have missed the experience of a lifetime……..(not to mention we nicknamed her the dance instructor from hell) but then again…..I love her to pieces….and I’ll be a Mary Hoedeman fan for life.
Knowing Mary Hoedeman….meeting her parents and being part of her life…..has made my life a better place to live in and I’ll never forget the fun times and laughs we have all shared over the years and for that MARY HOEDEMAN I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Love You Honey Bunches Of Oats
Georgina Cooke –
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Mary, the first lesson we took with you was at the Ponderosa in
When dance camp started, we wanted to be a part of it, because of you and so that we could enjoy dance with others who shared the same enthusiasm for dance. You have shared your skills with us for so long, we have done so much together and we have great memories to show for it. When people ask," where did you learn to dance like that?" we say dancing with Mary Hoedeman. You need to know who is a good dance instructor and who isn't. That only comes with the knowing best. I am glad to say, "I am a student of Mary Hoedeman."
Love, Tim
The reason I first came to camp was a result of taking lessons with you
at Piety Corners when you were here. I loved your teaching style and I
think I learned the most from you. Everyone here who had been to camp
talked very highly about the quality of training and instructors and
just plain fun that they had at camp. So I gave it a try. It was
history from there.
Pam Trumbull
Hi Mary:
I came because Pamm Martinez had talked about what a great experience camp was and how much fun she had. So, last year I decided to come with her. I had a great time and had planned on coming again, but knew it wouldn't be this year, since my oldest son was getting married.
I'm looking forward to next year.
Pia
Hi Mary,
Yes, we can remember some things.
We attended the first camp because other dancers (The Arnolds, the Mayers, the Zavitsz, the Taylors) all told us what a wonderful time they had at dance camp, showed us a lot of dance moves and invited us to join them. We had also remembered meeting you for a workshop (
At your workshop in
Thanks for keeping in touch.
Cheers and God bless,
Hi Mary,
Several reasons. The first year we came because Bill and Carol Chaddock had told us about the fun and the food, Jim and I wanted to improve our technique, we had seen you in Chicago, and knew you were a very good dancer and teacher, we felt that the price was affordable, and dancing is what we like to do for fun and exercise.
The second year we came back because we had such a wonderful time the first year. The teachers were all very good and such nice people to get to know, especially Steve & Suz, Connie & AT, and everyone that came was so friendly.
I asked Jim if he wanted to go to another dance event for a vacation again. He said he would want to go again if its something that you would be at. He really likes you as a teacher.
Terri
Hi Mary
Our first camp was a chance to improve our dancing, while meeting new friends who shared the same love for dance as we did, the opportunity to dance every night and have fun. A big part of camp was sharing meals where we could make new friends, talk about the days events ,share a laugh about things that happened in class while massaging our aching feet!
Our first workshop with you was special. You were the first "Top Instructor" to come to our area. Your teaching opened up a whole new world to us of what lead and follow was all about. You planted the seed that made the "flower" of dance grow. You made us love to dance and to want to dance better!!!!
Love ya
Maryanne
Wow, great questions. Thinking back, It was about 1996 or 1997, we had just started dancing. I didn't own a pair of dance shoes or dance boots then. As we joined the real "dancing world", we soon heard the names of real "dancers"
Cameron, Figeroa, Ford, Royston, Baye, and Hoedeman.
Hoedeman? Who was Mary Hoedeman, At that point I had never seen a real competion level dance. Then at a dance weekend in
I head never heard of any of the dance terms or words then, like frame, center, lead, connection, commiting to a step. cup and pin, Watching you dance, I had no idea what was really going on. All I could do was watch your smile and watch your eyes. You were in such complete control of everything you did. I thought then, I want to be able to control my dance steps like that. Not that I had a clue as to how or what it would take to do even get close to that..
I think I got to appreciate it even more, when I started taking lessons from Bill and getting an understanding of lead and follow, connection, and light lead and partnership.
When we heard about your dance camp, we thought , let's go, this will be intense but really good for us to try. We were right, it was fantastic.
I guess what I learned from you was to trust myself in what I was doing. If I thought I couldn't do something or thought I wasn't as good as someone else, well sure enough, I would crash and burn. But, when I started out with no hesitation, believing In knowing what I could do, not what I thought others expected of me, but just what I knew and what I was doing, I was fine.
I remember at the camp in Cedars of Lebanon, you encouraging me to try to overcome my old worn out hip joint, and to move as best I could, to keep trying, That meant a lot. Any other instructor would have probably have told me to go sit down and just watch and not hold up the class.
I suppose people take up dancing for many reasons. I'm still not sure why I did. I know Sharon and I met dancing over forty years ago. We just did our rock and roll one step swing and a straight line cha. Now, we're in our sixties, it still amazes us when we waltz, or two step or west coast swing of what we've learned and how much we enjoy it. and after all these years we still love dancing with each other.
We owe a lot of our dancing ability to you. Your teach the true basics of fun partnership dancing, and dancers can never get enough of that. Ever!
Love you Mary,
John
I
We were about to quit dancing ... it wasn't fun anymore. Then I met Mary Hoedeman. Dave said "we aren't quitting dance are we?" and I said; "I don't know about you, but I'm following that gal."
It's been a blast!
A BIG thank you to all who came out to the studio and participated in the incredible workshop given by
