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The Extra:
An Insider's Look at the
MAY SSQQ
Dance Semester
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Please visit
BALLROOM DANCING
for an in-depth explanation of how our Ballroom Program works.
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4:30-6:30 SUNDAY
AFTERNOON SSQQ WESTERN
PROGRAM |
Beginning Two Step/Polka
Western Music has dominated the radio airwaves as the
most popular music in Texas pretty much forever! As a result,
Western Dancing is very popular here in the Bayou City.
Since
you live in Houston, Texas, you should get plenty of
opportunities where a little knowledge of the Twostep/Polka will come in pretty
handy. For example, Western dancing is a fixture at Rodeo time.
Come
learn the fundamentals of these important famous dances!
The
Texas Twostep is easy
to learn and fun to use. From George Strait's "Fool Hearted
Memory" to Shania Twain's "Holding onto Love", the Twostep
is used to a wide variety of C&W music. It is
also the dance that gave SSQQ its name: Slow Slow Quick Quick.
The Polka is used to a different speed of music than
the Twostep. Known as the "Triple Step" dance, the Polka and the Twostep
can be danced to about 80% of all Western music (the other 20% are
Waltzes, Night Club, and Honky-Tonk Swing).
Since this
class is so popular you take this class on Sunday, Wednesday or
Friday. As these are considered "Parallel Classes", you
can rotate between the three time slots to fit your schedule.
Beginning and
Intermediate Western Swing
(History
of Western Swing)
Western Swing is a dance that combines Double Turns with Twostep and
Polka rhythm. Another name for what we call Western Swing is
"Twostep with Turns", but that doesn't do justice to this highly
popular dance that originated here in the Houston area back during
the "Urban Cowboy" era.
Over the years, Western Swing has been a favorite because the ladies
love to turn and swirl and the men always enjoy seeing the grins on
their partner's faces after a roller-coaster trip around the floor.
All levels of Western Swing are offered on Sunday, Wednesday, and
Friday at the studio. One thing to remember - you need to know
how to Twostep before you can take Beginning Western Swing.
It's one of those "don't run before you learn to walk" concepts.
Intermediate Western Swing is three courses in one:
First, it reviews all the Beginning Western Swing patterns
Second, it shows how to convert the Twostep Western Swing
patterns to the tricky Polka-rhythm
Third, it covers many new Polka patterns such as Conversation,
Crossovers, and Side Travel
Advanced Western Swing I and II
(I in
the odd months, II in the even months)
ADV WESTERN SWING I WILL BE OFFERED ON SUNDAYS, WEDNESDAYS,
FRIDAYS IN MAY
Advanced Western Swing covers many very important patterns
including Cross the Line, Crossed Hands Wild West Shuffle, the
Texas Tornado, the Lariat, the Yo-Yo, and the Dishrag. This
course serves as the introduction to the difficult Clockwise
Reverse Double Turns known as the "Cyclone Turns".
Please note you are always welcome to take Advanced Western
Swing II BEFORE you take Advanced Western Swing I. The
order makes no difference.
INTERMEDIATE TRIPLE TWO - Scott
SUNDAYS IN MAY
Beginning Triple Two is the legendary Western Swing export from
Dallas, Texas. Triple Two is not well-known in Houston, but it is
a staple on the Western Dancing Competition circuit. It is fast, fluid,
fun to dance, and great to watch!
Danced to Polka-speed music, Triple Two is the dance of many aliases.
Also known as Triple Twostep, Fort Worth Shuffle, and Dallas Twostep,
Triple Two is very popular among experienced Western Swing dancers
because it is less strenuous than a regular Polka and the patterns are
unique and very flowing. This special course has not been offered at
SSQQ for over a year.
In the 2007, this class was so popular it lasted for five months.
You will be pleasantly surprised at how much fun the Triple Two is to
learn and to use out on the floor!
BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE WHIP/WEST
COAST SWING
BEGINNING WILL BE TAUGHT SUNDAYS AT 4:30 IN MAY
(For description of this class, click here)
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PLEASE NOTE THE SUNDAY
7 pm SWING & BALLROOM CLASSES
ARE
FOLLOWED BY AN HOUR-LONG BALLROOM TEA DANCE (with complimentary
Ice Tea & Cookies)
OVERVIEW ON EAST COAST SWING AND
JITTERBUG CLASSES
(Read more: History
of Swing Dancing)
Many people do not know this, but Swing Dancing is
America's gift to the world.
It is the only Ballroom dance that is 100% Born in the USA!
Swing Dancing started in Harlem in the Roaring 20s Jazz Age.
The first form of Swing dancing was the Charleston. The
Charleston gave rise to the Lindy Hop in the late 20s. As
Jazz music transformed into Swing music, similarly the Lindy Hop
grew into Swing dancing during the 30s and 40s Big Band Swing
Era.
Since that time, Swing Dancing has grown to include many types
of music such as 50s Rock 'n Roll music, fast Blues, Western
Honky-Tonk "Born to Boogie" music, plus the marvelous Big Bad
Voodoo Daddies/"Jump, Jive, and Wail" 90s Swing music as well.
