Classes.
BLUES YOUR WALK
You may think you know how to walk, you do it all day long, right? Perhaps, but this class will vastly improve your blues walk — that totally foreign movement pattern that emerges as soon as you have a follow in your arms. We will pare down to the essentials of partner movement and your blues walk will emerge clear and powerful. (Solomon Douglas, Calico Goodrich)
HOW NOT TO SURPRISE YOUR FOLLOW
You may have heard teachers say to “prep your follow,” to avoid unpleasant surprises, but how do you actually do that? What does that even mean? This class will provide you with systematic prepping techniques for all kinds of moves, for maximum finesse, so your follow won’t get that startled look. (Solomon Douglas, Calico Goodrich)
HOW TO BE A CONVINCING BLUES DANCER
Maybe you’re a lindy hopper, or a salsa dancer. Maybe you’re just a regular person with no discernible dance style (yet). Maybe your soul has something really profound and achingly real to say. Maybe you want to be the King of the Blues. This class explores the blues aesthetic, what makes blues dancing unique in partner dancing, and helps you find your own authentic blues movement. (Brenda Russell)
MASTER CLASS
The amazing Brenda Russell will put the smack down. You must be approved by an instructor to register for this class and it costs an extra $10. A very very small price to pay to have Brenda Russell put her smack down on you. (Brenda Russell)
FOLLOWING FOR LEADS (Boys only)
If you’re a lead, learning to follow will change your life. 1. While dancing with leads, you’re subject to all kinds of annoying lead-habits, which you can then identify and correct in yourself. This can be humbling and eye-opening. 2. It illuminates the strange plight of the follow in ways that no amount of words ever can— for maximum empathy and compassionate connection. 3. Girls think two guys dancing together is hot. So take this class. (Dan Newsome)
SOLO MAN MOVEMENT (Boys only)
If you cannot move yourself, you cannot move your partner. This class will teach you how to move yourself with confidence and style, revealing your inner dancer for a more inspired partner connection. Also, girls think it’s hot. (-topher Howard)
BLUES MUSICALITY: RHYTHM PATTERNS
Leads, this will be the awesome. Start with concrete patterns, real things you can whip out on the dance floor and practicing with a partner. But these concrete patterns will not be left as an un-contextual jumble. No, instead we will explore how these patterns relate to the music and when to choose to use them. With these patterns in context, you will be on your way to creating your own combinations to express the rhythmical pattern and dramatic flow of the song. Sweet.