SwingOrama

2plyswing · Shorty George Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 398

SPECIAL RICHARD POWERS WORKSHOPS THIS SATURDAY.
SPECIAL HEP SPOT SCHEDULE...

SATURDAY at the VMMC in Balboa Park:
Classes are $15/person at the door...

8:30am - Door open
9:00-9:50 - Precursors to Swing: Two-Step and Texas Tommy
10:00-10:50 - Peabody and Savoy Walk
11:00-12:00 - Charleston and The original 1927 Savoy Lindy Hop
12:00-1:00 - Lunch and lecture
1:00-2:00 - Tango
2:10-2:50 - Blues
3:00-4:00 - Review and expansion of the 1927 Lindy Hop
3:00-5:00 - FREE afternoon dance

Dance is $15/person at the door...
Sprecial night of live music with the not so Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestra
Playing your favorite Swing tunes with a Pit Orchestra flair...
7:00-10:00 - Special Vintage dance - attire and musice of the 20s/30s
10:00-12:00 - Swing Dance

Hope to see you all this Saturday.

Joel & Alison

RednBubba · Swing Charleston Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 1096

Is anyone going this Saturday?

We'll be there from 3-5...Ryan wants to test out his dancing with other follows.. (hint hint Twisted Evil

) hee hee

I think this will be all the dancing I get until Henry's... Sad

avh4 · Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 4:14 pm GMT Post subject:

I hope I get to hear about this -- it sounds like some awesome classes. I will be in LA this weekend, otherwise I would be there.

shepkatt · Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 4:44 pm GMT Post subject:

Jeff · Jitterbug Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 3259

I wish I could go to all of this workshop!! I've got to work all day tomorrow.

RednBubba · Swing Charleston Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 1096

Guest · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:14 pm GMT Post subject:

Dean and I went to the first three classes and the lecture/movie clips over lunch, loved every minute of it, and thought it all well worth the price of admission!

The classes were FABULOUS, and Richard Powers is a wonderful teacher. He's informative, he's funny, he's concise, and he keeps things moving. We loved the historical progression that we got to dance, from the Polka (yes, Polka) up to the beginning of the swingout.

We would definitely return for classes with Richard!

RednBubba · Swing Charleston Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 1096

We just got back from the 3-5 afternoon dance, and we saw the end of the Richard powers review dance.. it was pretty interesting, and I wish I could have taken some of the other classes. But I was glad we got see the review part.
Thanks again Joel and Alison for putting on the Hep Spot...We always love when we get to go. Mr. Green

avh4 · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:53 pm GMT Post subject:

Wow, I totally missed out then. I expect to see you guys pulling this stuff out on the dance floor though. Smile

2plyswing · Shorty George Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 398

This was AMAZING!

Richard Powers has been working on piecing the evolution of the into "Swing Dancing" and taught us the 'Africanized Polka' which transformed into the 'Texas Tommy' which later combined with other influences became the Lindy Hop. The video clip was worth the price of admission alone.

He showed many variations of vintage steps that can be done anywhere - Tango, Blues, One Step, Fox Trot, etc... It really made Steven & Virginie's Swing Walk class make more sense as well as other variations I have seen in old clips or heard about from the original dancers.

The more we work with and take these Vintage Classes, the more related all dancing becomes. We are working very hard to find time to work on these steps and concepts more so that we can start adding them into our repertoire of dancing and teaching.

Don't hold your breath - I worked with Maxie, Jonathan, & Sylvia for 2 years before feeling like I could really teach Balboa correctly. We still have a lot of work to do...

The HEP SPOT was way cool - the vintage dancers (and Alison & I) were all dressed up (tuxes, dresses, etc) and the Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestra played some way cool variations on our favorites tunes with very unique instruments and noise makers. At one point, the audience participated by playing slide whistles with the band and Zoe had a turn playing the THERAMIN (spelling?) - GREAT FUN!

A very unique event to say the least.

How was the Rhythm is Jumpin' Weekend?

ALOHA

Joel

LINDYMOUSE · Truckin' Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 84

The most disappointing thing, for me about the workshop, was the lack of interest by local San Diego dancers. I knew nothing of this man, but the class schedule caught my interest, so I went. It was a amazing! San Diego, known World Wide for its lousy dancers who think they are GREAT,
"I don't need lessons", "I can learn by watching and dancing with others" attitude has in the last two months missed two great opportunities to learn from the best the world has to offer. Why? Guys and Gals enjoy having their arms and shoulders yanked out of their sockets? Enjoy being kicked and stepped on on the dance floor? Have no clue how good a great swingout feels? Maybe just don't know the difference? I had a great time and learned thing I never knew. The rest of you, SORRY!

spencer! · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:27 pm GMT Post subject:

Ocean2 · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:00 pm GMT Post subject:

I think Lindymouse was just giving a light generalization to make a point.

Hmmm . . . LindyM, was it you who I threw into the chandelier in that aerial? But the fire department did get you down within an hour, didn't they? Rolling Eyes

Salboa · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:08 pm GMT Post subject:

Hoot!

Ocean2 · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:20 pm GMT Post subject:

Salboa · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:25 pm GMT Post subject:

I think there are copywrite infringahments or sumthin like that, duder. Razz

swiveltam · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:28 pm GMT Post subject:

I was thinking about this workshop and I really wanted to go, but I couldn't talk David into it. I honestly thought, that as a follow, if I don't have my lead or if none of leads that I regulalry dance with are going to the workshop, why should I go? I know that may be a lousy attitude, but I just didn't see the benefit of going by myself. I know I would have learned some cool stuff and the video clips would have been great; I love the lindy from a historic standpoint, but who am I going to practice with? Who's going to dance these dances at Henry's or Firehouse or LBtB?

I don't know how to get more people interested. Maybe we just need more new people to infuse excitement into the scene. I don't know what you can do about the apathy. I know when I first started dancing circumstances were different (no kids, no house), and I was obsessed and tried to take every workshop I could. I think maybe this scene really needs some more new blood and maybe younger blood?

Salboa · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:41 pm GMT Post subject:

shepkatt · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:45 pm GMT Post subject:

I kinda get where Dean was coming from. When we did that poll about workshops a few months back most people who responded, responded that they just don't do workshops anymore.. And when Tam posted that one poll about rating your own skill level -- most folks ranked themselves as intermediate/advanced or advanced.

So, with that in mind.. if the instructors keep putting on workshops -- who are they putting them on for? Who will attend? Will it be the 100 vs 100,000 that lisaconway spoke about in her post? Where she said that workshops need to be geared for and promoted and marketed to those 100,000 folks who don't know what Lindy/Swing is? Or do you gear it to the 100 some odd folks who know what it is but who are intermediate/advanced and who admit that they don't do workshops anymore?

Now.. I have never heard anything about San Diego being known World Wide for it's lousy dancers who think they are great. Usually when I am speaking with someone from out of town they all note how friendly we seem to be. But I haven't been around very long so I am probably out of the loop on this one.

Guest · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:34 pm GMT Post subject:

I'm guessing we're about average in terms the of the "big fish, little pond" syndrome. My general impression is that in a town such as L.A. there are so many amazing, top-of-the-game dancers that it keeps those around them who may be a bit less accomplished a little more humble.

Many of the L.A. folk I've encountered are rabid for learning and attend workshops and study videos. That's not so common down here, that’s all. And perhaps because we’re all so used to one another our bar tends not to get raised…we get complacent and our egos tend to grow a bit out of proportion to reality. Now, if folks are having fun and going out and whooping it up, that’s cool. If folks are growing egos and giving attitude and talking about community but not participating, that’s not.