Waitin’ and Seein’

COVID has lasted longer than any of us predicted. I’m holding off registering for Spring Stomp or any live dance until we see where this goes. If we have some glimmer of hope, I’ll put up registration for 2021 in January.

Please join me as I host GFP Virtual Dances on Tuesdays from 7-9 (ish) to keep my sanity, learn, and socialize.

We are teaching four partner dance styles and a bunch of line dances during the hoedown for beginners and intermediate dancers. Here’s what we mean:

  • Beginner has little or no experience
  • Beginner + (also Improver) has some familiarity with the basics
  • Intermediate has solid comfort in the style and ready to learn some fun new moves and combinations.

Partner Dance Styles

We will be offering our staple Two-Step and West Coast Swing partner dance workshops with either a Hustle or Cha Cha workshop.

You do not need a partner to partake in these lessons/workshops.

These are just some of the partner dance styles we will be playing music for at the dances — look for Nightclub Two Step, Lindy Hop/East Coast Swing, Waltz, and more sprinkled out throughout our dances.

Cha Cha

Saturday 12-noon workshop at Town Hall with Alan Gaskell

Cha Cha (and Mambo — the precursor to Salsa), first became popular in the United States in the 1950s originated in Cuba. Cha Cha name comes from the chasses (cha-cha-cha) in the basic rhythm. It’s a fun and lively dance that you will hear in a lot of line dances. Mambo doesn’t have the chasses and is a bit more sultry.

A LOT of line dances have a cha-cha rhythm to them. If you don’t know the line dance, but hear the rhythm — do a cha-cha off to the side (if space permits).

Alan is teaching the basics as well as a pattern or two that will having you move with grace and elegance on the dance floor.

The Hustle

Saturday 12-noon workshop at Pilgrim House with Simone Assboeck

The Hustle (also known as the New York Hustle and “Latin Hustle” is a swing dance that you can do to any disco or club type music. It incorporates moves from samba, salsa, and swing dancing and is fairly easy to pick up and this is workshop will get you hustling in no time flat.

Bob comment: I did this with a friend at a wedding and impressed everyone — and my partner didn’t know it! The hustle is a blast to do if you have room on the dance floor, not recommended if you’re at a disco shoulder-to-shoulder – Not that I tried that no… hobbling off the dance floor and smashing a beer bottle. 

Two-Step Lessons and Workshops

Two-step (Country Two Step), at least in New England, is a partner dance where you progress around the dance floor with the pattern of quick-quick-slow-slow to 4/4 music (Our friends from the west coast start slow-slow-quick-quick and Texas folks add a lock step in one of the quicks). Two step is one of our favorites and will be played a lot during throughout the weekend.

Here’s a list of our Two Step lessons and workshops:

Hint: If you are absolutely new to two-step (never taken a lesson), consider taking the Friday night lesson, ask everyone to dance, and then the beginner workshop on Saturday. It will give you a dance and a break to absorb the basics before moving on to the Beginner + lessons.

Beginner Lessons

For people who have never danced two-step (or need a refresher on the basics). Learn the basic form (quick-quick, slow-slow), a hesitation move, and an under-arm turn. After this lesson you will be able to navigate around the dance floor.

  • Friday,  8:00-8:30 pm (Town Hall)
  • Saturday, 7:00-7:30 pm (Town Hall)

Beginner + Two-Step Workshop

Moving on from the basic pattern noted above, learn a few new patterns. It is suggested you take a beginner lesson Friday night just so you have some time to digest the basics but you can take this if you have had no experience.

  • Saturday 4:00-5:00 pm Beginner + Two-Step Workshop (Town Hall)

Intermediate Two-Step Workshop

Assumes you know a few moves in two-step and are comfortable with the basic mechanics. This will be a bit faster-paced than the Beginner + lesson.

  • Saturday 4:00-5:00 pm Intermediate Two-Step Workshop (Pilgrim House)

West Coast Swing

West Coast Swing has a long history but not as West Coast Swing. It stems from the Jitterbug and became popular as a slot style dance that can be done on a very crowded floor. The jitterbug’s bouncy movements were smoothed out, slowed down, and the result is a sexy dance where a leader guides his partner back and forth along the slot. It’s a damn sexy dance.

Here’s a list of the workshops for Stomp:

Beginner West Coast Swing Workshop

Learn the basic 6-count form and some patterns that will get you on the floor. 

  • Saturday 10:00-11:00 am Beginner West Coast Swing Workshop (Town Hall)

Intermediate West Coast Swing Workshop

Intermediate assumes a solid familiarity with the basic count patterns and are ready to learn a more complicated pattern that will be sexy as hell on the dance floor.

  • Saturday 10:00-11:00 am Intermediate West Coast Swing Workshop (Pilgrim House)

Line Dances

Numerous line dances are taught in the lessons and workshops this weekend. Check out the demos below. If you want to be even more geeky, check out the step sheets to see what the notations are.

Friday, April 24, 2020

  • 8:30-9:00 pm – Beginner Line Dance Lesson (Town Hall)

Saturday, April 25, 2020

  • 11:00 am–12 noon – Beginner Line Dance Workshop (Town Hall)
  • 11:00 am–12 noon – Intermediate Line Dance Workshop (Pilgrim House)
    3:00 pm – TBD
  • 3:00-4:00 pm – Beginner Line Dance (Town Hall)
  • 3:00-4:00 pm – Intermediate Line Dance (Pilgrim House)
  • 7:30–8:00 pm – Beginner Line Dance (Town Hall)

Sunday, April 26, 2020

  • 11:00 am – Beginner Line Dance (Pilgrim House)