NEWS18-009 | Media contacts: Meryl Lipman, (360) 902-8557
Tina Dinzl-Pederson (360) 387-3342 |
Free performances also include dance lessons for the public
OLYMPIA – Feb. 15, 2018 – Cama Beach Historical State Park invites the public to dance the weekend away with free classes and performances by USA Dance – Seattle Chapter – Team Dancers.
The dance lessons and fun take place 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10, at the Cama Center, 1880 SW Camano Dr., Camano Island. (Driving directions.)
The festivities begin Friday evening with lessons in salsa and tango from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by an energetic dance until 10 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring out their Latin dance attire, or come as they are.
The elegance will ratchet up Saturday evening at 7 p.m. with a beginning-intermediate lesson in foxtrot and swing, followed by dances until 10 p.m. The dance team will also perform team, solo and partner dances, including swing, waltz, foxtrot and quick step before the night is through. Those who don’t wish to participate in the dance lessons can enjoy watching the show from the sidelines.
The 25-year old ballroom dance team trains together and performs at balls and public events across the Northwest.
The Cama Beach event was the brainchild of Steven Reneaud, a member of the dance team since 1998. The Renaud family vacationed at Cama Beach in the 1970s, when Reneaud was a child and the park was a private fishing resort owned by Lee and Muriel Risk.
“According to my parents, I’ve been going to Cama Beach since before I was born,” Reneaud said.
Reneaud rediscovered Cama Beach as a state park in 2010. He began bringing family, friends and loved ones to the park, including his father, who also dances. Renaud’s sister Monique Hrouda coaches the dance team.
He attended square dances in the Cama Center and began talking with Park Interpretive Specialist Tina Dinzl-Pederson about expanding the dances offered at Cama Beach.
Dinzl-Pederson encourages attendees to make a weekend of the two dances. The park has 33 historic beachfront cabins on Saratoga Passage for rent, with sunset views of the Olympic mountain range. The cabins are a short walk or shuttle ride from the dance hall. Cabin reservations can be made through cama.beach@parks.wa.gov or by calling (360) 387-1550.
About Cama Beach Historical State Park
Cama Beach Historical State Park is set in a spectacular, 486-acre waterfront location against a forested backdrop. Located on Camano Island, an hour north of Seattle, the original family resort was open from 1934 to 1989 and owned by one family, the Stradleys, and then by their daughter Muriel and her husband Lee Risk. The state park retains the feel of a bygone era, with rows of cabins, a park store and a large campfire circle for evening socializing. Cama Beach also features a great hall, café and boat-building classes offered by The Center for Wooden Boats on scheduled weekends. http://parks.state.wa.us/483/Cama-Beach
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About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
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Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W.
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, WA 98504-2650