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Time flies when you are having fun! As I am grooming my music to get ready for our family friendly event I realized that the folks at YouthStorm lead by example. They have requested that I keep my music wholesome so that everyone can come and have a good time. There has never been a single problem before, during, or after their boat parties because they heading them off at the pass. There is a bar, people will be drinking, dancing, and having a good time…the difference is that YouthStorm knows that there are eyes on them. Whether we all like it or not the youth of America is watching our every move…If we drink too much, don’t show respect to our fellow man, or fail to take care of our selves properly we are telling those that come after us that this is the behavior that is acceptable. This party is not just a fundraiser for a great cause…it is also a training tool for all the kids enrolled. I hope that you come aboard and help us lead the way! If you can get away This Saturday August 15th, and like to keep the money that you donate local, and like to make a difference in the future of the human race, you simply need to bring your $20 donation to the dock at #10 82nd St. Plum Island, Newburyport. I can also add you to my guest list if you reply to this email that you are coming. There is a cash bar and you are responsible for your own food (there are 30 restaurants on the way in and out so come early and leave happy!).
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YouthStorm Fundraiser
As many of you know I am a party DJ in my “spare time.” My favorite event to DJ is almost any party that is thrown on a boat especially if it is raising money for one of my favorite charities…Youth Storm. Youth Storm is a local faith based charity that brings life and leadership skills to kids in their mid to late teens who have not had the opportunity to follow the right people in their life. I have seen kids that were destined to fail in life, have theirs transformed and are now leaders in their communities as a result of Youth Storm.
If you can get away Saturday August 15th, and like to keep the money that you donate local, and like to make a difference in the future of the human race, you simply need to send me your $20 donation so I can add you to my guest list! Although this is not a “Swing Dance Cruise” I always start the evening off with a solid hour of swingable music and most of the people on board have attended at least one of my lessons so there is plenty of people who love to swing! There is a cash bar and you are responsible for your own food (there are 30 restaurants on the way in and out so come early and leave happy!).
This week at Club JoEllen is Night Club Two-Step and West Coast Swing
Sunday Night August 9th
$10
6-6:45 NC2-Step lesson w/Mr. J
6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J
7:30-? California Mixer w/DJ Donna Shea
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Saturday August 15
$20
6:30pm-10pm
Youth Storm Fundraiser
The Captain’s Lady III
#10 82st Plum Island
Newburyport, Ma
Saturday Night September 12th
Teacher Mr. Jonathan
WCS Intermediate Class 8-9pm W/Mr. J
9-12:30ish WCS Mixer w/DJ Mr. J
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Leadership is the manipulation of energy.
Following is the embodiment of energy.
Connection is the tie that binds the two together.
Mr. Jonathan
www.MrJonathanIsMyDJ.com
603 475 1391
– See more at: http://www.mrjonathanismydj.com/#sthash.NhiBWnzh.dpuf
Like Butter or a Spread
The number one compliment that John Festa gets is about his foot work when the complimenter is watching him dance. However when he is dancing with someone the compliment shifts to how well he connects and takes care of his partner. In my opinion neither compliment is very accurate. I mean sure you can like someones footwork or connection but the root of these two, among others like accurate leading, timing, musicality and so on, stem from thousands of repetitions of central movement, with a partner, and to music. Consistent practice with one or two of these would be like growing up with a mom who turns butter for your toast every morning and then marring a wife that only uses store bought spreads.
With requests for Night Club Two-Step at an all time high I have decided to make this whole month NC2-Step month! I have some review on the technique and some new and exciting patterns coming at you starting week one. In Week 3 I have invited Mike and Donna to come in and add some of their moves into the mix. See you this Sunday!
Sunday Night July 12th
$10
6-6:45 NC2-Step lesson w/Mr. J
6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J
7:30-? California Mixer w/Mr. J
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Saturday Night September 12th
Teacher Mr. Jonathan
WCS Intermediate Class 8-9pm W/Mr. J
9-12:30ish WCS Mixer w/DJ Mr. J
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Leadership is the manipulation of energy.
Following is the embodiment of energy.
Connection is the tie that binds the two together.
Mr. Jonathan
www.MrJonathanIsMyDJ.com
603 475 1391
Dance on!
Night Club Two-Step Month
I have to say thank you to ALL of you who helped me to shape my bio for Living Legends! From spelling corrections to suggestions to expending on certain areas of my life as a dancer so many of you responded with helpful hints that I almost didn’t make the deadline…From the bottom of my heart…THANK YOU! Between John Festa and my spots for Living Legends I there are only 3 spots remaining. If you are interested in attending my induction please and the event in general please shoot me your address so I can add you to the list. This is an invite only event and they are sending out the invites next month so I have to get them in soon…Don’t delay!
With requests for Night Club Two-Step at an all time high I have decided to make this whole month NC2-Step month! I have some review on the technique and some new and exciting patterns coming at you starting week one. In Week 3 I have invited Mike and Donna to come in and add some of their moves into the mix. See you this Sunday!
Saturday Night September 12th
Teacher Mr. Jonathan
WCS Intermediate Class 8-9pm W/Mr. J
9-12:30ish WCS Mixer w/DJ Mr. J
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Sunday Night
$10
6-6:45 NC2-Step lesson w/Mr. J
6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J
7:30-? California Mixer w/Fred
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Leadership is the manipulation of energy.
Following is the embodiment of energy.
Connection is the tie that binds the two together.
Mr. Jonathan
www.MrJonathanIsMyDJ.com
603 475 1391
Dance on!
