January 15, 2011
Come learn the fundamentals of new dances while having a great time doing it!
Session I: 11:00am - 12:15pm
Session II: 12:45pm - 2:00pm
Session III: 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Session IV: 4:15pm - 6:00pm
Where:
Vermont Square United Methodist Church
4410 South Budlong (corner of Vernon and Budlong)
Los Angeles, CA 90037
323 293 8281 (Church phone)
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Workshop Sessions (You may take one class per session) |
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Important notes:
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Chester Whitmore is a national treasure, and no one interested in Tap, Swing or Vernacular Jazz Dance should miss an opportunity like this. Thanks!
Chester Whitmore is a world renown tap dancer. I don't think some people believe me when I tell them that. He has studied under both Fayard Nicholas and John Bubbles, two of the greatest innovators of Tap in the history of the dance. This video was recorded October 15, 2010 at the Association of Black Women Physicians "Cotton Club Night" fundraiser. You decide for yourself. He is teaching beginning Tap, Swing and Vernacular Jazz Dance this Saturday at the Diversify Your Dance workshop: http://www.centralavedance.com/node/4873
This is a fundraiser for:
| Don't want to attend the workshop, but want to support the project? Please donate whatever you can. |
Chester Whitmore is a national treasure, and no one interested in these dances should miss an opportunity like this.
Chester Whitmore is a world renown tap dancer. I don't think some people believe me when I tell them that. He has studied under both Fayard Nicholas and John Bubbles, two of the greatest innovators of Tap in the history of the dance. This video was recorded this past weekend at the Association of Black Women Physicians "Cotton Club Night" fundraiser. You decide for yourself. He is teaching beginning Tap, Swing and Vernacular Jazz Dance this Saturday at the Diversify Your Dance workshop: http://www.centralavedance.com/node/4873
Our group, the Central Avenue Dance Ensemble, is a non-profit dance group based out of the Vermont Square Methodist Church at 4410 S. Budlong, LA 90037. We have been working for the past year on a show titled "The History of Black Dance in America" http://www.HistoryOfBlackDance.org
As part of the fundraising effort to put on this performance, we have been doing a series of dance workshops in the community titled "Diversify Your Dance" http://www.DiversifyYourDance.org
The goal of these workshops is not only to raise funds, but to introduce the community to social dance styles that they otherwise would not have access to.
Chester Whitmore and The Central Ave Dance Ensemble present the "Diversify Your Dance II" Dance Workshop. This workshop is designed to introduce beginning dancers or dancers who currently only dance one or two styles to various other popular styles of dance such as:
Basic Lead and Follow (Partnering) , Tap , Line Dance I , Swing Dance, Waltz , Line Dance II , Night Club 2-Step, Vernacular Jazz Dance , Chicago Style Step , Argentine Tango , Hip Hop Soul
Come learn and enjoy multiple new styles of dancing to enhance your current repertoire. Just as we should diversify our stock portfolio, so we should also consider "diversifying our dance!"
Check here for the date of our next workshop and the dances being taught: www.DiversifyYourDance.org
WHEN: December 4, 2010
TIME: 11:00am to 6:00pm
WHERE:
Vermont Square United Methodist Church
4410 South Budlong (corner of Vernon and Budlong)
Los Angeles, CA 90037
323 293 8281 (church phone)
MORE INFORMATION:
Info@CentralAveDance.com
http://www.DiversifyYourDance.org
310-710-9520
All partner dances, no matter the style or origin, require an understanding of the basic concepts of lead and follow. While dance styles vary widely, partnering techniques are pretty much the same, no matter the dance. The more you understand how to lead and/or follow, the better your lead/follow will be as you progress across multiple dances. In this class, you will learn partnering fundamentals: connection, compression, balance, the slot, line of dance, the correct way to lead and follow turns.
NC2Step is an elegant, Ballroom-like dance created to dance to slower, romantic music. While it looks similar to Bolero and shares some movements found in Rumba, it is not particularly danced to a Latin rhythm. But it is an absolutely perfect dance for medium to slow tempo Rhythm and Blues music. In addition, the basic step is very simple to learn and lead. It is the dance for everyone looking to do more than rock side to side on slow songs.
Argentine Tango, as danced in Milongas around the world, looks very little like what you see on "Dancing with the Stars", and a lot like what you remember dancing to slow records under the red light back in the day.
From the book "Tango: The Art History of Love" by Robert Farris Thomson: African and Afro-Argentine influences are continuous in the rise, development, and achievement of the Tango....Tango started Black, and milonga, the dance preceding it, even more so...
