Many of the social ballroom dances are preceded by a one-hour dance lesson taught by Fred Long and Patricia Stanahan. See calendar section for the schedule of dance classes.

While working on the West Coast, Fred trained and later taught with the Arthur Murray School of Ballroom and Latin Dance. Prior to joining the Army in 1961, he taught at a dance studio in Washington State and trained dance instructors at the Fred Astair Dance Studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his hometown. While serving in the Army he taught dance at the Officer’s clubs, Non-Commissioned Officer’s clubs and the Country Clubs in Kentucky. The Lt. Governor’s wife presented him with the award of Honorary Kentucky Colonel for teaching children. Fred moved to Northern Virginia in 1964 and spent the next four years teaching and training instructors for the Vic Daumit Dance Studios in Washington, DC. For the past 40 plus years, he has taught for Fairfax County and for most of that time he has also taught Junior Cotillions in the area and currently teaches for the National Association of Junior Cotillions.

Fred and Patricia have been the resident ballroom dance instructors at the Colvin Run Community Hall for the past 11 years. As partners, they taught classes in ballroom dance together for over 17 years for the Fairfax County Recreation Department, the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Center, and Junior Cotillion classes. They have preformed in various shows at country clubs, charitable functions, and formal balls, including functions at Wolf Trap Filene Center, the Barns of Wolf Trap and the Lily Dale Fine Arts Council in New York. Patricia started organizing Ballroom Dance Cruises eight years ago which have taken their students all over the world. Together, Fred and Patricia provide dance lessons on the cruise ships for their students only and always have ready a new “cruise step” to teach on each cruise.

Fred and Patricia especially enjoy teaching at Colvin Run because it reminds them of home. Fred’s parents sang on the radio in Pittsburgh and danced all their lives. Patricia’s father played in a dance band for over 60 years and her mother was a dancer. The people and atmosphere of Colvin Run is just what she grew up with. Colvin Run is like coming home for both of them.

Fred has over 45 years of dance teaching experience and teaches in a style that is easy to learn and can be used on the dance floor right away.

Fred’s email address is: fredlongdance@aol.com