Synchronized Polka

Synchronized Polka is a form of Western Polka where the man and the woman start on the same foot and dance matching patterns at each other's side to Polka-rhythm Western music.

Polka music can be very fast. Consequently advanced dancers look for ways to conserve energy and have fun in the process. Two favorite solutions are Western Cha Cha and Triple Two. Both dances allow people to dance slower to the same music, but also involve interesting patterns.

However many people prefer to stick with Polka footwork "if only there was a way to slow it down a bit".  Synchronized Polka accomplishes that nicely. Synchronized Polka is it can be easily blended in with your regular Polka patterns.

If you are having trouble visualizing Synchronized Polka, think "Cotton Eyed Joe".  The Cotton-Eyed Joe is basically the 'original' Synchronized Polka dance... both people start with their right foot and both people dance side by side starting from the Sweetheart Position (see picture)

The only thing you need to know in order to take this course is a basic understanding of Polka footwork. 

Pattycake Polka

Pattycake Polka is an extremely easy system of Polka patterns where the man and the woman dance side by side linked by one hand at a time.   Periodically they touch each other's free hand, thus giving this footwork system its distinctive name. 

The advantage of these patterns is that the woman does not have to dance backwards, a real relief to the ladies.

Triple Two

Triple Two is Polka footwork with two walking steps added in.  Triple step, Triple step, Walk Walk.  The major advantage of Triple Two is that it 'slows' the dance down.  By adding two walking steps, people do not have to work as hard to keep the fast pace of the music.   Plus the patterns are easy to lead and follow, thereby giving the lady a break. 

Descriptions of the various Group Dance Classes

Beginning Texas Twostep and Polka - Rick

This course covers the Basic steps to the Texas Twostep, the Polka, and the Threestep.  The class will prepare you to Western dance to all speeds of music.

The Texas Twostep is the best known Western dance.  Fool Hearted Memory by George Strait is a good example of a song Twostep is used to.  The speed range for Twostep music is 75-100 beats per minute.

The Polka is just as important to learn.  San Antonio Stroll by Tanya Tucker is a good example.  The speed range for Polka music is 100-130 beats per minute. 

The Threestep is an interesting dance.  It is used to "Slow Twostep" music.  In other words, if a song is too slow for Twostep and too fast fast for Polka, then the Threestep becomes useful. Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles is a good example of a Threestep song.  The speed range for the Threestep is 130-150 beats per minute.

The Threestep is a hybrid of Twostep and Polka.  The footwork is similar to Polka except that you pass your feet.  It is danced to 8 beats with a Slow Quick Quick Slow Quick cadence. 

Intermediate and Advanced Twostep and Polka

This course assumes you know how to Twostep and Polka ahead of time.

After learning what we call the "Transition Mode" of Twostep and Polka, now we need to cover the flashy double turns.  The main thrust is to learn how to lead and follow the complicated Western Swing Double Turns.  Western Swing is a wildly popular form of Twostep and Polka where the man spins the lady twice with his left hand.

In addition, we find time to learn Twostep and Polka Circle Turns as well as other classic patterns such as Conversation and Zig Zag. 

Western Waltz

Waltz is not only the legendary dance of Romance, it is also a timeless symbol for elegance and grace.  When women think of Waltz, they think of Cinderella at the Ball with flowing gowns and swirling turns around the dance floor. 

There are two styles of Waltz.  One style are the Small Floor Waltz patterns typically used on the dance floors of cruise ships.  The other style are the Waltz patterns that travel round and round the dance floor. 

The Traveling style is what we teach in Western Waltz.   

Since every girl feels like a Princess when she dances to beautiful Waltz music, any man who can dance the Waltz will surely receive smiles and hugs from his favorite partner... and that's no fairy tale! 

Synchronized Polka

Synchronized Polka is a form of Western Polka where the man and the woman start on the same foot and dance matching patterns at each other's side to Polka-rhythm Western music.

Polka music can be very fast. Consequently advanced dancers look for ways to conserve energy and have fun in the process. Two favorite solutions are Western Cha Cha and Triple Two. Both dances allow people to dance slower to the same music, but also involve interesting patterns.