People ask all the time, "Where should I begin?"
Swing Dancing is a good answer to that question due to its
versatility. A Swing class is an excellent starting point
because no matter what the music is, Swing can be used at
practically any dance occasion.
Please note our Sunday Swing classes are taught primarily to Big
Band Music while the Monday parallel class is taught to all
kinds of Swing music. Although the music JUNE differ
slightly, both classes should be considered "parallel". You
JUNE
rotate between them or come both nights each week.
One more note: people ask about the "Jitterbug". Swing Dancing
can be used to a Slow Slow Quick Quick footwork and timing to fast
music while Jitterbug is the SSQQ term for the Triple Step Triple
Step Back Step footwork used to slower Swing music. Both
dances have identical patterns, so it easy to learn both dances
at the same time.
BEGINNING Swing/Jitterbug on
Sundays
AND MONDAYS -
RICK
WILL
TEACH BEGINNING ON SUNDAYS IN MAY
Each month SSQQ has
a new Sunday Beginning Swing classes offered at 7 pm.
In addition there is a parallel Monday class at 7 pm.
(Intermediate Swing/Jitterbug
ON SUNDAYS - NOT OFFERED ON SUNDAYS IN MAY TO MAKE ROOM
FOR SWING CHARLESTON. HOWEVER INTERMEDIATE SWING
IS OFFERED ON MONDAYS IN MAY)
Swing dancing can be used a wide variety of music and many different
speeds of music ranging from 120 beats per minute to 220 bpm.
However to dance to such different speed ranges comfortably, you
must learn how to adapt your footwork to the different speeds.
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The slowest music
(120-150 bpm) uses
Jitterbug footwork: 1 and 2, 3 and 4,
Back Step.
(6 beats, EIGHT STEPS TOTAL)
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The medium range music
(150-180 bpm) works best with
Tap-Step footwork.
(6 beats, Tap-Step, Tap-Step, Back Step = SIX STEPS TOTAL)
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The fastest music
(180-220) uses
Swing footwork. Step-Hold, Step-Hold,
Back Step.
(6 beats, FOUR STEPS TOTAL)
All three
footwork systems use 6 beats.
All three footwork systems use identical patterns.
The fastest music requires the
fewest steps (SWING) while the slowest music (JITTERBUG) requires the most steps.
Those extra steps in the Jitterbug system are used
for Traveling, which in essence speeds up the dance.
In addition, medium range music works best with the
TAP-STEP footwork.
In the
Beginner Level of Swing/Jitterbug we teach mostly Swing
footwork and warn you about Jitterbug and Tap-Step footwork.
Once you make it to Intermediate, we show you how to
use the other two systems.
SWING
CHARLESTON I
Sundays
IN MAY WITH
MAUREEN BRUNETTI
The
fascinating Swing Charleston kick patterns can
be easily merged with
regular Swing. Although Swing Charleston patterns are 8-beats and
Swing patterns are 6 beats, it is relatively simple to go back and
forth.
There are two Swing Charleston courses. The first month covers
Side by Side Charleston patterns and shows you how to get
in from Swing and back to Swing.
Swing
Charleston Classic patterns include Bus Driver, Kick and Rock, Side by
Side Charleston, and Crossed-Hand Charleston as well as others. Many
people are not aware that the Lindy originated out of the Charleston. In
particular, the “Side by Side” and “Crossed-Hands” patterns were
pretty much the first Lindy patterns ever used when Lindy was making its
breakout from the Charleston in the 1920s.
Next month Maureen will tackle Tandem Charleston.
Please note this is an Advanced class, so if you
haven't finished Intermediate Swing, steer clear. Thanks!!
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Please note that
Swing is also a
Ballroom Dance, but due to its importance it has its own program.
You can take Swing classes on Sundays
& Mondays at 7 pm |
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THE SUNDAY BALLROOM PROGRAM
Ballroom
Dancing
is a general term that is used to refer to about a dozen
different dances, including dances like Cha Cha that are considered
Latin Dances as well. If you would like to be more specific,
then call it Ballroom and Latin Dancing.
Here at SSQQ, we stick to the five most important Ballroom and Latin
dances: Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha, and Rumba. For a more
detailed look at the SSQQ Ballroom Program, please read
our special Story:
THE SSQQ
BALLROOM PROGRAM
If you don't
have the time to read the entire story, then here is an
abbreviated explanation. There are six levels of
Ballroom Dancing at SSQQ (BEG and INT I, BEG
and INT II, plus BEG & INT TANGO).
These classes are taught on Sunday evenings followed by
our Sunday Evening Ballroom Dance from 9 pm to 10 pm.
You can take all six classes in any order you wish.
For example, let's say you start classes in MAY
2008.
You can take BEGINNING BALLROOM I which covers Foxtrot
and Waltz.
In MAY, you can take INTERMEDIATE BALLROOM I.
