The March 2009 SSQQ Newsletter Issue One
Written by Rick Archer
MARIO ROBAU TO GUEST TEACH MARTIAN WHIP
On Monday evening, March 2, Mario Robau Jr will be the guest teacher for the SSQQ Martian Whip class.
Mario and I met for coffee on Thursday, February 19. Mario said he would check his calendar and get back to me. Here is what he said:
“Hi Rick, this is Mario Robau. It’s about 1:50 in the afternoon and March 2 is in fact a go. It looks like we will be set with no problems. I look forward to teaching there on Monday the second of March. We’ll talk to you later.”And with that phone message, a new era at the studio has begun: the arrival of Mario Robau at SSQQ.
HISTORY LESSON
Long time veterans of the Houston Dance Community will recognize this name immediately. But I imagine there are at least a couple newcomers who will ask the question, “Who is Mario Robau?”Mario Robau, 41, grew up here in Houston. He is a graduate of Sharpstown High School and the University of Houston. Back in the mid Eighties, Mario’s father was an accomplished Whip dancer. As the legend goes, Mario Senior lured his son to a Whip class by promising him a beer. I guess to a teenage boy that’s a powerful incentive!
What Dad did not know was that he had a dance prodigy on his hands. Junior, as Mario is often referred, turned out to have an enormous gift for dancing. He learned to dance so fast!
As David Letterman says, one of the major signs of aging is when you ‘recall’ history instead of reading about it. Here is an anecdote about Mario that is probably not well-known.My own dance teacher was Glen Hunsucker, the gifted jazz dancer. In addition to Ballroom dancing and Hustle, Glen was also my Whip teacher.
I remember there was an unusual dance competition in 1985. There was actually some serious prize money involved, enough to entice my mentor Glen into entering. It was probably the only Whip contest Glen ever entered. At the time, Glen was considered the finest jazz dancer in Houston. He was also a phenomenal Hustle dancer. Whip was probably not his dance, but since he was my hero, I assumed he would win the Whip contest too! I thought the man walked on water.
So imagine how incredulous I was to discover this unheard of 17-year old kid had defeated the finest dancer in Houston. I was in shock. I did not see the competition and for the life of me could not figure out how Glen – Superman – had lost.
Fortunately a friend of mine named Lester Buck handed me a copy of the competition. I watched in disbelief as Mario won this ‘David versus Goliath’ matchup fair and square. I had to admit the decision was legit. Although Glen was clearly a more polished dancer, Mario looked better at what he was doing. Glen’s style was a little too pretty. His style was more ‘ballroom’ while Mario was more ‘barroom’. Mario danced the Honky-Tonk style more suited to the Whip. In other words, Mario got down and dirty.And that’s how I first heard of Mario Robau.
I was 35 at the time; Mario was 18 years younger than me. I was not at all happy at the arrival of this new talent on scene. I might as well tell the truth – back in those days I was deeply jealous of his ability. When I first heard of Mario, I had been dancing the Whip for about two years. People told me I was pretty good. I had ambitions of being one of Houston’s top Whip dancers. I didn’t want anyone cutting in line ahead of me.
But now I was worried. If Mario could beat Glen, what chance did I have?
I had one year of glory. In 1986, I embarked on a crazy period in my life known as “The Streak”. I went Whip Dancing after dance class 201 Nights in a row. True story. Dancing every night of the week does have its benefits. I became a very good Whip dancer that year.Mario helped things by leaving town. Shortly after his 1985 victory, Mario moved to Dallas for a year or so. I think he had just finished high school and wanted to learn more about the Whip from the experienced dancers up there such as Gary Long. For most of 1986, Mario was nowhere to be seen, but everyone continued to talk about him. I sure didn’t miss him! I was thrilled to have the stage to myself. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Sure enough, when Mario returned to Houston in 1987, it was all over. Whatever Mario had learned up in Dallas had turned the guy into a dance machine. He may have been a kid, but Mario was so good! I watched him dance a couple times and hung my head. I was good, but Mario was better. Much better. Mario was only half my age, but he could do stuff on the floor I had never even seen before. His style was so mesmerizing! Sometimes I would watch him dance and forget there was a woman out there with him. I just couldn’t keep my eyes off him!
But while I watched in awe, I sensed a foreboding. A dark shadow had come over my own dance ambitions. The future didn’t look quite as bright any more.
This began a very stressful period of my life. I had some growing up to do.
I wasn’t the only who noticed how good Junior was. Suddenly every Whip dancer in the city lined up to take a class from Mario Robau Jr over at Southwest Whip Club. He wasn’t even twenty years old, but no one cared about his age. The young man had genius written all over him.
