A campaign to heighten awareness and promote continued research into understanding and treating the symptoms and causes of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The Breathe Freely Campaign was initiated in response to an illuminating dance event in which MCS afflicted dancer Melva Smith participated in the worldwide Shuffle Boogie Soul/Honky Tonk Flash Mob project. The principals involved with the SBS/Honky Tonk Flash Mob project, Dr. H. L. Hanna Jr. CEO of Hannaian Entertainment, Helen Bartlett-Hanna President of the Hannaian Research Institute, Choreographer Ira Weisburd, and Blues Artist Preston Shannon teamed up to establish the Breathe Freely Campaign. For further information, and for those interested in participating in the Breathe Freely Campaign effort, please contact the team at the Hannaian Research Institute at email bfc@hannaian.com.

MCS News
Hannaian Research Institute to Study MCS
The Hannaian Research Institute will collaborate with the Breathe Freely Campaign for Research on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). The HRI study will research epidemiological data on the prevalence of various forms of MCS and the symptoms, treatments and any environmental, geographical and climatic predilection. The Institute is now inviting individuals afflicted with any type of MCS to submit the particulars of their affliction and the measures they have utilized to control and treat their exposure and symptoms. .....Read More

See More MCS Research at James Madison University

See More at the Chemical Sensitivity Foundation

A Line Dancer’s Inspirational Story
Just a note of thanks to all who may have played a part in taking Shuffle Boogie Soul/Honky Tonk Dance Phenomenon. Please see the video of the dance event and impact it has had on one MCS dancer and her friends, as expressed in her comments at: http://www.hannaian.com/sbsvideos/featured.html#GenStory

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - also referred to as MCS - is also known as Chemical Injury, Chemical Sensitivity, Environmental Illness (E.I.), and Multiple Allergy.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; in broad terms it means an unusually severe sensitivity or allergy-like reaction to many different kinds of pollutants including solvents, VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds), perfumes, petrol, diesel, smoke, "chemicals" in general and often encompasses problems with regard to pollen, house dust mites, and pet fur & dander.

Multiple chemical sensitivity unlike true allergies - where the underlying mechanisms of the problem are relatively well understood widely accepted, is generally regarded as "idiopathic" - meaning that it has no known mechanism of causation & it's processes are not fully understood.

The problem here is made more difficult still, due to the variable nature of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity from one patient to the next & this often makes treatment with conventional medicine & practices ineffective or inappropriate; for most sufferers with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, the avoidance of pollutants/toxicants is the key.

What CAN be said about defining Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - and in order to help the patient decide whether they truly have MCS or another allergy-related illness - is that the following deciding criteria apply to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity:

the patient exhibits problems - often an allergy-like reaction - to both large - often extremely low levels of irritants/toxicants/triggers : other individuals present at the same time may be unable to detect anything at all or anything unusual or out of the ordinary.

the problem is ongoing, ie. chronic, and not a "one-off" event.

the same symptoms are reproducible with repeated exposure to the same triggers.

the patient is affected by many different triggers.

the patient improves when triggers are absent.

See More Information at

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.ORG

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity at http://en.wikipedia.org

The Chemical Injury Information Network (CIIN)

A Line Dancer’s Inspirational Story
Just a note of thanks to all who may have played a part in taking Shuffle Boogie Soul/Honky Tonk to where it’s gone so far. Please see the impact it has had on one MCS dancer and her friends, as expressed in her comments at http://www.hannaian.com/sbsvideos/featured.html#GenStory

The SBS/Honky Tonk Featured Videos & Stories
Add Your SBS Stories To Your Current or New SBS Videos

Leading up to the publishing of the Final Shuffle Boogie Soul Video Compilation, and The SBS/Honky Tonk Documentary, Hannaian Entertainment will be regularly displaying one or more of the numerous videos, and stories received from dance groups and instructors as “The Featured SBS/Honky Tonk Dance Video & Story” of the SBS Showcase at the Hannaian.com Website.

SBS/Honky Tonk Video Stories
We have discovered that there are wonderful stories also associated with the making and inspiration behind some of these videos and would like to showcase these stories with the videos. Dance Instructors, Dancers and others who have made, or participated in a Video, and who may have any type of interesting story associated with the making of the Video should send us a copy of the written story, or better yet do a video presentation of the story which they can put on Youtube and provide us the link.