In MAY, you can take BEGINNING TANGO.
In MAY, you can take INTERMEDIATE TANGO.
Now it gets tricky. In May, perhaps you can take BEG
SWING.
Then in June, you can start BEGINNING BALLROOM II which
covers Cha Cha and Rumba.
In July, you can take INTERMEDIATE BALLROOM II.
Once you have completed the six levels, we invite you to
join Dakota Wilhelm's Accelerated Ballroom Class which
we describe in more detail below.
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LISTING OF SUNDAY BALLROOM
CLASSES FOR MAY |
Beginning Ballroom Dance I (odd months) and II (even months)
BEGINNING BALLROOM I and II serve as our "Introduction to Ballroom Dancing".
It is simply too much to offer all five dances in the
same class, so we break them up into two sections.
On Sundays in the "Odd months" we teach Beg Ballroom I which covers
Foxtrot and Waltz.
On Sundays in the "Even months" we teach Beg Ballroom II which covers
Cha Cha and Rumba
Please note you are perfectly welcome to take Ballroom II before
Ballroom I. The order does not matter. Either way
is fine! Both courses are perfect for beginners who want a good place to
start learning more about Ballroom Dance.
BEG BALLROOM
I (Odd Months):
BEG I ON SUNDAYS IN MAY
1. Foxtrot is the dance for Weddings. It is also the dance
of choice for all Sinatra music such as "New
York New York" and "The Way You Look Tonight".
2. Waltz is Cinderella's dance of Romance, grace and elegance.
Waltz is certainly the dance most commonly associated with the
term "Ballroom Dancing" due to its beauty.
BEG BALLROOM II (Even Months):
1. Cha Cha is
sexy and flirtatious.
It is easy to learn and to dance. Best of all, Cha Cha it is also a
dance where a flirt can have a field day of fun!
2.
Rumba is the sultry Latin dance of Romance.
This moody Latin Dance works marvelously to
soft jazz music like "The Look of Love" and "Night and Day".
Rumba is a deeply sensual, graceful dance. Note that there are
patterns in Foxtrot that are identical to certain Rumba
patterns... learn them both at the same time.
Two months of these Introductory classes will give you a
complete
overview of Latin and Ballroom dancing!
BEGINNING
TANGO (Odd Months)
BEG ON SUNDAYS IN MAY
Tango is the seductive Dance of the Dark.
If Waltz is the symbol for the light
side of Romance, then Tango is the timeless symbol for the dark side of
Romance. Jealousy,
Suspicion, and Passion are the emotions associated with
Tango.
Tango music is haunting and mysterious.
In the spirit of the music, the
movement of the Tango very dramatic complete with dramatic lunges and
eye-catching flares and fans.
INTERMEDIATE
TANGO (Even Months)
Intermediate Tango
covers a wide variety of patterns.
In addition to the Fallaway and Boomerang Fallaway,
there is the Grapevine, Walking Step, Moving Pivots,
Turning Flares, Double Cortez, Double Fan, Inside and
Outside Turns from Promenade, and Counter-Clockwise
Turns. Impressive amount of material!
INTERMEDIATE Ballroom I
is taught on even months; II is taught on odd months
INTERMEDIATE BALLROOM I
covers Foxtrot, Rumba,
and Waltz.
Foxtrot and Waltz are two dances that share extremely
similar footwork based on the Box Step.
By grouping these
two
dances together, the learning time can be cut dramatically.
Sinatra music is synonymous with Foxtrot such as "The Way
You Look Tonight" and "New York, New York".
Foxtrot is the High Society Uptown equivalent of our
Texas Twostep.
Waltz is Cinderella's legendary dance of romance.
Waltz can be danced to a wide variety of music.
For example, it is
danced to Western Waltz classics such as "You Look So Good In
Love", popular songs such "Could I Have This Dance?",
traditional songs like "Greensleeves" and "Auld Lang Syne", plus
beautiful Irish and Celtic Waltz music.
This particular Ballroom class is perfect in preparation for
weddings, jazz combos on a dinner date, and New Year's Eve.
It is also the perfect class to take for a cruise trip since
both dances work perfectly to the Atrium bands playing ballroom
classics.
INTERMEDIATE BALLROOM II covers
Rumba and Cha Cha.
INTERMEDIATE II WILL BE TAUGHT ON SUNDAYS IN MAY
The sexy Latin dance Cha-Cha and the moody
Rumba share many patterns.
The mysterious
Rumba is the Latin equivalent to Waltz.
This graceful, sensual dance is perfect for Latin jazz, slow
salsas, and popular music such as "Under the Boardwalk",
"Yesterday", and "It's Now or Never".
