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Teaching American Social
Dance an introduction to dance for all ages |
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| Track #1 ~ (Novice-Beginner) |
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Dance Movement Basics
This class introduces rhythm awareness and
footwork fundamentals, placing a strong emphasis on
"hearing" and “responding to”, rhythmic patterns in the music.
As an "entry level" class for everyone, our goal at this
level, is to introduce you, the novice dancer,
to easy steps and simple sequences in order to get you dancing and having fun,
from the very
first moments of your very first class.
While our
central focus is on Swing Dance–that is, "Swing
Dance Music" and "Swing Dance Forms"–you will learn basic movement patterns that
will be
applicable to many other forms of American Social Dance as well.
We will also help you
gain an understanding of some very basic music theory,
to better help you
understand what your feet are doing in terms of responding to the beat, and the
basic rhythm in
the music.
We want you to have a solid awareness of
how your dance movements relate to what's happening
in the music and vice versa, that is, how what's happening in the music is
reflected in your dance
movements.
Requirements: basic ability to count to two; ability to distinguish "one
left foot" from the other “left
foot”; and an ability to maintain a sense of humor under conditions of “extreme
duress”,
aka "Having Fun with Your Dancing" <smile>.
<detailed description> <return to top>
Swing Dance Basics+1-A introduces 4-Beat Swing (aka
"Jitterbug" or East Coast Swing).
Topics covered include: hearing & following (counting) basic rhythm
patterns in the music ; following the
music with simple footwork patterns and easy moves and turns; beginner
level leading and following;
and having fun with your dancing.
Requirements: basic understanding and competence with
Dance Movement Basics skills
Swing Dance Basics+1-B
This class introduces the basics of
6-Beat Swing
(aka "Jitterbug" or East Coast Swing). Topics covered
include: basic footwork w/variations; basics of leading and following with easy
moves and turns; "hearing"
the music; and having fun with your dancing.
Requirements: basic understanding and competence with Dance Movement Basics skills
<detailed description> <return to top>
Swing Dance Basics+1-C––Intro to Triple
Steps w/Intense Triples Practice
Triple steps are an important fundamental step in swing dancing. This segment is
designed to
help the beginning dancer (and the experienced dancer who may have had
difficulty learning
triple stepping in the past) learn and master this important foundation skill.
Not only is triple
stepping an important part of Swing Dancing, it is a "gateway skill" found in
virtually all forms
of American social dance and most forms of folk dancing world wide.
In Track #2- our focus is on
second tier footwork with advanced beginner moves and sequences to
increase fluidity and mastery of your basic dance, including 8-beat patterns;
Charleston; and beginner
level lindy hop fundamentals. In Track #2- we increase the emphasis placed on
partner connection
(lead-follow) and on your hearing and following the mood, tempo, and rhythmic
patterns within the music,
including “hitting the breaks” and an increased awareness re: how your dance
changes with the mood and
tempo of the music.
Requirements: basic understanding and competence
with Dance Movement Basics & Swing
Basics+1 level skills
<detailed description> <Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
Lindy Hop+1
Introduces 8-Beat footwork, swing out, Lindy
Circle & Lindy Charleston.
Requirements: fluid Triple Swing
footwork; it generally takes 2-3 months of
Swing+1 level of experience to get a solid grasp of the required footwork
.
| Track #3 ~ (Advanced Beginner/Intermediate |
The primary goals of “Swing+3” are: 1)-solidify your
basic Swing/Lindy Hop foundation
skills; 2)–elevate your level of dancing by introducing more advanced, more
complex,
footwork and lead-follow variations. The central focus is Lindy Hop, including
patterns from ECS, WCS, Cha, and Balboa, with a strong emphasis on lead–follow
skills and musicality.
Requirements: Fluid Triple Swing
footwork; it generally takes 2-3 months of
Swing+1 level of experience to get a solid grasp of the required footwork
.
Lindy Hop+2
Reviews
Lindy fundamentals and
includes more advanced Charleston variations;
increased focus
on musical awareness; partner
connection and more
challenging
routines than "Novice/Beginner". Lindy circle; basic
Lindy Charleston
and simple
Lindy routines.
Complete Catalogue: including classes not currently running
Swing Dance Basics+1
This class introduces the basics of 6-Beat
Swing (aka "Jitterbug" or East Coast Swing). Topics
covered include: basic footwork w/variations; basics of leading
and following with easy moves
and turns; "hearing" the
music; and having fun with your dancing.
Requirements: basic understanding and competence with Dance Movement Basics skills
<detailed description> <Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
Swing Dance Basics+2
Second tier beginner footwork with advanced beginner
moves and sequences
to increase fluidity and mastery of basic 6-Beat Swing. Increased emphasis
and practice re: partner connection (lead-follow) and musicality.