This will allow followers of the SBS Showcase and submitters of the many videos received to more easily view and exhibit the unique and diverse features of the Dance and Video Presentations. Two categories of Videos will be featured:
1. Flash Mob Presentations 2. General Dance Presentations

The Featured Video(s) will be chosen based on a variety of criteria to include; The associated story; number of views; quality of video & editing; number of dancers; local video scenery; uniqueness of presentation (e.g. dancing on Skates); popular opinion and reports about the video, dance, and story presentation; local media interest & coverage; impact on the progression of Line Dancing locally. General stories about what line dancing has done for your health, fitness, and life enhancement are also welcomed.

Current and new Videos and Stories will be regularly reviewed and featured frequently based on updated information received. Videos must be published on YouTube. Dance groups should send in stories, information, or story video links associated with their video(s) and any local media coverage to hdomains@hannaian.com. Contact Helen Bartlett-Hanna at (772) 985-9121 or hlaw@hannaian.com for more information.

From: melva@netscape.com
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 2:30 PM
To: hdomains@hannaian.com ; hdomains@hannaian.com
Subject: Story for Shuffle Boogie Soul

Hi:

My name is Melva Smith, and I am the cowgirl behind the man in the white baseball cap in the Kentucky video clip. Having the chance to dance in this video was important to me because I suffer from a seldom heard of disability called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. I am a dance enthusiest, and it has always been my life's passion. Prior to finding a place to occassionally line dance at in 2007, I had given up all forms of dance for 15 years because exposures to perfumes and personal products other dancers wear make me very ill. So, being a part of this was like living out a dream.

To me, just getting to the site and dancing in this video was the ultimate challenge. It was filmed at a location that also causes problems with my disability because of the nearby industrial area. This video is one of those things I can look back on and know that I beat the odds one more time. I've since shared it with others who have the same disability, and the enthusiasm has became contagious. The goal was to create a group page at one of the disability websites that would be dedicated to inspiring others to dance for joy. It is so important to find something that keeps you uplifted when you are disabled. As a result, others have began to post videos, try new dance steps, and one even started a Dance Off site. We are talking about people who are rarely able to leave their homes because their bodies react to the everyday environment. To hear about them actually participating in something that can put a little happiness into their day is a blessing.

Line dancers are some of the most considerate people I have ever met. I am so glad that I found this group and look forward to dancing with them in the years to come.

Have a blessed day,
Melva Smith
Louisville, KY.

If you would like to see the page I am talking about, it's located at a website out of HI called The Canary Report go to the section on Groups, and select Dance.

Posted: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 10:00 am | Updated: 9:26 am, Tue Oct 19, 2010.

By LINDA SALSBERRY lindasalsberry@colletontoday.com | 0 comments

Walterboro's downtown waterfall served as a backdrop to the song "Honky Tonk" Oct. 11 as members of three local dance groups joined for the first time to perform the number one line dance in the world - the S.B.S., Shuffle Boogie Soul.

Terry Pournelle, who instructs The Lowcountry Scootin' Boots and the more advanced group, The Carolina Girls, said she taught the dance to the adults and Helena Westbury, instructor at Ilona's School of Dance, taught the youth.

"It was great," Pournelle said. "We walked through it one time and then videotaped it. I couldn't ask for it to be any better."

The adult groups she leads entertain at area nursing homes on a regular basis. The next big performance is the H2U senior friends party at Colleton Medical Center in December.

"Dance brings everyone together in a happy environment," Westbury said. "Dance is universal."

The line dance the adults and youth learned is the most popular dance right now according to KICKIT World Line Dance Survey.

The video made in Walterboro is already posted on YouTube and has been submitted for a broadcast at the Hannaian.com Treasure Coast Blues Festival in Port St. Lucie , Fla., Nov. 6.

According to Pournelle, that performance will be noteworthy because it will be the center of a project tied to the YouTube videos from Walterboro and other locations around the world. It is hoped the events surrounding the festival and dance phenomenon will qualify for one or more Guinness world records. A dance documentary is also in the works.

S.B.S. Shuffle Boogie Soul Line Dance-Walterboro, SC. DancinTerry | October 11, 2010. The Lowcountry Scootin' Boots/Carolina Girls and Ilona's School of Dance kids dance S.B.S. Shuffle Boogie Soul line dance choreographed by Ira Weisburd at the waterball in Walterboro, SC. Music is Honky Tonk by Preston Shannon. October 11, 2010. (Editors Note: This is an example of a small dance group using historic local scenery for their video presentation and receiving excellent press coverage for their efforts)

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