Last weekend was a blast - fun, challenging, inspirational and full of awesomeness! Good thing there are high ceilings at Brookline Tai Chi or we would have blown the roof off the joint at Uptown Swing on Saturday night! Gordon Webster, Naomi Uyama, Jesse Selengut, Adrian Cunningham, Cassidy Holden and Jeremy Noller were on fire! So much fun and great energy which pushed them to keep playing past 1:00am. It was a packed house full of beaming faces. Very special thanks to those who stuck around until after the music finally ended to help us pack and clean up.

Huge thanks to Skye and Naomi for the excellent classes, performing for us at the dance and for being your wonderful selves. Thanks to everyone who participated. We really appreciate all the visiting dancers who joined us. Thanks also to everyone who helped with hosting, transporting, running the door and spreading the word, especially Margaret, Betty and Meredith. The vibe all weekend was so positive and full of joy! What more can you ask for?

If you would like to see photos from the workshops, check out the album on Facebook.

Our first 6 week session of 2012 starts on Sunday, January 8 in Newton Lower Falls and on Monday, January 9 in Boston. Both locations include classes in Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1 and Lindy Hop Level 2.

Also coming up, we have a new class for intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers: Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions. It will include some cool variations on classic Charleston while also focusing on some fancy transitions. Classes will be challenging, energetic and of course a ton of fun! This class will meet on Sundays in Newton.

If you have any friends interested in getting into dancing, lessons are a great way to get started. Please pass on the info!

Registration is open - Complete class information and registration.

The Skye and Naomi weekend is almost here! There is a full schedule of activities to keep everyone dancing from Friday evening through Sunday. Great music, great classes and plenty of great local and visiting dancers!

Uptown Swing Dance on Saturday

Join us this Saturday, December 3 for our monthly Uptown Swing Dance. This month we are thrilled to have back the very fabulous Gordon Webster Band with the beautiful vocals of Naomi Uyama! Also featured during the evening will be a demo with Skye and Naomi that you won’t want to miss. Extra for this month, the dance has been extended to run until 12:30am. This is our last Uptown Swing dance of 2011 and we know we’ll be ending on a high note!

The atmosphere is fun and friendly and beginners are very welcome. You do not need to come with a partner. Brookline Tai Chi is a great space with a smooth wood floor and a convenient location on Beacon Street in Brookline. For those taking the T, it is directly across from the Washington Square stop on the Green Line. If you want to come early for dinner or a drink, there are plenty of places nearby. Street parking is free after 8:00pm.

Beginners welcome, no partner needed
Location: Brookline Tai Chi, 1615 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446
Band: Gordon Webster Band with Naomi Uyama
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2011
Time: 8:15pm-12:30am
Swing Lesson: 8:15-9:00pm
Dance Exhibition: Skye Humphries & Naomi Uyama
Admission: $15 ($10 with Student ID)

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Skye Humphries & Naomi Uyama Workshop Weekend

The wait is over. Be prepared for a phenomenal weekend of workshops with Skye and Naomi! Classes are scheduled for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 2-4. Join fellow dancers from 9 states and Canada. There are classes for all levels including beginners.

Workshop Location: Lower Falls Community Center, 545 Grove Street, Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462

Friday, December 2
A. 7:30-8:30pm Lindy Hop with Skye & Naomi
B. 8:45-9:45pm Slower Routine

Saturday, December 3
C. 12:15-1:15pm Lindy Hop Fundamentals
D. 1:25-2:25pm Building on Your Basics
E. 2:35-3:35pm Charleston Foundation

Sunday, December 4
F. 1:30-2:30pm Solo Jazz Routine
G. 2:45-3:45pm Fun with Footwork
H. 4:00-5:00pm Dancing Together
I. 5:15-6:15pm Lindy Hop Partner Routine (partner needed)

It will be possible to register at the workshops as space permits. There is currently space in all of the classes and they are all reasonably balanced:-)

Workshop Location:
Lower Falls Community Center
545 Grove Street
Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462

Parking Information:
In Newton Lower Falls, please park in the inside parking lot only (near the entrance to the Lower Falls Community Center). The front and back parking lots belong to the Senior Center. There is plenty of on-street parking.

