Workshop Descriptions

Blues Aesthetic & Technique (BAT)

Body Shaping: Breaking the Rules (BAT, Adv) - Joe & Julie

It's been said that teaching is a series of progressively smaller lies. In this class, we'll be "breaking" some rules about posture and using our connection to create some interesting body shapes.

Open Position Blues (BAT, Ev) - Shawn & Amanda

Open position in blues really does open up lots of possibilities for your dancing. We'll help you work on two of the hardest skills required in open: using momentum and creating clear and interesting rhythms.

The Exception Proves the Rule (BAT, Ev) - Damon & Heidi

All dances possess a rule set that defines the aesthetic and helps distinguish that dance or genre of dances from others. In this class, we’ll show you some ways that you can use physical connection, posture, floor connection and partner dynamic to break the rules without actually breaking out of the blues aesthetic.

Musicality(M)

Musicality That Will Make Your Partners Cry With Joy (M, Adv) - Shawn & Mike

Social dancing is all about the communication between yourself, your partner, and the music. In this class we'll take two or three songs, analyze them, and discuss several approaches to dancing to them. The majority of the class will be spent attempting to put the resulting analysis and suggested approaches into practice by dancing to the songs with specific guidance from your teachers. We will explore a range of musical styles including Traditional Jazz and Chicago Blues.

Moments of Hesitation (M, Ev) - Joe & Mike

Join us to discover the SECRETS of matching the oozing, tension-filled pauses in the music. Learn to create those beautiful hesitations and moments of lag that you see in your favorite instructors' dancing.

Delta Blues Routine (M, Adv) - Joshua & Devona

Musicality and vocabulary come together as we explore this dramatic style of blues music with a partnered routine. We have picked a badass, fast song for this class and we will give you patterns that challenge your ability to use momentum, are useful socially, and build on your expressive ability.

Spanish Tinge (M, Ev) - Shawn & Amanda

In the early 1900s, blues, jazz, and tango were all popular music forms and were mixed together by great musicians. Similarly, many tango moves are now commonly mixed into blues dance. We'll teach you a few of the most often used steps and how to mix them in musically.

Social Dancing (S)

Adapting to Different Partners’ Connection (S, Beg) - Joe & Heidi

Each leader has a different style of movement. Leaders will learn to manipulate their movement to create different looks and moves. Follows will learn how to respond to the many changes that occur from one leader to the next.

Swingin’ Texas Blues (S, Adv) - Jerry & Kathy

Description coming soon, but we can tell you this - it’ll be fast!

Comfy close embrace (S, Beg) - Shawn & Julie

It’s nice to dance close, and it's even better when it feels nice and comfy! Come work on making close embrace feel The Best, so everyone will want to dance with you.

Improv! Steps, Leans, & Drags (S, Adv) - Joshua & Julie

Learn some cool improvisation techniques to create awesome footwork, leans, and drags. These techniques can be used socially on the dance floor, even with partners you've never danced with before.

Rotational Moves & Dynamics (S, Ev) - Ogden & Julie

Come learn some sweet rotational moves and how leads (and follows!) can affect the dynamics of those moves.

Takin’ the Tempo Up (S, Ev) - Ogden & Amanda

No one would ever tell B.B. King that when he gets Lucille all fired up and playin' fast, it ain't the Blues. Same thing goes for dancing! This class is all about skills and movement ideas that will keep you Bluesin' even as the tempo steps up. You'll never have to sit out or default to another dance again, just because the song is "too fast”.

Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight: Piedmont Blues (S, Ev) - Joshua & Devona

Piedmont Blues was widely popular as southern party music. A mixing together of blues, ragtime syncopations, and chord changes, as well as an earlier string-band sound, made it incredibly popular dance music. It has a lilt to it that makes it unique among other blues styles. Expect to hear a lot of Piedmont blues as we explore how to dance to this style (you might even triple step!).

Performance & Competition (P)

Extreme Boxes (P, Adv) - Ogden & Amanda

Taken our boxes class before? Not like this! We have new and extreme boxes for you, so bring your Gatorade and your PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)!

Creating lines (P, Ev) - Dexter & Heidi

Learn about using your kinesphere to make artistic choices about your dance. We will focus on using your connection with your partner and your movements across the floor to create lines in your dance and give it more visual appeal.