Living Legends Asked For My Bio
The Board of Living Legends of Dance has asked me for my Bio which means its official I will be inducted in to the Living Legends of Dance! This is not something I take lightly so I am asking for your help. First, please read me bio and tell me if its too much, not enough, or in need of some polishing. Second: this is a closed event meaning you MUST be invited. I am allowed 10 invites to the event this year so if you have any interest in going I need to hear from you ASAP. Six people have responded to me that they want to go and have been added to the list leaving me 4 more. If you want to go and dance with some of the best dancers on the planet, with no egos, and to the best music that I have ever heard, I need to hear from you. John Festa has a couple of spots as well so if I get a few extra people in my group, he has graciously offered me his extra spots if I need them (after all you only get inducted once right?). I would love to have my dance friends and students in attendance if at all possible. The event is October 30th and 31st with a sick after party on November 1st…It also looks like I will be able to DJ on Saturday afternoon (waiting to hear for sure).
Here goes Nothing!
I started dancing on roller skates at the ripe old age of 3, passing my first freestyle roller skating test at a small rink in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
In the 3rd grade my father refused to let me play football so I signed myself up for a ballet class in hopes of either shaming dad into letting me play or at the very least getting my self prepared for the grid iron if I could ever wear him down. Instead of being ashamed my father was so proud that I chose of all things, Ballet, that he took extra side work to pay for every costume, private, and choreography lesson for the next 6 years until my instructor moved away and closed the school at the end of my 8th grade year. My passion for dance and my work ethic earned me a scholarship to the school for my last 2 years and although I was the first and only boy, in the school’s 20 year history, to take class in the 3rd grade, when I graduated there were 3 full classes of just boys at the school.
That Summer, I discovered breakdancing. Instead of spinning on skates, on point, or holding a partner, I was now spinning on my head! Break dancing lead to Gymnastics and a 15 year coaching career comprised of many state, regional, and national titles for the boys team that I coached. Several of my former students have moved on to become dancers, dance competitors, and even professional dance and gymnastic coaches.
In 1997 I was asked to escort a lady friend in and out of a rough country dive bar in Methuen, Massachusetts called the White Buffalo so she could get her line dance fix for the week. It was there I discovered partner dancing. After a few months I was hooked on Two-Step until I saw a young lady I was dating dancing West Coast Swing with her competition partner. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them and when they finished I ran up and begged them to teach me how to do whatever THAT was! Her answer was “It’s going to be way too hard for you to learn, you stick to two-step and leave the swing to us!” I remember thinking to myself at that moment that that feeling was something that I needed to remember. Never in my life would I ever deny someone, who was willing to learn, a lesson based on what I thought their ability was. Never the less the gauntlet was thrown down and the stage was set for the most feverish learning spree that swing has ever seen!
At any given time over the next 5 years I had no less than 3 coaches per week assisting me with my progress in West Coast Swing. I took every group class that was available during the week and I attended every social dance within a 100 miles of my home in Southern, NH. At one of those social dances I was discovered by 2 studio owners and offered 2 jobs. One as a West Coast Swing instructor for a brand new dance studio (Papermoon) and the other as a DJ for a California Mixer at the club I was dancing at every week (Longfellow’s Club JoEllen).
Never forgetting how I felt when someone told me that the dance, I fell in love with at first sight, was too hard for me, I have never turned away a student from any class. If a beginner student happens to show up on intermediate night, I make sure they feel welcome and give them a few moments of my time to help them along. Dance is about connection with the music, our selves, and most importantly each other and no one should ever be turned away!
2007 was a game changer for my dancing. First of all I met John Festa who would become instrumental in my development as a dancer. That same year I entered and won my first swing competitions which later became the first YouTube video, that I was featured in, to hit 10.000 views. YouTube soon became the platform for many more videos and with the additions of my “Video Lesson Reviews” recorded at the end of each class I started becoming recognized as a leader through out the state, the US, and eventually in other countries and have been sought after to teach and DJ for events both in and out of the US. I stopped competing in 2010 because the music in competition no longer made me want to dance.
In 2009, a guest of John Festa’s, I attended The Hudson Swing Affair and met for the first time Ramiro Gonzales and Andrew D’Angelo. Ramiro became a huge influence on my understanding of leading, following, and dancing for the joy of dancing. Andrew was instrumental in tuning my ear to listen for music that speaks to the soul. That event set off the musical chain of events that lead me to Living Legends of Dance.
In 2010 I was invited back to the Hudson Swing Affair as both the Sound Engineer and DJ…
In 2010 I partnered for the first time with a charity organization called “Youth Storm”. Youth Storm is a faith based group of volunteers who help young adults, which are lacking positive male role models, with finding leadership skills. Several times through out the year we throw swing parties to raise money to keep the charity going. Everyone is made to feel welcome and the music played makes you want to dance. Over the short time we have been partnering we have raised over $10,000 and helped countless kids develop leadership skills through positive roll models of which I am one.
Today I am still a resident DJ at Club JoEllen as well as their Two-Step, West Coast Swing, and Night Club Two-Step instructor. I travel and dance at events that are noncompetitive and feature swing music. I coach dancers from competitors down to social dancers and everyone in between because ability should never dictate passion!
Saturday Night September 12th
Teacher Mr. Jonathan
WCS Intermediate Class 8-9pm W/Mr. J
9-12:30ish WCS Mixer w/DJ Mr. J
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Sunday Night
$10
6-6:45 Two-Step lesson w/Mr. J (Lesson Plan Here)
6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J (Lesson Plan Here)
7:30-? California Mixer w/Steel
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA
Leadership is the manipulation of energy.
Following is the embodiment of energy.
Connection is the tie that binds the two together.
Mr. Jonathan
www.MrJonathanIsMyDJ.com
603 475 1391
Dance on!