You can still pre-register to ensure your spot.

Complete workshop details and registration.

Crosby Whistle Stop on Friday

After Friday workshops, head on over to the Crosby Whistle Stop for the weekly dance. BSC is hosting Bria Skonberg’s Hot Five from NYC!

Boston Swing Central information.

January Lindy Hop Swing Class Session

Plans are set for our first 6 week session of classes in Newton and Boston for 2012!

New classes in Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1 and Lindy Hop Level 2 are scheduled in Newton Lower Falls starting Sunday evenings on January 8 and in Boston, Monday evenings on January 9. Both locations are conveniently accessible by car or T with free parking available. It will be possible to make up missed classes at the alternate location and it has been great to see students taking advantage of that.

Also coming up, we have a new class for intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers: Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions. It will include some cool variations on classic Charleston while also focusing on some fancy transitions. This class will be challenging, energetic and of course a ton of fun! It meets on Sundays in Newton.

Registration is open - Complete class information and registration.

Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend and welcoming our out of town guests!

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

What a fun night at the BSDN Pre-25th Anniversary dance this past Saturday in Watertown! It was so awesome to see such a huge crowd of dancers joining together to celebrate Swing dancing. Thank you Roger for bringing live music for all these years and for continuing to provide us this link to the early days of the Boston Swing community.

Saturday Uptown Swing Dance with Sax Gordon Band

Saturday’s snowstorm was quite a shock to the system! We hope everyone has power back by now and that the damage was minimal. We had numerous tree branches down at our house including one perched on our power line, which fortunately held until the branch was cut down. The local streets are still quite a mess and it is sad to see so much damage to the beautiful landscape.

Early Bird Price This Wednesday: Skye Humphries & Naomi Uyama Weekend

Now is the time to register to get the early bird discount for the Skye and Naomi Lindy Hop workshops on December 2-4. It expires this Wednesday, November 2nd! You do not need to do the full weekend as workshops are a la carte. The price is only $15 per workshop with even greater savings for 4 or more. To get this great deal, a completed registration with payment must be received by the early bird due date. Sending a check postmarked by November 2 will also qualify.

Skye and Naomi are highly sought out instructors and we are looking forward to having them back here in the Boston area. There are a variety of classes to choose from with great stuff for all levels! It is going to be a fun and inspirational weekend. All classes will be taking place in Newton Lower Falls.

Please note that the times for Saturday have been changed slightly from what was originally scheduled.

Complete workshop schedule and registration.

When should you register? RIGHT NOW!

November Uptown Swing Dance with Sax Gordon

Our next Uptown Swing dance is on Saturday, November 19 welcoming back the incredibly awesome Sax Gordon! Gordon is a highly sought out sax player and we always feel fortunate when we can get him on our dance schedule. He plays with an exuberant spirit that seems to take over the room. You will need to dance! If you have never had the opportunity to dance to Gordon and his band, be sure to check him out. You will be glad you did:-)

Uptown Swing is a monthly dance which is held at Brookline Tai Chi, conveniently located directly across from the Washington Square T stop on Beacon Street. It is a wonderful venue with an excellent wood floor for dancing. Street parking is free after 8:00pm. Beginners are very welcome and there is a lesson included at the beginning of the evening to get everyone started. You do not need to have a partner to attend. The music will be excellent for Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa and even some Blues. Bring your friends and introduce them to a fun night of dancing!

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Beantown Camp 2011 DVDs

We are very happy to say that the Beantown DVDs are done and we are now in the process of distributing to everyone who pre-ordered. For those who selected to have theirs mailed, all have been sent out. If you selected to pick up, we will have them with us at the local dances and at the Skye and Naomi workshops.

Beantown Camp 2011 DVD information and ordering.

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony