Aline Goodman is my given name. But my family calls me Candy and the Las Vegas line dancers call me Rollene (please don’t ask)!

I was born in Cherry Point, NC and I have lived in Philly since 1962.

I have been a legal secretary for 32 years now. My other hobbies include: reading, sewing, crocheting and music.

We call it Line Dancing

I use to be affiliated with 381 Productions. But most of the members do not dance anymore so now I just go out dancing. Some people think that Line Dance Made Easy is a group. It isn’t a group, just a way of dance.

I have been line dancing since 1999 -2000. But, I learned to Philly Bop when I was 12 years old (I am now 52).

I simply love music. The first type of dancing I remember doing is the Philly Bop, Cha-Cha and Slop. As for getting started in line dance, I was looking for something to do and a former co-worker took me to my first class, and my first instructor was Gloria Kingcade. I can still remember the first dance she taught me, which was the Soul City Walk. I have been hooked ever since.

After my very first class I felt Wonderful! It was so much fun! I couldn’t wait until the next class. Next thing I knew, I was taking a 3 hour class on Saturday with Tracey Abney, my other dance mother.

I got into choreography on a dare. A friend said that if I could do all the dances, why not make up one of your own.

I have roughly 12 dances that I have choreographed. My very first dance was Goodman Groove that I choreographed with Noland Taylor.

I have to say Goodman Groove is my favorite. Not because it was the first one, but because of the way the dance community embraced the dance. The music helped as well.

Dancing is special because of the fact that you can lose yourself on the floor, complete zone out and forget all your problems while getting your jig in on the dance floor. Singing and dancing and knowing that you are having a good time! There is nothing better!

If I could change one thing I’d like the dances coming out to last longer or I’d like the speed in which new dances are coming out to slow down so that we can enjoy them more.

Aline Goodman:

The dance community might be surprised that I am a shy person and that I love country and western music and the blues!

UC Star Award                  Line Dance Made Easy

2011 (5th Jan 2012)            Aline Goodman 

I 

Belinda Haywood—is a professional Line Dance instructor and has been line dancing since the 70’s and was blessed to start teaching Urban line dance in the 80’s.

She is a mentor of J&J Soulfulsteps, who would not be line dancing if not for Belinda’s class in 1995 on Festival At Sea.

She has now focused her love, knowledge, and experience to what her students call, “Devotion in Motion” with Gospelcise™.

Belinda Haywood is the founder of S.T.O.M.P. (Spiritual Treasures of Movement and Praise) Ministries, LLC, which is faith-based fitness program, empowered by synchronized dance, praise, and worship workouts to Gospel Music.

If you would like to become a licensed Gospelcise™ instructor in your area, please contact

Belinda Haywood at gospelcise@hotmail.com or 216-244-6200.

UC Star Awards        Classic Dance

2015                           L&R Shake   Beland Haywood 

My Name is William Shuler, My DJ name is DollarBill.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Flushing, MI is now my home.

I've been DJ'ing since 1972.

I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer.  I didn’t sing or play an instrument very well, so I got into club DJing.  Here it is, 41 years later, and I’m still at it.

I am a full service DJ.  I play for wedding receptions, birthday & retirement parties, open houses and family reunions.  However, my main love is playing for the line dance events.

Watching people enjoy themselves on the dance floor and knowing I helped make it happen is my favorite thing about DJing.

My not so favotire is setting up and breaking down equipment.

I do lots of research on the people I'm playing for (i.e., age, type of party – if it’s a line dance party, music, regions styles, etc.).

I believe I'm known for being able to play for everyone in the room (No Dancer Left Behind).

Songs guaranteed to pack the dance floor is relative to the type of party I’d be playing for: for example if it was a line dance party, it could be “Light it Up” (depending upon where you are in the country) or “Blurred Lines” (so many versions).  If a class reunion, it would be dependent upon the age of the class.  “The Wobble” can always pack the floor at a wedding reception and Frankie Beverly & Maze’s, “Before I Let Go” can always pack a floor at any retirement function.

I almost never leave the DJ booth when I’m working, because I’m there to work, not to dance.

To manage multiple requests at a party.....sometimes I’ll write them down and try to fit them into my rotation.  Sometimes I set aside a time frame for requests only.  No DJ ever gets to plays all requests made, especially at a line dance party.

Line Dance Connection:

What would you say to people who leave a party upset because they didn’t hear the one song they wanted to hear?

