Category: WCS General

So I agreed, a month ago, to go out and see this kid Denis sing last night without realized that it was going to be Cinco De Mayo…The place was packed! If you closed your eyes while he was singing you would swear that the Temptations where on the stage on one song and Barry White on the next. This kid, at 20 years old, is on the cusp of getting discovered I am sure of it. Who knows how long he will be playing at Polcaries in Saugus on a Thursday night but if you want to join me he is coming back in two weeks and I am going to be there. There is no cover charge, its in a speakeasy looking back room of the Restaurant (which is open), and there is a small dance floor which gets sticky but someone had dance wax so we had no problem getting our groove on all night. He goes on at about 8:30 at 92 Broadway Saugus, Ma…His regular schedule is the first Thursday of the month (this month there is an extra show).

This Sunday I am continuing with the John Festa reviews with the lesson plan he taught on Sunday night plus another fun Two Step combination. Then after I am DJing with some new music I found recently and some oldies that I have rediscovered…We are going to have a lot of Fun and I hope YOU can make it ;-)

$10

Sunday, May 8th

2-Step: 6pm

WCS: 6:45pm

Dance: 7:30pm

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen

524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD

(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

Next Saturday we are featuring Matt and Desirae as the teachers and I will be DJing then as well.

They plan on teaching:

7-8 – Confident Commitment (all levels) $20 both lessons and the dance

-Know your footwork do’s and don’ts…where and why to step so you can dance with more confidence

8-9 – Show it Off (int/adv) $15 this lesson and the dance

-With your foot work correct and your confidence at an all time high its time to dance like you are the prize. Techniques for presenting your self and your partner with Polish

9pm -12am WCS DJ Mr. Jonathan

Longfellow’s Club JoEllen

524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD

(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

Their Bio:

“A love of expression and music drew both Matt and Desirae to West Coast Swing dance.  They met on the dance floor in 2013 and discovered their passions both for one another and for improving their dance musically and technically, individually and in partnership.  Matt and Desirae travel over 20 weekends a year all over the United States and Canada to compete, together and separately, and learn from the top professionals in the world.  Committed to bettering their teaching, Matt and Desirae are trained in both the Swing Literacy Development Method (SLDM) and the Global Professional Dance Instructors Association (GPDIA) Intermediate level of teacher’s training.  Matt and Desirae can also be found teaching West Coast Swing every Monday in Allston, as well as the second Friday of every month in Burlington.”

This Month’s Top Ten Songs That I am Diggin’ On:

Stay – Temptations

Then I knew – Dave Koz

Cool – The Time

Ain’t No Stopping Us Now – Wayman Tinsdale

Pillow Talk – Sun Soul Orchestra

Tomorrows Girls – Donald Fagen

Take my love with you – Bonnie Raitt

Casanova – Levert

Misbehaving’ – Pentatonix

My Babe – Little Walter (So fast but so great)

I first met John Festa in 2005 at one of his workshops at Longfellows. I remember that I was contemplating leaving swing because I was tired of hiring coaches to teach me “why” the techniques should be done a certain way but so many of them seemed intent on teaching me “what” to do. To me the “why” is the most important part of the learning process. Consider Danielson from the Karate Kid…he was nothing more than a day laborer until Mr. Miyagi illustrated “why” he was waxing on and waxing off. Only once the “why” is understood can we begin to process “what” needs to be done.

This Saturday at Longfellow join us with Living Legend John Festa as he teaches:

7-8pm “Swing Your Partner”

Don’t get nervous folks this is not a class about square dancing! Using basic patterns John is going to break down the “swing” in West Coast Swing. WCS is a leader centric dance, meaning he is physically in the center of the partnership while she travels back and forth. The leader is only half of the story when it comes to swing. This dance is considered to be very difficult to master but only by those that don’t know the “why” that John will reveal during this ALL LEVEL class. Whether you are a leader or a follower this workshop is the easiest and best way to level up.

8-9pm “Extreme Whips”

Stretch, torque, power, and control all converge into a pattern that we call “The Whip!” Whips are the very foundation of West Coast Swing and connect this dance to all other forms of swing. John will start of with the basic whip and then the sky is the limit as you learn how to get the most out of your self, your partner, and the music.

$25 gets you both classes and the dance
$15 gets you “Extreme Whips” and the dance
$10 get you into the dance with DJ John Festa
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

John loved teaching our Sunday group so much that he asked to stay over and teach the two classes again. The classes are shorter so he will be more intense with a similar lesson plan on Sunday.

6-6:45pm “Swing Your Partner Harder”
6:45-7:30  “Whips to the Extreme”

$20 gets you both classes and the dance
$15 gets you “Extreme Whips” and the dance
$10 get you into the dance with DJ Mr. Jonathan
Longfellow’s Club JoEllen
524 Minuteman Dr off of Boston Post RD
(Rt 20) Wayland, MA

This Week’s Top 10 Songs

Miles Away – Basia
Break Away – Bobby Caldwell
I.G.Y. – Donald Fagen
Rock Me Again & Again – Lyn Collins
Good Times – Ray Bonnevill
Bohemian Cowboy Blues – Jimmy LaFave
The Beast – Milt Buckner
The Continental Stroll – Sil Austin
Coffee To Go – Club Des Belugas
Sweet Rowena – Joe Bonamassa (Feat Vince Gill)