ACCELERATED BALLROOM WITH DAKOTA WILHELM:
TANGO IN MAY
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JANUARY: ADVANCED WALTZ I
FEBRUARY: ADVANCED WALTZ iI
MARCH: ADVANCED CHACHA I
APRIL: ADVANCED CHACHA II
MAY: ADVANCED FOXTROT I
JUNE: ADVANCED FOXTROT II
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JULY:
ADVANCED RUMBA I
AUGUST:
ADVANCED RUMBA II
SEPTEMBER:
ADVANCED TANGO I
OCTOBER:
ADVANCED TANGO II
NOVEMBER: VIENNESE WALTZ
DECEMBER: SAMBA
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Dakota's Accelerated Ballroom made its debut in
MAY 2007. Designed as a Super-Advanced Ballroom
course, Dakota expects each student to have a strong
knowledge of the current month's
dance as a prerequisite to taking this class.
The students who are prepared for this level have a
right to expect the class to move swiftly. Therefore we
reserve the right to send students to a lower level if
they are not ready for this Advanced
level.
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FORMAL DANCING FOR WEDDINGS
AND OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS
- MARLA ARCHER
Here at SSQQ, we say that Slow Dance and Romance go
hand in hand. There are special occasions like the First Dance at a
Wedding, a fancy New Years Eve party, a romantic standard at the
Captain's Reception on a cruise, or a sultry torch song at a
nightclub where the ability to Slow Dance would sure come in
handy.
Formal Dancing for these occasions comes in three forms:
Slow Dancing, Foxtrot, or Waltz.
When it
comes to Slow Dancing, the blunt truth is that most people don't have a clue how to
Slow Dance gracefully. Women are lucky because they can probably
wing it, but the men don't do very well when they are forced to fake it. Sad to say, they
usually flub miserably.
As a word to the wise, there are certain moments in life when
the ability to dance gracefully to romantic music becomes a
mighty important skill to have.
Like the ability to change a tire comes in handy at an
unexpected time, the smart person learns how to Slow Dance AHEAD
OF TIME... because you never know when you will need to know how
to Slow Dance.
Learning to Slow Dance is especially
important to couples who are getting married. At
least these people have of knowing when their time is
due. As a result, they have the luxury to prepare in
advance.
Classic romantic standards like Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable",
"At Last" by Etta James, or American Graffiti-era hits like "In
the Still of the Night", "All in the Game", "Only You", and
"When A Man Loves a Woman" become special to dance to
when you actually "Know How" to Slow Dance properly.
Slow Dancing is a derivative of Foxtrot. Most people can shuffle
from foot to foot, but when it comes to Slow Dancing well, the
majority of people are clueless.
This course covers ways to Slow Dance gracefully with several
footwork combinations. We explain how different songs JUNE
require different timing and footwork.
We no longer offer the Slow Dance class as a 4-week program at
SSQQ.
Instead, Marla now teaches this material
in private lessons plus occasional Saturday evening Crash Course
(check the current
Schedule).
In a typical week, Marla teaches 5 Wedding Couples a
week in Private Lessons. Her strengths are
Foxtrot, Slow Dance, Waltz, and Swing.
Warning: If you want to dance the Foxtrot at your
wedding, start earlier. If you want to Waltz at
your wedding, start twice as early!!
To read more about Marla's Wedding Dance experiences,
please visit: Houston Wedding Dance Lessons
You can
contact Marla at
marla@ssqq.com
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MONDAY NIGHT
Beginning East Coast Swing/Jitterbug
-
Steve, Maureen, and Marla
steve
WILL
TEACH BEGINNING ON MONDAYS IN MAY
If
there is one dance that is popular to a wide variety of music,
that would be Swing. Swing music can be Big Band, Rockabilly, 50s Jitterbug
classics, Born to Boogie Western, and 90s Retro Swing Hits by Brian Setzer and the Big Bad
Voodoo Daddies. Once you learn to Swing dance, you will find
many opportunities to use it.
Swing Dancing originated from Big Band Swing music. Since the 30s and
40s Big Band Swing era, Swing Dancing has grown to include 50s Rock
'n Roll music, Western Honky Tonk music, and 90s Swing music as
well. Swing Dancing is probably the single most versatile and
practical form of social partner dance to learn because it can be
used at practically ANY DANCE OCCASION!
Please note this same class is also offered on Sundays at
7 pm.
You can take both classes for the price of one. You can
come to both classes or you can alternate.
MONDAY NIGHT
Intermediate East
Coast SWING/JITTERBUG
MARLA
WILL
TEACH INTERMEDIATE ON MONDAYS IN MAY
Swing
Dancing can be used to a wide variety of music once you learn to
adapt your footwork to the different speeds.
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The slowest music
(120-150 bpm) uses
Jitterbug footwork: 1 and 2, 3 and 4,
Back Step.
(6 beats, EIGHT STEPS TOTAL)
-
The medium range music
(150-180 bpm) works best with
Tap-Step footwork.
(6 beats, Tap-Step, Tap-Step, Back Step = SIX STEPS TOTAL)
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The fastest music
(180-220) uses
Swing footwork. Step-Hold, Step-Hold,
Back Step.
(6 beats, FOUR STEPS TOTAL)
Swing Footwork is
taught primarily in Beginning Swing Jitterbug. The
Intermediate Level covers the Jitterbug and Tap-Step
footwork systems.
MONDAY Advanced Swing/Jitterbug
MAUREEN
WILL
TEACH ADVANCED LEVEL 1 ON MONDAYS IN MAY
SSQQ
currently offers 4
different Advanced levels.
Our Advanced levels
cover double turns, famous Swing and Lindy footwork patterns,
and all sorts of intricate patterns. You can take these
different levels in any order you wish after completing
BOTH Intermediate Swing/Jitterbug levels.
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SSQQ
Whip/West Coast Swing
(History of Whip)
BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE WHIP/WEST
COAST SWING
BEGINNING WILL BE TAUGHT SUNDAYS/MONDAYS IN MAY
Beginning and Intermediate
Whip and West Coast Swing are taught on Sundays and Mondays.
The main night for Whip is Monday Night.
Whip and West Coast Swing are very sophisticated partner dances used
to Blues, Rock and Disco music.
Both dances have identical patterns with identical timing. However
the styling is different. Whip uses an unusual hip motion styling
for the woman while West Coast Swing (WCS) emphasizes a wide variety
of jazzy lady's footwork such as hitches, hijacks, kicks and flicks.
West Coast Swing is the dance system widely used throughout the USA.
The legendary Whip was once the Toast of Texas, but in recent years
it has been passed here in Houston in favor of the flashier WCS.
Here at SSQQ we teach mostly West Coast Swing, but we include Whip
Styling as well. A dance as hot as the Dirty Whip deserves to
be kept alive. Together the dances make for a potent
combination.
There are three levels of classes in the SSQQ
Program. There are parallel Beginning and
Intermediate West Coast classes on Sundays and Mondays (Beginning in the odd months, Intermediate in
the Evens).
Once you complete Beginning and Intermediate, these
classes would be followed by a two-month Monday training
program known as Tech I and Tech II. This
would allow the Monday student to stay with his and her
same group for four months before
joining Martian Whip. Tech I would
be WCS footwork for a month, Tech II would be
Whip footwork for a month plus patterns to relieve the
tedium.
Please note that students in
the Monday Technique II class are welcome to
join the Friday Martian class each week at no charge in
addition to their Monday class. This helps to
bridge the gap between Tech and Martian Whip.
(Martian Technique I students are asked to wait
till they reach Technique II before joining the Friday
class.)
MARTIAN TECHNIQUE
TECHNIQUE I IS TAUGHT ON MONDAYS IN MAY
The
purpose of Martian Technique is to offer 2 solid months
of different material to prepare our students for
Martian Whip. The first hour of each week will be
footwork and fundamentals that students will need at the
higher level. Then the second hour will cover important
patterns.
The Technique class is spread over
two months. Tech I covers West Coast Swing
footwork and patterns. Tech 2 covers Whip footwork
and patterns.
The major goal of the Technique class is to train
students in West Coast and Whip syncopations, also known
as the Hitch technique. The Hitch is the gateway
to superior WCS dancing. Mastery of the difficult
syncopation on 1-2 (Walk Walk) allows a wide variety of
new footwork patterns to develop.
Entrance into the Technique class assumes you have
completed Beginning and Intermediate Whip ahead of time.
MARTIAN
WHIP 6 -
MONDAYS/FRIDAYS
IN MAY
Rick Archer and Cher Longoria teach
Monday Martian Whip. Jack Benard
teaches Friday Martian Whip.
The pace is swift and
material is demanding.
These two Martian Whip classes are not parallel. The
material is different. In other words, when
you sign up for Martian Whip, you are truly getting two
classes for the price of one.
Martian Whip
is a privilege; simply registering for the class does not
guarantee your admission. Rick and Cher reserve the right
to tell you if you are not ready for this class.
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Beginning Salsa
Starting with Living La Vida Loca, Salsa first exploded on the
dance scene with passion in 2000.
Unlike earlier dance crazes such as 70s Disco and 90s Swing, since
then Salsa has shown to have legs. The energy of Salsa just grows
stronger and stronger as the 2000s progress.
Today in 2006 with epicenters in Miami, New York, and LA, a strong
case can be made that Houston is the fourth largest center for Salsa
dancing in the country.
Latin dance clubs in Houston are thriving. Salsa dance classes at
SSQQ are filled to capacity. Tuesdays alone frequently see classes
approaching 100 students. While some people don't like crowded
classes, the vast majority of our students absolutely thrive on the
energy generated from so many people dancing to the pulsating Latin
rhythms. These are VERY POPULAR CLASSES.
You can take Beginning Salsa three
different nights of the week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) for one
price. This is place to start if you want to learn to dance
Salsa. Sexy, flashy, fun, challenging, and great music
all combine to make Salsa the most popular form of social dancing in
America.
Intermediate Salsa 1
TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS IN MAY
Currently you can take Intermediate Salsa three nights a week for the
price of one! Please note our Salsa classes are
beginning to get so crowded we JUNE need to change our rules, but for
the present you are welcome to come all three nights if you wish.