Competition class (P, Adv) - Dexter & Mike

Get unique perspectives about both competing and judging to help give you the competitive edge. Learn competition trade secrets and strategies to help you and your partner stand out on the dance floor while knowing what judges look for in your dancing. Topics such as aesthetics, musicality, and creativity will be covered along with other tips and pointers to help improve your game. This class will be part lecture and part mock contest.

Dexter Santos won all the partnered contests at bluesSHOUT 2010 and is a 3-time Ballroomin' Blues Champion. Mike Leggett, also an experienced competitor, took 2nd place in the Champions' Jack & Jill at bluesSHOUT 2010 and has judged competitions at many various blues dancing events around the country.

Specialty Classes: Solo (Solo), DJ classes (DJ), Lectures (L), Clinics (C)

How to Win Friends and Influence People (Solo, Ev) - Devona

(That is, how to be a badass in a cuttin’ competition.) Cuttin’ is exciting, it's exhilarating, it can be intimidating. In this class we will work on how to cut well with the moves you already know, and how you can find and work on hard stuff, to be more of a bad ass. Boost your confidence and skill level with this sweet solo class. This class may be assisted by Julie Brown.

Hips (Solo, Ev) - Damon & Dexter

Shake, shimmy, roll, and swing, the hip and pelvic movements in blues are powerful, expressive, and suggestive. Nothing draws the eye or communicates the music as well as articulated hips. Two top dancers known for having some of the best hip movement in the genre team up to share with you their secrets and show you how to make the most of what your mama gave ya.

Getting Started as a DJ (DJ) - Jerry & Mike

If you've ever thought about DJing, or you're already DJing but want to see if you can do it better, come find out the fundamentals of going from a music collector to a DJ: roles you'll play, common mistakes, and some strategies for getting started.

The Journey (DJ) - Steven & Devona

Playing good music and keeping dancers happy are the basics for good DJs, but it takes more than that to create a truly great set. Having the ability to move a group of dancers to a certain high or low, mood, tempo, style, emotion - to be able to take them on a journey - is what makes the best DJs. In this class we will go beyond making your set flow and discuss how to lead a crowd to something.

The Art of Learning (L, Ev) - Shawn & Kathy

Achieving the same level of excellence as our role models can be an elusive journey. We see the end product of the artist we admire, but the process the artist uses seems hidden from us. We want to create beautiful movement, intriguing texture, fluid partnerships, musical moments and personality our dancing, but there seems to be a missing link. It takes more than taking classes, attending workshops and dancing until 4am. We believe in the idea that excellence is achieved through hard work rather than innate talent. We believe almost anyone can achieve excellence if they develop the desire and knowledge of how to learn. In this class Shawn and Kathy will give guidance on transforming how you learn so you can achieve the level of excellence you desire.

Choreography Secrets (L, Ev) - Amanda

Whether you've never choreographed before and you are looking to start, or want to make your choreography rock even harder, this class is for you! We have choreographed in a large range of dance and music styles and are willing to share our deep, dark, choreography secrets with you! We'll talk about the process as well as pick apart some amazing choreography and talk about what makes it amazing. This class may be assisted by Julie Brown.

PTED (L, Ev) - Joe & Mike

Learn everything you need to know about PTED - a codified theory of connection in which the follows match the changes in posture, tone, and tension established by the leader, in order to follow energy and direction.

Follower’s Class (L, Ev) - Kathy & Heidi

Description coming soon! Kathy+Heidi=awesome following.

Office Hours (C, Ev) - Damon

Office Hours are your opportunity to get personalized feedback from the one and only Damon Stone. You can come with a partner or dance solo. Damon will critique your dancing, let you know what you did well and what needs work, and give you suggestions for practice. This is also an excellent opportunity to learn from your peers and to apply others' critiques to your own dancing.

Office Hours (C, Ev) - Ogden/Dexter/Damon/Jerry/Joshua

Office Hours are your opportunity to get personalized feedback from our instructors. You can come with a partner, dance solo, or ask the instructor to dance with you for a brief time. The instructor will critique your dancing, let you know what you did well and what needs work, and give you suggestions for practice. This is also an excellent opportunity to learn from your peers and to apply others' critiques to your own dancing.

One More Awesome Class! - - Jerry & Kathy

Description TBA. :)