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Beantown Camp News 4/27

It’s Beantown’s 15th year and of course we have to make it the most awesome ever! With the stellar line-up of bands and DJs, it is a can’t miss! To start - Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five, featuring Hilary Alexander! Not just one night, but for two! That alone is awesome! Can’t miss Gordon Webster’s band featuring Naomi Uyama! A Beantown favorite. Camp wouldn’t be the same without them:-) Rounding out the live music is the Boston Swing Express, a new collaboration from some of our favorite local musicians with Mike DiBari on his Swingin’ guitar and an expanded version of his Swingtet. In addition, Boston’s own first lady of Swing, Toni Lynn Washington will be featured on vocals. That’s already a lot of awesome. But there’s more…

New Classes Start Sunday

Wow, did April fly by quickly! At least the trees are finally budding, the temperatures are rising and it actually feels like spring!

Sunday Lindy Hop/Swing Classes This Week!

Our new 6 week session starts this Sunday, May 1 at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center in Newton. This will be our last session until after Beantown Camp! 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!
  • 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.
  • Partner Charleston - After requests for MORE with our last partner Charleston class, we added a new one! This one concentrates on tandem and side-by-side variations to add to your Lindy Hop repertoire. Charleston is fun, it’s flashy, and we’ll be focusing on execution and pizazz to make it shine! This class will be for intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers.

Monday Classes Still Open, Sunday Classes Start May 1

Thanks to everyone who joined our workshop weekend with the always amazing Michael Jagger and Evita Arce! Uptown Swing was a blast with the fabulous Toni Lynn Washington Band AND a phenomenal performance with M&E. The room was hoppin’ and so much fun!

Monday Lindy Hop/Swing Classes This Week!

As the last of the Boston Marathoners continued to walk by the window, our new session of classes started:-) It is still possible to join in the second Monday, April 25 as we will be reviewing everything from week one. Feedback on the new format with practice time added after class was very positive and we enjoyed seeing everyone join in!

Beantown Camp Update 4/21

Thanks to everyone who joined our workshop weekend with the always amazing Michael Jagger and Evita Arce! Uptown Swing was a blast with the fabulous Toni Lynn Washington Band AND a phenomenal performance with M&E. The room was hoppin’ and so much fun! If you want more classes with Michael and Evita (and how could you not?), come to Beantown! Can you imagine a whole week of awesome classes with awesome teachers? We’ve got that!

  • Ryan Francois & Jenny Thomas
  • Sylvia Sykes
  • Peter Strom
  • Skye Humphries
  • Naomi Uyama
  • Michael Jagger & Evita Arce
  • Zack Richard & Maryse Lebeau
  • Mike Roberts & Laura Glaess
  • Eric Fenn
  • Richard Badu
  • Daryl Begin & Jennifer Stout
  • Joel Domoe & Melanie Myers
  • Dan Newsome & Gaby Cook
  • Chris Nickl & Shirley McAdam
  • Andrew Thigpen & Karen Turman
  • Marc-Andre Vachon & Catherine Desjardins
  • Ben Yau & Sheri Kang

That’s a lot of awesome!

Beantown Camp News

Springtime and beautiful weather remind us that summer is on the way! Start off your summer with an excellent time at Beantown Camp. There will be tons of great classes with some of the world’s best instructors, amazing performances, great live and DJ music for hours of social dancing, friendly dancers from all over the U.S. and beyond, plus a bunch of other fun activities. All levels are very welcome to attend! Check out the schedule for what’s in store. May 9 is the due date for discounted tuition fees.

Beantown Camp 2011

Have you ever attended a dance weekend and been energized, inspired, enlightened or wowed? Did you want more? Imagine what a whole week can do for your dancing! Beantown Camp is designed to give you just that opportunity. Check out some comments from campers:

  • “In a word: fabulous! Thanks for a remarkable week that hit all the right notes. I can’t imagine NOT being at Beantown year after year. I love it that much.”
  • “What a week. Thanks so much to everyone for putting in such long hours to make Beantown such an amazing event! Most definitely worth the investment, says I.”
  • “I can’t thank you guys enough for the FABULOUS time I had at Beantown. It’s my third camp but my first whole shebang and man, going the extra mile and staying was a BLAST. Doing a routine in the track really brings everyone together. Met tons of great people, danced my toes off and learned a lot. Such nice people on all sides: the attendees, the instructors and the college staff.”
  • “Thanks so much for putting on such an amazing event! I loved it! Beantown was the Best vacation I’ve ever had! I can’t wait for next year!”
  • “Beantown is an event that mixes world-class instruction and excellent music with a level of friendliness and accessibility that’s really remarkable.”
  • “It was SO amazing, truly a special week for many people.”
  • “I’m so glad I attended; being totally immersed in dance for almost a whole week, plus the camaraderie that developed with the other campers combined to make an unforgettable learning experience.”
  • “My dancing has gone up several notches since the camp.”
  • “I had a life changing experience this year. I am so glad I signed up for the whole week.”
  • “The Beantown experience is a must for anyone who is serious about Lindy.”
  • “The DJ’s were great, the live bands fantastic, and all the students and staff and everyone had such a positive energy!!”
  • “Beantown is my favorite week of the year!”
  • “This was my first Beantown Camp and I had the best dance-event time EVER (and I have traveled to well over 25 exchanges and camps all across the US in my 2 3/4 years of dance history.)”
  • “As always, I return well-fed, tired, inspired, and enthusiastic to move my dance forward.”
  • “The camp experience, besides being wonderful fun as always, has made my dancing smoother, more relaxed, and more expressive.”
  • “I met so many interesting people and learned so much from the many great instructors.”

Uptown Swing this Saturday; Early Bird Dates this Week

Yes, spring does officially arrive this week! That and some great dancing is all you need to brighten those winter blues!

Uptown Swing Dance

Join us this Saturday, March 19 for Uptown Swing at our beautiful venue, Brookline Tai Chi, located directly across from the Washington Square T stop on Beacon Street. This month we are welcoming back Shawn Hershey and the Fried Bananas. How can you go wrong with some Fried Bananas! Beginners are very welcome and you do not need to have a partner. The music will be excellent for Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa and even some Blues. Bring your friends and introduce them to a fun night of dancing!

Uptown Swing Dance Information

Michael & Evita Workshop Weekend

This Wednesday is the early bird discount date to register for Lindy Hop workshops with Michael Jagger and Evita Arce on April 15-17! These two will knock your socks off. They are excellent instructors, full of technique, style, grace and pizazz! Classes for all levels will be held at Lower Falls Community Center in Newton. The weekend will also include our monthly Uptown Swing dance in Brookline featuring the Toni Lynn Washington Band and a performance with Michael and Evita. Not to be missed! Register now to get the best prices!

Full Workshop Information, Schedule & Registration

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