Friday 11/20
Late Night at Madison Ballroom
- 8:00PM-10:30PM - Dance with Rocket City Jazz Orchestra, (This is a University event with a separate $10 cover)
- 11:30PM-2:30AM - Late Night at Madison Ballroom
Saturday 11/21
Worskhop at Madison Ballroom
- 10:30-11:00AM - Registration/Warm-Up
Series 1 - 11:00AM-Noon - Saturday Class 1 - The Rhythm in the Move
- 12:15PM-1:15PM - Saturday Class 2 - Total Rhythmic Communication
- 1:15PM-2:30PM - Lunch
- 2:45PM-3:45PM - Saturday Class 3 - Speaking in Tongues
Series 2 - 4:00PM-5:00PM - Saturday Class 4 - Speed Turns
- 5:00PM-8:00PM - Dinner
Dance and Latenight at Flying Monkey Arts Center - 7:00PM-8:00PM - Pre-Dance Beginner Lesson
- 8:00PM-11:00PM - HSDS Dance with Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade (Bring $2 for the "OMG I've never competed before!" Competition.)
- Midnight-3:00AM - DJ'd Late night
Sunday 11/22
Workshop at Madison Ballroom (No lunch break, eat first!)
- Noon-12:30PM - Registration/Warm-Up
- 12:30PM-1:30PM - Sunday Class 1 - Chill Steps
- 1:45PM-2:45PM - Sunday Class 2 - Dynamic Triples
- 3:00PM-4:00PM - Sunday Class 3 - Combos, Dynamics, and The Big Picture
- 4:15PM-5:15PM - Final Class - Spotlight on the Student
- 6:00PM-9:00PM - After Workshop Wrap Party at Station 2 in Bridgestreet Towne Center
Prior to the workshop, the UAH Dance Club is having a dance at the UAH Exhibit Hall in the UAH Student Center on the UAH Campus. They will have the much feared, loved, and admired Rocket City Jazz Orchestra playing. While this is not part of the Grass Roots Rhythm Workshop, (and therefore not included in the price), you are encouraged to attend and enjoy the dance if you are in town. You can find more information at the UAH dance club website or on facebook.
Class Descriptions
Series 1: Mechanics of Social Lindy Hop - Lots of drills and plenty of social repertoire, too. This series is about getting everyone speaking the same language with their bodies. Analyzing how things work, and breaking down assumptions. We will cover a lot of material, but it's not about memorizing everything, it's about what you learn just by being in class.
- Saturday Class 1 - The Rhythm in the Move - Here we will dive into the age-old question of distinguishing between different rhythms by breaking apart common moves, examining how they work, and putting them back together into entirely new patterns. Leaders can expect to gain a deeper understanding of their vocabulary, as well as the ability to 'mess with' their moves in new ways. Followers can expect a detailed clinic on interpreting the rhythmic intention of the leader.
- Saturday Class 2 - Total Rhythmic Communication - In this class we will uncover just how deep connected communication can go, using a set of rock-solid drills and exercises to get both leader and follower focusing on the detailed messages that are passed back and forth within a partnership. One of Michael and Jaya's most requested workshops, this class will bring a new level of intention to your social dancing.
- Saturday Class 3 - Speaking in Tongues - This class combines all of the concepts in the previous two classes, using those skills to explore out-of-the box rhythms and social dancing possibilities that will keep your dancing forever evolving, forever challenging. We will definitely learn a new set of unique moves, but along the way we will empower you to understand the process of creating these more complex and exciting figures.
Series 2: Mirror Image Movement and Versatility - This series is designed to strengthen your technique under a wide variety of challenging situations, often asking you to do things on the "wrong side/wrong foot", to execute demanding movements in just a few beats, and generally broaden your skill set and understanding of the dance.
- Saturday Class 4 - Speed Turns - Just what it sounds like, this class will focus on leading and following very demanding turns with clarity and precision, from a variety of positions/handholds.
- Sunday Class 1 - Chill Steps - In this class we will take a step back and work on "walking movement" -- figures that use few if any triple-steps, but nonetheless are a study in control, precise execution, moment, and (of course) great-feeling connection.
- Sunday Class 2 - Dynamic Triples - Here we will break apart the triple step, learning how to modify the shape of it to make it fit some new movements and situations, tackling a handful of new figures and new concepts at the same time. A powerful way to make simple steps very exciting.
- Sunday Class 3 - Combos, Dynamics, and The Big Picture -If you missed a class here or there this weekend, you can probably still survive this class. But what we'll be doing is throwing out combinations and challenges based on everything that's been taught this weekend. Not to be missed, this session will help you assimilate everything else we've covered by putting it into CONTEXT. In other words, we won't just be looking at how to put this stuff together, but also how to make good musical decisions, and how to keep your dancing artistic, expressive, and genuine, while maintaining technical integrity.
- Final Class - Spotlight on the Student - For our final session, we'll break from the normal class format. Basically, we'll have one couple at a time dance for the class, and the instructors will constructively offer technical and artistic critique. There won't be time to do this for every couple; this is more about learning as a group, and learning from other people's critique than getting your own dancing analyzed. Always a favorite, and a great way to tie the weekend together, you will want to bring a notebook and paper for this one!
