January 26, 2012 by Jo
SAN FRANCISCO!!! Woooooo!!! Yup, that’s right! Kevin and I are coming back to San Francisco to teach at the 9:20 Special again and we’re freaking thrilled!!
In case you want to brush up on the material we taught back in September, here’s a friendly reminder!
So what’s next?
Review the material. Come to class. Tell your friends that you’re going to have a great time and that they’d be missing out if they didn’t join you. Aaaaaaand then dai-ance!!!
See you there :D
Category Events | Tags: 920 Special,class material,Jo Hoffberg,Kevin and Jo,Kevin St. Laurent,local classes,review,San Francisco,teaching | No Comments
January 25, 2012 by Jo
That’s right……we’re back!!!! But this time, we’re not just teaching classes, we’re also teaching a performance series!
In case you want to review what we did last September with you, here are your friendly video reminders :D
Man, I really like that dance Kevin and I had!
Ha, another one I really like! Maybe it’s our fabulous outfits….
Category Events | Tags: class material,Kevin and Jo,local classes,Mountainview,review material,routine classes,video,Wednesday night Hop | No Comments
January 1, 2012 by Jo
For many, there were two place to be this new years. If you were in Europe, there was a large chance you were going to attend The Snowball in Sweden or if you were stateside, you were most likely going to head to Lindy Focus in North Carolina. Some quick stats:
The illustrious and hilarious Andrew Thigpen served as the MC at Lindy Focus and thought it would be a marvelous idea to send some lindy love from the USA to Sweden. On Tuesday the 27th, he went to the dollar store and bought markers and construction paper so that people could make holiday cards for particular individuals at Snowball, or for the camp in general. On Wednesday, he overnighted the messages to Sweden and on Thursday they arrived. In response to that, Snowball made this video (below) for the crowd at Lindy Focus.
Not to be out done, Andrew stirred up the Friday night crowd and sent even more holiday cheer to Sweden. What a guy!!
All I can say is: Lindy Focus – Party Time!!!!!!
Category Events, Musings | Tags: Andrew Thigpen,battle,holiday cheer,Lindy Focus X,Sweden,The Snowball | 1 Comment
January 1, 2012 by Jo
Unfortunately, I was in rehearsal during this amazing feat of Hat Tricking, but it was sooooooooo freaking awesome I had to post it. About a year ago, Tips and Tops had a dream were planning on performing the Hat Trick Shim Sham while at Lindy Focus this year, but when they realized that all their buddies were there, they knew it was time to take the performance to the next level. Here the eight of them are in all their hat tricking glory!!
From left to right the performers: Tin Tin, Taps, Tips, Toodles, Tops, Toes, Targoff, and Tubs.
How awesome was that?!!! This tip-top team tricked their way into the hearts of many this past weekend. What I enjoyed most about this performance was seeing the individuality of each performer and how well they all worked together. On top of that, I really liked how the choreography was modified to best use the number of performers. Neato Gang!!
In case you want to learn how to hat trick shim sham, you are in luck!! Here are the first two (of twelve) videos to get you started:
Word on the street is if you want to be initiated into the group and get your own terrific nickname, you need to learn the routine and perform it at an event (make sure to have video to prove it). I can’t confirm this, but that’s what a little birdy told me!!
Category Dancers, Events | Tags: Brittany Johnson,hat trick shim sham,Hat Tricks,how to,Jeremy Otth,Kevin St Lauernt,Lindy Focus X,Michael Darigol,Mikey Pedroza,Nick Williams,performance,Shesha Marvin,tips,Tops | 1 Comment
December 30, 2011 by Jo
I needed to put a performance together for when I was in Greece a few weeks ago and I was thinking about doing my old fan dance from Lindy Focus VIII. After some thought, I figured I should push myself to come up with something new, something better. Somehow I decided that a drunken striptease would be the way to go, and who better to help me out than Kevin!
After performing the number in Greece, I figured I was brave enough to perform it at Lindy Focus X. Here is me being as silly as I can be during opening night!
The great thing about “acting drunk” is that it covers up a lot of the flaws in the dancing :D
I LOVE performing this number. It’s unlike everything else I do and have done. Getting to strip down to my skivvies has always been a dr……..what am I saying?!! It was nerve-wracking as all hell, but it was a blast. I figured of all crowds, this would be one that could appreciate my silly sense of humor. I think what I like most about it is that I get to be incredibly silly! The dancing is by no means spectacular in this, but the “acting” was really fun to do.
Some photos from the show:
Thank you Jesse Keener for taking some awesome shots of me!! xx
Now it’s time to talk Costume!!
And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed the ridiculousness of it all :D
Category Events, Musings | Tags: burlesque,Busty Bullet,costume,costuming,Jo Hoffberg,Lindy Focus X,Miss Indigo Blue,performance,Red Light,striptease | 3 Comments
December 10, 2011 by Jo
If I wasn’t already booked February 6-11, 2012 you better believe I would be at Waltz Week!
“Waltz Week in Vienna” is a phenomenal social dance & workshop experience! We begin with six days of traditional Viennese and America waltz mixed with a wonderful variety of social ballroom and dance technique classes. We add to this equation dance party exchanges with other local dance schools, an historic walking city tour, opportunities for mixers & minglers, and a host of other fun social events with a great group of people….
To cap it off, we culminate the week with an elegant grand ball at the beautiful Hofburg Imperial Palace — a crown jewel in the edifices of Vienna where waltz balls have been a celebrated tradition since the days of Mozart and Strauss! And if that’s not enough to satisfy your thirst for elegance, grandeur, and a chance to be part of history, you’ll have the opportunity to attend three other such grand balls during the week!
