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The Love Dogs at February's Uptown "Tropical" Swing Dance

The Love DogsOur next monthly Uptown Swing Dance is coming up in Brookline on Saturday, February 18 featuring The Love Dogs, always a popular band! This month we are having a special Tropical Swing Dance Party and we hope you will join us! We have some special things planned and are looking forward to a very fun time. Everyone is encouraged to get in the spirit and dress for a warm night on a cool beach. You know you’ve been wanting to break out that Hawaiian shirt.Cool

Beginners are very welcome and you do not need to have a partner. The music will be great for Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa and even some Blues. This will be an excellent night to bring your friends and introduce them to the joy of dancing!

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Uptown Swing Dance with the Solomon Douglas Quintet is on for tonight!

Solomon DouglasUptown Swing is on for tonight! Join us for a fun dance with the Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring vocalist Alison Dreyfuss. If Solomon can make it from Seattle, we can get there from here:-)

  • Beginners welcome, no partner needed
  • Location: Brookline Tai Chi, 1615 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446
  • Band: Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring Alison Dreyfuss
  • Date: Saturday, January 21, 2012 Time: 8:15pm-12:30am
  • Swing Lesson: 8:15-9:00pm
  • Admission: $15 ($10 with Student ID)

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Happy dancing,

Aurelie & Tony

This Saturday Uptown Swing Dance

Solomon DouglasCome on out to Uptown Swing this Saturday, January 21 with the Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring vocalist Alison Dreyfuss. Solomon is joining us all the way from Seattle and he promises to keep the floor swingin’. He does travel around the U.S. quite a bit playing for dancers and we are excited to have him back here in Boston. This will also be a wonderful opportunity to welcome all the newbies starting the new year with dancing!

Uptown Swing is held at Brookline Tai Chi, which is our wonderful venue conveniently located directly across from the Washington Square T stop on Beacon Street. There’s AC, a fabulous floor for dancing, plus free street parking after 8:00pm. Beginners are very welcome and there is a lesson included at the beginning of the evening to get everyone started. You do not need to have a partner to attend. The music will be excellent for Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa and even some Blues. Bring your friends and introduce them to a fun night!

  • Beginners welcome, no partner needed
  • Location: Brookline Tai Chi, 1615 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446
  • Band: Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring Alison Dreyfuss
  • Date: Saturday, January 21, 2012
  • Time: 8:15pm-12:30am
  • Swing Lesson: 8:15-9:00pm
  • Admission: $15 ($10 with Student ID)

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Beantown Camp 2012 Announcement

Beantown Camp 2012Plans for Beantown Camp 2012 are well under way! This will be #16 and we know it is going to be special! This year camp runs from June 28 to July 5th and we will be back on the beautiful Endicott College campus on the shore just north of Boston. Although the general format will be similar to last year, there are some schedule and activity changes and additions to ensure maximum fun and awesomeness!

Some new features for 2012:

  • New registration format. It is now possible to register for Beantown separate from the college options for housing and meals.
  • The last night is July 4th and plans are in the works to go out with a bang.Laughing This is the ideal year to stay for the full week!
  • A brand new dorm option providing for the first time the most requested choice - individual rooms with private bathrooms and AC!

Although the website is updated for 2012, the registration section is being reworked, staff additions are in the process of being confirmed, and the schedule will certainly have some tweaking as well as class details to be added.

Registration will be opening in February (date TBA). Stay tuned for information on early bird pricing options. Make your plans for starting out the summer at Beantown Camp! You will be glad you did.Cool

Beantown Camp information.

Join Second Week of New Session Lindy Hop/Swing Classes

Lindy Hop Swing Dance ClassClasses for this session include Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1 and Lindy Hop Level 2. These classes are offered both on Sunday evenings at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center and on Monday evenings at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston.

Both of the Level 1 classes are quite full, although both do need leaders, especially the Monday Boston class! The Level 2 classes are close to even and there is room to join. Another follower on Monday would be nice.Laughing

Also on Sunday in Newton, we have a new class for intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers called Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions. This class will be excellent for anyone wanting to learn Charleston variations with challenging and flashy transitions. It was a very fun class last Sunday!

The Charleston class needs more followers!

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

Full class details and registration.

Uptown Swing Dance next Saturday

Solomon Douglas

We are really looking forward to our first Uptown Swing dance of 2012, which will be next Saturday, January 21 in Brookline. This month features a special treat with the Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring Alison Dreyfuss on vocals. We are excited 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 some other bands. Plus we would like to make this dance a wonderful welcome to all the new beginners who are starting the new year with dancing!

