Dancing began for Tana when she was 3. She took lessons from a neighbor. By the time she was 12, she was teaching. “I recruited neighborhood kids,” she says. She eventually had two classes of 15 students each. She continued teaching through high school.
Tana’s mother encouraged her dancing and understanding of the art. “She took me to every ballet and tap performance she could,” Tana recalls. “By seeing other productions and working on my own, I discovered my niche was creating a show and putting it together.” She created Goldilocks and the Three Bears at 16. As an instructor and producer, some of her original performances included Growing Green, The Great Disneyland Caper, and Alice’s Wacky Wonderland.
Tana knows how to create a rich life beyond dancing. She is a writer of children’s books, a poet, an artist who creates her own gift cards, and an organic farmer. Tap Shoes and Horse Shoes, published in 2011, is the story of Bill, a farm kid with two left feet until he learns to tap dance with his favorite horse Harry. Two other books are completed and awaiting publication. One, The Old Tin Cow, is about the tin cow sculpture on I-5 north of Weed – in the story, the tin cow comes alive.
Tana and Mike love working the farm and cooking together. Now that both are retired, they plan to do some bicycle touring, especially exploring Siskiyou County and the northern coast. “We are happy and enjoy spending time together,” relates Tana.
Tana’s rich and fulfilling life has a strong spiritual base. The Bible and her tenet, “Love God, love people, love life, and love to laugh,” have served as her foundation. I can’t think of any book other than the Bible that has been more of an influence on my life,” she says. Tana’s joy and love of life spill over to the many lives she touches.
To contact Tana, and for book information, call (530) 938-4089.
Posted in: Be The Change
Comment Policy: All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should remain relevant. Personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior are not allowed. No spam, advertising, or promoting of products/services. Please, only use your real name and limit the amount of links submitted in your comment.
You Might Also Like...
Mother-Daughter Team Brings Sunshine To Kids With Disabilities
Faelin Klein embodies the term “mama bear.” For 23 years, the diminutive blonde has fought long and hard to ensure her daughter has had access to the medical, educational and […]
Marcia Ramstrom Supports Mental Health
In 2013, Marcia Ramstrom sold most of her possessions, rented out her house, and moved her daughter Grace and herself into her RV. Why? Marcia had a mission. After a […]
Be the Change: Chad McCall
As a disaster relief volunteer, Chad McCall stood amid devastation and rubble in the wake of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Just months before, he had been slogging through the […]
Be the Change: Tina Carletta
Happy families surrounded by the smell of Christmas trees, warm apple cider, hot cocoa and a caring community. It may seem idyllic, but these are all elements of the vision […]