Category Events, Musings | Tags: American waltz,ballroom dance classes,cultural experience,Hofburg Imperial Palace,technique classes,Vienna,Viennese waltz | 1 Comment
December 5, 2011 by Jo
Here’s a little teaser until the full videos are posted. Enjoy!!!
Category Dancers, Events | Tags: Alice Mei,Annie Trudeau,Dax Hock,Max Pitruzzella,Ninjammerz,performance,Sara Deckard,Sarah Breck,Shout Sister Shout,Sonny Allen,stage show,Thomas Blacharz | 2 Comments
November 13, 2011 by Jo
10. The pastries are delicious.
9. The food is fresh AND healthy here…more so than anywhere else I’ve been.
8. The country has a lil’ scenic sump’n for everyone: mountains, ocean, dessert, big cities, OLD cities, modern architecture, and frankly, it’s down right biblical!
7. To float in the Dead Sea
6. To enjoy the gorgeous 21C weather during the November evenings
5. The people are warm and ebullient like the Italians.
4. The dancers are fluent in English the way the Swedes are
3. The students are fantastic at focusing and they relentlessly practice the material
2. There is free, open wifi just about everywhere!!!!!
1. The organizers put a lot of thought, effort and heart into every last detail of how the instructors are treated.
Dance Tel Aviv, thank you for having Kevin and me, for putting us up in a gorgeous apartment, and taking such wonderful care of us. The pictures I’ve posted on FB (and soon to be here) are dedicated to you.
xx
Category Events, Musings, Travel | Tags: Dance Tel Aviv,Israel,travel | 6 Comments
September 24, 2011 by Jo
Celebrating 100 years of fashion and nightlife
This event takes place on Fillmore St., between Geary & Eddy Streets. A three block area area on the Fillmore entertainment corridor is transformed into a classy and hip trip back in time.
An event like no other… Bars, restaurants, dining, drinking, dancing, art, music and more. We encourage you to wear your finest “black” vintage attire of the past ten decades. If you don’t have vintage clothing, then current style is just fine. Pick out your classiest, sexist black outfit.
FILLMORE CENTER PLAZA
7pm-7:30pm: Dance Lesson with Hep Jen & Kevin Munroe
7:30pm-8:15pm: live music Rich & the Rhythm Roustabouts
8:15pm: Dance Performance The Hot Bloods & Chicago Steppin’
8:30pm: Dance Contest Round 1
8:45pm: Dance Performance Double or Nothing & Dj Hep Jen
9pm: Dance Contest Final Round
9:15pm-9:45pm: live music Rich & the Rhythm Roustabouts
YOSHIS LOUNGE
9pm: Dj Jumpin Jeff Kroll
10pm-10:45pm: live music Stompy Jones
10:45pm: Burlesque Shows Mynx D’ Meanor & Vienna La Rouge
11pm: Swing Dance Performance Michael & Claire from Motion Explosion & Double or Nothing
11:15pm-12am: live music Stompy Jones
12am: Dj Jumpin Jeff Kroll & Best dressed man/woman contest
12:15am: Burlesque Shows Mynx D’ Meanor & Vienna La Rouge
12:30am-1am: live music Stompy Jones
RASSELAS JAZZ CLUB
9:30pm-12:30am: front room, live music Slim Jenkins
10pm – 1am: back room, live music Robert Stewart Experience
1300 SUPPER CLUB
9pm-12am: live music JP & the Rhythm Chasers
SHEBAS LOUNGE
9:45pm-1am: live music South Bay Blues Band
Schedule subject to change!
All forms of swing dancing are welcome: Lindy Hop, Balboa, Shag, Charleston, etc. Competitors will be judged as a couple. It is not necessary to register in advance, just show up at the beginning of the contest. Competitors will dance in a preliminary round, to 2 DJed songs, of 1-1/2 minutes each. During the preliminary round, judges will tap out competitors. The 3 remaining couples will be in the final round. The final round will be danced to a full song, and the winners will be determined by audience applause.
Prizes include:
2 one month passes for Tuesday Night Jump at Verdi Club
2 tickets to Petunia & the Vipers, The B-Stars, West Coast Ramblers Friday Sept. 30th @ Verdi Club, San Francisco
2 tickets to 3rd Annual SF Zombie Prom (The House of Voodoo) @ Verdi Club, San Francisco
Category Competition, Events | Tags: Black Couture Ball,burlesque,Competition,Events,Fillmore,Mynx D'Meanor,Robert Stewart Experience,San Francisco,Slim Jenkins,Stompy Jones,Vienna La Rouge,Yoshi's | No Comments
September 14, 2011 by Jo
Guess what’s happening THIS weekend? The Vintage Fashion Expo!!! Goodness, I love being here in San Francisco. Here are the details:
Sept. 17th & 18th, 2011!!!
Returns To The Concourse Exhibition Center at the Nob Hill Masonic Center, 1111 California St., San Francisco, CA directions
The Vintage Fashion Expo features 85 dealers of vintage clothing, accessories and textiles, attracting clotheshorses, fashion designers, costumers, celebrities and fashion editors from all over the globe. Browse a wide range of time periods, from 1850 to 1980. Women”s hats, shoes, dresses, costume and estate jewelry. Vintage eye wear. Men’s suits, shoes, shirts, watches, ties and more. Fantastic textiles for the home. Here’s the list of dealers that will be showing this weekend.
Category Events, Fashion | Tags: 2011,San Francisco,Vintage Fashion Expo | 1 Comment
