Category: Featured

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Jazz Singer Ariana Savalas’s Reaches Out

Breaking news about my demo at Living Legends…The artist who cover’s the song “Peel Me A Grape” got alerted that it was being used in my video. She has the right to refuse its use and gave it a watch…Instead of booting the song off of YouTube she commented officially on the video. Apparently I have a new new fan in Ariana Savalas the daughter of famed actor Telly Savalas! Click the video to read what she wrote.

New England Dance Festival Report

I had SO MUCH FUN dancing Thursday and Saturday night at NEDF! Dean had his work cut out for himself as many more ballroom dancers showed up Thursday night than I have seen in the past. Most of what he played crossed over for the WCS dancers and a lot of it worked for Country as well. I felt like he really turned the heat up for the last hour and I don’t think I missed a dance! Saturday Donna stepped up to the challenge of a full room competing with 2 others and she managed to keep things rocking till almost 2 am…My feet still hurt! Next year’s event is scheduled for August 1-4 so mark your calendars.

Speaking of marking your calendars I hope you made a big notation for this Sunday because I am bringing some new music in almost every dance!

Sunday August 11th
$15
California Mix Dance
6:30pm Night Club Two-Step Mr. Jonathan
7:00pm  WCS Mr. Jonathan
7:30-11ish DJs Mr. Jonathan

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, MA

Saturday, August 18th
NHABDA
MILFORD TOWN HALL
1 Union Square, Milford NH
6:45 – 7:30 pm by Lesson by Lets Dance Studio
8:45 Showcase by Lets Dance Studio, Concord.

Music by Mr Jonathan
7:30 – 10:30 General Dancing
Please make Reservations by 7pm on Thursday, Aug 15th
Cost: $17.00 per person, $12.00 per person for NHABDA Members (annual dues are only $20)
Late reservations and admissions at the door: $2.00 additional

Become a member at the dance for only $20 for the year and you`ll receive Footnotes, our monthly newsletter in addition to lower admission costs.

E-mail Betty Ashooh at getinstep@comcast.net OR call 603-716-6791 and include date of dance, names of all attending and seating preferences

Debby Monk Returns to Longfellows in September!

Keep your calendar open for September 8th as my wife and I will be splitting the duties of the night. She has a bad ass lesson plan to teach and as you can tell from my latest Spotify list that the music gods have blessed me with some new groove!

Saturday, September 8th

$20
8pm WCS Lesson W/DebbyMonk
9pm-? WCS Dance W/DJ Mr. Jonathan
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, MA
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New England Dance Festival

New England Dance Festival

This year New Englands only Country, Ballroom, and WCS event, New England Dance Festival, turns 10! Follow the link for details on who is doing what and when. The one party you have to check out in the Thursday night opening bash with Dean Garish. Dean and I share the same philosophical approach to music. We both listen to a song and ask “Does this song make me want to dance?” first then “Which dance can be done to it?” Lots of DJs jam boring songs down your throat because the meet the technical requirements for a particular dance. With Dean at the helm we will dance ALL night long!

Debby Monk Returns to Longfellows in September!

Keep your calendar open for September 8th as my wife and I will be splitting the duties of the night. She has a bad ass figure to teach and I just found some new music that we have on repeat in our home as we dance through the day.

Saturday, September 8th

$20
8pm WCS Lesson W/DebbyMonk
9pm-? WCS Dance W/DJ Mr. Jonathan
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, MA

 

 

Sunday August 11th
$15
California Mix Dance
6:30pm Night Club Two-Step Mr. Jonathan
7:00pm  WCS Mr. Jonathan
7:30-11ish DJs Mr. Jonathan

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, MA

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Take Time To Take Time

Take Time to Take Time

Independence Day means a lot to many people, myself included. One of the things it means is that I get to spend time with one of my favorite people…My younger brother. We grill together, we enjoy cigars together, and we ride our dirt bikes together. Its always fun and we have amassed quite the collection of memories over the years.

This year I started a new tradition quite by accident. I locked my phone in my car for the entire visit at first it was so I wouldn’t loose it on the trails. Later it was that my car was too far away to justify breaking the conversation. By the end of our 4pm lunch I had enjoyed not being beholden to the devise so much that I left it were it was.

On one hand I could make the argument that my phone doubles as my camera and I could be documenting the afternoon with pictures and videos. The flip side is that it also has too much other stuff (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) that may tempt me away from such a special time. By days end I had interacted so much more with those around me that my brother let me know that for some reason this 4th of July seemed different in such a good way.

