The ‘
-Your
Monthly One-Source Guide
to
the Best Ballroom Parties
in San Diego-
July, 2010
Jonathan Lee’s “It Takes Two” dance party at Infinity DanceSport Center, omitted from the July newsletter, will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2010, 8:00-11:00PM, $7 ($5 student/military). The party begins with a lesson by James & Irina Friedhof at 7:00PM which is included with party admission. For updates, please check <http://www.ittakes2danceparty.com/>www.ittakes2danceparty.com.
UPDATE #2
This Saturday’s party at Synergy Dance Zone (Sat., July 10th, 8PM) will include a lesson in the American tango by Steven Showers at 7:30PM. Party admission is $9 general/$5 students (the newsletter inadvertently listed admission as $4 for students). For further details, please visit <http://www.synergydancezone.com/>www.synergydancezone.com.
UPDATE #3
Lu & Amante are back with a special “Danz Option” dance party this month to celebrate their July birthdays. The ballroom/mix party will be held at Synergy Dance Zone on Saturday, July 17th, 2010, 8:00-11:00PM, $7 ($5 students), including a lesson at 7:30PM.
UPDATE #4
Infinity DanceSport Center will have its all day “Summer Showcase” at the studio on Saturday, July 24th, 11AM-11PM. Join the fun night of fairy tale and fantasy with its “fauna, floral, feathers, satin, and lace” theme! The schedule includes Pro/Am and Student/Student Competition (11-3), Junior Ballroom and Latin Competition (3-4PM), Awards Dinner (5-7PM), and the grand Evening Gala (8-11PM) featuring refreshments, general dancing, and professional exhibitions. Tickets are: $5 (daytime), $20 (evening) (before July 23rd), and $8 (daytime), $25 (evening) at the door. Dress to impress!
Infinity will also host its “Hawaiian Luau” studio dance party (ballroom/Latin/swing/nightclub) on Friday, July 30th 8:00-11:00PM, with a complimentary Bachata lesson at 7:30, $8 ($5 college/military/youth). Casual wear a must: Hawaiian shirts, shorts, grass skirts, and lei's For additional details on these events, please contact the studio at 858.560.4372
CONTENTS
I.
Ongoing Ballroom Party Summary
II.
Locations & Contact Information
III.
This Month’s Calendar
IV.
Just for Fun
V.
News, Notices, Special Events & Birthdays
VI.
VII.
Ongoing Ballroom Parties – The Details
VIII.
Additional Resources
I.
ONGOING BALLROOM PARTY SUMMARY
“There are others
– these are the best”
FRIDAY PARTIES
- Synergy
Dance Zone “Friday Nite with Peter & Amy” - 8:00-11:00PM,
lesson at 7:30, Synergy Dance Zone
(weekly)
-
Champion Friday
“Fun Dance” – 8:00-10:00PM, Champion Ballroom (weekly)
-
Dance Motion
Studios Monthly Practice Party – 8:00-9:30PM, Dance Motion Studios (monthly – 1st
Fridays)
-
SATURDAY
PARTIES
- Dance For 2 Biweekly Dance Mix Party –
8:30-10:30PM, lesson at 7:30, Dance For 2
(biweekly – 1st & 3rd Saturdays)
- S.D.
