Tuesday, May 30, June 6, 13, and 20
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Keane Sense of Rhythm, 2161 University Ave W #117, St Paul, MN 55114

This course is open to anyone comfortable with the fundamentals of West Coast Swing, including passes, the push, the whip, anchoring, timing, rhythm patterns, and lead-follow.

Overview

In this four-week progressive intensive, you will dive deep into the essentials of West Coast Swing for mastering your movement and connection with every partner. Covering techniques not normally taught in group classes, you will learn solo and partnered drills and exercises that you can use to continue improving over time.

The first 90 minutes of each week will be in-depth instruction followed by a half hour of practice to absorb and apply what you’ve learned. Each week will build on the previous so attendance at all four classes is mandatory.

Goals

The purpose of this intensive is to help you become the dancer that everyone wants to dance with. That means achieving the following goals:

• Improve your balance, timing, posture, frame, weight transfers, quality of movement, and ultimately your control of your own movement.
• Help you find clear and comfortable connection that enables more communication and help you stay connected to different partners throughout the dance.
• Give you drills and exercises to practice on your own and with a partner so you can develop your skills in the long term.

Description

Week 1: The Basics of Movement
The first part will focus on increasing your awareness and control of your own movement. You will learn to find proper alignment before diving deep into how to correctly transfer your weight in different directions and different rhythms. Then you will apply those skills to passes and basic rhythm patterns for cleaner and more intentional dancing that will set you up for better connection.

Week 2: The Basics of Connection
Building on what you learned about posture and weight transfers, you will learn how to connect with a partner through hand holds, frame, and movement. You will do several drills exploring different ways of connecting – both good and bad – so you can find clear and comfortable connection with different partners. Then you will learn how to create an anchor connection that is smooth, stretchy, and opens lines of communication.

Week 3: Connection Continued
After revisiting anchors and stretch, you will learn how to create compression that is clear and comfortable with different partners. You will then apply that connection to both pushes and tucks. Finally, you will learn how to improve your connection of the whip, the starter step, and patterns in closed position.

Week 4: Staying Connected
In the final week, you will use what you have learned about posture, weight transfers, frame, and connection to stay connected with your partner throughout the dance. You will learn how to transition out of the anchor and maintain a clear and comfortable connection through passes, pushes, whips, and turns. You will also gain a better understanding of the mechanics of the dance and your roles as leaders and followers.

Location

Keane Sense of Rhythm is a new dance center located at the intersection of University Avenue and Vandalia Street in the South St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. There is ample parking in the rear of the building, which you can access by going north on Vandalia Street and turning right after crossing the train tracks. The entrance to the building is in the back, in the corner of the parking lot, and the studio is down the hall on the first floor.

Registration

The cost of the four-week intensive is $100. That includes 6 hours of in-depth instruction and 2 hours of practice and assistance.

To register, please complete and submit the form below. After submitting your registration, you will be directed to a page for payment. Registration is not complete until payment is received.

Registration will be limited to 20 leaders and 20 followers. A balance of roles is desired, so if the number of one role greatly exceeds the other, a waitlist may be instituted until more people register in the other role.