July has 3 or so weeks left and I plan to make the most of them and my interactions with those around me. The phone is staying in the car as much as it can while I am busy living.

Is anyone down to try this experiment with me? Don’t tell anyone that you are doing it. Leave the phone behind/in the car. Take an active roll in conversations, make eye contact, and experience the life that is around you…In other words Take Time to Take the Time! See if anyone notices that the experience has been enriched.

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Leveraging and Compressing Your Partnership

Deb and I are very excited to be teaching this Saturday and Sunday at Longfellows. West Coast Swing has two basic energies. One is leverage or leaning away from each other and the other is compression or leaning toward each other. They each have their importance in the dance.

Leverage gets us started on nearly every pattern. Without leverage you are line dancing next to or in front of your partner while holding their hand. This “away” energy often referred to as “V-frame,” can only be accomplished if both partners are on the same page. Saturday at 7pm Deb and I will get you on that page!

Compression, in WCS, happens less often but in a much more dynamic way than Leverage. It too relies on you and your partner being on the same page but it also requires more commitment and trust to really hit maximum power effectively. This “Toward” or “A-Frame” is what gives this dance its flair. Get Dynamic with Deb and I at 8pm.

Friday Night May 11th
WCS With Tessa Antolini
$10
Beginner WCS 7:45pm
Intermediate WCS 8:30pm
Social Dancing 9:30pm
Forte Dance
123 Muller Rd.
Burlington, Ma

Saturday May 12th

WCS With Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan (Debby Monk)
7-8pm All Levels Leveraging Your Partnership ($20 Both lessons and dance)
8-9 Intermediate Compressing  Your Partnership ($15 this lesson and dance)
9-12am $10 DJ Mr. J
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, MA
Sunday May 13th
$20
California Mixer
6:00pm Two-Step Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan
6:45pm  WCS Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan
7:30-11ish DJs Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, MA

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John Festa Swings In To Boston

John Festa Is Back!

Yes John Festa is coming Back to Longfellow but lets take a mental field trip out side of dancing and think about thrill rides for a moment. Why do more people ride roller coasters than Ferris wheels? Both rides go up and down but only one takes the rider right to the edge of out of control without going over. The Ferris wheel does not pack much of a punch for the thrill seeker. Roller coasters are the big draw at the amusement park because they are fast, intense, and no two parts of the ride are ever the same. This is what makes them so much fun!

When John Festa learned how to swing, the music was the draw. Dancing faster, holding your slot, and discovering new footwork variations drove dancers right to the edge without going over. They danced with speed, power, and needed tremendous control in their connection to keep the dancers on their feet and in time with the music. Pushing the envelope meant faster and more intense music. It meant giving more of your self to the partnership. It meant you could no longer do it alone. You needed your partner as much as they needed you and the only communication was good connection. Even if the song was the same, with the same partner, no two dances where ever the same and the scene exploded with dance junky thrill seekers.

In 2018 the music has gone the way of the Ferris wheel and dancers have taken to less footwork, less technique, and interpretive movements over speed, power, and control. As the song slows down your reliance on connection lessens. You can begin using visual clues and body language to lead and follow. There is less risk, more time to fix mistakes, and in my opinion way less fun to be had. You see, when you learn how to dance fast and accurate then choose to dance slow, you bring your connection skills with you.

Real Understanding

If you are tired of feeling like you just don’t “get it”or that you have been riding the wrong kind of ride, its time to experience the real thrill that is West Coast Swing. This is how I have asked John Festa to approach to this Saturday and Sunday’s workshops. You will leave having felt what “On the Edge” feels like. He opened my eyes over 15 years ago and he will open yours on Saturday and Sunday!

Here is the Facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/434686613611907/?active_tab=about

Please click the link and say you are coming and share it on your own page. I would love to have a full audience for my favorite coach!

Saturday April 14th  WCS with

 John Festa!

7-8 PM All Level Class: Swing IT!

8-9 PM Intermediate WCS: Swing IT Harder!

2 Workshops $20 (includes Dance)

1 Workshop $15 (includes Dance)

($10 for beginner class or dance only)

9-12 WCS Dance with DJ John Festa

Sunday April 15th more great moves with

 John Festa!

6:30 -7:30 PM WCS with John Festa:

Connection with the Floor, Yourself, and then Your Partner

6:30 – 7:30 PM Beginner 2 Step with Steele Shane

7:30 – 11 PM Country Mix Dance

$15 any lesson(s) includes dance

$15 Dance only