Smooth Dancers “1st Saturday Monthly Social” – 8:00-11:00PM,
Champion Ballroom (monthly –
1st Saturday)
-
-
Pattie Wells 1st Saturday Social Ballroom/Latin
Party - 8:30-10:30PM, lesson at 8:00,
-
Synergy “2nd
Saturday Social” – 8:00-11:00PM, lesson at 7:30, Synergy Dance Zone (monthly – 2nd
Saturday)
-
“It’s
All About Dance” Party,
2nd Saturday – 7:00-11:00PM, lesson
included, Champion Ballroom
(monthly – 2nd Saturday)
-
Starlight Monthly 3rd Saturday Ballroom Party –
8:00-11:00PM, lesson at
7:30, Starlight (monthly – 3rd
Saturday)
-
-
Chinese Club
Monthly Social - 8:00-11:00PM, lesson at 7:00, Champion Ballroom (monthly – last
Saturday)
WEEKNIGHT
PARTIES
- Tuesday Night Parties (Yulia
Maluta) – 8:00-9:30PM,
lesson at 7:00,
-
Wednesday
Night BiWeekly Parties (Mary Manzella) – 8:00-10:30PM, lesson at 7:30, DanceFor2 (biweekly – 2nd
& 4th Wednesday)
II. LOCATIONS & CONTACT INFORMATION
studios and venuEs
-
-
- DanceFor2 Studio (Shawn
Torgerson, owner):
- Dance Motion Studios (Robert
& Sonia Kacprzak, owners):
-
- El Mundo del Tango:
Tango del Rey Building, 3567 Del Rey Ave., Pacific Beach, 858.689.2422, www.elmundodeltango.com
-
- Pattie Wells DanceTime Studio (Pattie
Wells, owner):
- Starlight Dance Studio (Michael Kiehm, owner):
- Synergy Dance Zone (Peter
Edwards, owner):
- Whirl Ballroom (new
studio): 2670 Via de la Valle, Ste. A-215 (Flower Hill Mall),
clubs and party hosts
-
- Chinese Club of
- Dance Passion Connection: Yulia
Maluta 760.271.7183, http://dancepassionconnection.wordpress.com
- Dance
- “It Takes 2”: Jonathan Lee, www.ittakes2danceparty.com
- “Love to Dance”: Connie Massey /
Ron Jones, 858.729.5573
-
- Palomar Smooth
Dancers: Amiel Sharon, danaamiel@cox.net,
www.palomarsmoothdancers.org
-
-
-
- Tangoessence: Linda Garwood, 619.583.8178, www.tangoessence.net
- Tango with Colette: Colette
Hebert, www.tangowithcolette.com
- Tangolotus: Banny Hom, 619.277.8899, www.TangoLotus.com
-
- Waltz
& Such, Vintage Social Dancing: http://waltznsuch.org
III. THIS MONTH’S CALENDAR
“All parties listed
are open to the public, all are welcome”
WEEK
1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, July 2, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Friday Night with
Peter & Amy”: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Synergy Dance Zone, 8:00-11:00PM,
$5 ($3 students)
Lesson at 7:30, included with admission
Host/DJ: Peter Edwards/studio staff
- Champion “Friday Fun
Dance”, weekly studio party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Lesson at 7:00, $12 includes party admission
Host/DJ: Champion staff
- Dance Motion Studios
Monthly Practice Party: Ballroom/Latin/Club
Dance Motion Studios, 8:00-9:30PM,
$10
“Red White & Blue” theme, 4th of
July celebration, free pizza
ChaCha lesson at 7:15, included with party admission
Host/DJ: Robert & Sonia Kacprzak
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, July 3, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- S.D.S.D. Monthly Social:
Ballroom, Latin, Club mix
Champion Ballroom Academy,
8:00-11:00PM, $15 ($10 members)
Special evening includes picnic dinner
Theme: “Independence Day Dance & Picnic”:
patriotic attire
Host/DJ:
- Dance For 2 “Dance Mix
Party”: Swing, Tango, Ballroom, Latin, Salsa, Club
Dance For 2, 8:30-10:30PM, $7
($2 Dance For 2 Discount members)
“Red-White & Blue” Ball. July 4th
celebration
Special – visit the web site and get $1 off admission
Swing lesson at 7:30PM, $10 includes party admission
Host/DJ: Shawn Torgerson, Dance For 2 staff
- “USA Dance”
1st-Saturday party: Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Night Club Mix
Dress to impress / casual
Rumba lesson at 7:00-8:00, included with party admission
Host/DJ: Art
- Pattie Wells monthly
‘Social Ballroom & Latin’ dance: “Latin,
Ballroom”
Pattie Wells Dancetime Center, 8:30-10:30
PM, $8 ($4 students)
Tango lesson at 8:00PM, included with party admission
Host/DJ: Dancetime Instructors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Dance Passion
Connection Tuesday Nights”: Latin/Ballroom/Club
Lesson at 7:00, $15 includes party admission.
