Category: Dance

Dance-related events and reference material.

Posted on

Mr. Jonathan’s 47th Birthday Ball

Join Mr. Jonathan and the band “Just Alright” at the iconic:

Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex St
Haverhill, Ma

for an epic evening of swing dancing to both live and pre-recorded music!

Early bird pricing $40 pp includes:
7-8pm Easy swing Lesson
8-11pm California Mix of Swing, Ballroom, Country
Hors D’oeuvres stations, Climate Controled Room, Wood Floor
Lots of Space to Dance, No Partner Necessary, Dress To Impress
Tickets Purchased on or by January 10th will also recieve a free lesson on January 30th’s Thursday night swing class. Tickets purchased after Jan 10th will be $47.QUESTIONS? CALL OR TEXT 603-475-1391

Posted on

The Black and White Ball 8/16/24

The Black and White Ball is already 25% sold out across all ticket outlets (The Band, The Roma, and myself). To ensure ample dancing space, I’ve capped attendance at 80 tickets, despite the venue’s capacity of 250.

There are a plethora of Swing dancing options across Boston and Southern NH. I’m delighted that many of you are eager to join my unique themed events! Studies suggest dancers enjoy longer lives, lower stress, and heightened adaptability in everyday life.

Few venues offer dancers the chance to groove to live music without monopolizing the floor or intimidating freestyle dancers. That’s why I’m hosting this party. Featuring live music by Planet Earth, this event promises to elevate everyone’s dance experience.

Check out the menu detailed in the flyer above. Following recent improvements by a new full-time chef, the food quality has significantly enhanced since our last gathering. Brett, the new venue owner, has been consistently upgrading amenities since fall, making our regular parties even more enjoyable.

Join us for an evening of live music, dinner, a dance lesson, and non-stop dancing—all for just $60!

Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex St
Haverhill,Ma

Questions? Call or text Mr. J at 603-475-1391

Posted on

Show off Your Partner

You always want to show off your partner when you attend an event that has dancing. The show stoppers are always the grandparents that did ballroom dancing for years and watching them makes you want to do it so bad doesn’t it?

There is no time like the present to get you and your partner on the same page when it comes to dancing. Thursday nights at the Roma Restaurant in Haverhill, Ma (29 Middlesex St) we have a beginner friendly group of dancers that want to help your journey.

Class lasts for one hour and always starts off with beginner basics. Each 15 minute block builds on the last and before you know it you have a few patterns memorized. Following the lesson we have a guided practice session for one hour. Ask for as much or as little help as you want.

After just 2 or 3 classes you will feel very comfortable and capable of showing off your partner! Classes are a drop in format, they are stand alone (you can miss one and not get behind), and the best part is you do not even need a partner. We rotate partners every few turns so we can get the best out of each turn.

Here is the biggest selling point of this program. There is no stress! No one is using class to get ready for their next competition. No one is there to blame anyone for missed leads or missed follows. Everyone is in class to become a better dancer and to be the rising tide that raises all the ships. You will come to class a stranger and you will leave a part of our family!

Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex st
Haverhill, Ma
$20
6:45-7:45pm Easy Swing Lesson
7:45-8:45pm Guided Practice

You can do this too!

Posted on

February 9th – SpeakEasy Swing Dancing Dinner Party

We are in this generation’s “roaring 20’s” and no one seems to be leading the charge to bring back getting dressed up, going out for a meal, and a night of dancing in a ballroom…until now. As you know I am good friends with the owner of the Roma Restaurant awho was open to us having a swing party there and everyone had a blast!

Since this is the year my teaching career turns 21, I want to go all out and celebrate by having a black tie affair February 9th from 7-11:30pm. I would love the guys and gals that attend to really go all out and get dressed up for a swank dinner party. No one with a ticket will be turned away for being under dressed…I hope you play along but I am not forcing anyone to wear a tie. Tickets are $75 each. There will be Cash and raffle prizes for best dressed and most matched couple along with 2 levels of lessons, dinner, and a couple of surprises I am working on this and next week.

There are only 75 tickets available and 354 people on my email list…they will sell out! Tickets can be purchased at the Roma, in person, at any swing dance I am teaching/DJing at, or via the mail. Mail checks to me at:

Jonathan Barbeau
304 S. Broadway
Salem, NH 03079

Tickets can be purchased at the Roma in person, over the phone with a credit Card (978)374-8001 (The Roma’s front desk line)

The event is being held at:
The Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex St
Haverhill, Ma 01835

Dinner 7Pm
Lesson 8Pm
Dancing 8:45-11:30
• Dinner includes:
* Salad
• Sirloin Tips
& Vegetable Medley
• Chicken Parmigian
* Rice Pilaf
* Pasta With Sauce
* Coffee/Tea
• Intermediate Lesson (Beginner Lesson Available for new comers)
• Black Tie strongly encouraged
• Cash bar
• Dancing till your feet hurt!

Do I have to dress up? No you don’t…I would like you to so you feel pretty and handsome for that night but I get that its not for everyone.
Do I have to wear 20’s attire? No you don’t you can…some will…I will be dressed to the 9’s but in modern clothing.
Do I have to bring a date? Nope…We have lots of singles signed up and have worked very hard to have a culture of dancers that all dance with each other.
Do you take Venmo, PayPal, Cashapp, or a Credit Card? I do not personally but I spoke with the Roma and They are willing to take the cards over the phone (978)374-8001. Otherwise I take checks and cash.

The Roma is also running a special running the month of February for my students. Mention to your server that I (Mr. Jonathan) sent you and you get 20% off of the food portion of your meal (not alcoholic beverages)

Posted on

Musicality Starts with Connection

Musicality Starts with connection

Musicality starts with connection but where does connection start? Is it in the hands? Could the feet have something to do with it? Does it go deeper into the body?

When we learn to walk as babies we figure out how to drive our center of gravity forward to stay balanced under our giant baby heads. Eventually we grow into our giant heads and we move through the world driving from our center of gravity in every activity from jump starting a standard transmission to playing tug of war. Every movement we make where we try to get something else to move we naturally move our hips into position. Then we see people couple dancing, we take a lesson, and we revert back in time to when we struggled to move our own bodies.

This week I plan to share with you the drill I use to help me connect with my partner on a deeper level. I know we are in a unit on how to be more musical and it seems like I am talking about some pretty basic stuff here but in order to lead or follow each other and “play” with the music, your connection must be on point. In order for your connection to be on point you must be moving the right way.

Check out how well these two dancers communicate with each other through connection. Look at how many times they achieve stillness. Check out how little energy they are wasting. Listen to the announcer at the end and then go back and watch the video one more time…Yeah its even more amazing the second time when you notice what you missed the first time around!

See you Thursday
304 S. Broadway
Salem NH 03079
$20 per person
6:30-7:30 Lesson
7:30-8:30 Guided Practice