Keep up to date with latest DSDS events! 
Social dance is the best and the quickest way of improving your swing dancing! And trust me: it's FUN! And it's also a great way to really get to know your fellow dancers.
This fall we are trying something new! You are now able to pay for lessons, workshops and all of the other events and merchandise online: hassle free and securely via PayPal.
Swing Kids showing at Carbon Arc, Saturday May 12th!
Lessons Starting on Saturday May 19th!
★ ★ ★Swingology this Friday!
DSDS Event Calendar
Workshop Classes!
In case you somehow missed it, the workshop is coming up next weekend!! What does this mean for you? Make sure you pre-register: registration at the door is more expensive and we would like to know if you are coming ahead of time! You can pay this weekend at the lessons, or via paypal at the online store
All levels
G.P.S.
The purest joy of Lindy Hop is in the swing out. But before you can fall in like a gangbusters, there 's some tips you cats should know. We 'll break it down step by step and put you on the path to a real swingin ' out.
This Machine 's a Manual
Get ready to shift gears in your Lindy engine. Expert Lindy pilots can smoothly shift gears on the fly, and we want to show you how to do that too! You 'll learn how to lead and follow 6 and 8 count moves and switch between them without stalling out. This machine ain 't no automatic, but it can feel like it.
Happy Feet
Put a bounce in your step with the exciting and joyous Charleston! In this class we 'll start in the side-by-side position and add a few crazy transitions. We 'll also fine tune your basics and teach vocabulary that will give you the tools to play around with this fine style of swing dance
Building Your Blues
This is an all-levels class that works from the ground up. We 'll start at the basics and fine-tune those all-important details, then weave layers into the class that will challenge more advanced dancers and give beginners something to think about. No matter where you are in your dancing, you 'll take something new away from this class.
Level 2b & 3 only / permission of head instructor
S.O.C.K.
There 's more than just one kind of swing out! Every step is loaded with opportunity for play, if you know where to look. We 'll explore some of the possibilities to enrich your swing out without having to learn any crazy new moves... and then we 'll give you some crazy new moves for good measure.
Ain't Got Rhythm... Yet
Rhythm is one of the joys of Lindy Hop, and Lindy Hoppers got it! We 'll layer rhythmic complexity into the moves you already know, and help you find the space for your own rhythm. This class is just as much for the follows as for the leads; we 'll give you ideas for independent elaboration within your partner 's connection in addition to leading your own unique rhythms.
Linear vs Rotational
Most moves or phrases can have circular or linear momentum. We will discover the difference between circular and linear momentum and take 3 separate examples and create a circular version and a linear version.
Dancing Dynamics
Every song is different, and the most exciting dances reflect that. We 'll help you find what 's most important and interesting to you throughout a song for more musical dancing. You'll learn about active listening and changing the qualities and dynamics of your dancing in NEW ways!
Spring Workshop: Dan and Jenny
Saturday, March 10th (All Levels)
10am to 5pm @ First Baptist Church
Sunday, March 11th (Intermediate)
10am to 5pm @ 1313 Hollis
Price:
In advance ( in class or online)
$25 / one day
$40 / both days
At the door
$30 / one day
$50 / both days
Paying for the workshop in advance is a win-win-win. It is important for us to know in advance how many people will show up. It will help planning and reduce registration time on the workshop day. You will save $5/day if you register early. This workshop is greatly subsidized by the DSDS treasury to be made affordable for halifax dancers. This identical workshop in a city with a full-grown dance scene would be around $80/150.
Register online now
Instructors:
Jenny Sowden and Dan Repsch
If you haven't heard of them, Dan Repsch (Philly) and Jenny Sowden (NYC) are universe-renowned swing and blues dancers and DJs! We are very lucky to have them visit and teach our spring workshop. This event is a rare opportunity and a must-be-there kind of situation. Don't miss them while they are here!
Here are some links for you all to explore:
Jenny's homepage:
http://www.jennifersowden.com/
Dan's bio (from some random website):
http://www.jookjointshimmyblues.com/p/about-dan-repsch-instructordj-dec-17th.html
Dan and Jenny's recent blues choreo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghCmdmobaUQ
Halifax Swing Factory: FEB 17
Halifax Swing Factory is the monthly social dance open to EVERYONE! If you ever though of trying out swing dancing or you are unable to attend our regular classes, Swing Factory is the easiest way to start swing dancin' fast!
