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NEW TEMPORARY LOCATION: we are offering "outside" classes in a garage with a smooth, concrete floor. Please wear athletic shoes or other footwear which provides a cushion. Beginners welcome. Masks required. Please pre-register; no drop-ins. Each class $5.
Group Classes
Solo Dance Technique- 4 Classes - Mondays November 9 - 30, 2020
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Learn to create your own solo dance to swing music, with an emphasis on complementing the music structure with your movement. We will teach some solo moves as a foundation, and then explore variations in how these moves can be danced to individualize your dancing. At the end of class, you will have developed more confidence in your ability to interpret the music through movement. You will be able to add variety to your solo dancing and develop a greater appreciation for swing music, including the ability to anticipate breaks and variations.
The Big Apple - 4 Classes - Mondays November 9 - 30, 2020
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. One of the best known, and also most challenging, jazz routines of the Lindy era is The Big Apple. We will be learning the version Frankie Manning choreographed; before Frankie “standardized” it, The Big Apple was a called dance; it varied each time, according to the moves called out. Danced in a circle at a fast pace, this dance is guaranteed to provide both a physical and a mental workout!
Solo Jazz Vocabulary - 4 Classes - Tuesdays November 10 - December 1, 2020
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. There are tons of vernacular jazz movements! Many originated in the early 1900s and were incorporated into Lindy Hop and Charleston dances; additional moves are being created today, but we will focus on the standard, well-known ones. By increasing your “vocabulary” of movements, you’ll be able to insert them in both solo and partnered dancing.
Solo Jazz Improvisations - 4 Classes - Tuesdays November 10 - December 1, 2020
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Learn techniques for interpreting separate aspects of the music—the instruments, vocals, tempo, energy level, etc.—and crafting your movements to express what you hear in a unique solo dance. Learn to establish visual connection with other dancers and adopt (and adapt!) their movements. We will focus on the “jazzy bits” of the music which are less structured. If you’ve had the Solo Jazz Vocabulary class and/or the Solo Dance Technique class, you’ll have a head start.
Private Lessons
Our primary swing dance instructors offer private lessons by request. In addition, most of our workshop instructors offer privates when they are in town. If you would like to take private lessons please use the Contact Form.
Resources for Students
If you're a Hep Cats student, click here for additional class resources.