Hop to the Beat News
December 18, 2025
Our Skye & Naomi Workshop Weekend has always been a highlight of the year, and this one was even more special. Thank you so much to everyone who participated. It’s amazing to be celebrating our 30th anniversary of Hop to the Beat this year. Somehow, this is the path our lives took. It would not have been what either of us would ever thought possible. We are incredibly grateful for all the love and joy we’ve received.
Huge thanks to Skye and Naomi for all the fantastic classes. It’s not just the opportunity to take their classes, but also the warmth and positivity they bring, which set the tone for the whole weekend.
Thanks also to our host team, Margaret, Betty and Anne. Of course Meredith, for all her many years of helping with workshop check-ins. Plus Barbara and Jimmy from Newton Parks and Rec. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to use the LFCC facility on Thanksgiving weekends.
Many thanks to our CATS Team for sticking with us through a long and somewhat bumpy journey, starting in March 2020, just when the Covid shutdown hit. We have done many class routines, starting back in our very early days, but nothing like the ups and downs of this one. We appreciate the time and effort, and it means a lot to us to have a performance both at Beantown and with our 30th celebration.
It was especially wonderful to have included our “Hop to the Beat Dancers” from our earlier days, David, Martin, Rachelle and Suzanne. We had a repertoire of routines and costumes, practiced a lot, and had a huge number of adventures performing at all kinds of gigs and events. The best part was seeing them all again on a regular basis!
We couldn’t have planned it better than to have Skye, Naomi and Gordon highlighting our Uptown Swing dance. Naomi ended up singing with the band as a last minute substitute, which was truly an unexpected treat. Thanks to everyone who attended, and for our incredibly fun dance jam! It was great to be back at KI, with thanks to Anna for helping make that happen each year. Huge thanks to everyone on the crew, including Adam, Kevin, Jason, Mike, Suzanne, Rachelle, Joe, Martin, Magalie, Byron and Toni.
Reflecting on our 30+ years, and the wonderful time with the workshop weekend, we’re reminded of all the people who have come into our lives through the Lindy Hop community, both local and worldwide. We started teaching and established Hop to the Beat solely because we wanted everyone to Lindy Hop and experience the joy it brings. That same passion is what still drives us today. Besides meeting each other, dancing has taken us to opportunities and experiences we never could have imagined, and friendships we cherish dearly. It’s much to be thankful for.
Best wishes for the holidays!
Happy Dancing,
Aurelie & Tony
