| |
CLASS LEVELS
Lindy Hop and Balboa/Bal-Swing classes will be streamed as below. Shag and Swing Blues will be offered at general level. Please be sensible and choose classes that suit your experience. Whilst we all like to be challenged, there's no point in making yourself and others frustrated by joining a class that is beyond your level.
CLICK HERE FOR WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
NEWBIE LEVEL
You know what Lindy Hop and or Balboa looks like. You may have been to a few lessons, but not consistently OR you are brand new to the dance and need to home in on some basics in order to feel comfortable social dancing.
LINDY HOP - What you need to know
How to count from 1 - 8 and you're left and right foot.
BALBOA - What you need to know
IHow to count from 1 - 8 and you're left and right foot.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:
You are familiar with your basics in either Lindy Hop or Balboa/ Bal-Swing. You've been social dancing regularly, attend workshops and weekly classes for more than a year and have a good appreciation of the fundamental stuff.
LINDY HOP - What you need to know
Swing out, Lindy turn, Lindy circle, Texas Tommy, Side-by-Side Charleston, Tandem Charleston and Hand to Hand Charleston, basic Jazz steps i.e. familiar with with the Shim Sham
BALBOA/ BAL- SWING - What you need to know
You should be able to do a solid basic step, with Come Arounds, Paddles, Lollies, Throw Out, Inside Turn.
FLASH GIT LEVEL:
This is where things heat up a little. You have at least two or more years Lindy Hop or Balboa experience, a nice repertoire of moves. You lead or follow reasonably well to slow and faster tempos. You have some musicality and currently feel comfortable at advanced levels in other classes and camps, but wish to iron out the creases, dot the i's, cross the t's.
LINDY HOP - What you need to know
You should be comfortable integrate Jazz Steps into your dancing, at a range of tempos, and can usually hit the breaks. There is a heavy focus on technique and styling. Your movement, leading and following, improvisation, and musicality skills will be brought to a new level.
BALBOA/ BAL- SWING - What you need to know
Dancing Balboa and/or Bal-Swing for 2 or more years, you will have a good lead, with some variations on the basics and are ready for some new challenges.
WORKSHOPS + SCHEDULE You can 'Pic n Mix' whatever workshops you would like to do throughout the day. In addition to Lindy Hop and Balboa there will be classes in dance styles such as: Shag and Swing Blues. So your only challenge is to choose the right class for you!
LINDY HOP:
The Lindy Hop was the root of all Swing dancing and Jive dancing. It originated in the Jazz Age in Harlem, New York City. The individuals who created the Lindy Hop lived to dance and often did so day and night, seven days a week. Their passion for jazz music is reflected in the exceptional power, complexity and quality of the dance.
The Lindy Hop incorporates Charleston steps and other 'character' moves like 'heels', 'kick-aways' and 'hen pecks' from other dances of the time.
BALBOA/ BAL-SWING:
Balboa is a form of swing dance that started as early as 1915 and gained in popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. It is danced primarily in close embrace , and is led with a full body connection . The art of Balboa is the subtle communication between the lead and follow, like weight shifts, that most viewers cannot see. As a result, Balboa is considered more of a "dancer's dance" than a "spectator's dance".
Balboa is danced to a wide variety of tempos. Because the basic is so small, Balboa can be danced to fast music (over 300 beats per minute). Balboa is also danced to slow music (under 100 beats per minute), which allows more time for intricate footwork and variations.
BLUES:
Contrary to popular belief, Blues Dance is not dirty dancing. It is automatically about feelings, Intense Emotion. It is very personal and intimate. What is left is raw, unpolished, human vulnerability. Blues dancing is an intimate expression or conversation between dancers that can be personal, spiritual, and emotional in ways that verbal communication fails. When done correctly, Blues Dancing can be one of the most rewarding and indescribable experiences any level of dancer can have.
THE SHAG:
Shag is a form of swing dancing , most commonly danced to fast, up tempo music (usually 200+ beats per minute) and the couple dancing is positioned very closely for a body lead connection . Collegiate shag began in New Orleans in the 1920's and it was performed by young ("college age") dancers to ragtime jazz. The dance is still performed today by swing dance enthusiasts worldwide.
sources Wikipedia.org 2006
|
