Category: West Coast Swing

Dances have always been either Lindy Hop events or West Coast Swing events. There have always only been 2 events that cater to both and also feature a “Crossover Room” The Boston Tea Party (which is at the end of this month) and Swinging New England (November). “Crossing over” simply means that both Lindy Hop Dancers and WCS dancers can dance to the music at the same time. The music is on the faster side for WCS and the slower side for Lindy Hop. Maybe 8 years ago I was hanging out with John Festa in the crossover room dancing my ass off with anyone that said yes. This meant Lindy Hoppers, West Coast Swingers, Beginners, Advanced…it didn’t matter because I wasn’t there because of who I was dancing with. I was there for what I was dancing to…Swing Music! 

The faster music drew better dancers as the evening wore on and I got to see John Festa dance with Blake Hobby live for the first time. She was light on her feet and elegant…any man that feasts his eyes on Blake has to admit that she is the “Jessica Rabbit” of West Coast Swing. As beautiful as she was with her Elvira Dress slit up to her hip, I was not watching her dance…nope…I was watching John Festa’s feet drive the two of them through a brisket Wilson Picket tune. His feet were splitting the beat in half, quarters, eighths, and yet still were landing in time with the song. In my life, to that point, I had never seen anything like it and I wanted what he had!

As with most Dance events I went to the launch party on Thursday night and danced till 3 am, then Friday night (the night in question) I was out until 4am trying to figure out how to do what John had done just hours prior, so by Saturday I was so sleep deprived that taking every mirror off the walls of my home seemed like a great way to be able to watched my feet in real time as I tried to duplicate what I saw. Thank god that not every mirror was pointed at my feet because what I discovered was if I could make my HIPS move like his my feet followed along…There was no way to get my feet to do it on their own!

During John’s 4 classes this weekend he is going to systematically give you the tools you need to do what he does. There are lots of Pros out there that are pretty amazing to watch but they take/have taken lessons from John or one of his students. Think what you will about my dancing but if you think I have anything going on at all, I owe it to Mr. Festa and his fancy feet!

 

Saturday Night

$30/2 Classes and the dance 7-8pm

$20/1 Class and the Dance 8-9pm

$10 Just the dance feat. DJ John Festa 9-12:30ish

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen

524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD

(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

 

Sunday Night 

$20 (both classes)6-6:45 Level 1 WCS lesson w/John Festa

$10 (just this class and the dance) 6:45-7:30pm Level 2 WCS w/John Festa

7:30-? California Mixer w/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! 

Recently I had a break through as a dancer and as a teacher…We as dancers forget that we are dancing sometimes. We get all caught up in the technical side of things…Where do I step? Where is the lead? What is the right way? I realized that NONE of it matters in the end. In the end we are learning to DANCE to the MUSIC. This is what matters!

There was a time when I would go out to dance clubs with my wife and be so intimidated by how well she moved. Unless I could get her to hold my hand and swing for a song or two I wasn’t interested in getting on that dance floor. Sure she could make me get out there and bust out my best white guy over bite and side-step-tap side-step-tap but there was just no way I was busting loose while she was on that dance floor for fear that I wouldn’t be as good as she is. 

My wife has dance titles,  competed in 13+ dance styles at a national level, and has given lessons to world champions that needed her expert eye to critique their waltz before a big competition. I, on the other hand, am a 3 dance pony with a hand full of first place finishes. Since there is no way that I could ever actually be as good as her, what was holding me back?

Recently I was invited to DJ at a little hole in the wall night club with a good friend. He needed someone to fill in during his bathroom breaks and to make recommendations early in the evening to keep the older crowd happy (they like old school country music). I hung out for a bit, played some music, and when the night got going my friend started playing some great 90’s music so I hit the dance floor. Within 3 songs the dance floor was filled and we had our selves a party! I was moving, grooving, and shaken’ my money maker! Then it hit me…I realized why I could never dance like this in front of my wife…I was watching her dance and not dancing my self!!!

Thats right folks…You can’t do both. You are either a dancer or a watcher. Your brain can not handle doing both. This week’s homework is to start in your living room, put on some music that makes you want to move, and then move. Dance without thinking, without worrying, and without fear. Next week maybe we can take it to the dance floor and try it without worrying that we are not good enough because we are good enough as long as we are moving!

Sunday Night 

$10

6-6:45 2-Step lesson w/Mr. J

6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J

7:30-? California Mixer w/Freddy 

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen

524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD

(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

I am sure that I am not the only one who had to blow 3+ feet of snow over the last 10 days! With more on the way I am sure that dances and practices will be canceled due to the weather, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in one hell of a dance workout while you take care of business.

Snow blowers make great dance partners. Hear me out before you have me committed for typing crazy. All snow blowers are powered and move at different speeds that you, the operator can set. If you are working on your leading your goal is to get the snow blower to its final destination without stopping. I like to use my hips to steer as we (the blower and myself) move up and down the driveway. I keep my hands on the controls and I lean left or right with my hip pushing the handle bars left or right. Hip leading is the end result in all dances and I like to practice on my snow blower…Incidentally I have found that I can go for way longer using my hips to make things happen than if I use my arms. If you don’t own a snow blower the same techniques can be applied to your roof rake…its ALL in the hips!