The doors open at 8pm, and there is a beginner (no experience or partner required) lesson at 8:30 to teach you some sweet sweet swing moves and get you dancing right away! After the lesson our DJs will play music for the rest of the night so you can practice you moves on the dance floor. Swing dancing is a great way to meet new people, get moving, and have a great Friday night!
Our last Halifax Swing Factory of 2011 will take place on Friday Feb 17, Mar 23 and Apr 20. The dances will take place downtown at a little dance studio at 1313 Hollis Street, and will cost you only $5 to attend. (We are a volunteer organization and this fee covers the studio,equipment rentals, and related expenses)
I hope to see you all there!
Swingology
Winter 2012 is here!
Weekly lessons: what class should I take →
Weekly lessons: dates and times →
Weekly lessons: prices and registration →
Social dancing @ Pipa →
Swing with the Fishes 2011
Friday Night Blues
No partner necessary, no experience required, this event is designed for everyone to participate. Doors open at 7:45 and the night kicks off with a beginner lesson from 8-9 followed by an hour and a half of social dancing -perfect for experimenting and having fun with the concepts taught throughout the evening.
Admission is a mere $5 and the lesson and dance are at Serpentine Studios (Studio 200), 1668 Barrington Street. The entrance can be found on Argyle Street, to the left of the Foggy Goggle Restaurant & Bar.
For additional inquiries contact Friday Night Blues at blueshalifax@gmail.com or visit the Friday Night Blues website
Fall 2011: Regisration Info
September is here, which means the whole new semester of classes is about to start. Whether you are a returning dancer or a beginner with absolutely no experience, exciting times are soon to come! DSDS execs are planning long and hard for the upcoming term, and not all details are finalized yet. But here is what you need to know for now.
INFO FOR BEGINNERS:
FREE Beginner Trial Lessons September 10th & 17th.You got it. That is FREE.
No Experience required.
No Commitment - you don't pay unless you decide to register for lessons.
When: Saturday Sept. 10th & 17th @ 7:00pm
Who: You! And all your friends - no dance experience required, and no need to bring your own partner.
What to Bring:
-Please bring a pair of clean, indoor, non-marking soled shoes to dance in. Generally shoes with little to no tread work best, and ladies generally dance in flats rather than heels.
-There is no water fountain at the church, so feel free to bring a waterbottle.
Property Rules:
The church property is a non-smoking, non-littering, and alcohol free property. We also work hard to leave their floors clean and unscuffed (see above re shoes). Please help us maintain our friendly relations by respecting these rule while on church property.
Registration:
$20 students/low income or $28 community members. Cash accepted at lessons on September 10, 17, & 24th. Cheques made out to the Dalhousie Swing Dance Society also accepted, or pay online by PayPal. This price includes ALL your lessons for the semester, which is approximately 10 - 12 weeks of lessons!
IMPORTANT: Beginners wishing to register for Fall classes MUST attend any one of the beginner lessons offered Sept 10th, Sept 17th, or at Swing Factory on Sept 23rd before attending the Sept 24th class, as the class will progress to new moves that day and no new members will be accepted until classes begin again in January.
INFO FOR RETURNING MEMBERS:
On September 10th there will be a special "Steals and Tricks" class from 7:00 - 8:00 for all returning dancers (entering Level 2, 3, or 4). These classes are always a fun time, and they add a little flare and fun to your time on the social dance floor afterward!
Remember to bring cash or cheque to register for the semester. New price is all-inclusive for any number of classes: $20 student/low income, $28 community. You can also pay online by PayPal.
Please also remember to respect Church policies of clean, non-marking soled shoes, and no alcohol, smoking, or littering on church property.
Starting September 17th we will begin our regular lesson schedule, which will be announced very soon.
JSO Show on September 10th
That's right, Jubilee Swing Orchestra's first show of the fall lands conveniently on our first day of lessons! We're ending lessons & social dancing at 9:00 so everyone can make it out to the show: Saturday, September 10th, 10pm @ The Seahorse.
Check them out on Facebook for more info!
PS: It's Mad Men themed! Also, we are in the process of negotiating a discount on cover similar to last year - we'll announce the verdict at lessons that night, but bring your DSDS membership card to take advantage of any discount available!
