The Razzle Dazzle Story

The Santa Barbara Silver Follies actually began as “Razzle Dazzle” in February of 2003 with a group of six dancers. At present the “Razzle Dazzle” troupe consists of twelve active performing dancers fifty years of age and older who work to revive and improve their talents and stamina in order to perform Broadway-style productions for the community. They have built a reputation for producing fine precision dance numbers and cabaret-style shows

Additionally, in partnership with Santa Barbara City Parks and Recreation, the Razzle Dazzle dancers conduct workshops at various retirement facilities throughout the year.

Our Dancers:

Sandy Allen

Born 1944

Sandy Allen is our newest (and tallest) dancer. Wife for forty years to Dr. John Allen and Mother of three encouraging children who say: “You go for it, Mom!” Sandy comes to the follies with varied experience. She was a college coed, a TWA stewardess (back when we still called then that), a model, a Miss Universe beauty pageant queen in her native Kansas and had an extensive career in clothing and fine jewelry retail. Sandy began her training in song and dance at four years old and has appeared in many local productions during her 40 years in Santa Barbara, including Dames at Sea under the direction of Pope Freeman, Guys and Dolls at Santa Barbara City College and the Junior League Follies in 1979. She was also a member for eight years of Broadway Dance Company directed by New York choreographer Alex Fournier and she thanks him for his inspiration, training and encouragement. Sandy continued her dance studies at Santa Barbara’s Dance Warehouse and with Kay Fulton at SBCC. In 1985, Sandy founded, choreographed and directed the award winning UCSB Gaucho men’s basketball dance team and spirit squads till 1991. In addition to her new membership in the Follies, Sandy loves foreign travel and reading to her three granddaughters. Sandy serves on the Santa Barbara Symphony Board and volunteers for The Assistance League of Santa Barbara.

Merrily Dixon

Born 1944 Merrily started dancing at the age of six, taking tap and ballet. Her family moved when she was seven, thus ending her "formal" dance training. Dancing was one of her first loves, however, and continued on and off in her life taking on many different forms: square dancing in elementary school, drill team throughout high school, and Israeli folk dancing in college. She earned a BA degree in history and began her career as a social worker until motherhood called, and she stopped to raise her son, Matthew. Currently, Merrily works with special needs children in the classroom and behind the wheel as a school bus driver. Jazzercise has also kept her in motion for the past twenty-six years. While singing and dancing with the SB Treble Clef Women's Chorus, the performance "bug" bit. So when Razzle Dazzle was created she was thrilled to be one of the first six dancers. It was like a secret dream come true and continues to be an amazing and very "moving" experience. When not in the kick line she can be seen swing dancing with her significant other, Alberto.

Cynthia Gray

Born 1937

A dancer since 1948, former New Yorker Cynthia Gray brings to the Follies an array of talents gathered from her extensive dance and theater experience. Starting with ballet, tap and jazz at the Pat Mosher School of Dance, and continuing through Ithaca College (B.S. Speech, Minor in Theater) and The Jack Stanley Dance Studios (NYC) and on to the Ballet Repertory, the predecessor to the American Ballet Theater, along life’s way, Cynthia earned a degree from the University of Detroit College of Law: J.D. cum laude, was a litigator in Illinois for 28 years, and she founded and taught classical ballet at her own studio for 12 years. Cynthia’s theater credits include many leads in classic American musicals and plays, including the roles of Justice Ruth Loomis in First Monday in October, Eleanor in Lion in Winter, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and Lola in Damn Yankees. She has choreographed and directed several musicals and ballets and performed in Summer Stock, Woodstock, NY. Her current activities include writing, reading, gardening, and sewing and she keeps in shape with walking, skiing and fencing. Cynthia also has served on the boards of several non-profit agencies. She enjoys being a Follies dancer for the exercise, the people and their enthusiasm and youth. Cynthia has lived in Santa Barbara since 1993 and she and husband Richard share five children and six grandchildren. She gives special thanks to her daughter Katrina, a recently retired professional ballerina, for keeping her young and making her proud.

Cathie Hetyonk

Artistic Director/Choreographer/Featured Dancer

Born 1952

Cathie’s love of dance began at the age of five. At sixteen, after graduating high school in England, she began a career on the stage. After 14 years of performing professionally in many shows, she finally hung up the dancing shoes, married and started a family. Although life in the theatre had its share of wonderful memories, her husband and three children have filled the warmest part of her heart.

Nancy King, aka Queenie

Dance Captain/Featured Singer

Born 1946

Nancy King (nee: Hickman), a Santa Barbara native who attended local schools, has been entertaining area audiences since the age of four when she began her studies with the late Doris Smith of the Gunsett Academy of Dance. After a 35 year career in banking and finance, she is happy to live here in paradise with her husband of 23 years, David. They have two children and two grandchildren. She says: “I am so fortunate to belong to this talented and committed group of women. Dancing and performing with them has returned me to a path (and a joy) that I thought I left behind in childhood.”

