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Rather than offering classes geared toward a specific level, here at bluesSHOUT! we will be offering classes geared toward your specific interests. Interested in performance? You can choose classes that are focused on growing your performance skills. Want to work on improving your effectiveness as an instructor in your home town or on the national circuit? We'll have classes that cover the level of detail that you'll need if you're going to teach the material to others as well as classes which will cover teaching methodologies. You are certainly not limited to a single track of classes - you could diversify by taking a couple classes from each category, or even follow one set of teachers all weekend. The educational experience you have is up to you!

View the workshop schedule.

Blues Aesthetic (A)

Bring It, Bitches! (A) - Don & Tina

You've finally got the limelight and the dance floor to yourself... so wha'cha gonna do??? This class is for the folks ready to take their solo movements to new heights. Get ready to get down, face off, and bring your "bad-ass" to the floor. Oh, it's been already been "broughten"!!

Frame Matching (A) - Joe & Nelle

We'll discuss the methods of connection that give dancing an organic look and feel that is natural and comfortable. 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.

HIPS (A) - Josh & Devona
Can't Stop to Turn Around, Broke My Sacroiliac

As Grandmaster Flash suggests, you can't move if you can't move your hips. This class moves beyond leading and following from your center and focuses on how hip movement influences what you lead, and how you follow.

The House That Blues Built (A) - Jerry & Kathy
Makin' the Move to Different Blues Styles...

Blues music is as varied as styles of houses. Does your blues dancing change even when you are in a different house? Should it?

We Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues (A) - Jerry & Kathy

When do "moves" disrupt the feel of the dance? Who wants to dance at the Blues when you could be dancing with the Blues? We believe that just because you can do a move, doesn't mean you should.

What is Aesthetic Anyway? (A) - Josh & Devona

And what does it mean to the blues dancer? So many people ask what this means, so we created a class. We will define aesthetic and outline what it means to dance with blues aesthetic. If you have "it", but don't know what "it" is, if you are still working on getting "it", or if you don't understand why "it" is important, come see us.

Instruction (I)

Building your Blues: Biscuits & Gravy (I) - Damon & Heidi

As an instructor, you may get so caught up in teaching "cool" moves to inspire your students that you lose the focus on giving them a good foundation in Blues to build their own dances from. This class will help you build your Blues from the ground up so that you can give your students what they really need.

Dirty Dancin' (I) - Damon & Heidi

Raw, gritty, uninhibited.these characteristics typify Blues dancing. But how do you "teach" and "practice" and still keep the authenticity of the dance? This class will focus on practicing and teaching raw and gritty styles of blues movement and how to hide the technique that makes blues happen and make the strength and emotion more visible. So learn how to help your students throw some dirt on their dance.

Fast Blues (I) - Damon & Heidi

Have you exposed your students to the faster side of blues? Blues is not just for slow songs! You'll learn how to use the Blues movements and Blues aesthetic so that you can teach your students how to keep on dancin' when the tempos are rising.

Jook v. Ballroom: The Interplay of Music and Dance (I) - Damon & Heidi

Blues dancing at its heart is about authenticity, passion and dancing to the music. In this class, we'll use the Slow Drag as a starting point to explore how your attitude, your body postures and movement style can make your dance be more in tune with the music you're hearing. (Note: this class is discussion-based. There will be some opportunity for examples and practicing, but not like the regular classes.)

Teaching the Teachers - Damon & Heidi

Questions? We've got answers. Damon and Heidi are available to cover any subject about Blues dancing or teaching blues dancing in this "mini private instruction" class. Expect one-on-one attention. Expect no mercy.

Musicality (M)

Breaking Away From "Moves" (M) - Joe & Nelle

Do you have Partner Separation Disorder? We'll help you feel more comfortable improvising away from your partner and connecting visually for a fabulous dance!

Built For Speed (M) - Josh & Devona

Blues isn't all slow, but how do you dance to the faster stuff? We will play lots of music for you and give you lots of time to practice, with tips and hints along the way.