However many people prefer to stick with Polka footwork "if only there was a way to slow it down a bit".  Synchronized Polka accomplishes that nicely. Synchronized Polka is it can be easily blended in with your regular Polka patterns.

If you are having trouble visualizing Synchronized Polka, think "Cotton Eyed Joe".  The Cotton-Eyed Joe is basically the 'original' Synchronized Polka dance... both people start with their right foot and both people dance side by side starting from the Sweetheart Position (see picture)

The only thing you need to know in order to take this course is a basic understanding of Polka footwork. 

Beginning East Coast Swing

East Coast Swing is the most practical partner dance on the planet.  East Coast Swing can be used at virtually any event involving dance.

For example, when we go dancing at the Chandelier Ballroom on Saturday nights, there is more East Coast Swing music played than any other type of music.  When we go dancing at the Chandelier on Western night, you will get opportunities to dance East Coast Swing all night long.

East Coast Swing is by far the most practical dance to learn for cruise trips.  The bands hired by the cruise lines play more music on a nightly basis that fit East Coast Swing than Salsa, Ballroom, and Western.  For that matter, if you go to a wedding, chances are you will get more opportunities to dance East Coast than any other type of partner dance. 

So why is this? For one thing, East Coast Swing doesn't limit itself to a certain genre of music. To dance Western, by and large you need Western-sounding music. To dance Salsa, you need Latin music. On the other hand, East Coast Swing can be used to a wide variety of music.

East Coast Swing works to Big Band music, a mainstay of all Ballroom music. That is the music that was being played when East Coast Swing was developed back in the Twenties and Thirties. However, East Coast Swing is not limited to Big Band music.  East Coast Swing has great range. After dancing to the elegant Big Band music, you can also use it to get down and dirty Blues music. For that matter, ECS and its counterpart Jitterbug work to Rockabilly, Disco, Pop, Jazz, and much of the great Fifties and Sixties Oldies music.

In short, at some point everyone should learn to dance East Coast Swing.  If you like to go social dancing, this is one dance you will find both fun and very useful.

Intermediate East Coast Swing

East Coast Swing can be danced to practically any song a couple is determined to dance to, many people are surprised to learn to East Coast Swing has three distinct styles of footwork.

Single Time Swing uses 4 steps to 6 beats.  It is counted step hold step hold back step or Slow Slow Quick Quick if you prefer.  This is the most popular style, but this timing only works to about half the music.

Double Time Swing uses 6 steps to 6 beats. It is counted Tap Step Tap Step Back Step.  We call this form of East Coast Swing Tap Step Swing.

Triple Time Swing uses 8 steps to 6 beats.  It is counted triple step, triple step back step.  If you prefer to use beats of music, then count it 1&2, 3&4, Back Step.  We call this form Jitterbug.

All patterns in Intermediate East Coast are learned and danced to all three rhythms.  Don't get nervous; it is a lot easier than it sounds.  And you are going to like the results.  You will soon discover you can dance comfortably to a huge range of different speeds of Swing music.

Private Group Lessons

A Note from Rick Archer

In January
 2012, I began offering Private Group Lessons here at my house in the Heights.  To my pleasant surprise, the classes were a big hit.  The students love the privacy and they enjoy having a big picture window to appreciate the garden.

So what, exactly, is a "Private" Group Lesson??  This term refers to a group dance class that is deliberately kept to a small number.

Obviously a Private Group Lesson is a cross between a Group dance lesson and a Private dance lesson. 

Historically, the term "Private Lesson" is used at dance studios to refer to an instructor working with one student or a couple.

Going back to the days of the Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray franchises, dance studios have historically utilized Private Lessons as the backbone of their business.

These studios September have offered occasional group lessons as well, but Private Lessons were always their bread and butter.  Students were told excellence in dance could only be achieved under the close watch of a highly-trained dance instructor.

During its phenomenal 32 year run, SSQQ emphasized systematic Group Lessons that allowed students to progress from one level to the next.  That worked like a charm.  At its peak, SSQQ was visited by over twelve hundred students a month.  

There was no other dance studio in America quite like SSQQ.  SSQQ had literally created a new business model for dance studios.  SSQQ was a pioneer because it demonstrated that a well-run group lesson format could be successful.