If this is true, then Argentine Tango shares the same cultural roots as Rhythm and Blues music. Our class teaches Tango basics: Balance, connection, walking, and the basic 8-count step. While there is no doubt that Argentine Tango is best danced to Argentine Tango music, we demonstrate how it can also be danced to slower R & B tempos.
See our Blog on the roots of Argentine Tango: http://www.centralavedance.com/node/1667
Also, Wikepedia entry on "Candombe": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candombe
"The Blackness of Tango": http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/the-blackness-of-tango/Content?oid=1197334
Cayengue:
A rhythm that is of African origin and is thought to have influenced the Milonga . During the early 90’s it was also a reference to the teepee structure of the man and women in Milonguero style. There are many references to this word all with different origins and slang meanings.
Tango Terms: http://www.tangosilhouette.com/dictionary_of_tango_terms.htm
The original American form of dance, that is audio as well as visual. Learn the fundamentals of basic rhythm, coordination, balance and speed. Now you too can be a Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers or Bill Robinson in your own home, and make all the noise you want! Tap shoes are preferred, but if you don't already own a pair, then please wear hard leather sole shoes.
You've tried all the rest, now try the best. Swing is the original Steppin, Bop, Hand Dance and Urban Ballroom. And, unlike those other dances, it can be danced to diverse styles of music. Learn synchopation movement and dancing steps in time. Swing is danced worldwide and is another American original.
I will be teaching a beginners class for the first hour and an advance class the following hour. So all you beginners, if you think you can catch on to the advance line dance class, you are welcome to stay board!
"Chicago Style" Steppin’ is rapidly gaining popularity in many major cities from Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New York, and California. Steppin’ has been described as the "Jazz of Ballroom Dancing" because of its soulful style and smooth rhythmic grace.
Come learn the basic movements, figures, lead & follow techniques, and concepts of Steppin’. The class is lots of fun and designed to jumpstart the non-dance from the chair straight to the dancefloor.
I guarentee the quality of my instruction and continued promotion of the culture and grace of "Steppin". Bring your friends, and meet a few more.
Segment 1 - Learning the basic count & basic movements
Segment 2 - Learning the basic figures
Segment 3 - Learning how to lead& follow
Segment 4 – Learning a complete dance pattern
Salsa a dance genre from Cuba rooted in European and African popular cultures. It later spread to Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean islands. Salsa is essentially Cuban with deep Afro-Cuban beats, and additional musical influences from Son Guaguanco and Rumba.
The name "salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, it also suggests a "mixture" of ingredients, and though Salsa music and dance are essentially Cuban in stylistic origin, it also has styles mixed with pop, jazz, rock and R&B.
I guarantee the quality of my instruction and continued promotion of the culture and grace of "R&B Salsa". Bring your friends, and meet a few more.
Segment 1 - Learning the basic count & basic movements
Segment 2 - Learning the basic figures
Segment 3 - Learning how to lead& follow
Segment 4 – Learning a complete dance pattern
Hip Hop Soul is a combination of all dance forms. It incorporates African, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop movements. It's all about moving to the groove of the music. Hip Hop Soul is the expression of the music to which it is danced to. Hip Hop Soul is a state of mind. Hip Hop Soul is fun, energetic and rhythmic. No dance experience is necessary, just a sense of rhythm. Class will have a warm up, across the floor excercises, combination and cool down.
Back to Diversify Your Dance page.
I got a call from Adunni today.
Adunni: "Hi, Ron. I was looking at your flyer and thinking about taking the Argentine Tango class. But, I noticed that you will be teaching it to R & B music. Can you tell me what you mean by that?"
Me: "IIt is an introductory class, and I wanted to demonstrate that Tango can be danced to R & B music."
Adunni: "Why?"
Me: "Because it will be easier to get people interested in learning a new dance if they can dance it to music they are already familiar with."
Adunni: "I understand, but Argentine Tango should be danced to Argentine Tango music."
Me: "I absolutely agree. Most of the class will be focused on the basic techniques of the dance: connection, balance, walking. I doubt that there will be very little music played at all. But, I know that the dance can be danced to a variety of music styles, and if we can get someone interested in 'diversifying' their dance as a result of seeing Tango danced to a style of music they know and love, then we have taken a big step towards meeting one of the goals of this workshop."
Last night, I went to the Tango room, an Argentine Tango Milonga in Van Nuys, California. I met a partner there, and danced with a couple other people, and generally had a pretty good time. However, on my drive back home, I could not help but remark how intensely unfriendly the crowed was. Most of the people there don't look at you with contempt (unless you bump into them); they just ignore you completely. Many of them dance with these grim expressions of self-importance on their faces all night long. I can assure you that it is only the love of of what I consider the most remarkable dance on this planet that keeps me in a room like that.