DollarBill:

If folks are upset because they didn't hear the one song they wanted.....I’d remind them that there are so many songs, especially in the line dance community that you just can’t play them all & also (Remind them of the other 20 songs they did hear and dance to).

Some may be surprisde to know ......At one time I was an avid  and above average Bowler, and Roller Skater

Connie and Herman loved the LORD.  But there were three earthly things that Connie and Herman loved also.  I want to talk about those three things.  I am certain some of you can identify with some other things that they loved, but in the 10 years that I have been associated with them I can speak especially about three things that I know they loved.

The first one is so evident….

Connie and Herman loved each other.  Herman was not afraid to tell people how special Connie was to him, as he quite often bragged about her.  Let me tell you the kind of guy he was.  I can recall how guys get together and talk about how cute or attractive some lady is.  Herman’s response without fail was always, did you see Connie?  Did you see my wife?  And that’s mine!  Connie and Herman did everything together and had been everywhere together.  I even know, there were times when Connie would go away for her job.  She would sometimes call me and suggest that I take Herman to the Stardust Ballroom, or wherever there was a line dance party going on, while she was away, so he would not be home alone.   So, I’d call Herman and suggest it.  Herman would say I’ll think about it.  But without fail, Herman wasn’t going to any Stardust, because within a day or 2, he would be on a plane - destination, Connie! As a couple, Connie and Herman epitomized the idea of a union.  Their love connection was infectious.  As a matter of fact, in the dance community, they could be considered the blueprint for how it was supposed to be.  Through dance, we traveled across the country together and met a lot of folks.  The interesting thing about that is, after meeting Connie and Herman, people from all over the world that entertained the thought of marriage put them at the top of their invitation list for their weddings.  Jaime Gant from Miami, Curtis Goode from Detroit and AJ the DJ from right here in Philadelphia, just to name a few, all invited Connie and Herman to their weddings.  There was something about them that just stood out.  There was something about them that others hoped would rub off. There was something about them called love and nothing on earth could ever intercept or interrupt that love.  But what was so unique about their love is, as much of it as they had for each other, they could still find enough to share ….

That brings me to the second thing they loved

Connie and Herman loved giving of themselves

Let me ask the question, “Who here, has not been touched someway by Herman and Connie English?”  Somehow, someway, somewhere, sometime, if you are here today, I am willing to bet, they’ve somehow helped you along the way.  So today, we celebrate the lives of Herman and Connie English.   We celebrate because that is what I know they would want us to do.  We celebrate because this is a couple, who has truly achieved greatness.  We celebrate their achievement.  You see, Connie and Herman were involved in a lot of activities.   They used those activities as a vehicle to show the world who they were.  For instance, they used IAKJP as a means to give back to the world.  Some of you that know me, may have heard me say, Find a many people to serve, serve them and you shall achieve Greatness.  That is absolutely what Connie and Herman has achieved, Greatness.  That is absolutely what they stood for, serving others.  Herman’s drive in IAKJP was our scholarship program.  That was his drive and his passion.  He wanted to help educate our youth.   While Herman was the athletic type, whenever he came in contact with our youth, his first concern was never what sport they played.  He always asked about the grades first.  He’d eventually get to talking about sports, but he emphasized the reading, the writing and the math.  Connie’s passion was helping any and every national health initiative possible.  She kept IAKJP involved and connected to the awareness of the likes of breast cancer, Diabetes, aids, muscular dystrophy and so many others.  She did, or had us in every walk, run and bike ride in the tri state area.  She had IAKJP in Philadelphia with her while doing the 3 day breast cancer walk, where she spearheaded a team that raised over $25,000.   She spearheaded an IAKJP Muscular Dystrophy bike ride team to raise monies also.   I can remember each year around October, symmetry-n -Motion (a line dance organization in VA) would have an event in Virginia on a Saturday night.   We would attend that event, but Connie and other members of the IAKJP team would go to this event and drive back home around 2am in the morning because there was a breast cancer walk/run on that following Sunday morning in Trenton or Camden NJ that without fail they would not miss. 

Once again I am reminded of one of my favorite songs when I was growing up in the church, mind you.  If I could help somebody as I pass along then my living shall not be in vain.

To the families of Connie and Herman, Know that their living was not in vain, and trust me when I say, they have achieved Greatness.

That brings me to the third one

Connie and Herman used dance as a means to carry out their mission of helping people.  Connie and Herman loved to dance.  