There are four levels of Intermediate Salsa. The
patterns vary, but the difficulty is about the same. Like the
branches on a tree, after you finish Beginning Salsa, you can take
the four Intermediate Salsa classes in any order you wish. And when
you discover the Intermediate patterns are getting too easy, that's
when you know you are ready to move up to Advanced Salsa.
Advanced Salsa 11 -Steve
GEKAS
TUESDAYS IN MAY
Steve's Elite Tuesday Adv Salsa class covers the most
difficult Salsa moves. Please be aware the pace of this class is
very swift.
Salsa first exploded onto the scene in 2000 with Ricky Martin
singing "Living La Vida Loca" against the backdrop of the Bush-Gore
struggles down in Florida. Since then Bush has been re-elected and
Salsa has grown to become the most popular single dance style in
America today.
Steve and Danielle spend so much time dancing in the clubs and
practicing at the studio that they have come up with their own style
of exciting and complex Salsa patterns. Since their students
are mostly very experienced dancers, Steve and Danielle work hard to
stay ahead of this talented group. As a result, Salsa dancers from
around Houston flock to the studio on Tuesday to see if they can the
challenge of this "Honors" Advanced Salsa program. Indeed, the
Tuesday Advanced Salsa class has become so popular our biggest room
regularly fills up with classes that approach 100 students. If you
can handle the heat, this class can't be beat.
The
Tuesday Two
and Three
Left Feet Program with Jill Banta
TWO LEFT FEET ON TUESDAYS IN MAY
Two Left Feet
is taught in the
Odd Months
Three Left Feet
is taught in the Even Months.
Please note you can take take "Three" first and "Two" second or
the other way around. It does matter since the classes cover
different material. They can be taken back to back in either order.
Both "Left Feet" classes have several things in common.
First they give a broad overview of the different types of social
dancing that are out there.
They are both
introductory courses for complete beginners. The Left Feet classes
are a "something for everyone" kind of class because each week we
teach a different kind of dancing.
Second, they are taught in sympathetic, highly-patient way because
we understand that these classes are taken practically exclusively
by total beginners.
There is no hurry, there is no pressure, there are no expectations.
Consequently these classes are sought-after as a great starting
point for anyone interested in social dancing.
Both Left Feet Classes are good for Weddings, Cruises, Rodeo dances,
Ballroom dances, and high school reunions because they cover such a
wide ground of material.
Then after you know more about the individual dances, most people
usually decide to concentrate on the type of dancing that best suits
their favorite music.
Two
Left Feet - Jill Banta (odd months)
Two Left Feet
covers Western Twostep, Big
Band Swing, Ballroom, and Merengue. With a nod to the name of
the class, Jill teaches the class at a very relaxed pace. You
not only get a chance to learn something about several different
dances, you quickly realize social dancing is nowhere near as hard
as you thought it was and how much fun it is as well.
Three
Left Feet - Jill Banta (even months)
Three Left Feet on
Tuesday
covers Western Polka, Tango,
Salsa, and Slow Dancing. With a nod to the name of
the class, Jill teaches the class at a very relaxed pace. You
not only get a chance to learn something about several different
dances, you quickly realized social dancing is nowhere near as hard
as you thought it was and how much fun it is as well.
Two Final
Notes about the Left Feet Classes.
Note One: In
MAY 2002, Joel McCleskey and his
future wife
Ruth signed up for the
SSQQ Two Left Feet class.
Ruth and Joel
got married in MAY 2005. Interestingly, this was the same
month and year that Joel won his first World Dance Championship in
Nashville. In MAY 2006, Joel McCleskey won his
second World Dance Championship, this time in Sweden. (Read
Story)
Ruth is a competition dancer now as well.
The point is
not that Two Left Feet will make you a World Champion.
The point is that Two Left Feet is a great place to start whether
you think you are footwork-impaired or not.
Note Two: If you
actually note the inconsistency that Two Left Feet is taught
in the Odd Month and Three Left Feet is taught in the
Even Month, this is a strong indication this is the correct
class for you.
(Articles for People who are
New to the studio)
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Note: Many Wednesday classes are parallel to Sunday and
Friday. The In-Depth descriptions are listed with Sunday.
Beginning Two Step
Two Step and Polka are the two basic dances used to Country-Western
music.
You can take this class on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday for
the price of one.
(See Sunday's writeup)
Beginning, Intermediate, and
Advanced Western Swing I & II
(See Sunday's writeup)
ADV WESTERN SWING I WILL BE OFFERED ON SUNDAYS, WEDNESDAYS,
FRIDAYS IN MAY
Super Ghost Town
5 -
SCOTT WEDNESDAY,
FRIDAY IN MAY
In response to the request
for Parallel Ghost Towns, we now offer the same level of Ghost
Town twice a week. This way if you miss one day, you can make it up on the other. In addition Scott is likely to throw in a
bonus pattern as well!