As an experienced dancer, I am used to this type of environment and make the best of it. However, for a beginning dancer, this environment can be deadly. It not only kills the spirit, but the desire to learn, or even be around the dance.
Switch reels: One of the major goals of the "Diversify Your Dance" Workshop is to introduce people who dance only one or two dances to new dances they might be interested in learning. I go to a variety of dance venues, and it is clear to me that, generally speaking (yes, there are exceptions), Steppers just Step, Urban Ballroomers just Urban Ballroom, Salsa dancers just Salsa, West Coast Swing dancers just West Coast and Lindy Hoppers just Lindy Hop. All night long. How do you get them interested in other dances? Most of them will fly around the country to attend dance events in their style, but they won't drive across town to learn a new dance style.
So, if you can't bring Moses to the Mountain, you bring the Mountain to Moses.
Lindy Hoppers and Urban Ballroomers in particular are a visibly happy, fun-loving bunch. They walk around smiling. They smile when they dance. They look you in the eyes and say "Hello." What do you think will happen when you try to get people from these environments to go to a grim place like the Tango Room to learn Argentine Tango? Exactly.
So, my motive in even mentioning R & B Music in association with Argentine Tango is to show people that they can do this where they dance now. If you like what I show you, go take lessons and get better at it. Perhaps one day, if enough of us get good at it, we'll go the the Tango Room and show them it is possible to do Argentine Tango AND behave like normal, personable and friendly human beings.
Now, that will be true Diversity!
p.s.
For the record, not all Tango venues are like the Tango Room. In fact, few are that bad. I only mention the Tango Room because I just happened to go there last night, and two years ago I experienced there one of the very few overt acts of discrimination I have ever experienced in my entire life. So, OK, I have it in for them.
The Tango Room has a long tradition and large following in the Valley, and I'm sure the people who go there think of themselves and personable and friendly. My point is that they aren't very friendly to people they don't know or haven't seen before, and that's the exact opposite of what is needed to attract and welcome new dancers from other styles.
Front Desk Process and Forms
Registration
The Registration Desk will have three primary stations:
Students who do not already have a ticket will purchase it here. They can purchase by cash or credit card. Follow "Credit Card purchases" procedure below for card purchases.
All ticket sales must be entered into the Ticket Distribution and Sales Sheet.
Students present their ticket to this station to receive wristband for class access. Student receives the appropriate wristband and his/her ticket is punched. Student retains punched ticket.
1 - 3 Sessions - Green Wristband
4 Sessions - Yellow Wristband
A colored star is placed on Green wristband for each session a student has purchased.
A mark is placed by Students name on the Ticket Distribution and Sales Sheet to indicate the student has presented the ticket and received the wristband.
Students who purchased 4 Class + TShirt ($35) will receive their T-Shirt from this station. Staff here will mark "T" on punched ticket and give student T-Shirt in requested size (M|L|XL).
All T-Shirts picked up or sold are marked in the T-Shirt Sales Sheet.
Wristbands
When a student brings a ticket to the wristband station, the staff person will:
T-Shirts
CentralAveDance will receive $3 on each T-Shirt sold at the event.
CentralAveDance must compensate Ron Parker $10 for each T-Shirt sold or given with the 4 Class + TShirt Special.
DVD
Credit Card Purchases
Snacks / Water
"I can't do all that!" Rene has said often that guys tell her this. Roz recently told me that several people have said this to her in response to the picture on one of our "Diversify Your Dance" flyers. But, no one had ever said this to me until last night at the OG ("Older Gentleman", Wow, I like that name!) Party at Hollywood Casino. I had a good time there. Saw and danced with lots of folks I hadn't seen in a while.
Asked this one lady, who I had seen dancing with Mac and a couple others, and she said "Oh no, I've seen you dance. I don't want to look silly out there!" I tried mightily to convince her otherwise, but she stuck to her guns. She went on to tell me that she only dances with people she "trains" with. Oh, brother!
Let me say for the record, that dance to me is about movement, not moves. I dance with the person I'm dancing with. I try to have the best time possible, each and every time. I was "trained" to recognize that the man is the frame, and the woman the picture. My job is to make her look good, not the other way around. Consequently, a woman is not going to have a good time or look good unless she is comfortable, doing what she believes she can do. I'm actually glad I went to this event, which was quite unlike most events I normally attend, because it reminded me of what's really important in dance: connecting and having a good time. So, let's relax and dance and have a good time with each other.
