Ballroom Newsletter – June 4th 2013
Dear Dancer,
Wow!!! What a weekend for dancing! Last Friday night we went to the Kiwanis Big Band Dinner Dance in Yreka (which was a blast). We got to dance to fabulous big band music and meet lots of new people). It was a great evening and we look forward to doing it again next year. (If you missed it, there is going to be a similar function at the McCloud Dance Hall on July 27th with the same big Band, Siskiyou Big Band. Come all.)
And then last Saturday’s combined Country/Ballroom/Line Dance get together was a hoot (at least, that’s what the local owls had to say about it) and a good time was had by all. It is always fun to see how other people have fun and to give them a place and the chance to do it. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and we certainly enjoyed ourselves. This will happen again next year, end of May/beginning of June so mark it on your calendars.
So. The Grand Cycle begins again. Those of you who are (relatively) new to us perhaps don’t know that we follow a fairly consistent pattern of teaching in which we start with the easiest, least complex dances and one by one, go from the easiest to the most difficult. Some of you who only just joined us in the last few months actually began learning with some of the more complex and harder to learn dances.
This month, the Tuesday night beginning class begins The Grand Cycle all over again with the easiest to learn of all the dances, the American Style Foxtrot (which will then move to the Wednesday and Thursday night classes in July, picking up a little International style along the way). That means that those of you who have been struggling with the likes of the Quickstep and the Swing will find it much easier going and your progress will accelerate.
Also, if any of you have any friends who have expressed an interest but were a little nervous about taking that first step, this would be the perfect month for them to get started. So now would be the time to encourage them to take the plunge. And if you have already taken Foxtrot the last time it came through, take it again. You will be surprised at how much clearer it will be and how much deeper your understanding will become (and how much more natural and easy it will seem). And it will also set you up for the Big Band Dance concert on July 27th, since a large number of the songs they played were Foxtrots>
Grand Cycle, day one. We look forward to seeing all you there.
(Just a reminder, if you know anyone who has a child or children who would like to dance, we are holding our first ever Youth Dance Program sponsored by the Mt. Shasta Park and Recreation the week of June 10th (Mon 6/10 – Fri 6/14 from 10:00 am to Noon). All levels from 1st grade to Senior in High School are welcome. Pass it on to any of your friends with kids (or to your own kids if you have them. If this works out, we may hold another one later in the Summer.)
See you on the dance floor.
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PRIVATE LESSONS are AVAILABLE to anyone who would rather learn in a more personal environment (i.e. no witnesses) or to anyone who wants to progress faster or to anyone who simply wants private lessons. )Also, if you cannot make any of the group class times, private lessons are arranged in accordance with your schedule and at your convenience. Contact us by e-mail or telephone (number can be found below).
GROUP PRIVATES are also available. If you can’t make it to our classes and you think you have a number of friends and acquaintances who would be interested, let us know and we can come to you at time more convenient to you.
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This week’s schedule:
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THE WELLNESS CENTERS:
Tuesday, June 4: Mt. Shasta Wellness Center (633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta): Beginning Ballroom FOXTROT 6:45-7:45 pm
Wednesday, June 5: Mt. Shasta Wellness Center (633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta): Ballroom for Parkinson’s Noon-1:00 pm
Wednesday, June 5: School Hill Wellness Center in Weed (778 S. Davis St., Weed): SALSA 6:45-7:45 pm
Thursday, June 6: Mt. Shasta Wellness Center (633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta): SALSA 6:45-7:45 pm
For the month of June, the Tuesday night Beginning Class, the Dance of The Month will be FOXTROT.
And in the Wednesday/Thursday night classes the dance for the Dance of The Month of June will be SALSA.
Please come join us.
You do not need to be a Wellness Center member to attend these classes.
Single class: $7.00/person.
Class Card (four classes or more): non-members: $20 for four classes ($5.00/class per person).
Wellness Center Members can get special discount: Buy a class card for $20.00 and get 8 classes (a value of $2.50 per class).