Host: Yulia Maluta
WEEK
2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, July 9, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Champion “Friday Fun
Dance”, weekly studio party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Host/DJ: Champion staff
- “Friday Night with Peter
& Amy”: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Synergy Dance Zone, 8:00-11:00PM,
$5 ($3 students)
Host/DJ: Peter Edwards/studio staff
Doors open 6:45PM. Embeded samba lesson with Ingrid,
included with admission
Host/DJ:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, July 10, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Synergy 2nd
Saturday Social: Ballroom, Latin, Club Mix
Synergy Dance Zone, 8:00-11:00
PM, $9 ($4 students)
Lesson at 7:30, included with party admission
Hosts/DJ: Robert R.
- “It’s All
About Dance” Party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Champion Ballroom Academy, 7:00-11:00
PM, $5 (free admission for July birthdays)
Host/DJ: Champion staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Dance Passion
Connection Tuesday Nights”: Latin/Ballroom/Club
Lesson at 7:00, $15 includes party admission.
Host: Yulia Maluta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Wednesday Night
Parties”, your mid-week fix: WCS/Hustle/ChaCha/Swing/Ballroom/Latin
DanceFor2 Studio, 8:00-10:30PM,
$8 ($7 NCSBDC members)
Foxtrot lesson at 7:30, included with party admission.
Host: Mary Manzella
WEEK
3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, July 16, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Friday Night with
Peter & Amy”: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Synergy Dance Zone, 8:00-11:00PM,
$5 ($3 students)
Lesson at 7:30, included with admission
Host/DJ: Peter Edwards/studio staff
- Champion “Friday Fun
Dance”, weekly studio party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Lesson at 7:00, $12 includes party admission
Host/DJ: Champion staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, July 17, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Starlight Monthly Studio
Ballroom Party: Ballroom, Latin, Swing
Starlight Dance Studio,
8:00-11:00PM, $7
Lesson at 7:30 included with party admission
Host/DJ: David Alexander
- Dance For 2 “Dance Mix
Party”: Swing, Tango, Ballroom, Latin, Salsa, Club
Dance For 2, 8:30-10:30PM, $7
($2 Dance For 2 Discount members)
Special – visit the web site and get $1 off admission
Lesson at 7:30PM, included with admission
Host/DJ: Shawn Torgerson, Dance For 2 staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Dance Passion Connection
Tuesday Nights”: Latin/Ballroom/Swing
Lesson at 7:00, $15 includes party admission.
Host: Yulia Maluta
WEEK
4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, July 23, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Friday Night with
Peter & Amy”: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Synergy Dance Zone, 8:00-11:00PM,
$5 ($3 students)
Lesson at 7:30, included with admission
Host/DJ: Peter Edwards/studio staff
- Champion “Friday Fun
Dance”, weekly studio party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Lesson at 7:00, $12 includes party admission
Host/DJ: Champion staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, July 24, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “USA Dance” 4th-Saturday
party: Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Club Mix
Synergy Dance Zone,
8:00-11:00+PM, $7 ($5 student, $4 USA Dance members)
Dress to impress / casual
Special – social/amateur dance competition open to all
attendees (rumba/chacha), includes cash prizes
Simultaneous beginning & intermediate lessons at 7:00-8:00PM,
included with party admission
Host/DJ: Art
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Dance Passion
Connection Tuesday Nights”: Latin/Ballroom/Swing
Lesson at 7:00, $15 includes party admission.
Host: Yulia Maluta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Wednesday Night
Parties”, your mid-week fix: WCS/Hustle/ChaCha/Swing/Ballroom/Latin
DanceFor2 Studio, 8:00-10:30PM,
$8 ($7 NCSBDC members)
Lesson at 7:30 included with party admission
Host: Mary Manzella
WEEK
5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, July 30, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- “Friday Night with
Peter & Amy”: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Synergy Dance Zone, 8:00-11:00PM,
$5 ($3 students)
Lesson at 7:30, included with admission
Host/DJ: Peter Edwards/studio staff
- Champion “Friday Fun
Dance”, weekly studio party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Lesson at 7:00, $12 includes party admission
Host/DJ: Champion staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, July 31, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The “Chinese Club of
S.D.” social & monthly party: Ballroom, Latin, Club
Lesson at 7:00 included with party admission
Host/DJ: Chinese Club of S.D. (CCSD)/Jacky Yu, Linda Gu
- Dance For 2 “Summer
Showcase”
Dance For 2, 7:30-10:30PM, $25
($20 up to July 16th)
Host/DJ: Shawn Torgerson, Dance For 2 staff
IV. EDITOR’S COMMENT
Many years ago I had a friend who decided to take a pottery
class. She spent months learning the intricacies of the process, then got an
ambitious urge to create a ‘masterpiece’ urn for entry in a
statewide competition. Being a perfectionist, she spent many weeks designing,
then creating her vase. She worked meticulously using the best materials and
painstakingly molding, forming, firing and glazing. Nearing completion, she
accidentally knocked the vase off the corner of a table – it fell to the floor
breaking into a hundred pieces! Understandably, she became despondent,
crying and moping for days. Just musing, I suggested she build a new vase from
the shards of the broken one in a type of mosaic. Almost immediately, her brain
went to work and her negative emotions dissolved. Within a week, she had
produced a most amazing piece of art and went on to win her category at the
state fair.
