Video

The Rio Grande Canine Freestylers use music to train, perform and compete with their dogs. Watch »

More Living Local

• Albuquerque Girl Scout finds her voice, purpose through volunteering
• Poll: What will you miss most after The Tribune closes on Saturday, Feb. 23?
• Albuquerque landmarks along Route 66 face slow process to preservation

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

Dogs were getting jiggy with their owners at West Mesa School for Dogs.

Tails were wagging and toes were tapping on a recent Saturday as Will Smith's deep voice echoed through the room, giving the dogs a cue for when to weave and when to jump.

The women of the Rio Grande Canine Freestylers rehearsed their best moves along with them in a creative collision that was part party and part practice session.

The freestylers — a club of dog owners who teach dance moves to their pets — meet every Saturday at the school to work out kinks in their performances.

Sally Van Nostrand, 68, said she has spent the last eight months teaching her two Pomeranians, Louie and Star, how to weave, waltz, prance and dance across the room with only the promise of a few tasty treats to move them.

"Star's a natural dancer," Van Nostrand said. "She already had a lot of dance moves and I joined the club in order to figure out how to put them to music. She's very stubborn about doing moves that she doesn't want to do."

Van Nostrand said she joined the club after taking a class led by Rosalie James, the freestylers' general coordinator and dance teacher. A friend had directed her to James' Web site, www.dancingpaws.info, where she read about the techniques James uses to teach man's best friend how to be woman's best dance partner.

James, of Rio Rancho, said she started teaching canine freestyle dancing in 2004 after seeing it on a video.

"It was so inspiring to me," James said. "The dog looked like he was having such a good time and the bond between them was so obvious that I decided that I wanted to dance like that, too."

James said she researched canine freestyle dancing as best she could.

"There were no teachers here at the time in freestyle," she said. "So I got some books and tapes and talked to people via Web sites and got the advice on how to do it."

After practicing twirls, weaves and circles with her Australian Labradoodle — a cross between a Labrador and a poodle — James said she created a dance routine and started looking for other people who wanted to do the same thing. That's how the Rio Grande Canine Freestylers club was formed, she said.

"As far as I know, I'm the only one who is teaching this in Albuquerque," she said.

About two or three times a year James holds a series of classes for six consecutive weeks for $85 per dog. She also gives private lessons of 45 to 60 minutes at $30 a lesson, she said.

Jingle Seagrave said she and her Alaskan malamute, Koboshi, have been perfecting their dance moves for the Mayor's Dog Ball — a fund-raiser for animal shelters — on March 29.

The Alaskan malamute may be a large breed, but Seagrave said she would rather have Koboshi than any small dog as a dance partner.

"I'm a big-dog person," she said. "I really prefer dogs that are dogs. Seeing these little guys and some of the things they can do — there's just no way I can do that with Koboshi. Some of these guys can jump up in your arms, and that is so adorable.

"But on the other hand my dog can stand up and put her paws on my shoulder, and that's kind of cute too."

Seagrave said finding dance music for Koboshi is often difficult. It has to be right for the dog, she said.

"So it doesn't matter what music I like; it matters what music she looks good dancing to."

Koboshi is dancing to a Creedence Clearwater Revival song now, although she seems to like disco songs best, Seagrave said.

"I'm still looking for the perfect song for her," she said. "I haven't found it yet."