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6-9pm – salsa lessons
9pm-closing – club Latin/Salsa dancing
College Night: no cover charge before 11pm.
This is an 18+ event!

Sarah is leaving in the middle of July for a one-year library position at Yale University, and wants to bid farewell to her Madison dance family. As the French know, “farewell” is not a permanent state, but is only “until the re-seeing” (au re-voir). Come “see her until next time” in a proper dance fashion: on the dance floor! This will be the second of two “au revoir” dances, the first being at the West Coast Swing dance at the Badger Bowl on Wednesday night.

The Cardinal Bar (just East of Capitol Square) has a newly remodeled dance floor. Salsa Night (Thursday night) usually attracts a big crowd. Get there early for the most dancing (and the most room on the dance floor).

Check their website and call the club with any specific questions.

The dress for club dancing is whatever you want to wear. You may want to wear rubber-soled dance sneakers (vs your good suede-bottom dance shoes) since this is primarily a bar/club and not a social ballroom dance event.

Related pictures based on the following tags: field-trip,latin-dance,madison-wi,mambo,merengue,salsa,sarah,social-dance,social-outing

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Beginner lesson: 6:15 – 7:15 ($10 per person per lesson/$8 member price).

Intermediate lesson: 7:30 – 8:00 ($5 per person, includes price of open dance).
Open dance: 8:00 – 9:30 ($5 per person, includes price of intermediate lesson).

The best pop, jazz, swing, blues, disco and R&B.

Sarah is leaving in the middle of July for a one-year library position at Yale University, and wants to bid farewell to her Madison dance family. As the French know, “farewell” is not a permanent state, but is only “until the re-seeing” (au re-voir). Come “see her until next time” in a proper dance fashion: on the dance floor! This will be the first of two “au revoir” dances, the second being Salsa dancing at the Cardinal Bar on Thursday night.

Related pictures based on the following tags: field-trip,madison-wi,nightclub-two-step,sarah,social-dance,swing,west-coast-swing

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Thursday nights this summer, “have dinner” a different way! We will meet for 75 minutes on Thursdays, 9 June until 28 July, 2011.

Have some fun relaxing from your work week with a hot Salsa dance class designed for Intermediate level Salsa/Rhythm dancers. Pre-enrollment or advance registration is not necessary but is suggested; these are drop-in classes.

Learn energetic and sensual Rhythm dances like Salsa, Merengue, Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha, Argentine Tango, and Bolero. Before each class, we decide as a group what we would like to work on that night. This class is your “Sandbox”: a time to play and enjoy Salsa and other Rhythm dances! We will be working on:

• More involved Salsa/Rhythm combinations
• Drops
• Dips
• Solo work
• …maybe even some lifts!

The focus, as with all of our classes, is on how to come into contact with your partner safely and painlessly.

Since this is an Intermediate level class, I expect that you will already be familiar with basic Salsa/Rhythm dance concepts like cross-body leads, right side passes, under-arm turns, chases, and Cuban motion. You need to have been dancing with Darrell or myself for at least six (6) months. If you are unsure if you are ready for these classes, please do not hesitate to ask me! As always, the more the merrier!

Darrell is also teaching Salsa/Latin II this summer, an eight-week class series, which will focus more heavily on syllabus dancing. These two classes will compliment each other very nicely!

Please, no Street Shoes on the dance floor. Dance shoes, practice shoes, dance sneakers, or stocking feet are all fine.

Related pictures based on the following tags: advanced-beginner,american-rhythm,bolero,cha-cha,dance-class,group-class,intermediate,kanopy,latin-dance,madison-wi,mambo,merengue,rumba,salsa,sarah

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August 5th
6pm Davis Family: Contemporary Jazz, R&B and Top 40, from the 60′s through the 90′s
8pm Grupo Candela: Salsa music!

August 12th
6pm Nabori: Salsa music!
8pm Eddie Butts: Funk, jazz, pop and R&B

August 19th
6pm The Associates: Motown, classic rock, blues, R&B, swing, jazz, country
8pm Altered Five: Rockin’ rhythm and blues synergized with funk and jazz

August 26th
6pm De La Buena: Salsa music!
8pm Streetlife: Contemporary, dance, to jazz and R&B

Dane Dances! has demonstrated a commitment to providing quality activities that have proven success in reducing racial and other barriers that separate people in the Dane County community. Dane Dances! showcases local performers, energizes the downtown area, and helps promote local businesses. With extraordinary music and outstanding food, Dane Dances! draws energetic and diverse crowds from throughout the Dane County area. Our events are an example of what community is all about: people of different backgrounds coming together to enjoy ethnic and cultural diversity.