My advanced Whip classes were directly affected. Over the next two years, my classes dwindled as Mario began his ascendency. My advanced students had gone about as far as I could take them; it was time to find a new challenge. They made a beeline for Mario’s class.
Fortunately Mario’s brilliance did not hurt my studio financially. Houston is a big city. Although I lost a lot of talented students to Mario, there were always plenty of new students coming up through the ranks to turn my attention to.
My pocketbook may have been intact, but that didn’t keep me from stewing. I felt like road kill! I had just gotten steamrolled by a kid half my age.
The movie “Amadeus” (1984) kept rolling through my mind. This movie told the story of how Salieri, a good composer but not great, had gone insane when his place in history had been destroyed by the emergence of some unknown kid named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Salieri was pretty good, but Mozart was a genius. Mozart is still a legend today, but let’s face it, if not for the movie, none of us would have ever heard of Salieri. While I was licking my wounds, Salieri’s fate seemed an eerie parallel to my own. I had felt the taste of glory in 1986. But those moments seemed long gone. I was having a hard time accepting that I had been passed by a meteor on the way to the stars.
In late 1987, something unusual happened. Out of nowhere, I was suddenly given the opportunity to take control of the entire studio here at Bissonnet. Up to this point, I had been responsible for two rooms a night five nights a week. That’s ten classes a week.
Was I ready to take on five rooms a night seven nights a week? That’s 35 classes a week. Or to put it more bluntly, was I ready to take on a rent three times what I was currently paying?
That made me take a deep breath.I had a decision to make. The Whip was my passion. I absolutely loved the dance! I could stay small, concentrate on the Whip and try my hand at dance competitions just like Mario. Or I could give up my dance dreams and concentrate on running a huge dance studio.
As you can guess, I chose running the dance studio.
It was actually a fairly simple decision to make. If I chased after Mario, where would I get the energy to run a major dance studio at the same time? Besides, Mario had made the choice easy for me. He was so good. I knew I wasn’t going to catch him. Who was I kidding?
So my life changed directions. I dropped out of the Whip Scene and concentrated on expanding my social dance program. I retreated to my castle and minded my own business. Literally.
I also did something new – I posted the name “SSQQ” on the door for the first time. I was on my own now.
MARIO’S BRILLIANT CAREER
Mario used the next twenty years to become one of the most famous dancers in America.
During the late Eighties and throughout the Nineties, Mario won dance competitions local, statewide, and national on a regular basis. He competed against the top dancers in the country and won on a consistent basis. His fame as a dancer was incredible.
Using a style reminiscent of Alexander the Great, Mario conquered Houston in short order. Then he conquered Texas. By the early Nineties he was competing on a National Stage. By the 2000s Mario was teaching internationally as well. With few worlds left to conquer, I imagine Mario now has his eyes on Mars and the rest of the solar system. Why else would he agree to teach Martian Whip?
But Mario has always had a lot more going for him than just his dancing ability. Over the years, Mario has developed many skills unique to the dance industry.
For starters, Mario became a proficient public speaker. Using his confident manner, his sense of humor and his vast knowledge of the major players, Mario’s leadership ability made him a natural choice to become the emcee of many competitions. Mario became widely respected as the leader not just of the Houston dance community, but the entire country.
Mario has a great personality. He is comfortable and confident teaching small groups and large groups. In the Nineties, Mario began to travel extensively to give dance workshops across the country. His natural rapport with strangers made it easy for him became an ambassador of Swing Dancing wherever he went. Not only did Mario spread the Whip to other parts of the USA, he helped usher Houston into the new West Coast Swing era in the late Nineties.Unlike some gifted dancers who don’t have a clue what their feet are doing, Mario always knows EXACTLY what his feet are doing. He has developed a reputation as a terrific dance instructor. But Mario didn’t stop there. After working with Glen Hunsucker – yes, Mario and Glen became close friends further down the road – Mario was able to expand his talents into jazz movements and dance choreography.
Mario’s ability as a choreographer made him the man to go to if you wanted to win a dance competition. Besides his dancing ability, Mario has an uncanny understanding for music as well. He can take a song and visualize dance movements that accentuate highlights in the music.
For example, Mario is the first person I know of to teach classes here in Houston on “Hitting the Breaks”. In many R&B songs, there are spots where the music literally stops for a moment. Mario would not only teach people how to anticipate these Breaks, he would make suggestions on things dancers could do to make themselves interesting during these moments.
Mario is a rare combination of exquisite dancer, excellent teacher, and musical technician. He is also quite a businessman.As if he doesn’t have enough talent, over the years Mario has learned how to organize dance competitions. He has mastered the art of scheduling dance events and workshops, line up hotels and accommodations, and publicizing the events. He has learned to network and cooperate with all the major dance personalities throughout the country (no mean feat indeed).