Requirements: basic understanding and competence
with Dance Movement Basics & Swing
Basics+1 level skills
<detailed description> <Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
Swing Dance Basics+3
The primary goals of “Swing+3” are: 1)-solidify your
basic Swing/Lindy Hop foundation
skills; 2)–elevate your level of dancing by introducing more advanced, more
complex,
footwork and lead-follow variations. The central focus is Lindy Hop, including
patterns from ECS, WCS, Cha, and Balboa, with a strong emphasis on lead–follow
skills and musicality.
Requirements: Fluid Triple Swing
footwork; it generally takes 2-3 months of
Swing+1 level of experience to get a solid grasp of the required footwork
.
<detailed description> <Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
Swing Dance Basics+4 Integration
(intermediate/advanced)
Our "Integration" class is about connecting all the dots.
It's about melding swing dance
technique, enhanced lead & follow abilities and a heightened sense of musicality, into a
more
fluid/fluent, unified whole, to help you create a dance that becomes more reflective
of the moods,
rhythms and emotions expressed in the music.
This challenging class will help you combine &
integrate more advanced level moves,
sequences and routines (including elements
from Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, West
Coast
Swing, Cha, and others)
into your Swing Dancing, while helping you to "not lose"
your strong positive
connection to your partner, to the music, and (increasingly) to the
other dancers in the room.
Requirements: 1-2
Years Swing dance experience including at least a full year of
Lindy Hop
experience. Dancers need to be able to demonstrate
proficiency in a variety
of advanced beginner/intermediate level Swing/Lindy Hop
6 & 8 Beat patterns and
sequences, including fluency with Swingout, Lindy Circle & Lindy Charleston.
Advanced
Beginner/Intermediate level lead/follow and musicality abilities are also required.
<Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
Lindy Hop+1 (Beginner/Advanced Beginner)
Introduces 8-Beat footwork, swing out, Lindy
Circle & Lindy Charleston.
Requirements: fluid Triple Swing
footwork; it generally takes 2-3 months of
Swing+1 level of experience to get a solid grasp of the required footwork
.
<detailed description> <Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
Lindy Hop+2
(Advanced Beginner/Intermediate)
Reviews
Lindy fundamentals and
includes more advanced Charleston variations;
increased focus
on musical awareness; partner
connection and more
challenging
routines than "Novice/Beginner". Lindy circle; basic
Lindy Charleston
and simple
Lindy routines.
Requirements: to qualify for this class, you
must be able to demonstrate fluid Lindy
Hop Basics (Swingout, Circle & Charleston w/variations) as well as mastery of
mastery of
Triple Swing Footwork; you will need moderate to strong, lead–follow skills; and
familiarity with a range of 6 and 8 beat moves and sequences at an advanced
beginner
level. Generally it takes about one full year of
Swing/Lindy Hop Dance classes, practice
and social dancing to reach this level.
Lindy Circle ––(
Beginner/Advanced
beginner Lindy Hop)
a chance for experienced
(and beginner) Lindy dancers to practice and get individual “coaching” related
to
elevating the level of their Lindy Hop dancing.
<Register for Tuesday Classes> <return to top>
|
Group Jazz Dance |
Intro to Lindy Hop Line Dancing (Beg/Adv Beg)
Low impact, and slightly aerobic, this is a great way to develop your own
personal
dancing abilities, while having a lot of fun in a group dance
experience--learn & practice
a challenging Shim Sham & Lindy
Charleston routine as well as a variety of
challenging
6 & 8
Beat footwork patterns.
Participants need to be very comfortable with basic 6-Beat Swing.
Jazz Line Dancing for Lindy Hoppers (adv beg/int)
We will continue to develop the Shim
Sham—Charleston Choreography and introduce
new footwork variations and additional basic jazz routines in order to develop at least
one piece for
public performance by the end of the 6 weeks.
Requirements: it would be
helpful for you to know Shim Sham, and some basic Lindy
Charleston.
All
sequences and steps will be reviewed on a weekly basis, but not
necessarily
taught.
Senior Citizen Swing Dance Classes
Available as
interest arises.
Contact us for information for your group.
We teach a little about basic music structure and
then a variety
of basic
movement patterns and "entry
level" Swing Dance Steps that are fun
and easy to do.
The
big
"hit" with this group is the music---music from your
era, the 20's, 30's
and 40's. You know
you're going to love this
class.
<detailed
description>
<return to top>
“Music Appreciation” for aspiring swing & lindy hop dancers. We will teach you
about
basic music structure, focusing in particular on the underlying basic forms and rhythmic
patterns.
You will also get a chance to practice some simple patterns of movement to
help you begin
responding to the wonderfully compelling music of swing.
Musicality for Lindy Hop Dancers (advanced beginner/intermediate)
In this segment we will examine some of the basic music forms
typically associated with
swing and Lindy Hop dancing (primarily jazz & blues),
in order
to help you develop a
“higher level relationship” with the music you’re dancing
to. In
addition to recognizing
meta-structure, we will be listening for nuance and
subtlety as
well as for the more obvious
and recognizable changes in the music. In the
Swing+2
class that follows, we will suggest
ways for you to reflect your new “musical
awareness”
in your dancing
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