Hi everyone,
The following calendar is a list of very high quality, inexpensive
Swing/Salsa/nightclub classes, dances and workshops that aren't too far
away. This includes new info and details that are not in the printed
Dancing Illini (DI) calendar!
If you hear of any events not listed in this calendar, please email me
about them at m-balzer@uiuc.edu
Mark
Contents ( First time in calendar = * )
==========================================================================
(o) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, May 3, 11:30pm - 2am
(o) DI dance video lending library
(o) $5 rebate on private lessons for DI members
(o) Bob Bahrs teaches West Coast Swing, Hustle, 2-step in Chicago, 5/4-5
(*) DI Practice sessions at the Regent, Thursdays in May, 9:30 - 11pm
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, May 17, 11:30pm - 2am
(*) Little Bit O'Texas Dance Convention, South Bend, IN, 5/24-27
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, May 31, 11:30pm - 2am
(*) DI Practice sessions at the Regent, Wednesdays in June, 9:30 - 11pm
(*) 13th Annual St. Louis Swing Invitational, June 13-16, Collinsville
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, June 14, 11:30pm - 2am
(*) The International Argentine Tango Festival, Columbus, OH, 6/16-6/22
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, June 28, 11:30pm - 2am
(*) DI Practice sessions at Krannert, Wednesdays in July, 8:00 - 10pm
(*) DI 4th of July picnic
(o) Country Western Dance Conventions
(o) Good nightclub dance spots in Urbana-Champaign
(o) Latin music on WEFT, 90.1 FM
(o) Swing Dancing in Chicago
(o) Swing Dancing in St. Louis
**********************************************************************
(o) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday May 3
Salsa dances from 11:00pm - 2:00am will be held every other Friday at the
Regent Ballroom in Savoy (2 blocks west from savoy 14 theatre).
$3.00 cover charge, but $1.00 discount with Azucarrr membership card.
Dress code: no jeans nor tennis shoes.
Esmeralda will be the DJ.
The Regent Ballroom is located at 1406 Regency Drive W., Savoy.
>From Champaign, take S. Neil St., which becomes U.S. 45, to Burwash Ave.
(The northwest corner of U.S. 45 and Burwash has a car dealership, Twin
City Honda; the southwest corner has a gas station.) Turn west onto
Burwash, immediately north of the Savoy 14 cinemas, then drive several
blocks to turn south onto Regency Drive West. The Regent is less than a
block south, on the east side of Regency Drive West. Free parking.
for more info, call the Regent at 359-5333
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(o) The DI has some super instructional dance videos in its lending
library, with more to come soon! Watching these tapes is like getting
private lessons from the best dance instructors in the US. Right now we
have the following tapes ready to be checked out:
* Waltz 1
* Styling and Technique
* Lead & follow technique
* Lines, Lines, Lines
* Beginner L.A. Hustle
* Intermediate L.A. Hustle
* Advanced L.A. Hustle
* Beginner West Coast Swing
* Intermediate West Coast Swing
* Advanced West Coast Swing
* Beginner/Intermediate Nightclub 2-step
* Intermediate/Advanced Nightclub 2-step
* Beginner Int'l Style Cha cha and Samba
* Beginner Int'l Style Rumba and Jive
* Intermediate Int'l Style Cha cha
* Intermediate Int'l Style Samba
* Intermediate Int'l Style Rumba
* Intermediate East Coast Swing
* Int'l Style Latin Technique 1
* Latin Seminar (rhythm identification in Samba, Mambo, Chacha,
Rumba; American and International style hip and leg actions;
technique details of International style Rumba)
* Beginner Int'l Style Waltz and Foxtrot
* Beginner Int'l Style Tango and Quickstep
* Intermediate Int'l Style Waltz
* Intermediate Int'l Style Foxtrot
* Intermediate Int'l Style Tango
* Intermediate Int'l Style Quickstep
* USABDA Workshop Sampler tape - International and American style
ballroom & latin workshops which were taught at the 1994
International Collegiate Dance Festival in Clearwater, Florida.
Professional instructors demonstrate and describe figures and
technique in a number of ballroom and Latin dances.
* 1995 Dancing Illini Competition (3-tape set)
* Professional finals of the 1995 Ohio Star Ball competition.
* USABDA Competition tape - International and American style
ballroom & latin competitions which were danced at the 1994
International Collegiate Dance Festival in Clearwater, Florida.
