Southern Cultural to host ‘Let’s Dance’

Published 12:35 am Saturday, August 29, 2015

: LET’S DANCE: Dancers practice steps for the foxtrot during a ballroom dance lesson led by instructor Jim Frechette, center, in 2012 at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center.

The Southern Cultural Heritage Center will host “Let’s Dance,” a Vicksburg ballroom showcase at 2 p.m. Sunday in the SCHC auditorium.

“The program will involve a variety of dance students performing with instructor, James Frechette,” executive director of the SCH Foundation Stacey Massey said.

Frechette, who teaches ballroom dance lessons bi-monthly at the SCHC, is the owner of Applause Dance Factory in Ridgeland and has taught dance for more than 25 years, Massey said.

This will be the fourth year Frechette’s students have performed in Vicksburg, local resident Shirley Griffin said.

Griffin will also be one of the performers in Sunday’s showcase.

“It’s kind of like ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ but we won’t get judged,” she said.

In addition to performing in the Sunday showcase, Frechette’s classes have performed in Jackson.

Griffin said Frechette also teaches ballroom dance lessons on cruise ships.

Several of his dance students have traveled with Frechette on these trips, Griffin said, and have had the opportunity to show off their ballroom dance skills.

“We are going to Key West, Bermuda and the Bahamas in January,” Griffin said.

Sunday’s free event will include two acts and performers will demonstrate the bolero, waltz, Argentine tango, foxtrot, rumba and West Coast swing.

“Each dance demonstrated will involve great music and individual costumes,” Massey said.

General dancing will be offered for audience members before the showcase begins and in between the acts, Griffin said.

The SCHC is at 1302 Adams St. For more information, call 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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