Summer Hummer!

The most astonishing dance event of summer on the east coast is undoubtedly Summer Hummer - brainchild of Bill Cameron. Every year 1000+ dancers meet the last weekend of August at the Sturbridge Hotel in Massachusetts. Besides lessons, competitions and social dancing, a spectacular barbeque and dance is held on the banks of Cedar Lake.

This event is a favorite of the best known west coast swing teachers. Some of the legends and stars of the west coast swing world included Robert Cordoba & Deborah Székely, Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollman, Parker Dearborn & Jessica Cox, Arjay Centro & Melissa Rutz and Sarah Van Drake & Kyle Redd. Yeah - now you can see why people came from all over the world for the event.

As far as I am concerned, however, the best teachers at this event were Paul Warden and Catronia Wiles. This extremely talented UK couple have a string of international dance accomplishments. Mirroring the USA, they have have created a fantastic west coast swing scene in London.

http://www.westcoastswing.co.uk

Their classes at Summer Hummer were very successful. Every level of student was able to learn their material. When Parker Dearborn and Jessica Cox taught, no one got the material. Sarah Van Drake and Kyle Redd were also very successful teachers. Of course, everyone loved the charasmatic and entertaining Arjay Centro and Melissa Rutz.

In the past, these events have been critizised for having too much competition and not enough social dancing. Bill Cameron made every effort to tuck in breaks for dancing throughout the days and nights. Bill also kindly arranged for mini private lessons for all dancers who did not make finals in the Jack n' Jills.

This is the summer event to make each year. It is located near a very interesting colonial village with many charming restaurants and pubs. As Sarah Van Drake says, you can see the world with west coast swing!

http://www.osv.org

I wish I could tell you more about Sturbridge but I was too busy dancing to see very much.

By the way, for those of you who know Bill Cameron - he and Yuna are expecting a baby! Recently, Robert Roysten and his wife had a daughter and named her Summer. Bill Cameron joked that he was planning on naming his new son Hummer!

http://www.dancepros.net

New England Dance Festival

A FANTASTIC time was had by all!!!

The New England Dance Festival is an annual three day event offering lessons, competitions and social dancing in Newton, Massachusetts. Classes were held in two step, west coast swing, east coast swing, cha-cha, waltz, nightclub two step and line dances. During the day pro-am and divisional competitions were held in the main ballroom with breaks for social dancing. And, of course, every night there was a heck of a party going on!

Featured teachers and judges included local pros Robert Cordoba, Rick Ball, Bill Williams and Steve Lescarbeau; New York pros Solomon Singer and Beverly Cartwright; Rhode Island pros John & Dee Soares and David Endicott; and an assortment of pros from all over the country including: John Whipple (Florida), Barry Durand (Maryland), Tony Lee (New Jersey), Rex & Rachel Jones (Georgia), Dancin' Dean (Vermont), Kristin Geil Ham (Colorado), Rowdy Dufrene (Texas), Kenneth Toy (California) and Jeff Bartholemew (Pennsylvania).

Robert Cordoba is an internationally acclaimed teacher and performer. He taught an amazing three part series: "Using the KISS Method," "Shapes & Angles" and "Let it Flow - Advanced Styling." Much of what he taught was really about simple basics and dressing them up as well as packaging your dance skills in a more sleek and stylish way. This is the kind of thing everyone really needs - not more convoluted patterns! And, Robert knows how to teach so that all levels of students get something out of his classes.

http://www.robertdeborah.com

Another personal favorite was: "It Makes Your Cha-Cha Hot!" Up-and-coming professional dancer and teacher Solomon Singer planted the seeds of Latin motion and technique to enhance cha-cha. Several students commented that this type of class was just what they were hoping for. Watching Solomon's Latin body motion was a motivation injection!

Local pro, John Ball, gave a two step workshop "Beyond the Basics" with his charming wife. It was a concise, well thought out lesson and the students really appreciated the individual attention given so that absolutely everyone got the material. This guy is a excellent teacher.

The competitions were very interesting. The ages ranged from children to senior citizens. Everyone did an excellent job - and it was an amazing show to watch. No one appeared nervous and there was a great deal of joy on the dance floor. The costumes were gorgeous - ladies in brightly colored satins and rhinestones - gentlemen in glittery ties and cowboy hats. It took my breath away.

On Saturday night there was the Black & White Ball featuring masters competitions and professional performances. Afterwards, there was general dancing in the main ballroom and a west coast swing room featuring Robert Cordoba as DJ - who did a wonderful job! Robert was also the head judge for the Jack n' Jills.

This event was held at the Boston Newton Marriott and it was a pleasure to stay there. We were on a lake and it was possible to rent a kayak or go off and enjoy the scenery when taking a break from dancing. The hotel was so easy to get to since we could just hop a train from Boston or take a bus from anywhere and the hotel shuttle was available to pick us up.

One last thing: Kathy St. Jean and Randy Deats just took this event over from Jack and Debbie Paulus with only eight months to get ready. What a great start they are off to! This will become THE premier annual country dance event on the east coast. Don't miss out next year!

http://www.nedancefestival.com

Tango Café - Alternative Tango

At the Manhattan Dance Studio known as "You Should Be Dancing" there is a milonga hosted by Adam and Ciko on the first Saturday of the month. Unlike all of the other milongas in NYC, this one is danced to alternative music. Such sounds as the Beatles, Dylan and even rythm & blues are experimentally played for these adventurous tango dancers.

Prior to the party, two very interesting workshops were offered. From 6 to 7:30 pm there was an advanced level lesson in the nuance of musicality in the embrace. It explored the difference in the dance dynamic between two people as they hold each other - as they move as a unit - as they respond to each other in various styles of music ranging from Pugiese to Beethoven to Janis Joplin.

The second workshop was held from 8 to 9:30 pm and was for all levels. It dealt with the concept of: he goes - she goes - and we go together. This is really about the playfulness of the dance and opens one's mind to the many possibilities that is Tango.

Both workshops were offered for $50 and included the $12 cover charge for the dance. A single workshop was offered for $30 at the door ($25 in advance). As a bonus, Gotham West Coast Swing Club hosted its monthly dance in a separate ballroom and everyone drifted between the two events.

This event was truly a tango lover's treat.

You Should Be Dancing is located:
412 Eighth Avenue at 31st in NYC
http://www.youshouldbedancing.net