Midori and Chad

We’ll be teaching workshops for the Tokyo Swing Dance Society again this summer! The workshops, held on July 3rd and 4th, happen to be near my birthday. So it’s a nice gift for me, a chance to share dances we love!

LOCATION:
Sogo Undojo, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.

DAY-1: Sunday July 3rd 2010
Kaigi-Shitsu-Ken-KeiUndo-Shitsu

12:30-14:00 Peabody I:
(all levels, some dance experience useful)
We’ll begin with a brief review of the basics (essentials from our previous workshop) before launching into new material.

14:00-15:30 Peabody II:
(all levels, some dance experience useful)
I think we can fly. What makes Peabody fun is that it travels fast. In this class, we will learn more ways to make this dance fly.

15:30-17:00 Charleston I:
(all levels, some dance experience useful)

We’ll begin with a brief review of the basic (essentials from our previous workshop) before adding new ideas. Footloose, fun and leadable.

17:00-18:00 Lecture with old film footage, Q&A
This will be a screening of old film footage with some notes and interesting facts. Less talking, more watching!

DAY-2: Sunday July 4th 2010
Taiiku-Shitsu

12:30-14:00 Peabody III:
(all levels, some dance experience useful)
What’s all that traveling without a little fancy footwork. We’ll put all those fast feet to good use. This will be fun.

15:00-16:30 Charleston II:
(intermediate-advanced)
More ideas that will make you request Charleston more for social dances.

15:00-16:30 Lindy Hop:
(intermediate-advanced)
We are really excited about this class. It will cover fundamentals, styling, and new ideas.

17:00-18:00 Q&A

Please check out the details on the following TSDS website.
http://www.impetus.ne.jp/

SIGN-UP IS REQUIRED. You can find how to do it on the workshops page (link above).

Posted on June 14th, 2010 by chad
Filed under: Workshops | Comments Off

“New York, New York, it’s a helluva town…” begins the lyrics of a famous song about the Big Apple. We couldn’t agree more. Both Midori and I arrived well over a decade ago with limited budgets, few prospects, but dreams to make a life in the City that Never Sleeps. It’s really hard to believe it, but we did it. We found Lindy Hop, Tap, Charleston, Peabody and many other dances. We found great friends and mentors. We had too many special nights to count from the eras of Elixir and Hi-Life to Bubble Lounge and the Supper Club to Louisiana and Swing 46 to Jack’s and Frim Fram. Most memorably, we found each other and our son was born here—so we now have a native New Yorker in the family. But to pile on the cliches, nothing lasts forever. We had an opportunity to move to Japan and we took it. It is bittersweet. We say goodbye to a place we have called home for 15 years, almost as many as we lived in our childhood homes. But we are also excited to see what life is like in the Land of the Rising Sun. I have always marveled at Tokyo during our annual visits to see Midori’s family and friends. Now I get a chance to experience it as an insider (kind of). It may take awhile to resettle as I will be a high school teacher and Indigo will be starting school. But we are excited to see what dancing in Tokyo will be like.

We wish that things weren’t so hectic. We had only a little more than a month notice that I had been accepted into the national teaching program. We wish we could see all our friends, dance a bit, and enjoy our favorite haunts before heading out. Unfortunately, we didn’t get much time to packed up and gear up for the big move. So we’ll have to save it for a return voyage. So fond farewell, New York. Meanwhile, hello Tokyo!

We will be in touch, once things get settled. And look forward to representing the Big Apple in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Thanks again!

Chad, Midori and Indigo

Posted on July 22nd, 2009 by chad
Filed under: Events, News | Comments Off

We’ll be in Stamford, Connecticut for the American Lindy Hop Championships. It is exciting to participate in the 10th annual edition of Lindy’s Fall Classic. We are honored to be judges at the event, which always features great dancing.

Posted on October 24th, 2008 by chad
Filed under: Events | Comments Off