Caltech Ballroom Dance Club

Spring 2008    Current Classes Back to the top Beginner Lindy Hop / Intermediate West Coast Swing instructor: With professional instructors Ben Morris and Melina Ramirez when: 8 Mondays, starting March 31. Guest instructor (TBD) on April 21, when Ben and Melina will be teaching in France. time: Lindy Hop 8:30-9:30pm, West Coast Swing 9:30-10:30pm where: In Winnett Lounge, 2nd floor. Cost: FREE for Caltech students (with ID); $6/class or $40/series for students of other universities (with ID) and Caltech affiliates (with ID); $10/class or $72/series regular. Lindy Hop and WCS classes charged separately; ID REQUIRED for discounted rates Description: Three time US Open Champions Ben Morris and Melina Ramirez will teach a beginning-level Lindy Hop course and an intermediate-level West Coast Swing course. Lindy Hop is the "mother of all swing dances," with an upbeat style, typically danced to swing/jazz music. West Coast Swing is a smoother derivative of Lindy Hop danced in a slot, often to contemporary R&B and pop music. Both dances are quite popular in the LA area, and we often organize trips to local dance venues. No partner is required for attending either class. 8:30-9:30pm Beginning Lindy Hop Series This class will cover the 6 and 8 count basics of Lindy Hop, as well as basic partner Charleston. If you're a complete beginner, or need to review your basics, this is the class for you. No dance experience necessary, but we recommend joining class early in the series so as not to get behind. 9:30-10:30pm Intermediate West Coast Swing Series This class will focus on increasing on your vocabulary of patterns and improving technique. If you're looking to improve your social or competitive dancing, this is the class for you. You should already be comfortable with the basics of West Coast Swing before taking this class. About the instructors: Ben and Melina brought their talents together for a West Coast Swing routine in the summer of 2003, and have since won many titles together - most notably the Young Adult division of the 2003 and 2005 US Open Swing Dance Championships. They are both World Swing Dance Champions, California Swing Dance Hall of Fame Nominees, and 3 time US Open Champions. Known for their smooth style, infectious personalities, and enjoyable workshops, they have been teaching together since 2003 and now travel both nationally and internationally to teach, compete, judge, and perform. More information and videos can be found at http://benandmelina.com/. Some neat videos of them dancing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dit2deyf8WA (Ben & Melina WCS routine) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvwumVOo0ow (WCS routine) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCx6Joi4ewY (Ben dancing lindy with Carla Heiney) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJI4jJwyx3A (rather amusing video of Ben Morris and Doug Silton) Back to the top   beginner ballroom II instructors: Robert Nissen and Megan Nix when: 8 Sundays, starting April 6th, 12:00-2:00 pm. NOTE: There will be no class on April 27th due to the Caltech Dance Show. Please go watch it! There will be no class on May 25. practice: After class from 2:00 - 2:30pm. where: In Winnett Lounge (2nd floor). price: FREE for Caltech Students (with ID); $6 per class or $40/series in advance for Caltech affiliates and alumni and for students of other universities (with ID); $10 per class or $70/series in advance for all others. * Discounts apply for full-time students from any college/ university/institution. Please bring a current student ID. ** Series price paid in whole on first day of class.     > description: This class will be a continuation of the Fall beginner series in these dances. The first four weeks will cover Waltz and Cha Cha and the second four weeks will cover Quickstep and Rumba. Dancers should ideally have had exposure to most of the following figures before taking the class: Waltz: prep step, natural turn, change step, reverse turn, closed impetus Rumba: basic, new yorkers, spot turn, alemana Quickstep: prep step, quarter turn, progressive chasse, natural spin turn, forward lock Cha Cha: basic, new yorker, spot turn, alemana, 3 chas (forward and back) About the instructors: Megan danced ballet, tap, and jazz for 18 years and taught for 2 years before she began ballroom dancing in 2004. Robert came to the Caltech Ballroom Team from MIT, where he began dancing in 2004. Robert and Megan have been dancing together since 2006. They compete in both Standard and Latin and placed first in Open Pre-Novice Standard two years in a row at the UCSD Dance by the Shores and first in Novice Standard and Pre-Novice Latin at the 2008 Caltech Dance of the Roses.     Subscribe: Hosted by the Ballroom Team. Find out about Team events, subscribe to the 'ballroom-team' list or visit the Ballroom Team page. Back to the top intermediate Ballroom II instructor: Professional instructor Jerry More. when: 8 Sundays starting April 6, 2:30-4:30 pm. where: In Winnett Lounge, 2nd floor. Cost: FREE for Caltech students (with ID); $6/class or $40/series for other students and Caltech affiliates and alumni; $10/class or $70/series for all others. * Discounts apply for full-time students from any college/ university/institution. Please bring a current student ID. ** Series price paid in whole on first day of class. Description: Four weeks of Waltz and Cha Cha (1st hour Waltz, 2nd hour Cha Cha) and four weeks of Quickstep and Rumba (1st hour Quickstep, 2nd hour Rumba). The class will cover mostly Silver patterns in each dance (time permitting), body techniques for each, some open patterns at this level (time permitting), lead and follow and presentation (for show/comp or just showing off!). This class is a continuation of the fall series and will be at a slightly more advanced level. Prereqs: Dancers should be familiar with the basic bronze figures and some silver figures in all four dances, and there will be a brief tryout at the beginning of the first class. If you cannot come to this tryout, please contact the team captain about trying out at another time. Dancers should be prepared to spend time outside of class practicing the routines and technique so that the class can move forward at a fast pace. Notes: This series is highly recommended for competitive ballroom dancers! Team membership is not required, but additional resources and opportunities are available for team members. Visit the team website for more information on joining. About the instructor: Jerry's achievements and credentials include: - 1985 and 1987 America's Amateur Dance Champion - 1989 Arthur Murray 9 Dance Rising Star Champion, 1990, 1991 and 1995 National and International Dance Finalist - A 19 year full-time Professional Teacher of both the American and International Styles of Ballroom and Latin Dancing - An accredited member of the NDCA, Terpsichore Dance Association, the U.S.I.S.T.D. and the I.S.T.D. in both the American and International Styles - Currently registered with the NDCA as an adjudicator of both International and American style Ballroom dances     Subscribe: Hosted by the Ballroom Team. Find out about Team events, subscribe to the 'ballroom-team' list or visit the Ballroom Team page. Back to the top Intermediate Argentine Tango I instructor: With professional instructor Alexis White when: 8 Thursdays, April 10 to May 29. time: Class: 8:00-9:30pm. Practica: 9:30-10:00pm. Arrive 10-15 minutes before for registration! where: In Winnett Lounge, 2nd floor. Cost: FREE for Caltech students (with ID); $5/class or $35/series for students of other universities (with ID) and Caltech affiliates (with ID); $8/class or $56/series regular Description: This series will further explore giros, sacadas, paradas & barridas, focusing on proper technique for leaders & followers, and introducing embellishments and variations. We will concentrate heavily on technique and proper execution for each element, rather than focusing on steps (the steps are a tool to teach people to better understand the mechanics of the dance, so they can gain more confidence more quickly). Then at the end we will work on combinations and sequences with these elements. Requirements: Basics of tango -- embrace, walking in parallel & alternate systems, cross, forward & back ochos, giros (molinete/turns) -- covered in the Beginner I and II series.