We all have times in life when our world caves in. What can
we do but pick up the pieces and move forward? Many dancers have experienced
this feeling, if not with dance then with a relationship, a career, a health
issue, or some aspect of everyday living. In fact, many of us actually begin
dancing to heal emotionally after some other plan has fallen apart. Some call it
‘Plan B’. The ability to change course and see what else is out
there. An affinity for flexibility and keeping one’s options open.
One of the lessons ballroom dancing teaches us – over
and over – is to react to any situation on the dance floor. Navigational
skills require the ability to quickly change to a new pattern or a new
direction to avoid colliding with other dancers. We learn to have a variety of
options following any dance pattern to maintain good floorcraft and courteous
social dancing without having to stop or miss a beat. This comes almost
naturally through practice and experience.
So why shouldn’t this carry over to the rest of our
lives? A river doesn’t flow to the sea in a straight line. The most
natural path to a goal is often one with bends and twists to avoid obstacles
that will surely be encountered if you stay on a straight line. To get around
those obstacles, keep your mind open to the idea that alternatives are always
available. When you need to change ground quickly, you’ll be ready to see
new opportunities, change course, and not miss a beat.
The beauty of ballroom dance is that it has so many life
lessons. Like learning to dance, life is a constant succession of trial and
error. Navigation through the mire of life’s challenges has a lot in
common with your dancing floorcraft. A ‘Plan B’ in you pocket can
always be a valuable asset! And who knows – it may be the path you were
looking for all along!
--GW
-----------------------------------------------------------
Reprinted from “Ballroom
V. NEWS,
NOTICES, SPECIAL EVENTS & BIRTHDAYS
NOTICES:
-
The 1st and 3rd
Saturday ballroom parties at Dance For 2
will now start at 8:30PM, $7. A 1-hour lesson will precede the party, $10 (includes
party admission). The 1st Saturday party on July 3rd will
be a ‘red-white-and-blue theme’ in celebration of July 4th.
Also, Dance For 2 will host its
summer showcase on July 31, 2010 with advance sale tickets for $20 ($25 after
July 16th). Please contact the studio for details: www.dancefor2.com or 858.565.9575.
-
“High Society Ballroom”
hosted its final 2nd Saturday ballroom party at Synergy Dance Zone last month. Hosts Klair
Cristiani and sister Lisa said their ‘goodbyes’ on June 12, 2010 to
a loyal crowd who will miss them much. The 2nd Saturday slot will be
filled with a new party at Synergy
to kick off this month on Saturday, July 10th, 2010 hosted by Robert
R., 8:00PM, $9 (lesson at 7:30).
-
The San Diego Vintage Dance Society
will celebrate the 4th of July weekend with its afternoon “Ragtime Tea
Dance” on the historic ferryboat, Berkeley,
at the San Diego Harbor on Monday, July 5 from 3:00-5:30PM, $15. Live authentic
music for dancing, dress is summer whites of the era 1890-1920, and may be
nautical. For further information, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108823709156308&ref=ts
-
The Palomar
Smooth Dancers is hosting its 2010 Coronation Ball, “Dancing
For the Stars with Joy”, in honor of queen elect Patricia Roesti, on
Saturday, July 10th at Abravanel Hall in the Ocean Hills Country
Club,
-
The 2010 “Desert
Classic” Dancesport Festival will be held this year on July 9-11 at the Desert Springs Marriott Resort and Spa in
-
Video of the month: The grace and
beauty that makes us want to dance… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glUMk2yQ7lg&playnext_from=TL&videos=pbmFfnAXSBE&feature=grec_index
-
Send your announcements, party
notices and updates to SDDanceVibes@san.rr.com.
