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

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….

• Snowball had 26 teachers, 5 bands, and 2 Jack & Jills + 3 additional competitions.
• Lindy Focus had 31 teachers, 4 bands, and 5 Jack & Jills + 2 additional contest.

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!!!!!!

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!!

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!!

• The black thing with the fringe on it….I found that at Red Light in Seattle and it fit perfectly. It was just a black shell, so all the accoutrements that you see were added after the fact (huge thanks go out to the sensational Miss Indigo Blue). I played with the idea of having ugly underwear on at the end (so not only do I come home drunk, and slightly useless, but I have Laundry Day undies on ….hahahha), but Kevin vetoed that idea.
• The nude slip thingy was also acquired at Red Light. I found some diamond stickers that I put onto the front so there was some sparkle to the costume.
• I bought the skirt from Betsey Johnson two years ago and it was worth every penny!!
• I borrowed the scarf from my mother.
• The gloves came from Amazon and are cheap, satin gloves. I found some fun heart-shaped jewels and glued them on the side of the gloves and added a tassel to the end.
• The jacket came from Macy’s this March on super sale. God, I love that coat!
• The black hair flower is from H&M and I bought it less than a week ago.

And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed the ridiculousness of it all :D

“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!

Here’s a little teaser until the full videos are posted. Enjoy!!!

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

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.

DETAILS

Old Timey
Black Couture Ball

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!

SWING DANCE CONTEST  - 830pm at the Fillmore Center Plaza

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

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.