TIPDI's West Coast Swing Crash Course
… for Dancers!
This is a 1.5 hour accelerated crash course in West Coast Swing for people who have 1-10 years of dance training in other dances — any kind of dance (classical, partner, ethnic, street) — but little or no West Coast Swing experience. Be amazed at how much you can learn from Ken & Paula in one shot, or your money back!
Partner recommended - bring friends! - but not required. No prior West Coast Swing experience needed.
Partner recommended - bring friends! - but not required. No prior West Coast Swing experience needed.
When:
Monday, June 22, 2015
7:00–8:30 pm
Location:
Pearl Studios, 500 8th Ave, 4th Floor - Room 410, New York, NY
(This is a room change! Please come to the 4th Floor - Room 410 !)
No pre-registration necessary. Just come to class. Bring all your friends!
NYC Dance Week passes welcome! Note: a NYC Dance Week pass is good for everyone in your group, only one pass needed for everyone. So bring all your friends!
More info:
Call Ken at 617-470-8305
While no pre-registration is necessary, you may guarantee your space in the class by pre-registering Yourself or at least ONE person from your group here:
Monday, June 22, 2015
7:00–8:30 pm
Location:
Pearl Studios, 500 8th Ave, 4th Floor - Room 410, New York, NY
(This is a room change! Please come to the 4th Floor - Room 410 !)
No pre-registration necessary. Just come to class. Bring all your friends!
NYC Dance Week passes welcome! Note: a NYC Dance Week pass is good for everyone in your group, only one pass needed for everyone. So bring all your friends!
More info:
Call Ken at 617-470-8305
While no pre-registration is necessary, you may guarantee your space in the class by pre-registering Yourself or at least ONE person from your group here:
Other Charming Tips
Shoes that are comfortable and let you pivot or spin halfway around on one foot are much better than anything else. So, in general, suede-soled or leather-soled shoes are good, and rubber-soled shoes or sneakers or boots are not good. Most West Coast Swing women wear 1" or 2" chunky heels with suede soles, usually in a "sandal" style. Most West Coast Swing men wear ballroom shoes or special dance shoe/sneaker hybrids with suede soles. Jazz or ballet flats, and dance sneakers will work. High-heel Salsa or Tango shoes are doable but not ideal because the high heels are kind of tiring for WCS.
Clothing is optional. Wait; let us rephrase that. Wear anything that you find comfortable to move in — the lighter and more informal, the better. Jeans, slacks, jazz pants, polo shirts, summer blouses all are fine.
We have changing rooms, if you are coming directly from work.
Hand Lotion? No. We strongly recommend against hand lotion in class (and when going dancing). For partner dancing, it's better if your hands are a little dry, rather than sleek and lubricated. Not to mention the residue that even the finest lotion leaves on your partner's hands, ick.
Fragrances, good and bad. People vary widely in their olfactory sensitivities and abilities. You should assume that, on statistical average, half the people in the room have a MUCH better sense of smell than you do. For the greater respect and comfort of all, please note the following:
(1) No perfume, please. There are always a few people in our classes who are highly sensitive/allergic to perfumes, so please wear as little cologne as possible to class. We love you just the way you are. Thanks. However:
(2) Effective deodorant, please. Our classes are physically active AND require very close social contact. We follow the American custom: wearing effective deodorant is required in our classes (unless some medical condition prevents your using it, of course). We have large restrooms in which you can "freshen up" before class.
(3) No gum chewing, please. Your partner's face is just a few inches away. What if it's not their flavor? Besides, most people find themselves dancing partially to the rhythm of their own gum-chewing, which leaves their partners fascinated but confused.
(4) Breath effects: Breath mints are a good idea. Not exhaling is also effective, but 9 out of 10 doctors recommend against it. What the heck, bring along some sugar-free Tic-Tacs or Cinnamon Altoids to class; the sugar-free ones avoid that "mouse died" fragrance 20 minutes later. (Please, not the Peppermint Altoids — they really are murderously strong!)
Also recommended: Avoid garlic and onions before dance class.
Also recommended: A travel toothbrush makes a brilliant accessory for every dancer's bag. Lightweight, inexpensive, dazzlingly effective if you have eaten recently. And if you haven't.
Thanks.
Clothing is optional. Wait; let us rephrase that. Wear anything that you find comfortable to move in — the lighter and more informal, the better. Jeans, slacks, jazz pants, polo shirts, summer blouses all are fine.
We have changing rooms, if you are coming directly from work.
Hand Lotion? No. We strongly recommend against hand lotion in class (and when going dancing). For partner dancing, it's better if your hands are a little dry, rather than sleek and lubricated. Not to mention the residue that even the finest lotion leaves on your partner's hands, ick.
Fragrances, good and bad. People vary widely in their olfactory sensitivities and abilities. You should assume that, on statistical average, half the people in the room have a MUCH better sense of smell than you do. For the greater respect and comfort of all, please note the following:
(1) No perfume, please. There are always a few people in our classes who are highly sensitive/allergic to perfumes, so please wear as little cologne as possible to class. We love you just the way you are. Thanks. However:
(2) Effective deodorant, please. Our classes are physically active AND require very close social contact. We follow the American custom: wearing effective deodorant is required in our classes (unless some medical condition prevents your using it, of course). We have large restrooms in which you can "freshen up" before class.
(3) No gum chewing, please. Your partner's face is just a few inches away. What if it's not their flavor? Besides, most people find themselves dancing partially to the rhythm of their own gum-chewing, which leaves their partners fascinated but confused.
(4) Breath effects: Breath mints are a good idea. Not exhaling is also effective, but 9 out of 10 doctors recommend against it. What the heck, bring along some sugar-free Tic-Tacs or Cinnamon Altoids to class; the sugar-free ones avoid that "mouse died" fragrance 20 minutes later. (Please, not the Peppermint Altoids — they really are murderously strong!)
Also recommended: Avoid garlic and onions before dance class.
Also recommended: A travel toothbrush makes a brilliant accessory for every dancer's bag. Lightweight, inexpensive, dazzlingly effective if you have eaten recently. And if you haven't.
Thanks.
Paula Wilson and Ken Kreshtool
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing
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Paula and Ken are loved for their fiercely fun, warm and friendly dance classes. They are internationally ranked West Coast Swing dancers, and have taught dancers of all backgrounds, professionally, for over 15 years. They run several WCS events around New York City, and are the co-producers of The International Partner Dance Intensive.
Paula’s students enjoy her patient, clear teaching style, informed by her background as an Alvin Ailey Professional Division graduate. She worked as a concert and commercial dancer, before discovering partner dance. Paula came to West Coast Swing from years of teaching and dancing Argentine Tango, as well as Zouk.
Ken was student-commented six years in a row as "the best Instructor I've ever had in ANYTHING!" by Harvard University students for his on-campus dance classes. Off-campus, he also taught the largest and most popular Swing, Ballroom, and Salsa classes in the Boston area for many years before moving to New York City.
For more information about their various events and classes, visit them at www.gottadance.org.
Paula’s students enjoy her patient, clear teaching style, informed by her background as an Alvin Ailey Professional Division graduate. She worked as a concert and commercial dancer, before discovering partner dance. Paula came to West Coast Swing from years of teaching and dancing Argentine Tango, as well as Zouk.
Ken was student-commented six years in a row as "the best Instructor I've ever had in ANYTHING!" by Harvard University students for his on-campus dance classes. Off-campus, he also taught the largest and most popular Swing, Ballroom, and Salsa classes in the Boston area for many years before moving to New York City.
For more information about their various events and classes, visit them at www.gottadance.org.