ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS

This year we are offering two workshop "tracks", so a wide range of dancers can enjoy the excitement! Classes that span both columns are for everyone. The classes on the left (beginner/intermediate) will be comfortable for dancers with no little or no lindy experience. If the dance doesn't feel totally natural yet, this track is perfect for you! People with more experience will also enjoy this in-depth study of core lindy hop vocabulary. On the right (advanced) is a challenging line-up -- most enjoyable for dancers who have been ’hopping for a year or more and enjoy working hard! If you have any questions about these levels, please call or email us and we will help you select the best classes for you.

FRIDAY WORKSHOPS

HIBERNIAN HALL

7:30-8:30 Learn to Swing
Amber Woerner & John Leonard (free)
A fun and easy basic class for anyone who’s never tried swing before -- or if you just wants a quick refresher and a few cool moves before the band starts. Bring your non-dancing friends to this one and introduce them to your favorite hobby.

7:00-8:30 Jammin’ with George
Ben Oaks-Lee & Sylwia Bielec
George Gee’s music really swings; your dancing will too! Learn the art of becoming one with the music. A unique opportunity to learn with a live big band present.

SATURDAY WORKSHOPS

HIBERNIAN HALL

10:45-1:10 The Big Apple Michael & Joy Delaney
Feeling left out of that crazy circle dance you keep seeing? Now you, too, can do apple jacks, spank the baby, and run into the middle with a great big cheer!

2:30-3:30 Blues: The Art of Slow Groove Solomon Douglas & Jesse Hanus
Learn to feel the rhythm or “pulse” inherent in Blues music and to use your body to emphasize this rhythm. It will cover basic steps, lead/follow skills, basic syncopations, turns, & dips applicable to a wide variety of music.

2:30-3:30 Blues & Lindy: Making the Connection Bill Borgida & Noëlle Gray
This class will show numerous examples of how Blues gives us the lead and follow tools to add musical elements to our Lindy Hop vocabulary.

3:40-4:40 Lindy Hop: The Secrets Revealed Bill & Jesse
Bill teaches basics like nobody else. This class will break down this challenging dance so that you’ll really “get it.” You’ll learn the swingout and lindy circle, plus the connection secrets that make this dance work... and feel great!

3:40-4:40 Aerials
Adam LaMontagne & Camille Fontanella
Learn to fly with the leaders of one of the region’s best performance teams.

7:45-9:00 Balboa: It’s Like Butter Matt Mann & Miriam Impellizzeri at Danceland Boomers
Have fun gliding around on your leather bottoms while learning the smoothest of the jazz-era partner dances. Enjoy a cozy embrace while dancing fast or slow without breaking a sweat.

SUNDAY WORKSHOPS

HIBERNIAN HALL

11:45-1:00 Putting the Swing in the Swingout Bill & Noëlle
After learning a basic swingout and circle you’ll need to start building your vocabulary! This class will cover several variations to swingouts and Lindy circles and the pros and cons to each technique.

11:45-1:00 Faster!!!!!
Sylwia & Ben
The tempo picks up and you sit yourself down? This class focuses on the basics of lindy hop at faster tempos and includes what to lead and how to follow it. Be ready to dance no matter what they play.

1:10-2:10 Now it’s Moving... Now it’s Not Solomon & Noëlle
So, now you know some steps... This class will show you how to jazz them up! Explore body movement and isolations so you can express yourself and play with the music while still leading and following.

1:10-2:10 Styling & Attitude
Sylwia & Marc André
Some people swing out and everybody swoons. This could be you, with a few helpful pointers and some simple yet smokin’ ideas to integrate into your basic patterns. “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it.”

3:30-4:30 Keepin’ the Groove
Bill & Sylwia
Lindy Hop is not about moves, it’s about movement. Learn the art of leading and following with momentum & flow.

3:30-4:30 Gray’s Anatomy of Dynamic Dancing Noëlle
Nothing feels better than a dance that breathes! This class will cover some of Noelle’s favorite ballroomin’ techniques... and ways to get your follow to relax and simply enjoy the ride!