If you are working on your following you will operate the blower like normal. When it moves forward you let it move you too. If you are too “Heavy” the blade will lift off the ground…If you are too light it may slip right out of your hands. There is so much about snow blowing that resembles following that there is little risk of picking up any bad habits.

My dad used to tell me that I would never be able to make a living by playing. Not that my life is over but so far I have been a gymnastics coach, a DJ, a dancer, a radio host, a comedy writer, and I get paid to smoke cigars…not one part of my life to date has been free from “playing”. This is not me bragging this is me pointing out that my dad and many others live their life looking at things as they are…snow blowing sucks and its just moving snow from where you don’t want it to where you do…I look at it as a game and use it to improve my dancing. I like to shovel to the beat and practice my foot work when I am sweeping the floor…in my world almost nothing is what it is…its a tool to make me a better dancer!

Sunday Night
$10
6-6:45 Night Club 2-Step lesson w/Mr. J
6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J
7:30-? California Mixer w/Steel
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

WCS World Champions, Hazel and Tybalt Ulrich are coming up to teach and DJ WCS Saturday, February 14th and to just teach on Sunday, February 15th (Hustle and WCS). The WCS classes are billed as “Advanced Beginner” for the first class then “Intermediate” for the second. There will be a “Beginner Beginner” lesson as well on Saturday night taught by yours truly. On Sunday they are teaching a “Beginner Friendly” Hustle class followed by “Intermediate WCS” (then I am DJing).

If you have the means to take a private lesson with these two you really should do it. Protege of John Festa, Hazel and Tybaldt Ulrich began dancing together professionally in 2000, and have been inseparable since, performing and teaching a wide range of partner dance. In competition, they have won Hustle Classic, Theater arts, Just Dance, and Jack and Jill, in West Coast Swing Classic, Showcase, and Jack and Jill, as well as Cabaret, Triple Threat (WCS, Hustle, Salsa), and some decent placements in Carolina Shag, Balboa, Houston Slow Whip, and Lindy Hop. They’ve directed numerous teams in these dances as well as Country Two Step and Argentine Tango. Hazel has been inducted into the Living Legends of Swing…They are nothing Short of amazing! The cost is $80 for the 45minute private lesson and they will sell out quickly so please don’t wait on this…let me know ASAP! Lessons are available on Sunday afternoon and are booking in order of first come first serve.

The dance will be a Valentines day dance event so bust out the heart vest, the red lipstick, and the puffy shirts…The girls should also dress up! lol

January is Night Club Two-Step Month!

  

Sunday Night 

$10

6-6:45 Night Club 2-Step lesson w/Mr. J

6:45-7:30pm WCS w/Mr. J

7:30-? California Mixer w/Donna

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen

524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD

(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

WCS World Champions, Hazel and Tybalt Ulrich are coming up to teach and DJ WCS Saturday, February 14th and to just teach on Sunday, February 15th (Hustle and WCS).  The WCS classes are billed as “Advanced Beginner” for the first class then “Intermediate” for the second. There will be a “Beginner Beginner” lesson as well on Saturday night taught by yours truly. On Sunday they are teaching a “Beginner Friendly” Hustle class followed by “Intermediate WCS” (then I am DJing).

If you have the means to take a private lesson with these two you really should do it. Protege of John Festa, Hazel and Tybaldt Ulrich began dancing together professionally in 2000, and have been inseparable since, performing and teaching a wide range of partner dance. In competition, they have won Hustle Classic, Theater arts, Just Dance, and Jack and Jill, in West Coast Swing Classic, Showcase, and Jack and Jill, as well as Cabaret, Triple Threat (WCS, Hustle, Salsa), and some decent placements in Carolina Shag, Balboa, Houston Slow Whip, and Lindy Hop. They’ve directed numerous teams in these dances as well as Country Two Step and Argentine Tango.  Hazel has been inducted into the Living Legends of Swing…They are nothing Short of amazing! The cost is $80 for the 45minute private lesson and they will sell out quickly so please don’t wait on this…let me know ASAP! Lessons are available on Sunday afternoon and are booking in order of first come first serve.

The dance will be a Valentines day dance event so bust out the heart vest, the red lipstick, and the puffy shirts…The girls should also dress up! lol

John Festa Him self is coming up for the weekend of March 14th and 15th. His Private Lessons are sold out!

Hey guys,

Thank for all of the support these past 7 years of WCS at DNE. Unfortunately these lessons and dances have to be put on hold for a while because I had 3 DJs move too far away to work on Friday nights any more. This means that I am back to DJing on Fridays instead of teaching and swinging with all of you. 

Classes and lessons will continue at Longfellow’s on Sundays and I am taking a more active roll in the swing program they have on the Second Saturday of every month. So look for Hazel and Tybalt Ulrich in February (valentines weekend) and John Festa in March. 

Dance on,

Mr. Jonathan