Uptown Swing Dance information.

New Classes Start This Week!

Lindy Hop Swing Dance ClassOur new 6 week session starts this Sunday, January 8 at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center in Newton and this Monday, January 9 at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston near Fenway Park. Here is what’s coming up:

  • Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop - This class is for both brand new dancers and those with some experience 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. If you have any friends who have been wanting to get started, please send them along! 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. 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.
  • Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions - This is a new class aimed at more experienced Lindy Hop dancers and meets in the Newton location only. Charleston is a very fun component of Lindy Hop and works really well with more uptempo music. This class will include cool variations and will also focus on some flashy transitions. If you are interested in an energetic, challenging and fun class, this will be a good class for you!

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 by credit card through PayPal or at the first class by cash, check and now we can even take credit. Thanks!

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

Full class details and registration.

Year-End Message

Ready or not, another year has come to an end. It is not possible for me (Aurelie) to reflect on it without the one overriding feature of losing my Dad in May. I and the rest of my family miss him very much. He was the focal point, so there is a big gap to fill. We are learning to find our way as we move forward. Thankfully I come from a large family and we have each other.

2011 did bring many wonderful moments and here are a few of our biggest highlights:

  • Not only did we hold our 15thBeantown Camp, we received many comments of “best ever” and we think we agree. A gathering of many wonderful people for a week full of joy, tons of positive energy and just so much fun!
  • Hop to the Beat had its 16th anniversary this September, something we find pretty amazing.smiley
  • Passing our 1 year mark in our Monday night Boston location. It is always a big challenge to start something new and we have really enjoyed our classes and the people we have gotten to know from them.
  • Skye Humphries and Naomi Uyama performing at Uptown Swing Dance with the Gordon Webster BandA truly phenomenal Uptown Swing dance with Gordon Webster during the Skye and Naomi weekend. The house was absolutely packed, however, what made it exceptional was how the room was on fire! Gordon surpassed himself, Naomi was incredible, she and Skye entertained and inspired us, and everyone present contributed to such an awesome, happy night. We couldn’t have ended our HTTB year any better.
  • Izzy and LunaA non-dance highlight was adopting our two rescue kitties, Izzy and Luna, in August. They have brought much cuteness to our home.smiley

Something that continues to be a major force are all the fabulous people who have touched our lives through our classes, dances, camp and other activities. We are very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of your life and there is nothing that makes us happier than seeing new friendships made, smiling faces and everyone having a good time. We caught the Lindy Hop bug back in our early days and are thrilled if we can help pass that on to someone else. Neither of us could ever have imagined back when we each started dancing what it would become in our lives. It has brought us each other and so much more.

So here’s to a new year which we hope will give you all much joy, happiness and of course plenty of excellent moments dancing!

Our best to you,
Aurelie & Tony

New Session Lindy Hop/Swing Classes

Lindy Hop Swing Dance ClassOur first 6 week session of 2012 starts on Sunday, January 8 in Newton Lower Falls and on Monday, January 9 in Boston. Both locations include a class in Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1, appropriate for anyone starting out as well as those with some experience who are working on building a solid foundation of dance skills. Six count basics will be covered along with a variety of fun steps to build your repertoire and get you out on the dance floor!

Lindy Hop Level 2 is also offered in both locations. This class is for more intermediate level Swing dancers, although no prior Lindy Hop experience is required. Eight and six count basics will be mixed along with a variety of classic Lindy Hop, newer variations, and a focus on partnering, technique and style.

For intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers, in Newton on Sundays we have a new class, Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions. It will include some cool variations on classic Charleston while also focusing on some fancy transitions. These classes will be challenging, energetic and of course a ton of fun!

If you have any friends interested in getting into dancing, lessons are a great way to get started. Please pass on the info!

If you are planning to take class, please submit your registration.

Registration is open—Complete class information and registration.

Solomon Douglas Quintet at January's Uptown Swing Dance

Solomon DouglasOur next dance will be on Saturday, January 21 with the Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring Alison Dreyfuss on vocals.  Solomon is also a dancer and he knows how to Swing! He has been providing awesome music for many years and some of you may even remember your first introduction to Gordon Webster back when he and Solomon teamed up as a duo Back Pocket. With Solomon settled in Seattle these days, we don’t see him too much in our area, so this will be a special treat to have him play for us. It promises to be another fun night at Uptown Swing to kick off 2012!

Uptown Swing Dance information.

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