Quirky and Energetic

Leonor grew up in Morgantown, WV, where the entertainment of choice was an old-fashioned square dance. Her parents were serious square dancers. They even threw a square dance for her 10th birthday. She thinks it was probably the best birthday of her life.

Years later, she discovered partner dancing because she couldn’t find any Irish soft-shoe instructors on the Oregon coast. So, she went to the first dance class listed in the REC catalog. It was Balboa, and she was the only one who showed up. Although that class was canceled, she found others. She wanted to be able to dance to all the songs she was hearing at live performances—a lot of it was swing.

Leonor has quickly excelled both as a dancer and a DJ due to her dedication and extensive travel. She’s attended Herrang Dance Camp, Camp Jitterbug and several other workshops in the northwest with notable instructors. She’s had instruction from Andy Reid, Annie Trudeau, Bethany Powell, Catrine Ljunggren, Chazz Young, Chester Whitmore…Frankie Manning…okay, maybe the list is a little too long to include here. Her biggest influences were/are the skilled social dancers she saw in the Portland and Seattle scenes, Sylvia Sykes and Virginie Jensen.

She volunteers for ELLA because she wants to help the scene in Eugene support a thriving community of dancers. Currently, Leonor DJs for ELLA every first Wednesday of the month and subs as an instructor when needed. When Leonor DJs you can tell she genuinely loves the music. “I have always preferred older music to contemporary pop—my first CD was The Supremes Greatest Hits.”

Leonor’s advice for new and continuing dancers.

Keep dancing, keep learning new things, keep going out regularly—ESPECIALLY when you feel you have hit a plateau. My martial arts instructors tell me a plateau is when I am un-learning old habits and priming myself for new information. I think that’s very true, so it’s important to continue to dance even when it may not be at its most enjoyable. That plateau means you are on the verge of a breakthrough.

How Does Leonor Volunteer for ELLA?

• She DJs every first Wednesday of the month
• She teaches as a substitute when needed