Puttin' Some Get Down In Your Get Down (M) - Jerry & Kathy
Refining Your Assets...

So much of the blues aesthetic is based in the way that your body reacts to the music. We know you hear the music, but do you feel the music? Do you know where the music lives?

Rhythm & Timing (M) - Joe & Nelle

Add some spice to your dancing with interesting rhythms in both connection and footwork/bodywork. Rhythm and timing are everywhere in Blues music and can be an excellent embodiment of the music and partnership.

Simply Put (M) - Jerry & Kathy
Less is oh so much more...

Musicians often use quiet moments in their music. We believe you should too. Become the dancer that others seek out because those moments feel 'oh' so good.

Solo dance (M, solo) - Damon & Heidi

As much as blues is thought of as a partnered dance, its roots lie in solo expression. This class will work on some of the root movements of solo blues dance concentrating on full body rhythms, hip-centric motion, expression and tying these movements back to the music.

Social Improv (S)

Blues In Motion (S) - Jerry & Kathy
Lead with Intention, Follow with Confidence

Leading and following are a series of connections. As a leader are you leading with power, intention and in a way that the follow can confidently commit to? As a follower are you giving him everything he asks for with your own personal power?

Blues Partnership & Technique (S) - Don & Tina

Think you're on your way to becoming a Blues Rockstar? Tina & Don will test all the notions you've got about partnership and technique and make sure those cool moves you've got in your head actually make it to the dance floor.

Intro to Drag Blues (S) - Joe & Nelle

A classy, sexy & fun blues dance. Learn fundamental movements and techniques along with dynamic combinations that focus on partner connection.

Movin' to the Blues House (S) - Jerry & Kathy
Furnishing, Decorating, Makin' It Your Own

You know some moves, we know, we've seen them, but can you use them to help decorate your dance so that it is pleasing to live in?

Oblique (S) - Josh & Devona

When your dancing technique is solid, how do you stand out from the crowd of other dancers with solid technique? If you want to push your dancing to a new level, use the dynamic energy of diagonals, and spirals, diverging from the norm, unequal, and indirect. (Hint, if you are competing this weekend you should come to this class.)

Solo Body Movement (S, solo) - Joe & Nelle

Moving your own body well is an important component to being able to move well with a partner. You'll learn to get the most out of what you've got!

WAIT!!! (S) - Josh & Devona

We talk about inertia in our classes a lot. As a follow, waiting for the lead to lead you and staying in motion is fundamental to good partnering. As a lead, being able to act on the momentum of the follow and change or redirect it is also fundamental. We want to really take the time with this aspect of partnering and give you direct feedback.

This year's classes aren't divided into levels based on your skills or experience. You can take any class and expect that there will be something there for you. However, the focus of the class (instruction, social, musicality, etc.) will have an effect on the speed and detail that the material is presented. We want to make sure you can throw down, so all of the classes will have some elements of performance.

Blues Aesthetic (A) - Expect these classes to go into great detail about how to do things correctly. There will be a lot of explaining, but also a lot of time to practice. These classes may move a little slower so that you can be sure to get things right. Questions aren't just encouraged, they are expected.

Instruction (I) - Many of these classes will be discussion-type classes, but with some time to practice and try out the information. Expect there to be lots of detail, and expect that you will need to contribute to the discussion and curriculum -- both important parts of training to be a teacher.

Musicality (M) - These classes will be diverse, with one thing in common - the focus on musicality. Expect to be pushed to keep up with the median speed of the class so that the instructors can cover all the material and give you plenty of time to practice. If you are a quick learner, expect to have some extra time to explore your own "musical" additions to the class as well.

Social Improvisation (S) - These classes are geared to the general social dancer and will cover aspects of styling and improvisation to help you be as creative as possible. We'll get into enough detail that you can do it right, but we want to give you enough time to practice so that when you get out on the dance floor, you feel confident in your skills. For those dancers who learn more quickly, it's a perfect class to explore what it's like to dance your very best with dancers of all levels. It's also a great chance to perfect your fundamentals so that you can free yourself to explore other aspects of your dancing.