So what was the secret of our success?  I made the discovery that people did not have to depend on Private Lessons to become excellent dancers.  If a Group Class could be organized properly, people could learn to dance very well for a fraction of what they would be forced to pay using the Private Lesson system.  People were not only pleased by how much fun the classes were, they were amazed at how economical the classes were. 

The Problem with Private Lessons

When I sold my business in 2010, I signed a two year non-compete clause that said I could only teach group classes at another dance studio.  There was one problem - I didn't want to teach for any other dance studio.  My loyalty stayed with SSQQ.

However, a brief 2011 stint of teaching at SSQQ II proved to be awkward.  An attempt to form another studio in 2012 proved to be awkward as well.  When my non-compete expired in September 2012, I tried to recreate my previous "Group Lesson" program over at Melody Club.  To my surprise, doing things the old way simply didn't work. 

That said, I still wanted to teach dance.  So I gave the subject some serious thought. 

One 2012 experience kept coming to the forefront of my thoughts.  During my semi-retirement, I became a dance student again.  In an attempt to upgrade my Ballroom skills, I took a series of Private Ballroom Lessons and I also took a series of Small Ballroom Group Lessons. 

I noticed that I learned the dance steps just as fast in both classes.  That surprised me.  I assumed I would always learn faster in a Private Lesson.  Not so.  I discovered I can only absorb new dance material at a certain speed.  In my Private Lessons, the instructor would just stand there watching quietly while I practiced my patterns over and over until the feel of the move finally sunk in. 

In my Small Group Class, I would practice while the instructor was talking to another student.  That gave me all the extra time I needed to catch up.

I discovered I learned at the same speed in both formats.

However, there was one compelling difference. 

In the Private Lessons, I paid $85 an hour.  In the Small Group Lessons, I paid $23 an hour. 

This comparison was a real eye-opener.  The Private Lesson was costing me nearly four times the amount of the Group class, but I didn't learn the material any faster.

In addition, I liked the Small Group class a lot. Having other students in the small group class added a very pleasant social element to the mix.  It was fun teasing each other.  I might add there was an unstated element of competition that gave us all an incentive to do our best.  Our Small Group class was an ideal learning environment. 

I reached an unmistakable conclusion.  If I learned at practically the same speed in both formats, then obviously taking the $23 class made a heck of a lot more sense than taking the $85 class.

 

My new format is a simple one:  I will teach four 75 minute classes for $40 a person.  That's a one-time charge.  In addition, I throw in a complimentary 15 minute practice session so the total time for each class becomes 90 minutes.

I might add there is a real economic benefit here.  I was taking a 60 minute class for $23 an hour.  My students will be taking a 90 minute class for $10 an hour.  That's quite a difference. There will probably be about 10 other students, so my students will get plenty of attention for that money.  These students have an opportunity to become a very good dancer at a very economical price.   

There is one more thing to point out.  Because I have been out of the dance scene for over two years, many people have no idea that I am a very good dance teacher.  If you will forgive my immodesty, I am very effective.  Not only do I love to teach dance, I have 35 years of experience to draw upon. 

Where to Start? 

If you like what you have read so far, then the final question is how to find the right class to take. 

There are two ways - Passive and Active.

The Passive Approach is to watch the Sundance Newsletter and see what is offered each month.  That's simple enough.  When you see a class you like, you reserve a spot and you are good to go.  However, this involves waiting.

The Active Approach is to contact me and suggest a class you would like to take.  I will then advertise your class in the Newsletter and see if we get some interest.  Since I don't need a lot of people for a class to make, you have a good chance of getting your wish. 

For that matter, why depend on my Newsletter?  There is no reason why an individual can't organize their very own group to take lessons. Do you have friends who would like to learn the Western Waltz?  Contact a couple of friends.  Do you have friends who want to learn Synchronized Polka or Night Club?  Organize a group of your friends.  Or how about a Salsa class.  Same thing. 

What's so hard about that?  Just tell me what you want and I will figure out how to give it to you. 

Right now, because I am starting over, I have plenty of free time available.  With just a little initiative, you can have your very own Private Group Lesson.

Rick Archer
rick@ssqq.com