2008 Outwalkers

The 2008 float, titled “Oktoberfest” will have some Burbank float firsts. It will be our first time having a live band riding on the float and it will be the first time we have outwalkers dancing in the street along side the float during the parade.

The float will have four couples on each side of the float (sixteen people) dancing and entertaining in the street and an additional two couples on top of the float “stage” also dancing. This gives us twenty people total dancing and entertaining. There will also be a three person Oompah style band playing to pre-recorded music on top of the float “stage”.

The Dancers are made up of members from the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, residents from Burbank and members of “Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler” Bavarian and Austrian Dance Group.

The Schuhplattler or Shoe Slapper dance is a most unique folk dance. The men’s movements imitate the movements of a wood grouse strutting to attract the attention of the females. As such it is considered a courting dance. It originated in the Bavarian and Austrian Alps but spread in diminished form all the way to Hungary and to Bulgaria. It can be traced back to the 11th century.

In its earliest form, the Schuhplattler was largely unstructured with the movements made up by the young man as the dance progressed. He would try to impress the young woman by his agility and strength. The woman would pretend to ignore him and spin away.

It was not until the 19^th Century that the Schuhplattler developed into an organized form of dancing similar to what is performed today. Each valley in Bavaria has developed its own style of costume. Our costumes are identical to the Miesbach area of southern Bavaria.

“There is a difference in the outlook of Bavarians. The pace is slower and they always make time to have a good time. That's what our name means – it's an expression that means we always have time for a good time. “

The Band, which will play to pre-recorded music, is made up of members from “Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler”, founded on May 17, 1971, the group was formed to keep specific traditions of the Bavarian and Austrian culture and customs alive in the Southern California area. They regularly appear at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim, California and in the Los Angeles and San Diego County areas. They have performed in the Opening Ceremony of the 1984 Olympic Games, Dodger Stadium, Hawaii, Bavaria and in Singapore at the World Beer Festival.

Their web site is: http://home.socal.rr.com/schuhplattler/schuhplattler.htm

The Dancers and Band members are:

Name	Position	City
Carl Wiesmuller	Band/Accordion	Anaheim
Christian Regenfuss Senior.	Band/Accordion	Hacienda Heights
Kurt Josef Hauptmann	Band/Spoons	Los Alamitos
Andre da Silveira	Dancer	Miami, Fl
Carol Harris	Dancer	Placentia
Christian Regenfuss  Jr.	Dancer	Hacienda Heights
Corey Hidalgo	Dancer	Burbank
Hanna-Beatrix R. Habereder	Dancer	Orange
Hans Lorenz Habereder	Dancer	Orange
Jakob Schiller	Dancer	Upland
Jean Dodge	Dancer	Burbank
Joanna (Joey) Renee Tripet-Diel	Dancer	Burbank
Linda Cozakos	Dancer	Burbank
Natasha Christoffersen	Dancer	Burbank
Nick St. Royal	Dancer	Burbank
Pat Slames	Dancer	Rancho Santa Margarita
Robert Harris	Dancer	Placentia
Robin McCall	Dancer	Burbank
Stephanie Wemyss	Dancer	Burbank
Leslie Monzon	Dancer Coordinator	Valencia
Erik Schwarze	Dancer/on stage(a)	Rancho Santa Margarita
Susan L. Gnesda	Dancer/on stage(a)	Santa Ana
Dee Anne Gunnemann	Dancer/on stage(b)	Redlands
Rob Gunnemann	Dancer/on stage(b)	Redlands

This group was created by the Riders Committee of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association whose members are:

Steven Edward – Chair

Ryan Babroff

Burt Ballard

Robin Hanna

Rick Penunuri

Ricky Batt – VP Float

John Hames - President