SHARON
SHAW'S INTERMEDIATE WESTERN WALTZ
WEDNESDAYS IN MAY
Sharon
(Crawford) Shaw's legendary Western Waltz program began anew in
APRIL 2008 with
a Beginning Western Waltz class, the first step in a five month
cycle. She had nearly 100 students!
Now in May Sharon's class moves in Intermediate material.
Sharon taught her
first extended Western Waltz class back in MAY of 2000. In that year, Sharon had over 70 people sign up for
Beginning Western Waltz in MAY. Due to the high energy of the
class, naturally we scheduled a follow-up Intermediate class in May.
However there was no drop-off! Not only did the same 70 people stick
around, the class grew a little bit as experienced Waltz dancers joined in
progress to share the fun. Soon the students started begging for
more levels. Sharon and her friend John Jones added an Advanced level in
June. Then came Super-Advanced in July.
In 2000,
Sharon and John stopped at four levels, but when the same thing
happened the following year, they found a way to add a fifth month of
Western Waltz in 2001.
What makes the class exceptionally fun is that many of the dancers stay
after class to practice. Before you know, all that practice pays off
- the entire room is wall to wall with beautiful Waltz couples swirling
and twirling across the floor! As a result, many of the finest Waltz
dancers in Houston claim they owe their skill to Sharon and John's class!
Sharon's Five Month Western Waltz cycle in 2007 marks her eighth
year of teaching the best Western Waltz in the entire city.
You do not want to miss it.
Warning - two years ago we actually had to CLOSE this course due to
over-crowding. Do not hesitate to sign up. It could easily happen again.
If you have ever desired to learn the Western Waltz, this is your
golden opportunity. Join now.
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Many Thursday Salsa classes are parallel to Tuesday
and Saturday.
Beginning Salsa
You can take Beginning Salsa three
different nights of the week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) for one
price. This is place to start if you want to learn to dance
Salsa. Sexy, flashy, fun, challenging, and great music
all combine to make Salsa the most popular form of social dancing in
America.
(See Tuesday for writeup)
Intermediate Salsa
1
TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS IN MAY
You can take Int Salsa three nights a week for the
price of one! (See Tuesday for writeup)
Advanced Salsa
5
THURSDAY AND SATURDAY IN MAY
Take both the Thursday and the Saturday Advanced class for the price of
one!
Don't forget a parallel to this course will also be
offered on Saturdays at 4:30 pm!! Take both the Thursday and the Saturday Adv class for the price of
one!
One common question about the Advanced Salsa classes is "which one
do I take first?"
Just like with the four Intermediate Salsa levels, you can take
Advanced levels in any order you wish. However there is one
important note: The pace and the patterns of Advanced Levels 1 thru
6 (offered on Thursdays and Saturdays) are easier than the difficult
Advanced Salsa class on Tuesdays.
In other words, Thursday/Saturday is Advanced, Tuesday is
Super-Advanced.
The
Thursday/Saturday class will be difficult, but with two chances a week to practice the
material, it should be easier than Tuesday.
BEGINNING BACHATA-
Linda
THURSDAYS IN MAY
According
to Linda Cook, Bachata has now moved past Merengue to become the
second favorite Latin dance behind Salsa.
Bachata is a Latin dance used to slow-rhythm Salsa music. It is
considered "suggestive" and naughty. Originating in the
Dominican Republic, Bachata traces it roots to an ancient
African dance rhythm known as 'Ibo' brought over by slaves
stolen from the Nigerian Kwa tribe in the early 1800s. The
dance is very similar to Bossa Nova.
Long considered disreputable music of the lower classes, Bachata
was not played on commercial radio until recently, even though
it had a huge grassroots following. In many ways the history of
Bachata is similar to that of American blues. Originally a
rural, guitar-based form, Bachata was the music of the poor and
uneducated. The lyrics often contained raw double-entendres and
bawdy sexual innuendoes.
And now that you know that Bachata is sometimes known as the
Salsa version of "Dancing Down and Dirty", come learn how to
dance it! .
SUPER-ADVANCED hustle
level 5 - Scott
THURSDAYS IN MAY
Hustle is the famous Disco Dance from the 70s. It
is also a cult favorite here at SSQQ.
Hustle is
best used to Disco music
and soft R&B hits.
This
flashy partner dance is a clever combination of
Swing footwork and Latin hip motion. Taught on
Sundays at 4:30,
this dance was first known as the "Latin Hustle" when it was
the major partner dance back in
the Saturday Night Fever Disco era.
A very smooth, flowing dance, Hustle
footwork & timing is very similar to West Coast Swing. However its patterns are more similar to
East Coast Swing.
While
the patterns resemble from Swing,
the Hustle also has a
hip motion and feel which
is
more similar to Salsa. In other words, Hustle is
a fusion of East Coast and West Coast Swing plus Salsa as well.
You will certainly enjoy this dance which is a unique blend of
all three dance styles.
Since this is a beginner class, of course Scott will assume you know
nothing about the dance and therefore teach his Hustle course starting with the
Basics. However this is a tricky dance best taken by people who
already have at some dance experience, preferably with Swing.
