the lessons:
Jitterbug to Lindy ~ Essential Swing Dance Classes
A 12 week program, consisting of two 6-week class sessions •
Mondays, July 6th - August 10th, 2009
Is the next session we have scheduled.
next 6-week session after that:
Mondays, September 14th - October 19th, 2009
Then the first available Monday every other month thereafter ~
at Taft Street Coffee
2115 Taft - Houston 77006
(East of Montrose, between W.Grey/Welch and Drew/Fairview)
. . . . .
This dance we call Swing is the most versatile and useful partner dance you can learn!
When you hear someone say, "I swing dance," you may just think of Zoot Suits or bobby socks and poodle skirts — but it is so much more! With our stress of true lead-follow connection, you can use your swing dancing skills to not only dance to swing, but to a whole variety of music (even some you never thought you could partner dance to!).
Not only that, but its connection will allow you to much more easily mimic or learn most any other dance you might find on the floor.
If you want to experience what we're talking about, please come join us and "savour the dance."
Our 12 week program, consisting of two 6-week (Monday evening) class sessions, covers Jitterbug and then Lindy-Hop, the original swing from Harlem's Savoy Ballroom in the late 1920’s. In our classes you'll get:
• A variety of fundamental moves to get you started
• A true lead-follow dance experience, so you can dance with a world of swing dancers, and
• A feel for the music and a sense of how to play and make your swing soar!
part I . Essential Swing: 7:00 - 8:15pm
~ discovering the source of our swing ~
Beginning from scratch - we get the feel of what makes swing work
with 6-count Jitterbug & then taking it into Lindy-Hop!
part II . Essentially Swing: 8:30 - 9:45pm
~ building our swing from the source ~
Now that we're dancing our swing with connection, energy, frame & counterbalance — there
is so much more Jitterbug & Lindy that we can do as we explore, add, embellish and create!!
See fuller descriptions below.
. . . . .
$35 - Students and Ecclesia Members*
$50 - The rest of us
The first class is just $10 and that will be applied to your session's tuition when you come back the second week to register.
All you need to do is just show up!
See repeat and other discounts below.
Interested Swing Teachers - please contact us for special rate
Discounts - Purpose
We really want to help you learn to Swing Dance and embrace it as a source of enjoyment and revitalization for years to come.
To be honest, this is rarely done in a single 6-week beginning swing session. Most often repeating the Part I (Essential Swing) class at least once, and then following it with Part II (Essentially Swing) one or more times (the contents varies some each time) is necessary for it to sink in and become yours (I can't tell you how many times I've done beginning dance classes!).
With that in mind we offer these discounts to encourage you to continue your Swing study beyond a single experience of the Part I (Essential Swing) class — and to take the time to really feel it, absorb it, create with it.
Boomerang Discount: You're coming back!
If you have completed any given session of a class once (Part I once, or Part II once) then you will qualify for a discount off any further repeats of that same class. This discount will be $15 off the Regular Rate, and $10 off the Student Rate.
This offer is good anytime within 7 months of completing your last session.
Buddy Discount: You're bringing a friend!
If you have attended any complete class (Part I or Part II), and then subsequently bring a buddy (pal, friend, chum, compadre...) to the Part I (Essential Swing), then you will receive a $10 credit off your session (you may be in either class) as well as our heartfelt thanks. : )
Feedback Discount: You've got something to share!
If you have completed any given session of a class and have some considered, thoughtful feedback (in an email) that might help us in furture classes, then we'll happily give you an additional $5 off the next session you take.
This offer is good anytime within a month of completing the class in question and then can be used the next time you register for a session.
These above discounts may be combined.
Double-up Discount: You're doing both classes together (sorta)!
If you repeat the Part I class while wanting to also take Part II, then you will get a 50% discount off the first class (Part I) PLUS Part II will be further reduced $10 off the Regular Rate, or $5 off the Student Rate.
This discount can also be claimed if you need/want to take the 2 classes in different sessions. Simply pay for the two classes together and your Part II class will be waiting for you.
This discount is applied after the above discounts.
When you pay please have your discounts (and amounts) listed in a note so that we can register you efficiently. ~thank you
Drop-ins: Once you've taken a class for a full session once, then you also have the option of just dropping in to that class for $10.
Joining mid-session: We usually discourage anyone joining a class after the second week because we will have already covered a good deal of our fundamentals and we need to keep the class moving.
Our sessions are not pro-rated and if you really want to join the class late then a prerequisite will be to meet us before the class (it can be at 6:00 Monday just before the class) for a private catch-up lesson. There will be as much as a $20 additional charge for that extra time.
. . . . .
The classes
We focus very much on connected lead-follow dancing, not choreography or some system of signals and interpretations.
In our 12 week program we'll take you from learning to connect with each other and getting the feel of how to use your body in swing - to using your connection and energy to move and express yourselves together with the music.
The first class (part I . Essential Swing - discovering the source of our swing) begins by focusing on Jitterbug (6-count, East Coast or whatever) and then segways into Lindy-Hop. More importantly though, this class introduces and develops the fundamentals of Connection, and Energy (with Frame and Counterbalance), that we think are essential to the dance all the way through — indeed they are the source of everything we do in swing!
Even if someone feels they know "the basics", we encourage taking our Part I to experience how we develop these core fundamentals.
The second class (part II . Essentially Swing - building our swing from the source) then takes those fundamentals and explores them through a variety of Jitterbug and Lindy moves including Charleston. In addition we'll introduce you to a few of the most common styles of Swing that you'll find in addition to our own flavor of Jitterbug and Lindy.
Most importantly, we'll also develop an increased understanding of where the moves "come from" (how everything we do in Swing is just another expression of this source) so you can discover your own "moves" or, even more fun, dance beyond and outside of "moves".
While still essentially Swing, this Part II class takes our connection and explores how we can use it to move and dance to a whole variety of music!
The classes are small as classes go so we get to give a little more individual attention which is very important since so much of learning the dance is in the feel.
You're welcome to come visit any Monday if you like.
We hope to see you at a session soon and let us know if you have any questions!
Here's some nice comments from some of our students.
~hank & swinging crew:)
Privates are also available.
We often consider privates to be a nice compliment to the class lessons but not a substitute. It's good to get to dance with a variety of partners in order to learn to lead-follow effectively.
*Ecclesia members refers to the Ecclesia Church which owns Taft Street Coffee.
Teaching Notes ~ notes on our philosophy and approach that may be of interest to other teachers.
