By CHRISTINE LYNCH
The first couple’s dance class my husband and I took with Ellen Brodsky was her Ballroom Dancing Basics offered through the Falmouth Community School. It was held in the Lawrence School cafeteria. Some round tables were pushed aside to clear the linoleum floor. Brodsky makes any space work for her classes, no matter the venue, from a classroom to a church hall or classic dance studio. She’ll always arrive early to arrange the area, then locate a janitor’s mop to dust off the floor, assuring that her dancers’ shoes glide smoothly.
Once satisfied, she’ll set up her music system, getting the music queued at the touch of a button. With 40 years of experience, Ellen anticipates anything that might occur while demonstrating a professional, relaxed teaching style.
She and her husband, Joe, have made their home on Cape Cod, raising three sons. For their occasional date nights, they took dance lessons in order to prepare for a family wedding. But after a while, Joe felt he had had enough lessons. Still, Ellen liked dancing and had a natural knack for it. “I always loved music,” she said. “There was a lot of it in our house.” From an early age, her mother signed her up for dance classes, starting with modern dancing, then learning many styles—jazz, belly dancing and flamenco.
So, in the mid-1980s, she continued dancing at the Mary French Dance Studio in Cataumet. As her sons grew older, Ellen considered a teaching career, possibly high school English. But then in 1990, when an Arthur Murray studio opened on the Cape, she was hired to teach there. Sadly, that venture lasted only about a year. As that door closed (literally), another one opened.
With the experience she gleaned, Ellen was ready to help Mary French lead her classes. They formed a lasting friendship and French invited her to become a member of the Dance Teachers Club of Boston and the National Dance Council. Ellen eventually took over teaching during the winter months for French. She also began a long association offering dance through the Falmouth High School Community School adult classes.
Through her widening connections in the region’s dance world, Ellen was one of the founding members of the Cape and Islands chapter of the Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association, based in Hyannis. Over the years, this morphed into the current Cape Cod Ballroom Dancers, which is the local chapter of USA Dance. This September, Ellen will help organize the celebration commemorating its 30th anniversary.
To keep up her own technique, Ellen said, “I invite Ron Gursky to come down to the Cape.” She acknowledged his technique and four-plus decades of experience. As the founder of the Rugcutters’ Dance Studio and leader in the Boston-area dance community, he brings another level to these “dance enrichment” events, making for challenging yet enjoyable evenings for Cape dancers.
Also, when she and Joe spend part of the wintry months in Florida, “I get lots of chances to practice my West Coast Swing, which is big down there.” That area has a lively dance community. “There are so many good teachers and opportunities to dance,” she said.
On Cape, Ellen has a dedicated group of dancers in both her classes and the many pop-up events she schedules. She always welcomes anyone interested in stepping onto her dance floors. Whether teaching novice students or experienced dancers, Ellen Brodsky helps you be the dancer you want to be.
I’m ever grateful that my dance-resistant husband and I found her as a teacher. After we took Ellen’s community school couple’s class, we signed up for a private session, which also included our daughter and her fiancée. With their wedding date approaching fast, the four of us learned solid techniques and invaluable guidance, allowing us to feel comfortable on the dance floor in front of our wedding guests. Ellen—who is such a gifted teacher—gave us the confidence to just relax and enjoy dancing.
Join The Fun
Here are several opportunities to try a range of dance styles, including swing, waltz, foxtrot, tango and a sprinkling of Latin dances.
Regular class sessions are held at the Cape Symphony Falmouth Campus (formerly Cape Conservatory), 60 Highfield Drive. Basics are at 6:30 PM and intermediates are at 7:30 PM on Tuesdays.
Also, through the Falmouth Community School program, Ellen offers basic and intermediate classes during the fall and spring semesters. Information is on its website.
In addition to these ongoing classes, Ellen organizes two monthly social ballroom dances, one on Fridays in Woods Hole and one on Saturdays in Falmouth. Above all, dancing is an engaging activity and a chance to bring people together. Singles are welcome, so whether you’re a long-married couple or someone looking for a way to meet people, stop by one evening to give it a try.
On the first Friday of each month, she sets up for Woods Hole Swing at the Woods Hole Community Hall, 68 Water Street. These sessions run from April through December, except July and August, from 7 to 9 PM. You can use the Challenger Lot off Woods Hole Road for parking. For the first hour, Ellen offers dance instructions followed by an hour of open dancing. There is a fee of $10.
And, on the first Saturday of the month, she leads dances in Falmouth at the Cape Symphony Falmouth Campus up by Highfield Theater (this is an air-conditioned space when the weather heats up). An alternate venue for cooler evenings is the St. Barnabas’s Episcopal Church parish hall (on Main Street near the Village Green). These sessions run from April through December, except for July.
The evening runs from 7 to 9:30. The first half hour is a dance lesson and Ellen asks dancers to bring questions. All dance styles are offered, and then at 9 PM, dance requests and special tunes are solicited. Homemade desserts and light savories are available. A $15 fee covers it all.
For information about all the classes and events Ellen offers, visit www.ellenbrodskydance.net or send an email to ellenbrodskyskydance@comcast.net.
Special Event
Mark your calendars for a special event on Saturday, July 18, when the Summer Dance Series will feature The Moonlighters Big Band with Ellen Brodsky as dance facilitator. Playing big band hits spanning the decades, a lively night is guaranteed.
Outstanding music will keep feet moving, with free dance instruction by Ellen starting 45 minutes before the dance and again during breaks. Light fare and nonalcoholic beverages will be available. The event will be held at First Congregational Church of Falmouth, 68 Main Street (across from the Village Green), from 7 to 9 PM.
For information and tickets, see capecodmoonlighters.com.