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FORT JONES COMMUNITY CENTER
FORT JONES COMMUNITY CENTER in Scott Valley (15 min. from Yreka)
11960 East Street Fort Jones, CA
Our next visits to Fort Jones will be Monday June 17 and Friday June 28.
Group Class is at 6:30-7:30
Cost $10 per person
If anyone else wishes to schedule a private lesson, please e-mail us or call us at the contact information below.
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SATURDAY MORNING TECHNIQUE CLASS: June 1, 8, 15, 29
(no morning class on the 22nd)
At the Mt. Shasta Park and Recreation District
1315 Nixon Rd.
Dudes & Daises Lodge
10:00 – 11:00 -Technique Drills in “International Standard & American Smooth Style Dances”. Focusing on Lowering, Rotation and Sway which improves your performance in all of the dances.
11:00 – Noon – Amalgamations. This month’s dance: FOXTROT
This is your chance to start preparing for the Big Band bash happening at the McCloud Dance Hall on July 27th. The Siskiyou Big Band will be playing and there will be dancing (or you could just come to class to learn the Foxtrot). The class will focus on the basics and how training in technique will improve your dancing at all levels from beginning through Open Gold. This will allow you to have more fun more quickly and advance at a faster rate, thereby allowing you to have even more fun even more quickly. Come to class and try it.
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Saturday Evening Lesson and Dance Party this week: June 8,
1315 Nixon Road
Mt. Shasta Park
“Dudes & Daises” Lodge
Time: 7:00-8:00 Lesson Night Club 2 Step
8:00-10:00 Practice/Dance Party
Cost: $10 per person
$5 Practice/Dance Party only
Refreshments Provided.
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SUMMER TECHNIQUE WORKSHOP: June 24th & 25th
Good news, our summer Technique Workshop is back on in June at the McCloud Dance Hall. It will be held on Monday and Tuesday, June 24th and 25th. The times will be from 10:00 am -12:00 n and 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm each day with a practice dance session from 7:00 – 9:00 pm on Monday night. This workshop will be following Ron Montez’s weekend workshop and will be addressing the technique that will improve your execution of the steps he will have taught.
Anyone wishing to attend who has not taken the Ron Montez workshop will still learn the technique, since the technique applies to all dances. We will use steps from the level at which you are the most comfortable so that you will be able to focus completely on the technique itself, thereby receiving the greatest benefit.
Technique itself is widely viewed as something that is plastered on top of the steps to make them look pretty. This view could not be more wrong. Good technique lies at the very core of each and every step you take. The only difference between doing a step well and doing a step poorly is level of technique. You do have to learn the steps first (one cannot, after all, apply the technique to nothing), but once learned, doing it right has so many more rewards for you, the dancer, than most realize.
Doing a step well does not only mean looking good doing it. It also means getting the most pleasure out of the movement and also sharing that pleasure with your partner (showing him or her a good time, so to speak). In Ballroom Dance, the most efficient, practical and effective way of moving ends up being the most beautiful way of moving (and the most fun). The “rules” of Ballroom Dance are not so much “rules” as they are descriptions of what it looks like when it is being done right. In fact, 80 to 90 per cent of the “rules” of Ballroom Dance are actually the same as the laws of movement dynamics (closely related to the laws of physics). Adhere to them and you will be able to do anything you want on the dance floor.
Come learn them and then you can tell us how much more fun you are having (we will be able to see how much better you look).
Two day Seminar: $100
Single Day Rate: $55
Monday June 24th: 10:00 am – 12:00 n: Waltz
Monday June 24th: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Latin
Monday June 24th: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Assisted Practice Session/Open Dancing
Tuesday June 25th: 10:00 – 12:00 n: Quickstep
Tuesday June 25th: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Recap of Workshop.
Private Lessons available during non-workshop hours. Discount for workshop members.
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Any questions, please call or e-mail us. We love hearing from you and welcome any suggestions. Information regarding dance gift certificates can be found on our website: www.mtshastadance.com.
Cheers,
Rick and Peggy Nixon
Ballroom Dance Professionals
415/215-2652 (cell)
McCloud Dance Hall, McCloud CA
davisnixon@msn.com
Feel free to pass this on to anyone that you think might be interested in attending our classes.