Mario has learned to wear all the hats. He not only organizes the events, he usually emcee the events, conducts workshops, competes, performs, tell jokes and sometimes he even deejays the party afterwards. Mario has played a key role in the incredible upsurge of dance events throughout the United States.When Mario is not the organizer, he frequently visits events as the ‘guest personality’. Along the way Mario has developed a lifestyle the rest of us can only barely comprehend. He travels to one city after another year-round. Boston-DC-LA-Denver-New York. When the United States grew too small, he expanded to other countries - Australia, Russia, France, United Kingdom among others.
Forty weekends out of the year sees Mario in some city other than Houston conducting workshops, emceeing dance competitions, you name it. This is how Mario Robau has become one of the most famous dance personalities in America. If Cable TV ever opens up a “Dancing with the Stars” Network, I imagine Mario will be the likely choice for narrator.
THE HOME FRONTIn late 2007, Mario abruptly resigned his position as Director of Southwest Whip after a twenty year stewardship. I don’t know the details and have the sense not to ask. For the past year and a half, Mario has kept a low profile here in Houston. I did not know much about what was going on. I heard Mario was teaching a few private lessons locally, but not many.
One of the people taking private lessons from Mario was Cher Longoria, my talented dance teacher. One day Cher asked me for permission to conduct her private lessons with Mario here at the studio. I said I didn’t mind. After all, the studio pretty much stays empty during the weekdays. Besides, Mario wasn’t representing the competition any more. Why not?
Cher’s request got me to thinking about the old days. Why was I willing to allow the man whose name was synonymous with so many tough times back in the Eighties use my studio?
Maybe I needed to give this a little more thought. That’s when the other side of the debate kicked in. Yes, Southwest Whip is still a business competitor today, but Mario has clearly parted ways. Mario is on his own now. To my knowledge he isn’t offering any classes locally.
Furthermore, at this stage of our lives, Mario and I probably have more in common than we have differences. Can two old warriors be friends?
Anyone who has ever taken a class from me knows I love teaching Whip and West Coast Swing. I have taught these dances for 25 years. That said, I have chosen to teach Whip for social dancing only. When students with great talent come along, I openly admit I cannot help these people at the competition level. There is a limit to my knowledge of the dance.
For all these years, I have anguished over this gap in our dance program. I have lost so many good students to Mario and Southwest Whip I could scream. But Mario doesn’t work there any more…
Mario Robau is widely considered one of the finest dance instructors in all of America. In fact, the more I thought about it, my mind kept coming back to the same thought: MARIO IS THE BEST THERE IS.
My advanced Whip students would love to have the chance to learn from Mario! But would Mario be interested in teaching here? Why not take a chance? So I asked Cher to make a gentle inquiry.
Mario’s quixotic reply was “I’m a businessman. Give him my phone number.”
We didn’t talk on the phone, but we did exchange emails. That’s when I discovered that Mario is just about the busiest man I know. Mario had competitions to supervise. Mario had a cruise to South America. Mario had to be in Chicago/Atlanta/Moscow/United Kingdom/ you name it. This guy’s lifestyle was wearing me out just reading the emails!
After three months of working out the details via email, on Thursday, February 19, we finally found the time to sit down for coffee. Mario was surprisingly upbeat about giving this détente a chance. Mario emphasized several times that he enjoys teaching and that he misses teaching ongoing group classes. He also mentioned the possibility of creating the occasional social dance opportunity like a night out at the Big Easy. I think he misses the good old days of getting the gang together for a night of dancing.Mario made it clear that he would like to take over my Martian Whip class here at SSQQ. Realistically, he said he doubted he could make the class every week. March was the perfect example – he could only see one open Monday on his calendar. So at some point we would need to find a capable substitute. We decided we would cross that bridge when we got to it.
I said the simple thing to do was schedule my March Martian Whip classes the old way and simply let him guest teach on the one night he was available. Mario nodded and said that made sense.So on Monday, March 2, Mario will guest teach our Martian Whip class. I will teach the other three nights plus Jack Benard will continue his Friday night program (Martian Whip includes both Mondays and Fridays for the same price).
After that Monday night, Mario and I will sit down for some more coffee and talk about the future.
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AN ANECDOTE FROM THE GOOD OLD DAYS:MARTIAN WHIP - A HOMECOMING OF SORTS
For you old-timers, here’s a trip down Memory Lane.