Orientation Week Events
These events are designed to have a little fun dancing out in social settings, and to encourage new people to come out to our free trial lessons. All previous dancers are welcome to drop by for a few minutes or an afternoon to dance and tell people about your fantastic experiences swing dancing with DSDS! All new or potential dancers are welcome to drop by to chat and learn more about the club!
Thursday Sept 8th: Kings Society Fair. Location: Kings University Quad. Time: TBA.
Tuesday Sept 13th: Swingin' in the Sun @ the SUB. Location: Dal SUB, outside the front doors. Time: 1 - 3 pm
Wednesday Sept 14th: Dal Societies Fair. Location: Dal SUB.
Images by Angelina Coccimiglio
About a month ago, a bunch of us went to the JazzFest grand finale featuring Alex Pangman and the Jubilee Swing Orchestra. Angelina Coccimiglio was there too, and she shared some of her photos with us! The following photos are copyright © 2011 Angelina Coccimiglio.
WHOA!
JazzFest Finale
JUBILEE SWING ORCHESTRA
ALEX PANGMAN
JULY 16
The title pretty much says it all! We all love dancing to the JSO sooo much that no one would even consider missing this show! What you need to do now is this: check out the JazzFest page for the show. And this page here, for the late night show. Oh yeah, and also prebuy the tickets... because they are going to go fast!
Also, you should check out JSO and Alex Pangman's websites.
Halifax Swing Factory!
Halifax Swing Factory is the monthly social dance open to EVERYONE! If you ever though of trying out swing dancing or you are unable to attend our regular classes, Swing Factory is the easiest way to start swing dancin' fast!
The doors open at 8pm, and there is a beginner (no experience or partner required) lesson at 830 to teach you some sweet sweet swing moves and get you dancing right away! After the lesson our DJs will play music for the rest of the night so you can practice you moves on the dance floor. Swing dancing is a great way to meet new people, get moving, and have a great Friday night!
Halifax Swing Factory will take place on Fridays: June 24th, July 22nd and August 19th. The dances will take place downtown at a little dance studio at 1313 Hollis Street, and will cost you only $5 to attend. (We are a volunteer organization and this fee covers the studio,equipment rentals, and related expenses)
I hope to see you all there!
Summer Classes Starting THIS WEEKEND!
That's right. I know you have all been waiting for this! The classes will recommence on Saturday, May 28th
The classes will be every other Saturday and will take place at the First Baptist Church on the following days:
May 28th
June 11th
June 25th
July 9th
July 23rd
August 6th
There will be 3 levels:
Beginner: No previous experience required.
7-8pm
Intermediate: If you have taken the beginner class!
8-9pm
Advanced: At least one year of dancing experience.
9-10pm
Social Dancing: 7-10pm
And if you are not sure which level you should be taking, feel free to ask one of the instructors! Also, if you are a follow, try taking beginner class as a lead, and leads: try following!
The price is only $10 for one level + $5 for each additional level, for the ENTIRE 6-LESSON SERIES!!
So I hope to see you all this Saturday, and stay tuned for more info on Summer events!
P.S. The word on the street: everyone is hitting bearlys after the lessons this saturday... maybe you should too!
AGM and SUPERNOVA This Saturday!
Saturday, April 9
First Baptist Church
7:30 Annual General Meeting (AGM) upstairs for DSDS members
7:30 Drop-in Swing SuperNova lesson downstairs
9:00ish Social Dance begins
10:00 - 11:45 LIVE BAND - The Tritones
Adjusted Schedule for April 2nd
This week we are at the Cameron Room, Howe Hall, 6230 Coburg Road. Because of the limited space, we have to adjust the lesson schedule:
7pm: Level 1, no level 3
8pm: Social Dance
9pm: Level 2 and 3 combined
No Level 4 class.
IMPORTANT!!! AGM Survey
Ok, this is very important! We need your input really bad, so we can prepare for the AGM. Please fill out our AGM Survey by April 5th!
DalDanceShow on Sunday, March 27
Our choreo group is performing this Sunday at the DalDance annual show. The show will start at 7pm. It's $7/students with an id, $10 for community. Come support our dancers and enjoy an evening of dancing :)
Workshop Review Videos
Greg and Laurie offered to video tape a "workshop review diary" and we couldn't say no! The review videos are here! Also check out the video from the Instructor Jam!
Since I was updating videos, the videos from Level 3 charleston sections are now up as well!
Shirley Jackson @ Bearlys Tomorrow!
Shirley Jackson & her Good Rockin' Daddys are playing at Bearly's tomorrow night! You know what to do!
