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Jack Ciecka
Student of the Month Spotlight
Meet Jack Ciecka, October's Student of the Month Spotlight...
If you have recently been to either Michael's Café or to a Hustle competition, chances are that you have seen Jack Ciecka on the dance floor. Jack has been an ardent member of Philadelphia's Hustle community since his return to the dance a little over 2 years ago.
In the 1970's Jack worked part time as a DJ and bartender at The Library. He soon realized that DJ-ing that great Disco music was not enough, he had to learn to Hustle. So he began private lessons with Lisa Sands and Donna Boyle and quickly became entrenched in the dance community. Five years later, Jack stopped dancing due to "old age".
Then in 2005, he walked into Michael's Café and saw people doing a dance he thought was dead. Thus began the revival of Hustle dancing in Jack's life and he has rarely been off the dance floor since that time! Jack started taking private lessons and group classes and first came to Top Hat in 2006.
Although Jack's focus was Hustle and the Saturday Hustle Group Classes, Jack says he had never before been exposed to Ballroom dancing and he instantly loved the Wednesday night Group Classes. Jack commented that he respects the style of teaching at Top Hat, that all instruction is congenial and informational. He also remarked that while being taught at Top Hat, corrections are presented in a positive way which has enabled him to learn faster.
Jack's compliments for Top Hat continued; he said that he respects the instructors at the studio and their willingness to share all their knowledge with their students no matter the level of that student. He enjoys the variety of instruction, especially the Ballroom, West Coast, and Hustle Group Classes and commented that Top Hat provides a terrific single place to go for quality instruction in all partner dancing.
Since returning to dancing, Jack has become an active competitor throughout the Hustle competition circuit. He attributes his success to all his partners, the ladies who work at Top Hat who are "great partners in learning", and most importantly his current competitive partner. His current partnership is one that he values tremendously which is evident as they are a joy to watch on the dance floor.
While not Hustling, Jack is either working or enjoying the peace of his rural home - a place to unwind from the stresses of the work place and the wild world of the dance floor.
In interviewing Jack, it became more apparent as to how much he values Daniel, Jameson, the staff, and everyone at Top Hat Dance Studio. We in turn are pleased and grateful that Jack's return to dancing included becoming a member of the Top Hat family!