Glory Lamb

Founding Director/Featured Dancer

Born 1934

Glory is the founding director of the Razzle Dazzle follies dancers, as well as the creator of the Santa Barbara Silver Follies. She came to Santa Barbara in 1953 to attend UCSB and study for her teaching credential, met her late husband, Hal Brendle, got married, (which happily waylaid her teaching plans), and gave her three children: Scott, Gail and Bill, who have grown to adulthood and given her six wonderful grandchildren. While all this was happening, she taught dance at UCSB, and Laguna Blanca school, as well as appearing in many roles in the Alhecama musicals at the Lobero theatre.in the 60's After leaving town for several years, she earned a BFA degree in dance from Arizona State, and a post-grad teaching credential from UC Riverside. She is now married to Dave Lamb, a Santa Barbara native, whose daughter and son-in-law sing in quartets which appeared in the December Christmas Follies show at the Timbers. Glory is happy to be back in Santa Barbara, and is working along with the dancers to bring professional quality revues to the Santa Barbara performing arts scene.

Suzanne Lee

Born 1950

Suzanne has been dancing since she was three years old, beginning with ballet classes, then adding tap dance and water ballet, continuing with ballet on pointe and eventually performing as a University of Southern California song girl while in college. Although busy with her career as a paralegal in various areas of law, she continued to incorporate physical fitness into her life through aerobics, jazzercise and dance classes. In 1981, Suzanne became a serious student of ashtanga yoga, under the direction of her teacher, Guruji Pattabhi Jois. She has taught yoga in the health club scene as well as in the work environment. After taking up tap dancing again as an adult, Suzanne joined Razzle Dazzle in June of 2006. She is having the time of her life doing what she loves in the company of talented women who are now her forever friends. Suzanne is single and generously blessed by her college age son.

Joyce Spezman-Margolin

Born 1945

Joyce is thrilled to have Razzle Dazzle and its talented dancers in her life. Having a Ph.D in education, Joyce has been an educator in both the public and private sectors most of her life and mainly focused on intellectual presentations. Dancing and performing are a whole new world for her and definitely fit her goals of living a healthy and joyful third age. The only previous dance experience Joyce has had was tap and modern ballet as a child. Dancing with the Razzle Dazzlers has given her a healthy way to keep exercising her brain and body, to continue to learn new skills, improve herself and provide enjoyment for others. She thanks her husband, Don, and son, Max, for their continued support and love.

Connie Marquez

Born 1937

Connie has been “dabbling” in dance and music for most of her life. A UCSB grad, she taught in local schools, specializing in dance and drill team. (Queenie was one of her junior high students!) While raising her 5 children, Connie directed the SB Debonairre Baton and Drum Corps. Presently, in addition to performing with Razzle Dazzle, she is asst. director and choreographer for the SB Treble Clef Women’s Chorus and a member of Girls’ Nite Out, a singing quartet. Connie credits her “Mom” for making music, performing and people such an important part of her life. Thanks, Mom! When Connie has time to spend at home, her husband, Sam, dog, Cody, and 3 cats are always glad to see her. Connie and Sam have 8 perfect grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter. Life is good!

Patti Reid

Executive Director/Ballet Mistress

Born 1940

Patti began dancing at the age of four and continued studying, performing and teaching through her teens. At the age of eighteen she opened her own dance studio in Denver and operated Patricia’s School of Dance until moving to Santa Barbara in 1971. Since arriving in California, she has become an active community volunteer and has found that being married to a physician, raising four children, enjoying six grandchildren and choreographing for local events to be gratifying and rewarding. She joined the Razzle Dazzle Dancers in 2006 and has been revitalized and inspired with dance being a major activity in her life once again.

Jane Runyen

Born 1942

Jane began dancing as a child with tap and ballet. As a teenager modern dance was her passion and she danced in a production of Brigadoon. She was a member of the Barbarettes, a local performing group whose instructor was a former Rockette. Raising four children and working full time put dancing on the back burner for many years. After seeing Razzle Dazzle perform at a fundraiser in 2005 she joined the group. Jane has almost eight grandchildren and is a Realtor with Sotheby's International Realty.

Nancy Weichbrod

Born 1947

At the age of 8, Nancy started her ballet training and continued until she was 16 with the Washington School of Ballet. Dancing and singing in school musicals were a favorite extracurricular activity. Taking modern dance at the University of Maryland was an eye opener to the rest of the world of dance. Nancy began a flying career as a flight attendant in 1967 with United Airlines and just retired 4 years ago after 36 years. She is married to Richard and they have two grown sons. Jazzercise became part of her almost daily regime especially during the child rearing days. It was a way to exercise and get back to the dance moves that were so loved. Becoming a member of Razzle Dazzle has been a wonderful way to relive all those childhood aspirations.