Dancing with the stars

By TED WADDELL
Posted 1/13/21

NORTH BRANCH, NY — A day after the Capitol Building was stormed by rioters protesting the newly elected president, a trio of local residents struck a different note by dancing in a parking lot …

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Dancing with the stars

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NORTH BRANCH, NY — A day after the Capitol Building was stormed by rioters protesting the newly elected president, a trio of local residents struck a different note by dancing in a parking lot in a trifold celebration: the results of the senatorial runoff elections in Georgia, a birthday and the opening of a new coffee shop.

In light of all the recent chaos overtaking the nation, it was a ray of sunshine that lifted the spirits of passersby in a tiny hamlet located in the Upper Delaware River Valley.

Jill Wiener, activist and proprietor of Earthgirl Flowers of North Branch, and Sacha Jones, of neighboring Obernberg, NY, organized what was billed as “fun dance-a-thon” in the parking lot of Rease’s Cup Cafe, a newly opened coffee and breakfast shop in the hamlet owned by Courtney Roche.

As an electric mix of tunes emanated from a boombox, they danced to cuts by Bo Diddley, swirling their way through the morning with hula hoops, while joined by Callicoon resident Leila McCullaugh and her dog, Oscar.

“I’m not as worried as I usually am, and I’m out dancing with friends,” said Wiener, noting that she was breathing a sigh of relief at the outcome of the January 6 senatorial runoff elections in the Peach State and the resultant flip of the U.S Senate.

In an impromptu bully pulpit in a parking lot, she said of the riot engulfing the people’s House, “What happened in Washington, D.C. was a disgrace.”

But on a happier note, Wiener added of the spur-of-the-moment dance event, “You have to find your joy in the little things.”

“I’m very excited about [Wednesday,] January 20 and my friends coming out to celebrate my birthday,” said Jones.

dancing, with the star, riot, capitol building, north branch

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