Class Descriptions

Begintermediate Track | Intermediate Track | Advanced Track | Electives

Intro to Blues - Joe and Nelle
Friday 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Come start your weekend off right with a little taste of Bluesy rhythm & Soulful style. We'll get you movin' and grovin' with a few types of Blues dance, a variety of Blues music and a whole lot of fun!

Leading and Following Rhythm Changes - Joel and Melanie
Saturday 10:00am to 11:00am

We'll start with transitioning between 6 Count and 8 Count Lindy Patterns, then work in Charleston Rhythm and finish up with trying our hand at a syncopation or two. This class will reveal some secrets to keeping appropriate rhythm with your partner and strengthen your ability to do so.

Frame Matching - Joe and Nelle
Saturday 11:15am to 12:15pm

Frame Matching can create a more exact connection that widens the possibilities of lead/follow and will put you more in tune with your partner, thus opening up the possibilities for creativity and self-expression. We'll use this connection to create freezes, level and tempo changes, and some fun new Blues movements.

Blues Moves - Joe and Nelle
Saturday 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Learn fun, stylish moves for the social dance floor. We'll mainly focus on Counterbalance and how this fun way of connecting can add a new dynamic and intensity to your dance.

Movelets: Tools for Improvisation - Jesse and Zach
Saturday 3:45pm to 4:45pm

In order to improvise, you have to have the right tools. We'll give you a number of pieces we call "movelets" which you can use to modify moves that you already know and to connect your dancing to the music.

Lindy Hop/Blues Mashup 1: Lock In, Get Down - Michael and Jaya
Sunday 10:45am to 11:45am

This class will explore that grey area in between Blues and Lindy Hop, where connection is king and rhythm rules. We will bluesify your Lindy Hop and lindify your Blues using drills which become moves and moves that teach you technique and social dance skills.

Lindy Hop/Blues Mashup 2: ..and Away We Go - Michael and Jaya
Sunday Noon to 1:00pm

Here we will pick up where we left off with part one, continuing to walk that line between the two dance forms, gradually moving towards turning steps and rotational movement that fit nicely into your dance at a wide range of tempos.

Intermediate Track:

A Rhythmic Partnership - Michael and Jaya
Saturday 10:00am to 11:00am

Too often we see leads throwing out moves to follows but not paying attention to how she interprets his lead. Furthermore, many followers follow a move based on their first impression of it, missing messages that may occur from the lead later in the pattern. In this class we will work on figures that force you to truly work together, asking you and your partner to stay focused as a team throughout the move to make it work, follows gaining a new appreciation for the rhythmic intention of the leads, while leads constantly adapt to the reality of the follower's movement.

The Art of Waiting - Jesse and Zach
Saturday 11:15am to 12:15pm

In dancing, as in life, good things come to those who wait. In this class the good things will include peaceful moments of suspension, musical accents, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.

Traveling, Direction Changes, and Floor-craft with Blues - Michael and Jaya
Saturday 2:30pm to 3:30pm

In this class we'll focus on simple, but stylish walking steps that can be used to un-glue you from your spot on the floor, to cover some distance, and, if used wisely, to avoid running into other couples! Leaders will learn new ways to manage space using lead-follow movements, and follows will learn how to stay grounded and engaged in their technique from toe to tip while moving through direction changes.

Blues Immersion - Joe and Nelle
Saturday 3:45pm to 4:45pm

This class will help you feel comfortable dancing to a variety of music and with a variety of partners while being creative in your Blues dance. Moving your own body well is an important component to being able to move well with a partner. We'll work on incorporating your solo movement into the dance and show you some simple ways to have great dances with everyone.

Take ONE for the Team - Joe and Nelle
Sunday 10:45am to 11:45am

Whether you're dancing Lindy or Blues, fast or slow, or anywhere in between, it would be great to get the most out of your stylizations and moves. In this class, we will take ONE move and show you how it can be used at all different tempos and styles of music.

Woogie Jump Boogie Blues - Joel and Melanie
Sunday Noon to 1:00pm

What happens when Blues gets a little faster? You Lindy Hop and Jitterbug! Let's let it loose and have some fun! Joel and Melanie will wrap up the Intermediate Track with lots of fun social Lindy Ideas for medium-slow to medium-fast tempos.

