I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. The past couple of weeks have been 95+ hours in the smoke shop and DJing. Its been crazy! There is a new blog post coming soon but I just couldn’t get it ready in time for this week’s dance. I hope to see you this Friday for a couple of my favorite patterns and if we have time I will unveil my latest act of pattern thievery…yes I stole another gem from World Champion Jordan Frisbee…and I found a couple of Funk songs that have been blowing up my dance floors and lessons…Its gold Jerry and you don’t want to miss this party!
This Friday, April 19, 2013
$10
7:30-8:15 Fun Patterns
8:15-? Pizza and Dancing
78 Princeton St
N. Chelmsford, Ma
Sunday night at Longfellow’s I am teaching a 4 week WCS series from:
I grew up as a very poor child in the city of Haverhill. My dad worked 100 hour work weeks and slept very little. My brother, sister, and I really cherished small amount of time that we had each week with him. To his credit he would use this time to teach us how to play sports. The lesson I remember most is the one on riding a bike.
The bike was a 1970’s Shwin passed down from his younger sister.,and the lesson started with how to change a flat (it came with 2), progressed to proper braking and road safety, and ended with a complex description of how centrifugal and gyroscopic force worked together to keep a 2 wheeled bicycle upright.
At the ripe old age of 5, I understood why we needed to change the flats because I had attempted to ride on both flats with the training wheels in the grass with little success. Although breaking and road safety was very boring dad had a way of describing what happens to a little boy’s body when it comes in contact with a semi tractor trailer, that really got my attention and kept me focused. The one thing I could not understand was how or why he kept referencing “The Force” from Star Wars or how it would help me to ride a bike.
I did not see dad for 3 full days after that lesson. Not sure when I would see him again, I so badly wanted to learn how to ride that bike before our next bonding because I just couldn’t take “the force” conversation for one more second. It happened on day 3!
Through trial and error it occurred to me that if i ran beside my bike and jumped on to the spring loaded seat I could ride for twice as long before wiping out. Many pedals to the shin and skinned knees later I felt “The Force”. Not unlike the Wright brothers I rode for a full 30 seconds, forgot how to brake in my excitement, and hit my very first tree. “The Force” really existed! It held me up! All of dad’s bloviation finally made sense. As long as I was moving my bike would stay upright.
Everyone reading this knows the expression “Like Riding a Bike”. True swing connection is the same. Once your body does connection, once you experience the stretch, once your every step is mapped by an equal and exact response from your partner, you never forget…It becomes an addiction…you stop worrying if you are doing it right…and you get high every single time you feel it…its worth the journey! Unlike Bike riding you need a partner that does connection…
The last few years have brought about some changes in the world of swing. Is it me does it sometimes feel like the room gets split into “us” and “them”? I guess that any room of people will have better dancers, new dancers, and even dancers that really can’t dance. The very thing that drew me to Swing was the dramatic crossover between the very best and the most challenged. We ALL used to dance with one another. It appears that this is not the case and it makes me wonder…why? Do the promoters encourage this separation by taking part in it themselves? Do the teachers take off right after class or make up excuses why they “Can’t dance tonight”? Are the DJs catering to only one group of people? Think about this as you head out dancing the next time you go. Take notice and report back…What are your thoughts? How can we as a comunity return to what we once were?
In an effort to foster a fun and inviting environment I encourage “mixing” during all of my swing events. I also keep my eyes open for dances and venues that do the same. Over the next few months I plan on drawing your attention to some events that may be a little off the beaten path but they are run by folks that have the right attitude about dancing.
This Saturday I am teaching the lesson before DNE’s Saturday night Ballroom dance:
78 Princeton St.
N. Chelmsford, ma
$10 for the lesson
$10 For the dance
or
$15 for both!
DJ Brenda will keep you moving through all 13 of the major Ballroom dances plus she will be playing a few extra WCS songs for you to practice your new moves!
Does anyone want to have a dance at DNE on March 29th? I have the date open in my book and would be happy to run one if people are interested :-)
On
SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013 7pm-12:30am
I will be attending
Jen Lyon’s Monthly Dance in N. Providence, RI
6 Piece LIVE BLUES BAND! Featuring JOE BARGAR & THE SOUL PROVIDERS Recorded music in between sets DJ Louie St George Instructor Jennifer Lyons Bloch
LOCATION: K of C The Bouffard Council 15 Bassett Street North Providence, RI 02904
ADULT PRICES On or before March 27 / On or after March 28 $30/$40 – 2 Workshops & Dance $20/$25 – 1 Workshop & Dance $15/$20 – 1 Workshop (no dance) $10/$12 – Dance Only
48 people showed up for our dance last Friday including half of UMASS LOWELL…IT was awesome!
