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

Jam Cellar has invited us back to Washington, D.C. for their Big, Big Event (BBE) to teach a little Peabody. We are absolutely thrilled, particularly because the dance is in June. When we traveled there to teach in March, last year, we drove in near blizzard conditions (4.5 hour drive=11 hour drive). It’s unlikely, though with global warming you never know, that we will have to deal with these conditions. (But now that I’ve opened my mouth, we’ll probably have a tropical storm, instead.) If you haven’t been to DC for dancing, then you are missing out. It is truly one of the top places in the country with a great community and one of the world’s best venues (Glen Echo). We were sad that we missed last year’s BBE, but we were already traveling in June to celebrate Indy’s 1st birthday. For us, personally, this year’s event will be a big, big event. It will likely mark Midori’s return to dancing following much needed bunion surgery in November. They say it’s 6-weeks to recover, but they mean bear weight on your foot. It’s really like 6 months to return to dancing. Yikes! She has recovered as well as we could have possibly hoped and now has a nice incentive on her calendar. I’ll post more details about the BBE when I have them.

Posted on February 10th, 2008 by chad

One of New York’s best kept secrets, Governor’s Island will host an afternoon Jazz Age dance and picnic on its great lawn on June 9 featuring Michael Arenella’s 11 piece Dreamland Orchestra. You should really mark your calendar for this one. I thoroughly enjoyed last year’s event: good music and many well-dressed people on a hot summer’s day. How often do you get an island largely to yourself (yourself and your dancing friends)? We are really excited about this year because this time we can enjoy it as a family. So get your picnic blankets and fixins together. Pull out your Jazz Age summer duds, boaters and summer hats encouraged. Hop the Governor’s Island ferry (free). And get over to this event (also free), which runs from 12noon to 4pm (but really you can arrive around 11am or earlier and relax). If you get there early, you can enjoy a Peabody dance lesson taught by us. And several hours of live music and dancing. Not a bad way to kick off your summer!
(Continue reading…)

Posted on May 4th, 2007 by chad