New Web Link to check out!

Here’s a new website/link you might want to check out:

https://vineright.com/yourdances.php?instructor=Jamie-Leick&h=date&le=

VEGAS, 2018!

My second time at the Doug & Jackie’s Vegas Dance Explosion! Just as awesome as ever! Am home after an exhilarating 5 days! The hotel was great; had some fun outside of the event; really enjoyed EVERY teach I took!

Started my time at the event with teaches from Jose Miguel Belloque Vane - “Silent Storm”, Jo Kinser - “Conseqences”; Roy Hadisubroto & Fiona Murray - “Hey Nah Nah Nah”; Amy Glass - “My Rules”; and Roy Verdonk - “Bethlehem Child”.

On day 2 (Thursday), I attended Rob Fowler’s teach of “Woman, Amen” and a bonus teach of “Vaiven”; Roy & Fiona’s “Dem Dey Go” (yes, am already dancing this but wanted to sit in on their teach since there are so many nuances that only they can provide!); Roy Verdonk’s teach of “When She Grows Up”; and Maddison Glover’s each of “Healing Hands.” We also went out to eat and saw the show “Absinthe” Thursday night.

On Friday, most of what I attended were repeat sessions but I also took Rebecca Lee’s teach of “Level Up” (such a fun, fast-paced dance!) and Chris Watson’s teach of “Waiting On The Stars” (pretty!).

Saturday was my 4th day and it was another “big teach” day... started with Roy & Fiona’s “Colors” (my absolute FAVORITE of the whole event!); Jo Thompson Szymanski’s teach of Team USA’s choreography from Windy City “Back In Town”; Rob Fowler’s “Bound Ta Git Down” (classic boot-stompin’, toe-heelin’, yee-hawin’ dance!). Also spent some time with 2nd-time around teaches as well.

Now on Sunday, I took a really laid-back approach to the day. Took a reteach of Colors and Back In Town and then found my way to the theatre where there were several screens of football playing. Enjoyed watching my team win! Also spent some time in open dance, packing, and saying good-bye to everyone. We caught the shuttle to the airport at 10:30 pm 

So now that I’ve napped on the plane, am home, have caught up on laundry, I can really sit down and think about the total experience. Many thanks to the event directors, staff, and volunteers for an amazing week of dance; and to the instructors/choreographers for sharing their time and talents with us both in workshop sessions and show performances! It is always fun to see all the passion on the dance floor, catch up with friends from near and far, and to meet so many new friends! And to the students in my classes - boy! Do I have some great new material to share with you!!!

Rachael’s Workshop 11/3/18

Another great workshop by Rachael in Orlando (or, in this case - Castleberry!) at the new venue - The Crystal Ballroom. We had great representation from Southwest Florida (and beyond with Jill here visiting from California!) and enjoyed a fun day of dance.

Rachael taught:
Bardot Blues (with Simon Ward)
Dip To The Bass (with Christopher Gonzalez)
Electric Church (with Johanna Barnes)
Faded (with Robin Madeley)
Jessie (with Simon Ward)
Make It Sweet (Rachael)

Jessie was the absolute favorite of the day followed by Electric Church and Bardot Blues (Bardot Blues needed more work by several). Faded is a classic of Rachael’s (2003). Dip To The Bass and Make It Sweet will work very well for Thursday’s class. Even Electric Church may work for an intermediate dance teach for Thursday as well.

Our choice (my selection) of hotels for the night was less than stellar. Since it sounds like this is going to be the venue for Rachael’s future workshops as well as Sandy & Diane’s Gary/Joey weekend, we’re gonna need to explore further lodging options in the area!

Deb’s Thursday Night Class in Bonita - 10/4/18

With some of the class off to Chicago and Windy City, I led the class Thursday night.

I taught:
Sleepwalk With Me
Jukebox
Oh Ruby!
With These Eyes
Kiss Of Heaven
Beyond Beautiful

We danced:
Uphill Battle
Diggin’
Dirty Little Secret
Only Love
Where I Stood
The Last Word
I Don’t Dance
Dem Dey Go
Naked

Classics Workshop 9/29/18

Betsy had another great Classics workshop in Deerfield Beach yesterday! (And - Dawn Demerest did a social the night before in West Palm Beach that was also a lot of fun!)

The classics taught were Oh Ruby!, Jukebox, With These Eyes, and Now Or Never (which is the one I taught).

Oh Ruby! is a phrased dance by Deb Rushton that will need just a little bit more work to master but I really liked it.

Jukebox is a classic Jo Thompson Szymanski that is just a lot of fun.

