Geneva High students can learn ballroom dancing
They don’t allow “grinding” at Geneva High School dances because it’s too sexually suggestive and not the most wholesome thing you want kids doing at a school event.
Unfortunately, it means a lot of students won’t be dancing at homecoming next week. Or at least that’s the impression one gets. So a mother of a Geneva student asked Jamie Vargo, who recently opened Vargo’s Dance at 115 W. State St. in Geneva, if she would hold a “High School Ballroom Dance Night.”
Vargo said she’s offering the free ballroom dance class from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the studio for any high school students who’d like to learn other fun things to do on a dance floor at homecoming.
“I think we need to get the younger generations involved in ballroom,” Vargo said. “They don’t know that lots of Lady Gaga songs are the cha-cha.
“I want to do this as a public service,” Vargo added. “All the kids have to do is show up.”
A retail rebound: Two months ago, commercial real estate agent Neil Johnson of Sperry Van Ness/Landmark, told me potential business owners had plenty of interest in the retail strip center along Island Avenue in Batavia.
The fate of that center was in question after it was virtually cleared out last year in case residents approved a park district recreation center for that location. The recreation center never got approved, so the retail strip had to be spiffed up for potential renters.
Owners Andy and Steve Alex have put a pretty decent shine on the place and, as Johnson predicted, business is slowly picking up.
Residents can see the window signs in the restaurant location formerly occupied by Chapala Restaurant proclaiming a new pizza and pasta joint called Aliano’s Ristorante is coming soon.
It looks like a lot of work has to be finished, but hopefully Batavians won’t be saddled with another Golden Corral saga as they await a restaurant opening.
Unlimited Floors has also opened in the center, and Attic Christian Center occupies another space. It looks like some other spots are being prepared for tenants, so hopefully this portion of Batavia retail will make a nice comeback.
Take this ride: In the mood for a long bike ride Sunday? If so, you can help Special Olympics at the same time.The 20th annual Pumpkin Pedal Bike Tour, offering rides of varying lengths on the Great Western Trail #8212; or a longer ride on area roads #8212; will be held at 7:30 a.m. Sunday.Riders, who enter for the $30 fee that goes to Special Olympics, will head out between 7:45 and 10 a.m.Register at ActiveUSA.com, or at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve the day of the ride. Information is available at (630) 377-7250 or by email at shutchins@soill.org.More art displays: Water Street Studios in Batavia believes in keeping momentum going. After staging a fundraiser for the art studio last weekend, it is opening its doors Friday to its second anniversary show. Count on the entire place, including the loading dock area, to be displaying art from 6 to 10 p.m.dheun@sbcglobal.net