Thousands of people come — young, old, single, in couples or with families. We welcome anyone who likes dancing, excellent music and ethnic food. You don’t even have to dance, just enjoy meeting new people and having fun together.

Dane Dances! believes in keeping these events FREE to the public, allowing us to reach out to people of diverse backgrounds. In order to keep these events FREE, we need your help. Please join us and get involved with Dane Dances!

Rain Back-up: Monona Terrace (inside)

Related pictures based on the following tags: madison-wi,mambo,salsa,social-dance,swing

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When: Saturday, June 11, 2011. 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Tuition: USA Dance Members $35, Non-members $45
(memberships will be available at the door)

Neil Hollingworth will be our guest instructor on Saturday, June 11th for a great educational dance experience teaching both the basics and special techniques in Swing. You won’t want to miss this great opportunity (especially with the Hangar Dance one week later!) to improve your technique and increase your fun with Swing! Neil is an expert instructor and well known for his skill as a professional dancer and instructor.

USA Dance–Madison is the area’s newest ballroom dance club. USA Dance is a national non-profit organization that promotes ballroom dancing. USA Dance-Madison is a local chapter (#2095) of that national organization. The Madison chapter offers dance workshops and intensives, and provide a positive smoke-free alcohol-free social dance every month.

See the USA Dance-Madison website for complete details.

** ** Please bring non-street shoes to wear for dancing! ** **

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Saturday, 18 June 2011. Dancing 7:00 – 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 at door, $15 in advance. Tickets may be purchased in advance at Drums-n-Moore in Madison, 6033 Monona Drive (M-F 11a-6p), or by contacting June Dalton at ladiesmustswing@yahoo.com.

Re-live the 1940s era by attending the Hangar Dance at Wisconsin Aviation, featuring big band music performed by Ladies Must Swing, a jazz band consisting of 19 energetic dames. Vintage wear is encouraged and there will be prizes for the best dressed couple and best dancers.

Bring a canned food item to the door and receive $1 off admission. The food will be donated to the Community Action Coalition, a local organization committed to reducing poverty in Dane, Jefferson and Waukesha counties.

Food and beverage proceeds, as well as a portion of the door sales, will benefit The Badger Honor Flight (badgerhonorflight.org), a local nonprofit that ensures WWII and terminally ill veterans from any war have the opportunity to see the memorials that have been erected in their honor. They will be serving local beer and dinner catered by Milio’s, so come hungry!

See also…USA Dance-Madison’s Swing Workshop the week before! This is a perfect opportunity to dust off your Swing skills before the big event!

28. Becoming

Using the male, being female,
Being the entrance of the world,
You embrace harmony
And become as a newborn.

Using strength, being weak,
Being the root of the world,
You complete harmony
And become as unshaped wood.

Using the light, being dark,
Being the world,
You perfect harmony
And return to the Way.
Tao te ching, trans. Peter Merel, (c)1995

The Tao that can be tao’ed…

Phrases like this have been used over and over (The Tao of Pooh, the Tao of Programming, the Tao of The Dude, etc.)…and it’s on the verge of becoming hokey (if it isn’t there yet). But it gets my point across quickly: salsa, and all partner dancing, is not just about memorizing the steps or learning the syllabus. That’s the easy stuff. It’s about movement. It’s about discovering yourself. It’s about opening up and trusting another. It’s rolling points of contact and contractions and compression.

Tonight in the “debriefing circle” after class, one person commented that a lot of partner dancing is like Aikido…and I completely agree. You come into contact with your partner gently, sharing energy with them, passing it back and forth between partners. Together, you “complete harmony,” (to quote the Tao Te Ching, above) and “become as unshaped wood.” One of the beautiful qualities of unshaped wood is that it can be anything: a banister, a vase, a mask. Infinite potential.

Sack of sand

We were working on some more advanced pretzeley moves, which required high levels of looseness in the arms. To that end, we started off class with a little relaxation, and passive motion. One partner was the “sack of sand”, while the other moved their arms, exploring ranges of motion. It’s a deceptively difficult exercise, which is excellent at pointing out where one’s “sticky places” are (i.e. where emotion takes over, and the “sack of sand” person tenses up). Learning to be a good Lead or Follow requires a person to become aware of these “sticky places”, and eventually work through them.