John Festa is coming back for our Dance on March 8th…Mark your Calendar. He is the most prim and proper pro on the circuit. Rather than try and out dress him I thought it might be fun to horrify him a little. March 8th will be an “Ugly Sweater” Party so dig deep into the depths of your attic and find those ugly sweaters. The uglier and more miss matched the better…You get bonus points if you can give him a headache with your outfit by the time class begins!
Weekly Bloviation:
Patience is one of the most virtuous qualities a one can have in their list of characteristics that make up who they are. Who among us doesn’t know someone that we deeply respect because they have put up with us through the years. Someone who is quick to forgive and slow to judge is an indispensable partner in life and is often described as the “glue” that holds that relationship together.
When this dance was filmed I had been teaching almost 5 years and Kim had been dancing for 3 or 4 months. Even with this obvious difference in experience she and I took turns being patient. Notice that no matter how different or “non swing” the pattern is she never panics or reaches out to reconnect. She patiently holds her place and lets me do my job. During the several disconnects during the dance (the most of any couple during that competition) I never once panicked or reached out to “fix” the problem.
Dancing has a way of working it self out if both partners do their job and are patient with their partner. No one has to “dance up” or “dance down” to meet anyone in the middle. When your partner can trust that you will be where you need to be and is willing to wait for you when you are not nothing will ever be able to go wrong. John Festa will be running two ALL levels workshops that are both centered in Patience on March 8.
He is teaching 2 workshops:
“The Work of The Foot” AKA Footwork for Dummies. John lives and breaths by the Acronym K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid) he is going to share how he breaks down footwork so that its not as hard to put in our dance. Everything from the basics, to how swing starts from the center and dictates how our feet move, to a couple of his favorite footwork patterns.
and
“Whip It Good” How to make your whip look good to others and feel better to your partner through the lost art of patience. Add more style, control, and power through stretching. No one whips like John and its time for him to teach us why!
Reserve your spot for $30 for both workshops (you can pay $10 more and attend Saturday’s dance at Longfellows), the dance, a pizza party, and all the water you can drink. The event is March 8th and will sell out like the last one did so try not to put it off!
Friday:
March 8th
DNE 78 Princeton St. Chelmsford, Ma
$30 ($40 if you want to attend Saturday at Longfellows
7:00 Pizza and Ugly Sweater Party
7:30 Lesson “The work of the Foot”
8:30 Lesson “Whip it Good”
9:30 Dancing to John’s and My Music till our feet fall off!
Saturday:
Longfellows 524 Boston Post Rd Wayland, MA
March 9th
$15 per workshop/$10 for the dance
“Whip it Good the Sequel” and “Keeping the Swing in your Swing”
7-8pm and 8-9pm
Dance begins at 9pm with
DJ John Festa
This Sunday:
Longfellows 524 Boston Post Rd Wayland, MA
$10
6:30 Lesson (Two-Step)
7:30 Dance
I am teaching only.
Leadership is the manipulation of energy.
Following is the embodiment of energy.
Connection is the tie that binds the two together.
In the attached video the two dancers are engaged in a very high level of Jack and Jill competition. Jack and Jill’s are competitions where neither dancer knows who they will dance with nor do they know the songs they will draw. Every move is lead and followed on the fly and in real time. Notice how good this follower (Mary-Anne)is…notice how well she follows…on your 3rd or 4th time through you may begin to see why she is considered by most to be in the top 3 of ALL time. Watch how her hips drive back at the start of every pattern. At no point does she jump ahead or barrel past her leader (Kyle). Her skill set is completely centered around patiently waiting for her partner to commit to his pattern with his whole body before she goes. Every step she takes in every single pattern is his to do with as he pleases…In fact I would argue that she does not “follow” at all. She “checks” every action that her leader makes with an equal and opposite reaction and the results are impossible to over look.
We are going to visit this concept at our next dance and lesson on February 15th:
Next Friday:
February 15th
$10
7:30 Lesson “Super Leading meets the Anti Follow”
8:30 Dance
This Sunday:
$10
6:30 Lesson (Two-Step)
7:30 Dance
I am teaching and also the DJ
John Festa is coming back for our Dance on March 8th…Mark you Calendar and I will have details for you in the next couple of weeks.
