Dear Dancer,

It looks like May is going to be Quickstep month. Not only are we offering it in the Wednesday and Thursday night classes but it is also the Dance being taught in the Saturday morning Technique class. That way you will be able to learn the steps on Wednesday and Thursday, and then on Saturday, strengthen and develop your dancing skills to wring the most pleasure out of the dance and look good doing it. By the end of the month, you could be a Quickstep Adept.

In other news, we have upgraded our website (mtshastadance.com) to include a Special events category and a calendar so that you can look ahead and see not only what we will be doing in our weekly classes but our special workshops as well. Our thanks to John Cumming for all of his invaluable help.

If you are a beginner, come to our Salsa class on Tuesday nights, starting next Tuesday. Don’t forget, in June, the Salsa will move to the Wednesday and Thursday night classes, so if you start now, in two months you will have quite a number of steps under your belt (or under your shoelaces, if you rather) and will be able to go to any Salsa club and have fun.

See you on the dance floor.

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).

This week’s schedule:

THE WELLNESS CENTERS:

Tuesday, April 30: Mt. Shasta Wellness Center (633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta): Beginning Ballroom QUICKSTEP 6:45-7:45 pm

Wednesday, May 1: Mt. Shasta Wellness Center (633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta): Basic Ballroom for Parkinson’s Noon-1:00 pm

Wednesday, May 2: School Hill Wellness Center in Weed (778 S. Davis St., Weed): QUICKSTEP 6:45-7:45 pm

Thursday, May 3: Mt. Shasta Wellness Center (633 Lassen Lane, Mt. Shasta): QUICKSTEP 6:45-7:45 pm

MAY Dance of The Month for the Wednesday and Thursday night classes is QUICKSTEP .

For the month of May, the Tuesday night Beginning Class, the Dance of The Month will be SALSA.
And in the Wednesday/Thursday night classes the dance for the month of May will be QUICKSTEP.

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).

FORT JONES COMMUNITY CENTER
in Scott Valley (15 min. from Yreka)
11960 East Street Fort Jones, CA

Fridays, May 10 & 31
We will be holding a Group Class from 6:30-7:30
Cost $10.00 per class
Please come and join us.

If anyone else wishes to schedule a private lesson, please e-mail us or call us at the contact information below.

SATURDAY MORNING TECHNIQUE CLASS: May 4, 11, 18, (no classes May 25)
At the Mt. Shasta Park and Recreation District
1315 Nixon Rd.
Dudes & Daises Lodge
(May 18th we will be holding classes at the McCloud Dance Hall, 104 Pine St. McCloud)

10:00 – 11:00 -Technique Drills in “International Standard & 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: QUICKSTEP

This class uses basic Bronze (and some Silver, possibly Gold) steps to develop and strengthen your ability to dance smoothly and boldly (which, just between you and me, is where the real fun is hidden). The International Technique also applies to American Style dances and will strengthen ones ability to have more power and control when dancing in the American Style. Come learn the techniques that will give you maximum control over your balance, your timing and your power.

Cost: $10 per person for two hour session.

Come to the whole series to get the full benefit or just drop in when you can -there are benefits to be gained from each session.

No Saturday Evening Dance Lesson and Practice this week
At the Mt. Shasta Park and Recreation District
1315 Nixon Rd.
Dudes & Daisies Lodge

Saturday Evening Classes and Practice Party will continue to be held every second and fourth Saturday of each month. We will be back at the McCloud Dance Hall in May for some of our Saturday classes. Watch for announcements.

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.

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.