Lesson Descriptions
Saturday
Class 1: Introduction to Jook Joint Style Dancing
Jookin', the dance that was born in jook joints, is as intimate as it is energetic, soulful as it is playful. We'll start with the fundamentals of Blues dancing as done today which is based on the oldest known Blues dance, the Slow Drag. Then we'll continue on to cover other dances such as the Funky Butt, the Shake N' Bake, and the Mooche. We're going to shake it like we just don't care and keep it strictly jookin'!
Class 2: Jook It Up!
We up the level for this class as well as the pace of the music learning additional dances such as Struttin', the Mess Around, the Fishtail, the Grind, and Around The World! Your hips will get a workout but your blues dancing will be oh, so much better!
Class 3: The Movement, Shape, and Feeling of the Pulse (in the context of Jookin') - This all-levels class will touch on vocabulary, musicality, and isolation technique but primarily focuses on using the aesthetic of the pulse and how to change its movement, shape, and feeling in your dance. This class is designed to make you think about your dancing starting with a simple base movement and adding "variants" to change its expression.
Class 4: Sugar In Your Bowl
Just like the lead, the follow hears the music and forms ideas on how to express that in their dance. But because of the lead/follow dynamic, the follows have to listen to the leads' interpretation of the music first. What's a poor follow to do? In this class, we will examine and change the lead-follow dynamic to allow conversation, creativity, and provide inspiration to each other. As a follow, you'll learn how to add to the conversation and feel empowered to move with greater confidence and expression no matter what position you're in. As a lead, you'll learn techniques that allow you to open that space up for your followers giving you a renewed appreciation for the follow that is shining in front of your eyes. This class is designed to build conversation in a dance and encourage better leads and follows!
Class 5: Blues, The Inspired Dance (Advanced Lesson) -
Blues is a family of dances that is varied as the music that inspired it. We can only imagine how the dances were created and inspired from each other. Which came first? The Shake 'N Bake or the Fishtail? The Mooche or the Grind? In this intensive, we'll first examine the aforementioned dances that are often confused with each other because of their similarity and then explain their differences. From there, we'll partner up and explore how many variations (or "inspired dances") we can create through observation and connection; and through the addition of variables such as change in shape, movement, timing, emphasis of pulse, and direction. As if that's not enough, we'll make sure that it fits into the "Blues Aesthetic." The final activity will have you in groups combining your creativity and inspiration to come up, ready to battle, with an "ultimate inspired dance!"
Sunday
Class 6: Introduction to Ballroomin' Blues Style
The style of Blues Ballroomin' is based from the Harlem dancers' interpretation of ballroom dancing. Coupled with the raw athleticism of Lindy Hop and their own vernacular dance, these Harlem dancers created their own style of blues dancing to big band blues. In this class we'll introduce the history and context of this dance style as it applies to the social dance floor. We'll cover basic posture, connection, traveling across the floor, steps, and turns.
Class 7: Turns and Dips in Blues Dancing: Building Better Leads and Follows -
This class aims to build better leads and follows by increasing awareness through your connection and improving the lead and follow dynamic. In this class, we'll examine how the lead can properly "suggest" different types of turns (through body leads), how follows can have a choice on how they do a turn based on the lead's lead (or lack thereof), and then add "call & response" to make your turns more exciting and fun. We'll also examine dips: how to do it properly (from the simplest to the fanciest) through your connection, posture, and balance.