Let me take you back to the Beginners Ball? (IAKJP line dance party for those of you that are not familiar).  I can remember Connie and Herman doing their thing with some of the more energetic dances like 5 and 1, Clear the Floor and Terminal Reaction.  But I also remember without fail, when the L&R shake came on, Connie would plop herself somewhere on that front line near me and other IAKJP members, so she could kick up her leg or drop it like it’s hot, especially when we did call outs.  If any of you ever got to see her dance, you’d know that Connie could take anyone of those high energy dances, with a whole bunch of jumping around, add a roll to it and maybe a snake and make it one of the sexiest dances around (hence her line dance name Sexy Dancer) .  As a matter of fact, whenever I choreographed a routine, I would have to go back at Connie’s request and change something because it didn’t have enough rolls or snakes in it, or it just wasn’t sexy enough. 

Then there was Herman, HEE2 Smooth.  He didn’t care if he knew a dance inside or out, or if he was just learning the dance, he would get on that front line anyway and do Herman English, HEE2 Smooth style.  But just don’t let it be Airtight (his favorite line dance) or Odyssey, cause then you just couldn’t tell him anything, all you’d see were these double and triple spins when some folks struggled doing just a basic one spin.

But Herman and Connie didn’t just line dance.  Every now and again, a slow mellow dance would play, like UK soul stepping, the song was, I Can’t Live Without you.  (at 11:30, Bud’s dance) For whatever reason, they never did that line dance.  It was as if it was Herman’s cue.  The song, I can’t live without you would come on and It didn’t matter where Connie was or what Connie was doing.  Herman would find a spot on the floor, I guess he was thinking, somewhere out of the way of the line dancers.  It was like he’d reach his hand out as to say “Come on Connie, let’s dance!”  and Somehow, Connie would find him and there they’d go, 2-stepping across the line dance floor, doing Connie and Herman like no other could do.  To watch them was a treat.  It was exciting, electrifying and yet so elegant.  But whatever it was to you, the one thing you could definitely see was the connection, the LOVE connection between 2 of the most loving, caring and giving people in the world.

So, I gotta believe that on Saturday December 14,2013, one day before his birthday, Herman was called home to teach a couple of angels how to do those double and triple spins. He went on home, to a better place, to a much more peaceful place to do Airtight, Odyssey, Trip and Mr Luver ( a few of his favorite dances).  Now he’s somewhere dancing Like David dance.  As a matter of fact,  what’s really going on, is he was called to be David’s assistant dance instructor.  But, while he was there doing his thing, Connie was left here to do the Baltimore Goodfoot (her favorite dance) to Higher, all by herself.  But wait, then around Dec 23, just like it happens at the Beginners Ball, the music must have changed.  You see GOD is now the DJ.  DJ W, AJ they don’t need your services anymore.  See God was the DJ and he knew exactly what to play.  I can only imagine it was the UK Soul steppin’ line dance.  and what did we say that song was, ? “I can’t live without you.”  I believe they were talking to each other.  Herman reached his hand out, one last time as to say, Come on Connie, Come dance with me.  And just as she always did, Connie answered her husband’s call and went on home to join him, so that they could be together and dance again, together. 

If Herman could talk right now he’d say….

Whoa Kenny! “Let’s be clear!” we’re in a better place, we’re doing a better dance and we got a better DJ,  Ain’t no stopping us now!

My name is De Barker and I have  a few of nicknames: Line Dance Queen, Passionate KC 2Stepper and Mama De

I am from Kansas City, Missouri…yet I lived in Los Angeles for 22 years (my other home - where ALL my immediate family yet resides).

I’m a Technical Database Support Manager working with our soldiers in the Army – I absolutely love it!

As for hobbies, technical jargon, programming languages…database support…my job oftentimes becomes my hobby.

We call it Line Dancing

1.  IDWD (“I Dance Wit De” – www.idwdproductions.com)

2.  DeUnyt (Under the umbrella of IDWD)

3.  KC2SS (Kansas City 2 Steppin’ Slyddaz - Under the umbrella of IDWD)

4.  NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers)

I’ve been dancing my entire life! As a toddler…my daddy use to wake me up in the wee hours of the morning when he came home with his boys from a night out – he would have me do the twist, the mash potatoes, the jerk and other dances to entertain them as they would admirably cheer me on and even give me dollars as I danced.  I wouldn’t take any change, it had to be a buck or more….so they started calling me “Buck Benny”.  Then they would sing ”Buck Benny Don’t Take No Pennies”…quite funny as I look back on it!

