Appreciating the blues: Blues dance classes that will help all-levels of blues dancers run 8 weeks this summer, from 26 May to 14 July: Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 at 1313 Hollis Street. We will work on reinforcing basic techniques, reviewing vintage blues genres as we also introduce new concepts, techniques, and moves to interest and challenge dancers at all levels. Learn more about blues music as you work on improving your own blues dancing. Join Jill and Ömercan on Thursday nights 6:30 to 8:30 at (with some social dance time included). The prices for the set of all 8 classes will be $25 for students and $35 for community members, and can can registered the full set online through Paypal here. Also, feel free to drop-in to the classes which individually are priced at $5 for students and $7 for community members.
Whether you’re a beginner trying to figure out what blues dancing is about, or you’ve been dancing for a while but recognize that you could improve your technique, Summertime Blues is an all-levels class with something for you. We’ll begin with exercises to develop technique in the first half of the class, have an interlude of social dancing, and then expand your repertoire with a move that draws on the techniques we’ve developed. Each class is named after a blues song that reveals the musical theme for the week.
26 May – “24-hour blues” [Celebrating Canadian blues artists] Refreshing the basic blues pulse, posture, connection, and aesthetic.
2 June – “Blues we like” [Celebrating BB King] Getting cosy and connected with close embrace.
9 June – “Walking blues” [Celebrating Big Mama Thornton] Slow dragging around the dance floor.
16 June – “Blues my naughty sweetie gives me” [Celebrating jazz blues] Ballroomin’ blues.
23 June – “Feelin’ good” [Celebrating Junior’s blues] Dancing to fast and funky blues.
30 June – “Somebody was watching” [Celebrating gospel blues] Call and response patterns.
7 July – “Rock me” [Celebrating Muddy Waters] - Vintage blues dances that engage the hips.
14 July – “Crossroads” [Celebrating Delta blues] – Tuning into the music.