VI.
Starlight Dance Studio (Michael Kiehm, owner):
Approx. 3,000 sq. ft.
hardwood, very comfortable dance floor -- one of
At approx. 3,200 sq. ft.
the studio’s hardwood dance floor is the local favorite to many of
Synergy Dance Zone (Peter
Edwards, owner):
This studio has been a
huge success in its 3+ years since opening, attracting large classes and a
packed house most party nights. It has a 2,300 sq. ft. floating floor, one long
side of which runs along a set of large picture windows on a 2nd
story location. A raised platform accommodating a night club style seating area
is located at the back (away from the entrance) which provides good viewing of
the dance floor, but a railing restricts access to the dance floor via three
small entrances resulting in increased congestion between dance numbers. The
studio, which offers a friendly, attractive ambience and attracts a younger,
highly energized crowd, has dance parties most Saturdays, offers studio
practice parties every Friday night, and monthly ‘memberships’
allow free admission to the practice parties. The studio also has a smaller
practice/classroom floor in the back. Location is in the ‘Pyramid’
complex on
This brand new studio,
owned and operated by life-long dancer and
DanceFor2 Studio (Shawn
Torgerson, owner):
Now in its 2nd
year at its new location, the studio offers a model dance venue which has
become a popular meeting place for dancers of all genres. It has 3 ballrooms,
including the main area featuring a very comfortable 2000 sq. ft. floor and
state of the art music and lighting. The seating area with small tables on two
sides of the floor can comfortably seat 80 or more guests, and a bar like setup
near the entrance of the main floor gives the studio a bit of a
‘nightclub’ feel. A smaller dance floor (approx. 500+ sq. ft.) in
an adjacent soundproof room, and another (approx. 600 sq. ft.) in an upstairs
location, can accommodate swing and Argentine tango parties simultaneously with
the main floor ballroom parties. DF2’s party schedule offers Friday night
swing parties, tango milongas, and ballroom mix parties (1st and 3rd
Saturdays most months). There is plenty of free parking and the studio has an
ideal location in a Clairemont-Mesa business park convenient to major the
freeways: I-805, I-163 and I-52.
Dance Motion Studios (Robert
& Sonia Kacprzak, owners):
Now in its 3rd
year, this studio continues to serve dancers of the San Diego I-15 corridor
well. The floor is more square than rectangular, but is a large, wood floor at
approximately 2,100 sq. ft., sprung and very clean. Located in Rancho Bernardo,
the venue serves R.B., Poway,
Open for over 15 years,
this studio, with its approx. 1,200 sq. ft. floating dance floor, is good for
practicing beginning ballroom and for the stationary/rhythm dances. However,
being a smaller floor, it presents difficulties for the more advanced ballroom
dancers, especially on crowded nights, not to mention limited seating. This is
the best studio in the North County Coastal area and always has plenty going on
– from ballroom and Latin to Flamenco and belly dancing – offering
parties and lessons nearly every night. The studio also has a smaller adjacent
classroom floor. It is located in a business park just off I-5 making it a
convenient drive for most
Pattie Wells DanceTime Studio (Pattie
Wells, owner):
Known for its popular
long-running Sunday night jitterbug parties – and now its tango milongas
on Friday nights – this studio has been well established for over 12
years and offers a 1,300 sq. ft. main upstairs dance floor and a smaller
practice floor downstairs. The floor is a bit small for the traveling ballroom
dances, especially on a crowded night, but the hardwood floor is excellent for
its purpose, which is an intimate setting for beginners to practice their
lessons and meet new people. In addition to the jitterbug and milongas,
Saturday night party offerings include hustle, swing and social dancing. Very
convenient location to coastal San Diego areas, Clairemont, Bay Park, downtown
and Mission Valley, just a couple of minutes from the I-5 / I-8 interchange
with free parking on the street (in front) or in small lot (in back).
