Swing Schoolhouse |
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This page is for special SwingBuffalo.com announcements.
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Everybody swings when they come to our house!
Swing Schoolhouse with Venus & Mark
Tuesdays
4-week progressive Tuesday sessions begin on the first Tuesday of every month.
Lindy Hop Level 2 6:30-7:25
Lindy Hop Level 1 7:30-8:25
Practica / Social Dance 8:30-9:45
The Quaker Bonnet
175 Allen St
Buffalo, NY
More details on venusandmark.wordpress.com
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Get Directions |
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What To Wear
1. Comfortable clothes that allow free movement of your legs and arms
2. Comfortable shoes with hard-leather soles, sueded soles, or taped** soles. No high-heels please!
** Sneakers are often the most comfortable shoes because they provide support, but most have soft-rubber soles that stick to dance floors like glue. Venus' secret for these is to take standard duct tape and cover the soles (this is not easily removeable, so do this to shoes that you'll only wear dancing). The non-sticky side of the tape makes a very good surface for dancing - not too slippery, not too sticky! For Balboa dancers, try moleskin instead of duct tape for a smooth ride. Make sure the tape or moleskin fully covers the sole and comes up a bit on the toes of the shoes, otherwise the tape will roll off and become a sticky mess while you dance. Some ballrooms will not allow taped shoes, however, so bring a backup pair of non-taped shoes if you're dancing in a room you've never been to before! As with hard-soled and sueded dance shoes, taped shoes may be more slippery on some floors than others. Always be careful to test your shoes and be aware of how slippery they are before you attempt to dance!
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Who Can Come
Anyone is welcome to our Lindy Hop Level 1 class. No previous dance experience is necessary, and neither is a partner. This is also a great class for experienced dancers to return to their basics.
Anyone who has already attended a Lindy Hop Level 1 class (from any instructor), or has working knowledge of the Swingout and the Circle, is welcome to join our Lindy Hop Level 2 class. No partner necessary.
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What You Will Learn, Lindy Hop Level 1
1. Swing dance connection (how you relate to your partner and the floor)
2. Dance floor etiquette
3. The fundamentals of Leading and the zen of Following
4. Swing music fundamentals
5. The Swingout, Circle, Swingout From Closed, Side-by-Side Charleston
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What You Will Learn, Lindy Hop Level 2
1. More swing dance connection!
2. Dance floor etiquette
3. More fundamentals of Leading and more zen of Following
4. Transitioning between 6 and 8-count moves
5. Swingout With Inside/Outside Turn, Texas Tommy, J-Hook Swingout, Sugar-Push
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What's A Practica?
A practica is a session during which dancers may practice what they've learned in class in a non-structured environment, very similar to a social dance. Dance teachers know that students get the most out of classes when new skills can be used immediately in a nurturing social setting. The Swing Schoolhouse Practica will be DJ'ed with music designed to compliment the skills students learn in our classes. All dancers of all levels are welcome and encouraged!
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Who's Teaching - Venus and Mark Brighton
Venus grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and got into the dance scene learning West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Balboa, International Ballroom, and Argentine Tango. Her love of dance soon melded with her love of teaching and Venus taught Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, and East Coast Swing for three years with her partner Autumn LaVarta at the Metronome Ballroom, as well as private lessons. Venus has choreographed for, and performed with, her students over the years. Now that Mark's brought her to Buffalo, she can't wait to meet and help foster new dancers in this great growing scene!
Mark is a Buffalo native who started dancing while in college at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. He's studied modern, jazz, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, American and International Ballroom, latin dances, and most recently Balboa. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the late '90's during the swing craze. There he met, danced with, and eventually married the love of his life, Venus. Mark has assisted with Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing classes over the years, and is excited to begin teaching now that he's back home in Buffalo.
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What It Will Cost
- $40 ($32 student/senior) if paid in full at the first class of the session
- $13 ($10 student/senior) per class if paid at each class
- Back-to-Basics special $53 ($42 student/senior) for both Lindy Hop 1 and 2! This is for dancers who qualify for Level 2, but would like to brush up on the basics at the same time. Must be paid in advance at the first class of the session.
- The Practica / Social Dance is free with class registration, or $3 at the door for the general public.
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If you would like more information, please contact SwingBuffalo@gmail.com.
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