Workshop Schedule - March 6 & 7, Rangos Hall CMU
Beginning - Intermediate
Workshops
| Title | Description | Instructors |
|---|---|---|
| Putting the 'Fun' in Fundamentals | Like a fine-tuned race car, every dancer needs a tune up every once in a while… and like every great dancer, everyone could use a basics class. This class is for Blues newbies and seasoned pros alike. | Don & Tina |
| What makes Blues, Blues? | The distinct sound of the blues is undeniable; you know it when you hear it. What elements do you find in all blues music and blues dancing? What sets one blues song apart from the next, and how do you reflect that in your dancing? This class will set you on the path to picking out the similarities and differences in blues styles and give you some tools to express those in your dancing. | Joshua & Devona |
| Walk the Walk | Focusing on attitude and clear weight changes, this class is geared toward making your leads more clear, and your followers more "true". | Mike & Davis |
| Rhythm & Movement | This class will focus on expanding your vocabulary of rhythms in your blues dancing and how to use the different rhythms to create new directional patterns. This is a vocabulary expander for both leads and follows independently and together. | Brenda & -topher |
| Moanin' and Groanin | We're gonna see our way back home. Our babies left us, now it's time to move on. Stop sulking around and get that body movin'- We'll have you traveling, opening up, and learning to direct the energy of a dance! | Mike & Davis |
| Blues Routine! | Learn a cool routine that will reinforce what you've learned this weekend. Get some sweet new moves and transitions between them! | Julie & Jeff |
Intermediate/ Advanced
Workshops
| Title | Description | Instructors |
|---|---|---|
| Devil's in the Details | Dance fundamentals; lead and follow skill, connection, all of those building blocks for good dancing, tailored to what you need. And don’t think you know it all, get your azz to this class. | Joshua & Devona |
| Pivots, Turns, and Spins | We will drill several types of turn technique to build strength and muscle memory, then put the concepts into our partnering and solo dancing | Brenda & -topher |
| Shh...BAM! | When people watch a dance, what makes them go 'ooo' and 'ahhh'? What makes a dance exciting? Hint: It's not just big moves... Learn techniques to make a dance thrilling, musical, and not just flashy! | Julie & Jeff |
| Seven Things | Ever have one of those nights where you just can't connect to your partners' and you cant figure out why? We can tell you. Here are seven thing you can use to make your leading clearer and your following effortless. Check to see if you are doing them next time you are having a crappy dance night and wham-o, all better! (Well, at least it works for Devona.) | Joshua & Devona |
| Solo Blues with the Don-ster | Don's solo classes are the stuff of legend and many a YouTube search. Whether solo dancing is your thing or you just want to bring some new strut to your partner moves, Don will show you some moves guaranteed to improve your repertoire. | Don & Tina |
| Black and Tan Fantasy | We all love that delicious combination of Guinness and Bass, but we're talking about that delicious combination of melody and rhythm that makes blues simple yet exciting. Prepare to put some rhythms into your body, and some musicality into your partnership. | Mike & Davis |
Masters (by audition or instructor recommendation)
Workshops
| Title | Description | Instructors |
|---|---|---|
| African Dance Movement for Blues< | We will cover several African dance moves and put them into our Blues dancing with partners. They can also be used individually in your solo or partner dancing. | Brenda & Topher |
| Strange Brew | Stirrin' Up Some Intricate Rhythmic Patterns and Body Movements. Not for the faint of heart, this class will take some super-connection skills, melt them with total body control, add just a dash of contrast and flair, and create the bad-ass movements that makes you say, "mmmm." | Mike & Davis |
| Isolations, Shaping, and Leverage | We will add depth and texture to our dancing by exploring and mastering the illusive characteristics of partner dancing. | Brenda & -topher |
| Are you a 'flead' or a 'lollow'? | If you're a lead who has always wanted to follow, or a follow who's curious about leading, this class is for you. Tina and Don will talk about what it means to "lead" and "follow" in a dance, especially if you're switching roles. Who knows... you might like the view from the other side of the fence. | Don & Tina |
| Advanced Rhythms and Delta Blues | Description coming soon. | Joshua & Devona |
| Solo Competitions and Cutting | Description coming soon. | Don & Tina |