Advanced Track:

Blues Groundwork - Joe and Nelle
Saturday 10:00am to 11:00am

Come experience a new type of class: a mixture of solo movement and solo dancing while dancing with a partner. You won't be touching, but you will very much be connecting with partners visually and mentally, and inspiring and influencing one another. We'll be pushing you and your dancing to new levels; it won't always be comfortable, but we guarantee a fun class that you'll definitely learn from.

Dynamic Triples: New Spaces to Fill - Michael and Jaya
Saturday 11:15am to 12:15pm

This class explores shapes you can make within your basic rhythms that open up the door for new connection and movement possibilities. Leaders can expect to learn a new set of move ideas and the tools to explore them further. Follows will be exposed to new ways to stay with your leader within these movements but also within all familiar and unfamiliar steps. You will never look at triple steps the same way again!

Connection-Based Improvisation - Joel and Melanie
Saturday 2:30pm to 3:30pm

In this class we'll explore adjusting our movement patterns based on the conversation we are having with our partner through our connection. We'll focus on both listening and communicating through our frame so that both partners have input into the dance.

Melodic Dancing: Advanced Turns for Leads and Follows - Michael and Jaya
Saturday 3:45pm to 4:45pm

Much of social dancing focuses on rhythm. In this class we will instead try to embody the melody of the music, working through figures where the lower body plays a supportive role, but where the focus of the movement is the upper body. We will work on a variety of turns for both partners, with an emphasis on clear communication, clean styling, and uncompromising technique!

Lindy Hop Social Movement - Joel and Melanie
Sunday 10:45 to 11:45am

Add to your repertoire with fun and creative movements that incorporate a variety of advanced concepts.

Dips and Drags - Joe and Nelle
Sunday Noon to 1:00pm

Want some fun moves with a little more pizazz? These dips and drags are sure to get some serious dance floor attention. You'll learn how to incorporate these socially-acceptable, show-stopping moves and how to execute them safely and fluidly.

Begintermediate Charleston Elective:

Side by Side - Kurt and Lisa
Saturday 5:00pm to 6:00pm

This elective is for those who know basic side-by-side Charleston to explore both moves and style. Add some exciting partner Charleston moves to your repertoire and footwork variations to show your individual style. You're sure to have enough kicks and turns to get you out and moving for those up-tempo tunes.

Introduction to Tandem - Kurt and Lisa
Sunday 2:00pm to 3:00pm

This Charleston variant is where the lead is behind the follow and you are on the same foot as your partner. You'll learn how to dance your way into tandem, pull off a simple move, and dance your way back out.

Tandem Charleston Elective:

Chasing Shadows: Chase Patterns in Tandem Charleston - Michael and Jaya
Saturday 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Students attending this class must be comfortable getting in and out of Tandem Charleston position, and be comfortable social dancing Tandem Charleston. In this class, we will explore the many variations of the pattern known as The Chase. It's a sub-set of Tandem Charleston movement which allows for connected footwork, flashy turns, and many new ways to add texture and excitement to your social Charleston!

Tand to Hand' Em Transition Madness - Michael and Jaya
Sunday 2:00pm to 3:00pm

This class is for those quite comfortable with social Tandem Charleston, as well as other common Charleston positions such as hand-to-hand or cross-hand Charleston. Exciting Charleston is about flowing through different patterns tightly and intentionally, which means having a lot of transitions and variations in your toolbox, which is what this class is designed to give you! We will simply cover as many useful ideas as we can squeeze into the allotted time.

Rethink Your Dancing Elective:

The Master Key - Stefanie Cohen
Saturday 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Moving on our own and with others we'll explore embodied LISTENING and how it dutifully and beautifully unlocks our abilities to lead, follow, attend, enjoy, delight in, discover and uncover our dances as they unfold.

Whole Body Dancing - Jesse and Zach
Sunday 2:00pm to 3:00pm

In this class we'll break away from the confining ideas of "left" and "right." By using both sides of your body with the same amount of energy and attention, you'll improve communication with your partner and open up opportunities for new moves.

The beatings will continue until swingouts improve