Heights Community Center 75th Anniversary Party
A place where I've spent many Tuesday nights dancing and hanging out with friends, Heights Community Center celebrates 75 years of happy feet walking through its doors (and dancing on its floor).
Preface
Seven and a half years ago when I first made the move to Albuquerque I knew no one in this lovely Land of Enchantment. I had just driven from Florida to begin a six-month-long photo internship at the Albuquerque Journal and was in search of the local swing dance community, which I hoped existed. I had already been swing dancing for a few years by then and it was my main creative outlet outside of photography. I think I was in Albuquerque no more than two days before some deep digging on Google spit out what seemed to be some outdated info on a weekly Tuesday night dance at Heights Community Center. With nothing else to do on my first Tuesday night in Albuquerque, I drove into town to see if the dance was actually happening. Much to my excitement I found a rather large crowd of people dancing when I got there!
This became the place where I met my soon-to-be Albuquerque friends. I don't remember who I met or danced with that first time at Heights, but boy was I excited to have found a place to dance. Much to my surprise (and excitement) I soon learned of other weekly swing dances. The Tuesday night dance at Heights Community Center will always have a special place in my heart though. It's where I first found a community that would become a very big part of my life and where I began some very close friendships.
History & A Party
On December 30, 2014, the Calming Four hosted a 75th Anniversary Party for Heights Community Center. According to the city of Albuquerque website, Heights Community Center was the first community recreation center in the city. It was constructed between 1938 and 1942 as a National Youth Administration Project, one of several New Deal programs active in Albuquerque during the Great Depression. During World War II, servicemen stationed in Albuquerque for training flocked to dances at the center. Folk, square, and swing dancing groups still actively use the center's wooden dance floor, which many consider the best in the area.
So the space and floor have been going strong for 75 years, but now, finally, the floor needs to be replaced. There are only so many times you can sand down and refinish a floor, particularly a dance floor. Desi Brown, Tuesday night swing dance organizer, and the Calming Four, are beginning a year long fundraiser to raise $10,000 for a new floor. The 75th Anniversary Party was the kick-off for the fundraiser.
Learn more:
- Calming Four: Primordial Swing Dance Group. Join them every Tuesday night at Heights Community Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- Tuesday Night Swing ABQ group on Facebook where Tuesday night dancers can post info, not run by Calming Four.
- Lessons (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) begin at 7:30pm. Dance begins around 8:30pm, ends at 10:30pm.
- Heights Community Center can be found at 823 Buena Vista Drive SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.
To donate to the new floor, a donation account has been set up at New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union:
- The Calming Four HCC Floor Donation Fund Acct: #2426670-1.
More photos can be found on my Facebook page: Morgan Petroski Photography
Steve & Chanzie Denver Workshop - Highlights in Photos - Dance Photography
I've never blogged about any of the dance weekends I've photographed over the years so it's time to start! In December I photographed a workshop weekend hosted by Swingin' Denver. Here are my favorite images from the weekend.
Hi there! I've never blogged about any of the dance weekends I've photographed over the years so time to start! There have been many in the past seven years, but this one brought me out of town and not only gave me a personal recharge for my love of swing dancing but inspired my fiancé to want to learn more and more. How great is that? In December I photographed a workshop weekend hosted by Swingin' Denver. If you're in Denver and want to learn how to swing dance I highly recommend looking them up. Swingin' Denver brought in Steve & Chanzie to teach smooth style lindy, collegiate shag, and boogie woogie. In addition to classes during the day there were dances at night, as with most dance workshops. You can never dance enough. These are just a few of my favorite images, from classes both days and Saturday night's dance in Boulder, CO. I hope the photos show how much fun everyone was having all weekend, how focused people were while learning, and the fun teaching chemistry that Steve and Chanzie brought to the classes. They are great to learn from and amazing to watch dance together.
To see more photos from the weekend visit my facebook page: Morgan Petroski Photography.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014 - Albuquerque Journal
For this year's Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta I soared above the event with KOAT, covering the fiesta from the sky. I've done this now three separate years and each year is just as exciting. It might sound glamorous but each year it means getting up around 3:30 am to get some breakfast and get to the airport in time to catch my ride. That's pretty darn early, but so worth it. Our photo staff at the Albuquerque Journal covers every single day of the nine day event each year. Our staff photographers are out on the ground each morning, inside and outside of the park, photographing the balloons as they blanket our city. Everyone has their favorite spots to view the balloons from after covering the fiesta for years. It's always interesting to see how everyone sees the fiesta through their lens, as each photographer documents it differently each year. To see more photos from the entire photo staff at the Albuquerque Journal check out our gallery: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014.
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Antiques Roadshow - Albuquerque Journal
Nicholas Lowry, at left, a vintage poster specialist and appraiser from New York City, poses with a life-sized poster of the Lone Ranger that Tom, of Albuquerque, brought in to be appraised along with a matching poster of Tonto to the Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. After the appraisal, Lowry had an impromptu photo session of himself with the posters, including a few selfies. (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Antiques Roadshow. Who doesn't love it? Okay, maybe the vintage geek in me loves it more than some people. I can remember watching it as a child and marveling at all the things people found in their closets, at a yard sale, or items their great grandparents had left them. Now with my personal foray into the world of vintage clothing, I was geeking out pretty badly when I got the chance to shoot it for the paper. Here are some of the sights from that day.
People wait in line at the Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Appraiser Peter Fairbanks looks at a painting with UV light to see if the signature was added to the painting later at the Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
At left, Martha Blackwelder looks over an instrument owned by Gloria, of Albuquerque, at right at the Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. Gloria believed the instrument to be of Chinese origin and was surprised when Blackwelder told her the instrument was from India. (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Bill, of Gallup, rolls his antique movie poster wood cut down the line at Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. The poster was for the early 1900s movie "Mutt and Jeff in Havana." (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Asian Arts appraiser Lark Mason speaks with August, at left, and Alane, at right, about one of the prints they brought in to the Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Mary, of Albuquerque, waits patiently with Joe, her antique life-sized Native American figure, at Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. Joe previously could be seen at the former Turquoise Lady in Old Town from approximately 1975 until 2000, according to Mary. (Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Alana, of Corrales and Santa Fe, reacts as Steven Porterfield, of Midland, TX, appraises her 1870s satin wedding dress at the Antiques Roadshow at the Albuquerque Convention Center, July 19, 2014, in Albuquerque NM. Alana's mother bought an antique trunk in 1956 for Alana to play dress up with the clothing inside and the wedding dress was at the bottom of the trunk.(Morgan Petroski/Journal)
Solar Eclipse 2012 - Albuquerque, NM
This was one event where I'll let the photos do most of the speaking for me. It was unforgettable. The crowd was building with excitement as the eclipse began and finally when it went dark there were some cheers and then silence across the field as everyone took in the magical event.
