In the Spotlight

Introducing Janet Robertson, January’s tapper in the spotlight!

I have often referred to Janet as our “unofficial” class secretary and historian. She is very diligent about writing up notes for our routines and generously shares them with the group. She also always seems to have her camera handy backstage and at various group outings. She is a very active and vital member of our group and I am very happy to name her as this month’s “Tapper in the Spotlight”. To learn more about Janet, read her bio below.

My tap-dancing career started in January 2013. My friend Kathy Hawkins asked me if I wanted to take a tap dance class with her. At the time, I had been retired for about 2 1/2 years, I had the time, so I said why not? I had never taken a tap dance class before, so I really didn’t know what I was getting into. After a few weeks in the beginner’s class, I found out that our class was going to be performing for the Golden Follies. You are kidding me! I thought that kind of stuff was just for kids. I realized that I had some catching up to do. I got through the Follies because of a very patient teacher, Suellen, and helpful classmates. I have slowly progressed in learning to tap and have made some great friends in the process.

Before retirement I worked in the commercial interior design industry for 32 years. I was a fine arts major in college, and I thought I would get a job in the art field. After graduation I discovered that finding an art job was difficult, so I continued waitressing at the pizza parlor I had been working at while in college. One day there was a fire in the restaurant’s kitchen. It was so destructive, the restaurant would be shut down six weeks for refurbishment. My dad had his own structural engineering firm and asked me if I wanted to work for him doing his drawings. According to the classified ads there was a demand for all kinds of drafters. I thought, this would be a good skill to learn and at least I would be drawing. I said yes to my dad, he taught me how to draft. This skill eventually allowed me to get my foot in the door to work for commercial design firms. Through the years, I have worked on many different types of projects; offices, banks, and law firms. Some of my clients were the FDA, Boeing, and Riverside District Attorney Offices.

After I retired from commercial interiors, I continued to manage two family-owned rentals, condos in a complex that my father had built in the 70’s. For the past thirteen years, I have been on the HOA Board for the complex which keeps me busy.

I am a native Californian. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. I met my husband John in 1970 at church in Sepulveda in the high school youth group. We didn’t start dating however until I had graduated from college. We married in 1979 and moved out to San Dimas because of our jobs. John and I enjoy spending time with family and friends. We enjoy traveling and have had the opportunity to visit many places around the world. We have also been able to take part in mission trips to India and Chinle AZ.
When I am not tap dancing, I enjoy hiking, playing tennis, Bible study, reading, painting, and gardening. I also enjoy eating my husband’s delicious cooking.

Janet