Local Spotlights

Wednesday, 02 December 2009 19:00

This month, we interview Laura TeHennep, an orthopedic massage therapist at Go Primal; Shelly Lee, general manager of The District on 62nd; and Andre Valladon, principle dancer of Dance Alive National Ballet.

Orthopedic Massage Therapist Laura TeHennepe of Go Primal Orthopedic Clinic

As a student at Carleton College in Minnesota, Laura TeHennepe was so tense and shy that she started getting professional massages. “I had this desire not to be mystified by how the world works, including my own body.” she says. So, when Laura was in her mid-twenties, she went on a six-week train trip to look for a massage school. All signs pointed to Florida.

“The instant I walked in, I was home,” she said of the Florida School of Massage, from which she graduated in 1996. “It was just a perfect fit.” Now, Laura is a trained orthopedic massage therapist who has been at Go Primal Fitness for six months.

Laura has certainly come a long way from her shy college days. Today, she has no problem talking to her clients, who love her for her vibrancy and calm demeanor. “I feel like I’m blossoming,” she says.

Age: 42
Hometown: New London, CT

What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
Ladysmith Black Mambazo in 1992. Not only did they sound amazing, but their bodies spoke the music.

What was the last movie you saw?
Last Chance Harvey. It’s a beautiful movie: simple and very heartfelt.

What advice would you give to the world?
Stay tuned to your immediate life.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
The Dominican Republic, because I love bachata [dance]. Dance, especially salsa and bachata, keeps me young.

If you could have three wishes, what would they be?
To make enough money to offer my skills one day a week to people who can’t afford it; to fly to Berkeley, CA., to get worked on and learn from Thomas Hendrickson; and to have my parents live a couple months down here in the winter.

Why do you like orthopedic massage therapy?
I like it because it’s an amazing combination of intuitive presence and logic. Also because it helps people heal from injury and helps them return to the fullness of their lives.

What is the purpose of providing orthopedic massages at a gym?
I massage injuries that can keep people from training. I look at the range of motion and movement patterns. I want people to do well before they train, so I incorporate that in my massage work.

How do you calm down your patients before treatment?
I explain what I’m going to do before I do it, as well as why the bodywork will help their healing process. I also do my best to be calm before I begin.

What’s the biggest myth about orthopedic massage therapy?
It has a reputation for being excruciatingly painful, but it doesn’t have to be. I work with my clients to create a session that is both effective and calming.

--Lynette Zilio

General Manager Shelly Lee of The District on 62nd

Gainesville offers many apartment complexes for students. The hard part is finding a place where the managers and staff genuinely reach out to their residents. That’s where Shelly Lee, general manager of The District on 62nd, steps in.

“We’re dedicated to ensuring a higher quality of life for our residents,” Shelly says. “Our team is energetic and always willing to go the extra mile.”

The complex was built in 1994 and was renamed last November. Along with a new name, the complex now offers more amenities for its residents. Shelly, who has been with the apartment complex for more than five years, says one of her favorite things about being the general manager is overseeing the different events the complex puts on every month.

“We offer entertaining events as well as educational events,” she says. “We invite guest speakers and have other events, such as pool parties and Madden tournaments.”

Age: 27
Hometown: Palatka

What’s the most recent movie you’ve seen?
The last movie I saw was Extract, produced by Mike Judge. I would give it a C+ rating.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would like to see more of Europe soon, hopefully next year.

What’s your favorite TV show?
I love NCIS and House.

What’s your favorite band?
My father has a big influence on my taste of music, so The Eagles is my favorite band.

What’s the first thing you would do if you won $1 million?
I would take a few months to travel and then probably invest in my own business.

You’re stranded on a desert island and can only have three items. What would they be?
My iPhone; my two cats, Sunshine and Tigger; and an escape plan.

What’s your favorite local restaurant?
There are so many. I like Dragonfly. I love their crab wontons.

What was your favorite movie as a kid?
The Secret Garden

What’s your favorite part about working at The District on 62nd?
Working with students and being able to make a difference in their college experience.

What’s one unique thing about The District on 62nd?
We have two indoor racquetball courts.

--Allyson Ayers

Principal Dancer Andre Valladon of Dance Alive National Ballet

Andre Valladon has lived in the United States for only two years. Before that, he was living in Brazil, where he was born. “In Brazil, we didn’t have a lot of gyms, so dance studios were the place to go,” he says. “I had tried swimming, gymnastics, judo, anything you can think of.” But the 5-foot-7-inch man was frustrated with the fact that his size prevented him from doing well in competitive sports. So, he decided to start taking dance classes with his father and at the age of 11 enrolled in a competitive dance group.

Today, Andre is the principal dancer for the Dance Alive National Ballet, the official state touring company. Every day, for at least four hours, he can be found rehearsing at Pofahl’s Studio in downtown Gainesville, along with the other nine members of his company. Often, he can be found rehearsing with his wife, Carla Amancio, who has been his dance partner for the past five years. Ever since he found his passion 26 years ago, Andre has been quite the ham on stage. “I’m quite a show-off,” he says. “I like being good at something and having people acknowledge it.”

Age: 37
Hometown: Belo Horizonte, Brazil

What’s the best performance you’ve ever been to?
The Winter Gala put on by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House in London; it was amazing! It was Prince Charles’s charity concert, and they were charging 1,000 British pounds ($1,900) to go in.

What was the last movie you saw?
G.I. Joe. I like action movies. Lord of the Rings is probably my favorite movie. I’m nerdy that way.

What show are you addicted to?
I’m addicted to anything with a storyline, like Law and Order. I also enjoy comedies like Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, Family Guy and American Dad.

Tell us about the last book you read.
I’m reading Dracula now to get into my character for the Halloween performance.

What time did you go to bed last night?
I went to bed at 3am because I was watching movies.

What advice would you give to the world?
Love one another like you love yourself. I think Jesus was right on the spot there. Everything else is so little if you live like that.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I’ve always wanted to see Australia and Israel. Because I’m a dancer, I’ve pretty much been all over the world.

If you could have one wish, what would it be?
To be able to use my art in favor of something bigger. I want to be able to get a lot and give a lot back.

What styles of dance are you most familiar with?
Ballet, contemporary, modern, etc. A professional dancer must be versatile.

What is the best part about being on stage?
The adrenaline of being on stage in front of an audience. I’m pretty adrenaline-moved. I like feeling on the edge.

What is the hardest part about being a male dancer?
Brazil was very macho, so the fact that my father got me into dance was a big deal.

What is your favorite part about being a professional dancer?
That it doesn’t feel like work. Like the expression says, “Do something you like and you won’t work a day in your life.”

--Lynette Zilio