With These Eyes is an awesome nightclub by Niels Poulsen & Darren Bailey that I can’t wait to do again! Gooseys!

Lots of open dance in between with a great playlist - the day did not disappoint!

DANCE XPERIENCE 2018!

Well. As I was leaving Betsy’s Classics Workshop yesterday, and Sharon and I were talking about the Xperience, I looked back through this blog and guess what? I NEVER posted ANYTHING about New Orleans 2018! How sad is that? All I have are these notes! So - it’s all that gets to be posted here. 

DANCE XPERIENCE TEACHES

A summary of the dances taught at the Xperience ........

1) N&J - Five Million Pieces

2)  Fred - Acoustic Love

3) Gary - Taking Me Back

4) Joey - Filthy

5) Guillaume - We'll Stay Young

6) Trevor - VIP

7) Shane - Come Alive

8) Gary - Funk The Preacher Man

9) Fred - Don't Stay For Me

10) Fred - Tip Toe

11) N&J - Something I Can't Have

12)  Gemma - The Wolf

Bonus 1) Justin - Hola

13) Joey - Right Here

14) Dustin - Confessions

15) Shane - Boat Stuck In A Bottle

Bonus 2) - Klara/Lina - Slip Through 

19) N&J - Til I'm Done

20) Guillaume - Leave A Light On

21) Team Xperience - Watch The Tempo

Neville Fitzgerald & Julie Harris: 

*Five Million Pieces (WCS)

*#1 Something I Can't Have (NC2)

*(draft) Til I'm Done (Cha)

Fred Whitehouse - 

*Acoustic Love (NC2)

*#1 Don't Stay For Me (WCS)

*Tip Toe (Funky/Pop)

Gary O’Reilly- 

*Taking Me Back (Cha)

*Funk The Preacher Man (Funky)

#1 Follow My Footprints (NC2)

Joey Warren - 

Filthy (OMG!)

#1 Right Here (waltz)

Guillaume Richard - 

*#1 We'll Stay Young (waltz)

Trevor Thornton - 

VIP (Pop)

Shane McKeever - 

Come Alive (OMG!)

#1 Boat Stuck In A Bottle (NC2)

Gemma Ridyard - 

*The Wolf (Funky)

*#1 The Champion (Funky)

Dustin Betts - 

*Hola

Klara Wallman/Lina - 

*Slip Through 

Team Xperience (Joey, Fred, Gemma, Shane, Guillaume) - 

#1 Watch The Tempo (Funky/Samba’y)

The #1’s

Something I Can't Have (NC2)

Don't Stay For Me (WCS)

Follow My Footprints (NC2)

Right Here (waltz)

We'll Stay Young (waltz)

Boat Stuck In A Bottle (NC2)

Watch The Tempo (Funky/Samba’y)

FITS 2018

FITS 2018

As always, just a great event! Jen did an outstanding job and the hotel was wonderful! Certainly got my fill of dancing! I really liked having repeat teaches on Sunday! Gave me a chance to either catch something I missed earlier or a second chance on something that was trickier. Yay!

I really liked EVERY class I attended. The difficult part will be figuring out which one to teach first! 😱😱😱

On Friday I attended 4 classes: Rachael’s teach of Maddison Glover’s Tell Me You Love Me (Fun!), Roy & Fiona’s Make Ya Move (Funky Fun!), Sandy’s teach of Maddy & Simon’s Lost In Love (OMG! I think this will have to be my first teach!), and ended the day with Roy & Fiona’s A Lover’s Trak (from FLOSSING to LAUNDRY! Fun!).

On Saturday I actually made it to 5 classes!!! Started with Marilyn’s teach of Darren & Fred’s Second Time Around (FUN! Definitely up there with the 1st ones to be taught!), Sandy’s teach of Niels & Shane’s Vampire City (GREAT DANCE - will have to be right up there with one of the firsts to be taught!), Shane’s teach of his & Fred’s Light A Candle (I like this one! But, a teach on it will need to wait a bit - until I transcribe my video into a “stepsheet” - of sorts!), Rachael & Linda McCormack’s Can’t Even Dance (cute!), and I ended with Roy & Fiona’s The Last Word (POWERFUL! Might just have to be one of the first ones taught!).

And on Sunday I made it to 2: a reteach of Roy & Fiona’s Make Ya Move and Rachael’s teach of Maddy’s Sober Saturday Night. I REALLY needed more work on my FLOSSING and LOVED SSN. Sober Saturday Night might be right up there with one of the firsts to be taught!

Now that I’ve gotten home and have had a chance to re-read what I’ve summarized, it appears that I have 5 dances that might just need to be taught first! LOL! I guess that’s another sign of a truly great event!