The video librarian will be available from 9:30 to 9:45 at all regularly
scheduled practices so you can check 'em out!
Videos can be checked out during the first 15 minutes of every practice, and
are due back at the following week's first 15 minutes of practice. You will be
asked for a $2 donation (to help the club purchase future videos) and for a
$20 cash deposit (which will be returned to you when you return the video).
Notify Mark (m-balzer@uiuc.edu) in advance if you're interested in
borrowing a videotape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(o) $5.00 rebates are available for each private lesson a DI member takes
from a professional dance instructor, up to a maximum of three rebates per
semester per member! The rebate may be obtained by presenting a receipt for
the lesson to the DI Treasurer. The following local instructors are
available for private lessons:
+ Shawn Fisher - 398-8877
+ David Lin - 359-5333
+ Sandy Lampert - 762-7474
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(o) Bob Bahrs teaches West Coast Swing, Hustle, 2-step in Chicago, May 4-5
On May 4 and 5, 1996 Bob Bahrs will be appearing in the Chicago
area with his new swing dance partner, Debbie Bernard to give 7
workshops on 2-step, Hustle and West Coast Swing. For more
information call Sandy Bartels at 708-859-3874 or fax her at
708-859-3874. Sunday, May 5 is reserved for the WCS classes and
on Sat. there will be 2 Two-step workshops including advanced
level and two Hustle workshops beginning with basic level. Bob
is a world class dancers, as many of you already know, and he
will be offering his latest videos in addition.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) DI Practice sessions at the Regent, Thursdays in May, 9:30 - 11pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, May 17, 11:30pm - 2am
Salsa dances from 11:00pm - 2:00am will be held every other Friday at the
Regent Ballroom in Savoy (2 blocks west from savoy 14 theatre).
$3.00 cover charge, but $1.00 discount with Azucarrr membership card.
Dress code: no jeans nor tennis shoes.
Esmeralda will be the DJ.
The Regent Ballroom is located at 1406 Regency Drive W., Savoy.
>From Champaign, take S. Neil St., which becomes U.S. 45, to Burwash Ave.
(The northwest corner of U.S. 45 and Burwash has a car dealership, Twin
City Honda; the southwest corner has a gas station.) Turn west onto
Burwash, immediately north of the Savoy 14 cinemas, then drive several
blocks to turn south onto Regency Drive West. The Regent is less than a
block south, on the east side of Regency Drive West. Free parking.
for more info, call the Regent at 359-5333
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) Little Bit O'Texas Dance Convention, South Bend, IN, 5/24-27
Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27, 1996
This spectacular event, located near Notre Dame U, features 40 instructors
and over 150 workshops in a variety of dances. If you want to learn TONS
of West Coast Swing (WCS), East Coast Swing (ECS), Cha cha, Waltz, Country
2-step, and even a little nightclub 2-step and Hustle, don't miss this
event. You will learn so many things that you will NEVER learn in Dancing
Illini classes.
Workshops are only $5 per hour, with weekend and day passes available too.
Pick from several each hour! Evening social dances are a blast! Come for
1 day, or the whole weekend - there are lots of cheap hotels in the area.
See Mark Balzer for copies of the flyers for this festival and hotel
listings. Let's try and get a group together to attend.
Here is a tentative schedule of the workshops being offered:
Friday, May 24:
noon: How to dance with anyone you ask or asks you - Dance Mechanics,
Carrol Shaw and Marta Elder
1pm: The feel, form and frame of Waltz - core elements of Waltz:
rise/fall, frame, posture, styling, Mike Haley and Patti Miller
Jazz up your East Coast Swing, Mike Wagner
West Coast Swing Body Isolations and Syncopations, Carole Rousseau
Intro to 2-step, David Baggett
2pm: Fun and Flashy East Coast Swing Syncopations, Gloria Casey
Why he can't lead and she can't follow, Mike Haley and Patti Miller
Hot moves in West Coast Swing Ralph Segal
Intro to Chacha, Beth Emerson
3pm: How to get your hips south of the border - Cuban motion workshop
for Chacha, Mike Haley and Patti Miller
2-step technique laboratory - Detailed analysis of 2-step, David Baggett
Intro to West Coast Swing, Carole Rousseau
4pm: Working the slot in West Coast Swing, Ray Mikkleson
Hot East Coast Swing Combos, Bill Robinson and Linda Hembree
Neck-rolls, Ducks and Tunnels, Gloria Casey
Intro to Waltz, Mike Haley and Patti Miller
Leadable patterns for social 2-step, Beth Emerson
5pm: Turns and Spins, Mike Haley and Patti Miller
Hot West Coast Swing Combos, Beth Emerson
6pm: Intro to East Coast Swing, Carrol Shaw and Marta Elder
Easy West Coast Swing Patterns, Kathy Nate
7-midnight - open dancing in the ballroom
7pm: Waltz made Easy, Don McCarty
Beginner Night club 2-step, Gloria Casey
8pm: Fun East Coast Swing, Doc Blanchard
Beginner 2-step, Pat Smalley
Saturday, May 25:
9am: WCS Patterns, A.T. Kinson
Waltz Styling, Gloria Casey
2-Step with the Masters, Bill Robinson and Linda Hembree
10am: Advanced Waltz, Mike Haley and Patti Miller
ECS Boogie Moves, Clark and Debbie Fulbright
2-step patterns, Kal Branson
11am: Sexy Cha cha - perfect your cuban motion, Don McCarty
Fun 2-step moves, Greg Underwood
noon: WCS with the Best, Paul Watson
Waltz for Social Dancers, Layton Erickson
Leadable 2-step patterns, Clark and Debbie Fulbright
1pm: WCS Patterns,
Ducks and Tunnels
Choreography Tips
2pm: ECS Original Moves
Romantic Waltz Patterns
3pm: Hustle Basics
Advanced Cha cha
Lead and Follow Tips
4pm: 2-step patterns
Hitting Breaks
ECS Leadable Patterns
WCS for Dummies
5pm: Spin like a top - spins workshop
ECS Patterns
Beginner 2-step
6pm: Beautiful Waltz
Sexy WCS Patterns
Beginner ECS
7-midnight - open dancing in the ballroom
8pm: WCS - Beginner plus
Cha cha - cuban motion for beginners
9pm: Social 2-step patterns
Styling Tips
Sunday, May 26:
9am: 2-step patterns
Lead and Follow workshop
WCS Styling
10am: Advanced 2-step
Turns and Spins workshops
11am: Waltz patterns
WCS patterns
2-step patterns
noon: Waltz patterns
Cha cha patterns
1pm: Lead/Follow workshop
WCS with style
Hot ECS
Beginning Cha cha
2pm: ECS moves
Styling for ladies
New 2-step patterns
Beginning Waltz
3pm: Hustle made easy
Waltz technique
Hot 2-step
Beginner WCS
4pm: Advance your cha cha skills
Waltz patterns
Beginner 2-step
5pm: WCS Patterns
6pm: 2-step - cool choreography
Beginner ECS
9-11pm - Ice cream social dance in the ballroom
Monday, May 27:
9am: Light-touch leading and full-balance following (2 hrs), Ray Mikkleson
Beautiful Waltz (2 hrs), Mike Haley and Patti Miller
Two Step, Rick Lovins
10am: East Coast Swing, Mark and Karen Luckie
11am: East Coast Swing Technique, Carrol Shaw and Marta Elder
West Coast Swing, Don Doyle and Pam Sosa
Styling Techniques (2 hrs), Gloria Casey
noon: Body Rolls, Ripples and Cuban motion, Carrol Shaw and Marta Elder
Two Step, Kevin Taff
Q: How much does it cost?
A: You can pay in a variety of ways, it depends on your plans,
which is the best option for you... IF youy want to go for only a
day or two and primarily take workshops and dance in the evening, I'd
skip the weekend passes and just buy individual workshop tickets and
dance passes. You can look at the merchandise during the dance.
Pass Package options are more for those who want to watch the comps or
focus on beginner workshops. Details shown below...
Weekend Pass options:
(If buying either "weekend" pass, preregister by May 11 to save $10)
Premium Weekend Pass for $138 - all weekend long this pass gets you into
the beginner, intermediate & advanced level workshops, the competitions,
the dance exhibitions, the evening dances, and access to the vendors
selling dance supplies.
Weekend Pass for $50 - all weekend long this pass gets you into the
beginner workshops, the competitions, the dance exhibitions, the evening
dances, and access to the vendors selling dance supplies. You have
to buy $5 tickets to attend any of the 1 hour intermediate & advanced
level workshops.
Pay As You Go" options:
Day Pass - $25 available at the door only - gets you in to the day's
competitions and the evening dance, and access to the vendors selling
dance supplies. You have to buy $5 tickets to attend any of the 1
hour beginner, intermediate & advanced level workshops.
Evening Dance Pass - $10 available at the door only - gets you in to the
evening dance, and access to the vendors selling dance supplies. You
have to buy $5 tickets to attend any of the 1 hour beginner,
intermediate & advanced level workshops.
Workshop Tickets - Just come and buy tickets to the 1 hour workshops
at $5 each, two hour workshops at $10 each
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, May 31, 11:30pm - 2am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) DI Practice sessions at the Regent, Wednesdays in June, 9:30 - 11pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) 13th Annual St. Louis Swing Invitational, June 13-16, at the
Collinsville Gateway Center
This event starts with dancing Thursday night, then brunch, dinner and
dancing on Friday, then Free Workshops on Saturday June 15th from 9 am to 2
pm (Free if you buy a $35 admission ticket to the Saturday events):
East Coast Swing -- Randy Atlas (South Florida Swing Dance Society)
West Coast Swing -- Bob Budzinsky (Michigan Swing Dance Society)
Bop Patterns -- Bill Maddox (Florida Boppers, Inc.)
Push Patterns -- Louis Oliver (Dallas Push Club)
Imperial Patterns -- Stan Meyer & Linda Landwehr (South Side Imperial Club)
Beginning at 3:00 pm, Saturday: "Shake, Rattle & Roll!"
Swing-dance competition featuring some of the "finest imperial, bop, shag,
west coast, east coast, jitterbug, push, etc. dancers in the country."
Plenty of general swing-dancing between competitions.
Ends around midnight.
Groups of DI have gone to this event in the past and have come away with fun
new swing-dance patterns and a new appreciation for what swing-dancing is all
about. If you haven't seen real swing-dancing before, don't miss this event!
For more information, call 314/991-6198 or contact Tania Banak at 367-9229 or
t-banak@uiuc.edu.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, June 14, 11:30pm - 2am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) The International Argentine Tango Festival, Columbus, OH, 6/16-6/22
For complete info, look up this URL on the World Wide Web:
http://www.msc.cornell.edu/~weeds/TangoPages/tangocongress
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) Salsa/Merengue dance at the Regent, Friday, June 28, 11:30pm - 2am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) DI Practice sessions at Krannert, Wednesdays in July, 8:00 - 10pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) DI 4th of July picnic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(o) Country Western Dance Conventions
Firecracker Country Western Dance Festival, Dayton, OH
July 5-7, 1996
Dorsey Napier & Carol Fleming
902 Watertower Lane
W. Carrollton, OH 45449
(513)-859-4140
Chicagoland Country Western Dance Festival, Rosemont, IL
August 16-18, 1996
Dennis & Carol Waite
P.O. Box 27
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
(616)-473-3261
Gateway Country Classic, St. Louis, MO
November 22-24, 1996
Dan & Leigha Eshner/Beth Emerson
2392 H. Half Moon Drive
St. Louis, MO 63114
(314)-428-3359
***************************************************************************
There's good nightclub dancing every night in C-U. Here's where to find it:
(*TUE*) Hustle at Chester Street every tuesday (disco music) night.
"Chester Street" is a nightclub located at 63 Chester Street, just west of
First Street and south of University Ave. in Champaign. 9:00 pm - ?
You'll be able to dance Hustle (mostly), plus West Coast Swing, Merengue
and Cha-cha. Always fun! Free if you enter via the bar door before 9 pm.
$2 at the main door after 9pm.
(*WED*) West Coast Swing at Chester Street every wednesday ('80's music)
night. "Chester Street" is a nightclub located at 63 Chester Street, just
west of First Street and south of University Ave. in Champaign. 9:00 pm -
? You'll be able to dance West Coast Swing (mostly), plus Hustle, Merengue
and Cha-cha. Always fun! Free if you enter via the bar door before 9 pm.
$2 at the main door after 9pm.
* Country music at Bradley's, 1906 W. Bradley Ave, Champaign, 352-8714.
Free lessons 8-9. $1 drinks/$2 cover after 9pm. Large dance floor, and a
smaller dance floor on the second level. Country music is perfect for
swings, west coast swings, country 2-steps, nightclub 2-steps, waltz.
(*THUR*) on Thursday nights, Swing, West Coast Swing, nightclub 2-step to
live blues bands at The Hideaway Restaurant, 701 Devonshire, Champaign.
Nice dance floor. No cover charge.
* 80's music at Bradley's, 1906 W. Bradley Ave, Champaign, 352-8714.
$0.75 drafts/$2 cover. Large dance floor, and a smaller dance floor on the
second level. 80's music is good for Hustle, West Coast Swing, Swing, Cha
cha.
(*FRI*) Esmeralda DJ's Salsa and Merengue at The Regent Ballroom in Savoy
every other Friday. Call 359-5333 for info.
* Gypsy's - 105 N. Market St., Champaign (around the corner from the
Esquire). Small cover charge. Get there early if you want to dance.
* Country music at Bradley's, 1906 W. Bradley Ave, Champaign, 352-8714.
Free lessons 8-9, Retro Country 9-10, Regular Country 10-1. $2 cover after
9pm/free w/UI ID. Large dance floor, and a smaller dance floor on the
second level. Country music is perfect for swings, west coast swings,
country 2-steps, nightclub 2-steps, waltz.
(*SAT*) Country music at Bradley's, 1906 W. Bradley Ave, Champaign, 352-8714.
Free lessons 8-9, Country music 9-1. $2 cover after 9pm/free w/UI ID.
Large dance floor, and a smaller dance floor on the second level. Country
music is perfect for swings, west coast swings, country 2-steps, nightclub
2-steps, waltz.
* Hometown Lanes, Rantoul 201 East Grove, 893-0795.
This bowling alley in Rantoul was converted into a dance hall.
It has 2700 square feet of floor and opened in late October '95.
Heading N on 45 out of Urbana/Champaign, Turn left onto East Grove (you
have gone through 4 stoplights), it's at the end of the first block, on the
right.
Hometown is open for dancing Thursday through Saturday from 8 in the
evening to 1 in the morning. On Thursdays and Sundays they have Country
Line Dance lessons from 8-9 followed by karaoke. They alternate between
DJ's and live bands, information for each night is published on a monthly
calendar.
There is a $2.00 cover charge on the nights with live bands.
(*SUN*) Swing, West Coast Swing, niteclub two step, and the occasional
waltz at the Rose Bowl every sunday night. The Rose Bowl Tavern, 106 N.
Race St, Urbana, 367-7031. Across from the Courier Cafe. Live band almost
every night (closed Mon). Western Wheels, an excellent band, plays Sun and
Tues nights. Gets crowded on Fri + Sat nights. $2 cover on Fri + Sat. No
cover charge otherwise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(o) Tune in to Latin music on WEFT 90.1 FM
WEFT is a volunteer operated radio station dedicated to airing
music that isn't heard on any of the other radio stations.
Tuesdays 3pm - 5pm "Rhythm Safari", World Beat (salsa,
calypso, zouk, etc..) with Esmeralda
Wednesday nights 2am - 5am "Havana in Chambana", Latin Jazz with Dan
Saturdays 3pm - 5pm "La Voz Latina", Latin music show with Roger
***************************************************************************
Swing dancing in Chicago:
E-mail Don at Dlpens@aol.com or Donlavin@ix.netcom.com for more info.
Sundays - Magnum's night club in the loop.
Tuesdays - G.G. Fellows on the south side of Chicago.
Wednesdays - swing dancing at the Cadillac Ranch in Bensenville.
Weekends - various dances between Swing & Country and the Rebels Club.
Chicago Rebels Swing Dance Club hotline number: 312/549-1528
They often hold dances at the Centre at North Park, 10040 W. Addison,
Franklin Park, IL (Near O'Hare Airport)
For more CRSDC info : Call Yvonne at 312.202.8776 or
E-mail donlavin@ix.netcom.com or Dlpens@aol.com
***************************************************************************
Swing dancing in St. Louis:
Call the Swing Line (314) 991-6199 for information about area dance clubs
St Louis Imperial Club 314-423-0203 St Louis, Mo Dances: Wed
or 314-469-1263 & 1st Sun
South Side Imperial club 314-991-6199 St Louis, Mo Dances: Sun
West County Swing club 314-991-6130 St Louis, Mo Dances: Tue
Belleville Swing club 618-233-1761 Belleville, IL Dances: Sun
or 618-234-6916
Midwest US Imperial club 618-463-2405 Collinsville, IL Dances: Sun
St. Charles Imperial club 314-949-0939 St. Charles, Mo Dances: Fri
Jefferson County Swing club 314-567-8660 Arnold, Mo Dances: Tue
***************************************************************************
See me for additional info on any of these events.
Mark
m-balzer@uiuc.edu