A Little Bit About Me, Beata Howe

Born in North Chicago, by the age of 6 I was in Cincinnati and enrolled in ballet classes.
By the age of 18, I had 9 years of ballet, some jazz, and some gymnastics and had
choreographed the dancing for the school drama club performance of the Wizard of Oz.
While majoring in science (and partying) in college at the University of Cincinnati, I
missed dancing and joined a teacher training class with Arthur Murray Dance Studios in
1980. Bitten by the dance bug I have been teaching and dancing part- or full-time ever
since!

In 1982, a high school chum invited me to move to Dallas. Among other things, I found
Push (a version of West Coast Swing), Hustle and Country danced socially with
exceptional skill. Until that time, the only accomplished dancing I had found had been in
the ballroom studio and competition community.
Drawn by the availability of good dancing and instruction, and the casual, fun, social
atmosphere generated by the Push Dance Clubs, Country Nightclubs and Discos in
Dallas, I quickly began spending more time dancing socially in the Push and Country
communities.

In 1991, I moved to Los Angeles to work for a nonprofit organization, The Citizens
Commission on Human Rights. In 1992, while teaching dance at my church Celebrity
Centre, I was told about the West Coast Swing community. At a swing event in Orange
County, California, Labor Day 1992 was "the beginning of the end" of my normal life. I
had been bitten by the dance bug early in life, but in 1992 I developed the terminal swing
infection with which I am sure I will live and die, happy and active with this social
disease.
In October of 1995, I left my "real" job and went back to teaching full time. Since April
1996, most of my work is on the road and, though I currently call Glendale, California
"home", I truly believe my real home is where my friends are... all over the country!
My other interests include Scientology, activism for mental patients' rights, and reform of
the education system. I design and make most of my own costumes and many of my
dance clothes. [editors note: It's also rumored that she makes some pretty good brownies!
:~)] If you're wondering if I am where you are, just listen for my now-famous growl -
YEEAAAHHHH!!!!!