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Class size is limited!
The classes at this year's bluesSHOUT! will be modeled after the classes at last year's Down Home Blues. If you were there, you know what an experience that was. Smaller classes, individual attention, tracks suited to your level of learning. It was just about all you could ask for in a weekend workshop.

This year we will again be offering set progressive tracks. Each class will be geared to build off the previous classes in that level. Each track will have level-appropriate classes focusing on the fundamentals, indepth technique work and this year's main focuses of Musicality, Improvisation, and Solo Movement. We'll even have a Solo Cuttin' Class to get you ready for the Cuttin' Contest that night.

View the workshop schedule.

As with last year's workshops at Down Home Blues, each track will get classes focusing on the Fundamentals, Musicality, Improvisation, and Solo Movement. We'll have more specific descriptions of what those classes are to give you at the workshop, so you'll know what's in store for you the rest of the day.

Beginner (B) - Little to no Blues dance experience. You might have some other partner dancing experience, but the Blues is new to you. Zero to about one year's worth of Blues dancing experience puts you in this category. Note: Everyone - no matter what level - is welcome to take the Beginner level classes to brush up on your Blues fundamentals.

Intermediate (I) - You've got the basics of Blues down and you have a basic repertoire of blues moves, dips, patterns. You understand and are comfortable with the following concepts: weight changes, moving from the center, using the floor. You've been dancing Blues at least a year and you've taken some form of Beginning level Blues instruction regularly during that year, whether teaser lessons, regular classes, workshops, or private instruction. (Note: we expected to need 2 rooms to hold all of our Intermediates, but this track seems manageable. We are, however, going to be splitting our advanced track.)

Advanced (A & A2) - You've probably been dancing Blues for at least 3 years (Lindy Hop or other Swing dance experience doesn't count!). You regularly participate in Blues-only workshop weekends (for example, Cheap Thrills, Red White and Blues, Down Home Blues, Emerald City Blues, etc.) or regularly attend Blues dances available in your local scene. You're good at learning routine and you enjoy tearing apart the fundamentals. (Note: we had more students sign up for the advanced track than we expected, so we are going to be splitting the students during the first class into 2 levels.)

Everyone (E) - These classes are open to All Levels of dancers. While you don't have to have any Blues dance experience to get a lot from these classes, advanced dancers should expect to be challenged and inspired as well. These classes offer a wide range of subject matter and technique that can be applied at different levels by different levels of students.