Since we only offer this course once a year, in order to save time we assume everyone in the class has already
taken Beg Swing since so much of the Latin Hustle footwork is derived from
Swing. In other words, if you are not at least a somewhat
experienced dancer, this class may move pretty fast. A Beginning
Swing class would probably be a better place to start.
Scott Ladell has
worked magic with his Hustle class in past years. In 2006, his class
was so popular that it went for five months. That was pretty
impressive. You will be pleased to note that this accomplishment
was no accident. Scott is one of the best Hustle teachers in the
city and deserves the loyal following he has developed.
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Many Friday classes are parallel to Sunday and
Wednesday. You can read their write-ups by scrolling up to Sunday.
Beginning Two Step
Two Step and Polka are the two basic dances used to Country-Western
music. You can take this class on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday for
the price of one.
(See Sunday's writeup)
Beginning, Intermediate, and
Advanced Western Swing I & II
(See Sunday's writeup)
ADVANCED WESTERN I WILL BE OFFERED ON FRIDAYS IN MAY
Super Ghost Town 5 - Scott Ladell
WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY IN MAY
In response to the request
for Parallel Ghost Towns, we know offer Ghost Town on two different
nights of the week. If you
miss one day, you can make it up on the other. In addition Scott is likely to throw in a
bonus pattern as well!
MARTIAN WHIP 5
- JACK BENARD
FRIDAYS
IN MAY
Friday Martian Whip is offered as a reward. It allows
you to accelerate your progress by taking in essence TWO
DIFFERENT ADVANCED WHIP/WEST COAST SWING CLASSES each week.
Please note you can
take class on both Monday and Friday for the price of one.
This class is similar to the Martian Whip class
offered on Mondays, but there are some differences.
-
You will learn different patterns on Fridays and Mondays.
-
You have a different teacher on Fridays and Mondays.
- Students from Martian Technique
II on Mondays are
welcome to participate in the Friday program as a way to receive
more training and accelerate their progress. Please note
that Martian Technique I students are asked to wait till
they reach Technique II before joining the Friday class.
-
Friday Night features a special Whip Practice Night hosted
by Jack Benard.
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Many Saturday Salsa classes are parallel to Tuesday
and Thursday.
Beginning Salsa
You can take Beginning Salsa three
different nights of the week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) for one
price. This is place to start if you want to learn to dance
Salsa. Sexy, flashy, fun, challenging, and great music
all combine to make Salsa the most popular form of social dancing in
America.
Intermediate Salsa
1
TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS IN MAY
You can take Intermediate Salsa three nights a week for the
price of one!
Advanced Salsa 5
THURSDAY
AND SATURDAY IN MAY
Take both the Thursday and the Saturday Adv class for the price of
one!
Note: SALSA EXPLOSION 5
with
Bjorn and
Rebeca
Bangstein
The Explosion class is a Super-Advanced
Salsa Class. It is one level above Adv Salsa.
Rebeca and Bjorn are well-known in the Houston area for their
dazzling Salsa performances. The Explosion will be a styling and
advanced patterns class. In Rebeca's own words, she will teach
women (and men) movement of the arms, shoulders and hips. Women find
it challenging to style while dancing with a partner and intimidated
when left alone to shine.
The
Explosion class is for Advanced Salsa dancers ONLY. There are
six levels of "Explosion". In July 2008, Rebeca and Bjorn will go
back to Explosion 1.
SPECIAL NOTE: Because Salsa Explosion has moved to 4:30,
people who are REPEATING a previous Salsa Explosion level will
not be able to register ON-LINE for Explosion 2 in MAY.
However you can register for Explosion 4 for half-price using
WALK-IN REGISTRATION if this course is a repeat for you.
Alternating
Saturday Class:
Zydeco
(odd months) -
Willie Bushnell and Ronnie Alexander
SATURDAYS
IN MAY
Zydeco is a Creole Swing Dance that is extremely popular in the
Houston area.
Zydeco dance music originated in the state of Louisiana. Similar to
Cajun music, Zydeco is more heavily influenced by blues and music
from the West Indies. Zydeco is fun, sexy, and pretty easy to learn!
This is a great Saturday class that will have you laughing all night
long!
Rhythm and Blues Twostep (even months) - Willie Bushnell and
Willie Ellis
Also known as "Swingout",
Rhythm and Blues Twostep is a popular dance used in African-American
nightclubs. Taught by Willie Bushnell, R&B Twosteppin' is a partner
dance similar to Zydeco. The man and woman first dance in closed
position, then the man "swings her out".
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The SSQQ Newsletter
SSQQ has a Newsletter which contains
quite a bit of information about the studio including the last-minute
schedule changes, the social events, and “gossip”. If you would like
to get an “Insider’s Look” at what is going on at the studio,
visit the
SSQQ Newsletter.
Like any good politician who wishes to
stay in office, we are well aware that staying in business requires
making our customers happy. Please send your suggestions
for classes you would like to see offered to
dance@ssqq.com
Thank you!
Rick Archer
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