At about 11,000 sq. ft.
of hardwood, this is the largest floor in town and home to many dance groups
including
VII.
ONGOING BALLROOM PARTIES – THE DETAILS
Starlight Monthly Studio Ballroom Party
(monthly 3rd Saturdays, 8:00-11:00PM, lesson at
7:30, Starlight, $7)
This monthly studio party
draws some of the best social ballroom dancers in town. The floor is large and
clean and comes with an attractive party ambience, and the music mix includes a
larger proportion of ballroom (vs. Latin/Swing) compared with other ongoing
ballroom parties. The music is rated best in
“Synergy Dance Zone Friday
Practice Party (weekly Fridays, 8:00-11:00PM,
lesson at 7:30, Synergy Dance Zone,
$5 ($3 students))
This party has firmly
established itself as the Friday night happening place for high-energy,
end-of-the-week let-loose dancing. Attracting a very large, younger crowd and
many regular students at the studio, the party also gets its share of the
S.D. Smooth Dancers “1st Saturday
Monthly Social” (monthly 1st
Saturdays, 8:00-11:00PM, Champion
Ballroom, $10 ($5 members) (higher for special events))
This is a longstanding,
traditional party on many dancers’ permanent calendar held by
This, along with its
companion 1st Saturday party (see next), are the 2 monthly parties
held by the San Diego chapter of “USA Dance”, an organization with
close to 200 chapters across the country. The party attracts a mostly
intermediate level, enthusiastic and friendly crowd of dancers that generally
mixes well. The music mix consists of Ballroom, Latin and Night Club with
emphasis on the faster tempo selections and club music (swing, hustle,
NC2-step, salsa, merengue, Arg. Tango). The party is prefaced with simultaneous
beginning and intermediate 1-hour lessons and usually includes a performance,
mixer or a brief social competition within the 3 hours of general dancing. Host/DJ: Art Lashbrook. Music mix: ~30% ballroom/~70%
Latin-club. Average attendance = 60-85. Dancing level: ***
“USA
Dance, 1st Saturday Party (monthly 1st
Saturdays, 8:00-11:00PM, lesson at 7:00,
This party format mirrors
its 4th Saturday companion party at Synergy (see previous), draws a bit smaller crowd with many
new faces representing the
Chinese Club Monthly Social
(monthly, last Saturdays,
8:00-11:00PM, lesson at 7:00, Champion Ballroom, $7)
This party’s format
consists of a 1-hour beginning ballroom lesson, followed by 3 full hours of
dance music which usually includes a 5-7 song waltz mixer. The music, comprised
of a nice blend of traditional, contemporary and Chinese flavored Ballroom,
Club and Latin, includes many of the classic ballroom favorites that you seldom
hear elsewhere anymore, and a number of night club and Argentine tango
selections. In addition to the mixer, a brief performance is usually included
during the evening’s festivities. Drawing a large loyal group of
‘regulars’ mixed with some newer dancers as well, the crowd seems
to be significantly larger during months with 5 Saturdays when there are no
competing parties. Host/DJ: Jacky Yu, Linda Gu. Music mix: ~40% ballroom/60% Latin-club. Average
attendance = 80-100. Dancing level: ***
Dance For 2 (biweekly, 1st
& 3rd Saturdays, 8:30-10:30PM, lesson at 7:30, Dance For 2, $10)
Dance For 2’s
ballroom mix parties on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays most
months include plenty of club and Latin selections and faster-tempo ballroom.
Party nights come with a nice party atmosphere and usually a good mix of dancers
including many regulars as well as some new dancers, mostly students at the
studio out to practice their latest lessons. A new format featuring a 1-hour
preparty lesson followed by 2 hours of open dancing begins this month.