Greg and Laurie Workshop!!!
Greg Avakian & Laurie Zimmerman are coming all the way from Philly to teach our spring weekend workshop! More info will be up soon as we work out the details. Meanwhile, clear your calendars for that weekend, and check out their website!
All Levels Workshop: Saturday March 19th
Location: First Baptist ChurchTime: 10am - 5pm
Intermediate Workshop: Sunday March 20th
Location: TBAPrice: $25 for one day or $40 for both days.
Register OnlineSaturday workshop is open for all members: both beginner and intermediate dancers are encouraged to attend. Sunday workshop is open to Level 2 and up.
Jubilee Swing Orchestra!
'nuff said. Members get 1/2 discount if you show your card!
A Wink & A Smile
Date: Friday March 18th @ Paragon Theatre
Details: A sizzling theatrical production, plus live music and dance! Expect eyes to be poppin and jaws to be droppin'. Performers will heat up the stage with dramatic fire taming, striptease, sultry satire and a playful fan dance -- all to the swingin beat of early rock'n'roll. Enjoy a wild night ahead, as we swing back in time to the rockin' 1950s!
Discount: $10 when you show a DSDS Membership Card (that's 1/2 price!)
Schedule of events:
8pm - Free Show Miss Molotov & Greg The Magic Man
9pm - Doors open
9-10pm - Dal Swing Intro Lesson!
10pm - Shake Down Combo
11pm - Burlesque First Act
11:45pm - Intermission
12am - Burlesque Second Act
1am - The Trouble Shooters Chuck Berry Tribute Act
2am - Close
Swing Workshop For Beginners
When: Sunday, February 27 [ 10am - 3pm ]
Where: Studely Gym Dance Studio [ see map ]
Price: $25 [ includes DSDS membership ]
The goal of this workshop is to allow people who attended SwingSuperNova dances to learn more swing moves and technique without attending our regular Saturday night lessons. During this Sunday workshop we will teach you all of the material we covered in the regular beginner class up to this point. This will allow you to join our regular Saturday night lessons, and attend the big guest instructor workshop in March!
If you are not familiar with Dalhousie Campus, Studley Gym Dance Studio is located in the basement of the Studley gym [ see map ].
Registration is open online or at the door.
New Moves Online!
Swing SuperNova this Saturday
Swing Workshop For Beginners
When: Sunday, February 27 [ 10am - 3pm ]
Where: Studely Gym Dance Studio [ see map ]
Price: $25 [ includes DSDS membership ]
The goal of this workshop is to allow people who attended SwingSuperNova dances to learn more swing moves and technique without attending our regular Saturday night lessons. During this Sunday workshop we will teach you all of the material we covered in the regular beginner class up to this point. This will allow you to join our regular Saturday night lessons, and attend the big guest instructor workshop in March!
If you are not familiar with Dalhousie Campus, Studley Gym Dance Studio is located in the basement of the Studley gym [ see map ].
Registration is open online or at the door.
Events Calendar
You now have an opportunity to sponsor Swing with the Fishes '11 by donating balloons! It's only $2/balloon, and your name or your company's name will go on a tag of these balloons! There is no limit on how little or how many balloons you can donate: buy one, and come to next years Fishes knowing that there is a balloon out there with your name on it, buy ten and see them all over the room! Donations from local businesses are welcome. Please contact us if you are interested in alternative ways of sponsoring Fishes'11 event.
What's That Move?
Valentine Sweetheart's Dance
Swing + Salsa = ♡ ♡
Swing SuperNova TONIGHT!
DSDS Membership Cards!
Swing SuperNova Community Dance
Swing Orchestra, TONIGHT!
Swing + Salsa = ♡
Know Your Execs
New Semester & Classes
Check It Out!
Happy Holidays!
OMG it's G&A!!!
Directions to Fishes!
Remembrance Day & the Fishes!
And of course,
SWING WITH THE FISHES! THIS WEEKEND!
Buy tickets cheap online now or $20 at the door!
Greg and Laura's Workshop!
New Fishes'10 Poster
Workshops, Workshops, Workshops!
New Website Launch!
Online Store
We are trying something new! By registering securely online via PayPal you will manage to avoid the registration lineup and save us the hassle of late registration!
If you purchase tickets to Fishes or a T Shirt, please talk to us in person at the lessons and we will give you the goods!
Go to the Store