My parents enrolled us (my 4 sisters and I – “the baby”) in tap dance, gymnastics, ballet and other dance-related activities. And as I stated, dancing for my daddy’s friends…also, my sisters and cousins and I use to be the entertainment at family gathering.  After high school and one year of college in Iowa… I left Kansas City and moved to Los Angeles.

After living in LA for 22 years…I moved back to KC in 1999…got to be a regular at a club called Ol’ School - there is where I saw a need for teaching dance.  I started a Wednesday night line dance class and I would teach 2Step as well to those who were interested.  I started rewarding the students who learned the line dances with a graduation ceremony and they loved it! --- It has been emulated many times over to this day!

After my first class I felt energized. And after I taught my first class I felt so fulfilled - as I have a very nurturing spirit and I just LOVE to dance.  The combination of the two is what drives me!

Well early on I started with the dance routines for the family gathers I mentioned earlier. I would also makeup dance routines in college – as my 1st Degree was in Physical Educational Sciences – so I had to study the kinetics of the body and the effects of physical activity …I mainly chose classes involving dance.

When I started the line dancing classes in KC, I would then make up dances to teach in class along with teaching other nationally-popular dances. When I started The KC Coolers in 2003 (The 1st Line Dance group in KC), I would choreograph routines for our special events and ALWAYS choreographed dances performances for my birthday celebrations.  The premier performance group of the KCC (DeUnyt) kept me and my other choreographers, Kim Watson and Renita Shelton inundated with flavorful and top-notch performances and showcases with became the catalyst for the entire city as many other performance groups have sprung up with very similar agendas since the inception of DeUnyt.

I’ve created over 100 dances and probably the same amount of performances/dance routines for adults, children -  groups and individuals

My first dance was HeadSprung, done to LL Cool J’s song HeadSprung.  It became the favorite for many men and the reason some of them started line dancing as it was more accepted as male-oriented. You see most men in KC do NOT line dance and KC is mainly a 2Steppin town!!!

There are actually two dance favorites that come to mind.  My first fav dance is Flirt, done to I’m A Flirt by R. Kelly.  My next fav dance would be My Ish. I had so much fun creating it - I was in the zone and also because so many people just love it!  Makes my heart glad.

Dancing is special because of the synchronization of the beat, the rhythm, the bass and the melody coupled with the innate passion you have for moving your body harmoniously to that combination - which overtakes and captivates your dance flow.

The competitive inclination people tend to let over-shadow the passion and the sheer joy of dancing – just for the FUN OF IT!!!! I would change that.

People may be surprised to know I can stand on my head…and STILL dance!  -IJS!

 From Urban Line Dance Connection Interview Profiles. Thanks Nichol Poyntz  

My name is Edward Williams and my nicknames are Brooklyn Ed, New York, Green Eyes & Pooh the Bear Williams (boxing alias).

I’m originally from Brooklyn and that's where I call home.

I’m a Carpenter Electrician by trade.

My hobbies are basketball, boxing, watching Criminal Minds and Storage Wars.

It’s called Line Dancing.

I started out with Dave Bush Dancers and I was affiliated with S.I.L.K., Just Blaze and BE Line Dancers.  Now I'm an official member of Tri-City Hustlerz.

I’ve been dancing all my life, but I have been line dancing for over 14 years.

I was introduced to Dave Bush by Michael Wooding at Brave New World's Sundays Oldies party.

My first class was in Dave's basement…….I was cracking up at how much I was messing up but I was also hooked and never looked back.

Being Dave's protégé, I went to Mr. Bush & asked him to collaborate with me and he agreed.

I have created 60 total dances (some were never released) and my first dance created was Airtight.

My favorite dance ……..wow that's a tough question.  If I had to name one it would be Next Level with Caught Up being a close 2nd!

Dancing is special to me because I express myself thru dance every creation every title has a story behind it and it also saved my life.

If I can change anything about line dancing it would be that I NEVER should have left the scene for selfish reasons & all the unfulfilled promises I made & good people I let down.  But after being back on the scene now…..I would add the competition & egos that exist (me included) but thanks to Stefhon, Teresa & TCH for making me see the error of my ways & bringing the LOVE TO DANCE back in me!

People may be surprised to know that in my spare time I love to bake. My dream would be to one day have my own bakery. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3WSwDz40bQ
 

UC Star Awards                  Classic Dance

2016                                     Just Her    Brooklyn Ed