Occasionally, Argentine tango and/or swing mix music is played simultaneously
on the adjacent or upstairs ballrooms. Host/DJ:
Shawn Torgerson. Music mix: ~30% ballroom/~70% Latin-club. Average
attendance = 50-70. Dancing level: **
Wednesday Night Parties (2nd
& 4th Wednesdays, 8:00-10:30PM, lesson at 7:30, DanceFor2, $8 ($7 members))
This bi-weekly party is a
consistent, long-running weeknight party which has shown its ability to attract
dancers experienced in both the ballroom and the swing/club dances, and
attendance includes many fine dancers within each genre. The music includes a
variety of familiar swing, hustle, NC-2step, Latin and ballroom tunes, and the
occasional Argentine tango or Country 2-step for variety. This popular dance
has been consistently regarded as
Champion ‘Friday Fun
Dance’ (weekly Fridays, 8:00-10:00PM, Champion Ballroom, $5)
This Friday night party,
the longest running weekly ballroom party in town, offers a large floor, more
space to move with smaller crowds, and a loyal sprinkling of experienced
dancers amongst the mostly beginning level crowd. Attendance can be erratic
from week to week, but usually includes some of the instructors at the studio.
The music includes ballroom, Latin and nightclub, and the mix is usually quite
good, generally with a larger proportion of ballroom selections. This is a nice
2-hour party which can provide some valuable practice time, especially if you
have a partner or come with some friends. The floor is considered by many as
the best in town, and has the allure to attract
The Club provides some
excellent ballroom instruction twice a week and offers its “members’
party night” as an opportunity for students to practice all those new
moves. Music is played by a DJ or occasionally, a live band, and is a great
place for beginning level dancers to find their dancing comfort zone and for
more advanced dancers to find plenty of room to move. The party format includes
about 1¸ to 2 hours of dancing (often including a waltz or foxtrot mixer),
usually with an embedded lesson, and the music depends on the DJ of the
evening. The main venue has a huge floor, but the Club is at the mercy of the
City owned facility which will occasionally push the party to an alternate
location, dictate limited hours and result in other glitches such as last
minute party cancellations. DJ: Instructors, on a
rotating schedule or guest DJs. Music mix: ~40% ballroom/~60% Latin-club.
Average attendance = 120-200. Dancing level: *
“For
extra practice”
Dance Motion Studios Practice Party – monthly 1st
Fridays, 8:00-9:30PM, Dance Motion Studios,
$7,
ballroom/Latin/swing, preparty lesson extra
Synergy 2nd Saturday Social –
monthly 2nd Saturdays, 8:00-11:00PM, Synergy Dance Zone, $9, ballroom/Latin/club
“It’s All About Dance”
Party – monthly 2nd Saturdays, 7:00-11:00PM, Champion Ballroom, $5, ballroom/Latin/club,
lesson included
Pattie Wells Saturday Social Ballroom/Latin
Party – monthly 1st Saturdays, 8:30-10:30PM,
Yulia’s Dance Passion Connection
Weekly Practice Party - weekly Tuesdays, 8:00-9:30PM,
---------------------------------------------
Music mix breakdown by
“ballroom” = standard & smooth (waltz, foxtrot, tango, V.
waltz, quickstep), “Latin”=Latin & rhythm (chacha, rumba,
samba, jive, swing, bolero) and “club” (salsa, WCswing/jitterbug,
merengue, Argentine tango, hustle, NC2-step, Country 2-step). Average
attendance is based on ‘best guess’ estimates and random head
counts at each party over the last 3 months.
Dancing Level is based on lead-follow
social ballroom (traveling) dance skills of majority of attendees: ***** = high
intermediate to advanced, **** = mostly intermediate, *** = beginning to
intermediate mix, ** = beginning to advanced beginning, * = novice, NR = not
rated
Your
evaluations and comments are always welcome. Please let us know what you think
by e-mailing: SDDanceVibes@san.rr.com
VIII.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- John
Stokes publishes a web site with a comprehensive list of partner
dancing in
- Darrell
Gaul sends out timely and comprehensive dance party schedules
covering
- Additional dance-related links can be
found at: www.SDSDwebsite.com .
- The “San Diego DanceVibes Newsletter” is
now available online at John Stokes’ website: www.dancinginsandiego.com. Click the link at the top of the home page for access to the
current newsletter. Thank you John!
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“The San Diego DanceVibes Newsletter” focuses on
ballroom dances and ballroom mix parties, and includes parties at which 25% or
more of the music is appropriate for the traveling ballroom dances. Information
is taken from web sites, e-mail updates and club/studio flyers and is current
as of publication on 30-June-2010. Due to the large number of parties in
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