Uncarved block

Finding softness in one’s own body is like returning to that state of being an uncarved block, unshaped wood, a newborn. You have infinite potential in your motion! Suddenly your partner doesn’t need to fight you, you don’t need to stay locked in to the rigid patterns that you have always danced. Instead, you can find new ways to interpret the music, new ways to interpret the dance. You, as an uncarved block, may become a mask one moment, and then a frog the next. The next night, perhaps a planet.

That is the beauty of partner dancing…of salsa…of tango…of waltz…of swing. It can be different every time! With every song, walk on to the dance floor with new eyes. And smile!

Related pictures based on the following tags: etiquette,salsa,sarahs-musings

• Darrell’s UW Continuing Studies classes started last night – but it’s not too late to join! Want to spruce up your Waltz or Cha Cha? Drop him an email! Beginners – enroll in or re-take one of Darrell’s Wednesday UW Continuing Studies classes – (Smooth / Rhythm).
• There are a few slots left for Sarah’s Thursday Private Lesson Special. These lessons are being offered at a huge discount! This is a great way to get one-on-one help with Cuban motion, dance frame, or some steps that you’ve always been confused by! The first seven people to mention the Art of Dance Newsletter signing up for a Private Lesson will get a free ticket to the NARI Remodeling Expo! Contact Sarah to reserve your time.
• STARTING TONIGHT!!! Continuing Dancers – enroll in Sarah’s Thursday night Salsa/Rhythm 104. Come down to Kanopy tonight at 7:30 and get your Salsa on! Prerequisites: one of Darrell’s or Sarah’s recent beginner level classes.

USA Dance-Madison’s Mardi Gras Dance

Attend the Mardi Gras dance hosted by Madison’s newest ballroom dance organization: USA Dance–Madison. They are “jumpin’ the gun on fun” with a Mardi Gras Foxtrot event, and are inviting dancers to come in mask and costume for a night of fun dancing. There will be multiple dance demonstrations and a Jack and Jill competition throughout the evening! The dance instruction hour (7:00) will be a Beginner Foxtrot with Young Park of Social Life Dance – Madison.

Visit the Art of Dance Calendar event or the USA Dance-Madison website for more information!

• Beginners – enroll in or re-take one of Darrell’s Wednesday UW Continuing Studies classes – (Smooth / Rhythm).
• Try Sarah’s Thursday Private Lesson Special – limited appointments available. The first seven people to mention the Art of Dance Newsletter signing up for a Private Lesson will get a free ticket to the NARI Remodeling Expo! Contact Sarah to reserve your time.
• Continuing Dancers – enroll in Sarah’s Thursday night Salsa/Rhythm 104. Prerequisites: one of Darrell’s or Sarah’s recent beginner level classes.
• A play on the old Latin Lunch – drop in to Sarah’s Thursday night Latin Dinner.

Follow the link for enrollment instructions and other details.

USA Dance-Madison’s Mardi Gras Dance

Attend the Mardi Gras dance hosted by Madison’s newest ballroom dance organization: USA Dance–Madison. They are “jumpin’ the gun on fun” with a Mardi Gras Foxtrot event, and are inviting dancers to come in mask and costume for a night of fun dancing. There will be multiple dance demonstrations and a Jack and Jill competition throughout the evening! The dance instruction hour (7:00) will be a Beginner Foxtrot with Young Park of Social Life Dance – Madison.

Visit the Art of Dance Calendar event or the USA Dance-Madison website for more information!

Event Dates

This event occurred
in the past.

Attend the Mardi Gras dance hosted by Madison’s newest ballroom dance organization: USA Dance–Madison. We are “jumpin the gun on fun” with a Mardi Gras Foxtrot event. We are inviting dancers to come in mask and costume for a night of fun dancing. There will be multiple dance demonstrations and a Jack and Jill competition throughout the evening!

The dance instruction hour (7:00) will be the Foxtrot with Young Park of Social Life Dance – Madison.

USA Dance is a national non-profit organization that promotes ballroom dancing. USA Dance-Madison is a local chapter (#2095) of that national organization. The Madison chapter offers dance workshops and intensives, and provide a positive smoke-free alcohol-free social dance every month.

USA Dance social dances are a great opportunity to put all of your dance moves into action! The mix of recorded music includes Waltz, Fox Trot, Tango, Salsa, Merengue, Rumba, Cha Cha, Swing, and many others!

Dress for USA Dance dances is dressy casual.

Schedule:
– 7pm: Beginner Foxtrot Lesson
– 8pm-11pm: General Dancing, Mixers, and Demonstrations

Admission:
– $10 General Admission (Non-Members)
– $5 Members / Students
– *Annual membership dues are $25*

** ** Please bring non-street shoes to wear for dancing! ** **