Our next dance will be on Saturday, October 13 featuring Boston Swing Express. The band, lead by Swing guitarist Mike DiBari, plays a mix of Little big band Swing, hot Blues and Gypsy Jazz. Also featured this month will be a special performance from some of the amazing instructors who will be in town for the TinkerBal weekend. You won’t want to miss it!

As we are settling into our new dance venue in Brookline, our usual Uptown Swing schedule has been a bit disrupted. For this October dance we are at a special location, the new Extreme Dancesport studio in Cambridge. This venue is spacious and made for dancing with a new sprung wood floor. Tons of free parking is nearby. The Alewife T is the closest stop, about a 10-15 minute walk, and there are several buses that stop very close. You can find all of the information on our website.

Uptown Swing Dance information and directions.
 
For those interested in the TinkerBal workshops, Stan & July report that only waitlist places are currently available. The instructors are Bobby White, Kate Hedin, David Rehm and Teni Lopez-Cardenas, all international Balboa stars and we are looking forward to having them all join us at our dance. If you are registered for the workshops, you are in for some excellent classes!

Check out all the details on the TinkerBal website.

Information is now available for the Skye & Naomi weekend coming up November 30 to December 2. This is our 5th time with this dynamic duo along with Gordon Webster to play for us at Saturday’s Uptown Swing. Every time this weekend somehow just gets better and better and is surely one of the best highlights of the year!

There is a full schedule of workshops with classes for all levels. All classes will be held at the Newton Lower Falls location.

Friday, November 30, 2012

   A. 7:30-8:30pm Rhythm Time!
      Contrast the basic rhythm against stylish syncopations.
      (no partner needed, intermediate+, previous experience required)

   B. 8:45-9:45pm Dancing Together
      The art of social dancing! This class will get you working with your partner
      on the dance floor through rhythm and movement.
      (no partner needed, intermediate+, previous experience required)

Saturday, December 1, 2012

   C. 1:00-2:00pm Lindy Hop Fundamentals
      Starting at the beginning, Skye & Naomi style. For beginners
      and anyone wanting to review or refine basics.
      (no partner or experience needed)

   D. 2:15-3:15pm Building On Your Basics
      Building on fundamentals, follows on from C.
      (no partner needed, all levels)

   E. 3:30-4:30pm Charleston Foundation
      Work on the rhythm and structure of Charleston. For beginners
      and anyone wanting to review or refine Charleston basics.
      (no partner or experience needed)

Sunday, December 2, 2012

   F. 1:00-2:00pm Solo Jazz Routine
      An excellent class for working on individual dance skills, movement and
      rhythms. Always a fun class!
      (non-partner, intermediate+, but open to all levels)

   G. 2:15-3:15pm Variations Galore
      Add some style to your dancing with some fun variations.
      (no partner needed, intermediate+, previous experience required)

   H. 3:30-4:30pm Instructors’ Choice
      Custom-built instruction especially for workshop attendees.
      (no partner needed, intermediate+, previous experience required)

   I. 4:45-5:45pm Lindy Hop Partner Routine
      Bring a partner, challenge yourself and learn a cool Lindy Hop
      routine. A perfect ending to the weekend!
      (partner required, int/adv to adv, previous experience required)

The early bird discount date is October 31. If you register soon, you can even take advantage of a 2 part installment plan to make your payments online.

Check the website for all details and registration.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us at Uptown Swing on Saturday at our new venue! What a wonderful night filled with great music, people and fun!

We are off to an excellent start at our beautiful new venue at KI (Congregation Kehillath Israel), located just a few blocks from Coolidge Corner in Brookline. Feedback is very positive and everyone seemed to enjoy the large space and the awesome floor. Solomon and his band did a great job of keeping the dance floor filled all night.

Next month we will be at another new location just for October. This one is at the Extreme Dancesport studio in the Fresh Pond area of Cambridge. Beautiful new sprung wood floor, large room, AC and tons of nearby parking. It is a short walk from the Alewife T. Uptown Swing will be on the 2nd Saturday for October and feature Boston Swing Express.

November takes us back to our new home at KI for another fun night with Racky Thomas.

Uptown Swing Dance information and directions.

We are excited for our first Uptown Swing dance this Saturday, September 15 at our new venue. This place is gorgeous with an excellent wood floor. It is BIG, so there will be plenty of room for your dancing pleasure:-) This month features a special treat with the Solomon Douglas Quintet and Alison Dreyfuss on vocals. We are thrilled to have Solomon back in Massachusetts. He makes his home in Seattle these days but he does get around the country quite a bit playing for dancers with his own and other bands. Please spread the word and help us to celebrate both our new season of dancing and the debut of our new venue.

Our new awesome space is at KI (Congregation Kehillath Israel), located just a few blocks from Coolidge Corner in Brookline and only a mile from our former location. There are stations nearby for both the B and C branches of the Green Line, and a bus which stops right out front. Plus there is street parking and several town lots nearby, free after 8:00pm. If you want to come early for dinner, there are plenty of good choices in walking distance on Harvard St and in Coolidge Corner.

We are excited for this new chapter and hope you will join us as we celebrate our first dance!

Uptown Swing Dance information and directions.

The new season of dancing is upon us! Plus September marks the 17th anniversary of Hop to the Beat. Wow! We never could have imagined back in those early days that this is where we would be today. This season brings our move to a new dance venue. Mark your calendar for our grand opening on September 15!

Our new 6 week session starts this Sunday, September 9 at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center in Newton and this Monday, September 10 at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston near Fenway Park. You do not need to attend with a partner for any of the classes. If you have any friends who would like to get started, please pass on the info. Now is a great time to start classes! Here is what’s coming up:

• Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop: This class is for brand new dancers, those with some experience, and continuing students who would like to build a stronger foundation and gain more confidence on the dance floor. Six count basics are covered along with a different selection of fun steps each session. There are 7 different sessions at this level, which can be taken in any order, providing the opportunity to develop a good base for social dancing while continuing to learn new steps. This class meets in both Newton and Boston.
• Lindy Hop Level 2: This class is aimed at intermediate level Swing dancers who can already comfortably social dance any style of triple-step Swing. It is not necessary to already know Lindy Hop to get started. The class focuses on core moves, including a mix of 8 and 6 count basics, emphasizing technique and lead-follow connection. There are 8 different sessions at this level which continually change over time and can be taken in any order. Each session includes a mix of classic Charleston moves and newer variations. This class meets in Newton and Boston.
• Interesting, Fun and Fancy Turns: This new class features a variety of moves from open and from closed which include the element of turning for follows, leads and sometimes both. We’ll be moving in and out, twisting and turning and passing while working on connecting with flow, stretch and momentum. (All that good stuff!) For experienced Lindy Hop dancers with solid basics, no partner required. This class meets on Sundays in Newton.

If you are planning to attend any of these classes and have not already done so, it is very helpful if you would submit an on-line registration to speed up check-in. You can pay in advance through PayPal or at the first class by cash, check or credit card. Thanks!

Free parking available in both locations as well as near public transportation.

Full class details and registration.