In a way, Mario’s upcoming visit to SSQQ brings one interesting Whip story full circle. Only a few people know this, but Mario Robau is the man who inadvertently gave “Martian Whip” its name.To this day, Mike Fagan is one of my best friends. Mike first came to my attention at the 1984 Halloween Party when he put on an unscheduled Break Dance exhibition that brought the house down. He was quite a character! How many Rice University Computer Science PhD’s are also accomplished Break Dancers?
Mike started learning the Whip in January 1985. Thanks to some natural ability and his previous dance experience, he made rapid progress. Mike improved so quickly that I invited him to join me and my former wife Pat over at the Four Palms for a Sunday evening of Whip Dancing to a live band. The three of us rode together. Mike was fascinated by the dancing and loved the music.
When they announced there was a friendly dance competition that night, Mike turned to Pat and asked her to join him on the floor. Pat smiled. Sure, why not?Mike didn’t win. Not only did he not win, later on one of the regulars the club pulled Pat and me aside. This guy said, “Pat, you need to ditch this guy. You have what it takes to be a star dancer, but that weird guy is going to hold you back. He doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever winning anything.”
This guy was pretty rude. He obviously didn’t realize that Mike was our close friend. On the way home, Pat told Mike what the man had said. Mike was crest-fallen. He asked me what I thought. I said that his habit of incorporating bizarre break dance movements into the Whip was probably not a very good idea.
The Whip had originated as a popular as a way to pick up women. These old guys had a fixed idea of what the Whip was supposed to look like and didn’t think Mike’s New Age Break Dance moves belonged in the dance. As we had this chat on the way home, I was reminded of the time when Mario had beaten Glen the same way – Glen’s clean-cut, graceful moves were precise, but Mario’s sexy interplay with his dance partner was more what the judges were looking for.
Mike’s style was hardly sexy. In fact, I secretly agreed with the judges that it was kind of weird. When Mike was dancing socially, I could have cared less about his break dance stuff. I knew he was just having fun. It was Mike being Mike. But when Mike was performing, that was another story. I tried to tactfully steer him towards the more traditional ‘down and dirty’ look, but it was like talking to a wall.
Mike refused to conform. Mike was a Rebel. The battle lines were drawn. Mike kept entering that contest, Mike kept adding Break Dance moves, Mike kept losing, and the regulars kept hinting that Pat would win if she got a better partner.Mike was getting exasperated. He knew he was a good dancer, he saw how much the crowd enjoyed watching him, but he couldn’t catch a break from the judges. No one was willing to bend a little.
Finally Mike sought the advice of another friend, Mario Robau Jr. Mike and Mario were buddies. Mike figured that since Junior was hip to the Break Dance scene, he might be more sympathetic.So Mike popped the Big Question. “Mario, what do think of my dancing? Why do I keep getting criticized all the time?”
Mario replied bluntly, “Mike, you have great leads, great footwork, perfect timing, but your style is strictly from the Planet Mars. Are you sure your parents are not aliens?”
That quip from Mario became a major part of Mike’s journey through the World of Whip. We teased Mike about it all the time, but our criticism backfired. It made Mike more determined than ever to win on his own terms. Mike became incredibly committed to improving his dancing.
I am proud to say that Mike got the last laugh.
In 1987, two years after Mike had started learning the Whip, he caught a break. Due to the Dallas influence, a new competition dance category was created called "Contemporary Whip". Mike smiled like the cat that sees the canary join the household. Yum! This one’s for me!This new format was a perfect fit for Mike's natural style. To heck with the less forgiving Traditional Whip. Mike and his dance partner Debbie Anglin developed a routine based on acrobatics, break dancing, and jazz dancing, plus spectacular moves that only Mike had the natural ability to lead.
Their hard work paid off!In 1987, despite receiving more criticism than probably any dancer in history, Mike Fagan won the Texas State Whip Championship in Contemporary Whip. Mike was weird as usual, but now at least he was 'fascinating weird'. This new category was practically designed for him!
While his critics at the Four Palms had never won anything in their lives, Mike was now a State Dance Champion. Ah, sweet revenge!
This victory was no mean feat for an Earthling, much less someone accused of having the footwork of an Alien. I was really proud of Mike, especially since I knew what he had to overcome. I thought he deserved a reward so I renamed my advanced SSQQ Whip class to “Martian Whip” in Mike’s honor.
Let me quickly add that Mario Robau’s influence played a major role in Mike’s victory. Mario was one of the few people on this planet that Mike respected enough to listen to. It was Mario’s advice and coaching that helped Mike alter his style just enough to make the judges smile instead of frown.
That was 1987. It is now 2009. Since Mario played an important role in naming the class, it is more than fitting that Mario takes his own turn at the helm of Martian Whip.
……………And that’s a Wrap for this issue!
