At Newtown Learn the Lindy basics, Improve your L2 Lindy and Sweet advanced moves.

W elcome to all our new dancers ... dance is a fantastic way to meet new people, exercise and have fun and we are glad to be joining you on your dance journey. In this section of the Swing Patrol Website here you will find news and information particular to Newtown and diary notes of what we taught in class, so you could print out these pages and keep a diary of everything that you've learnt. Also when ever possible we will maintain a weekly video diary of what we taught that week. So if you like what you see then come along to Newtown. The notes and video diary get updated weekly so keep checking every week.

*** The Next Swing Pit is with a LIVE BAND, click on Swing Pit link to find out more.

Balboa at the Exchange
Thank you to everyone who requested another Bal Class at the Exchange… the response has been overwhelming! We now booked another 5-week course.

The classes will be level 1 classes and will focus on making our follows that little bit more comfortable, the basic movement and out-and-in momentum. This means that will start the course in a similar way, but will be teaching a bunch of new moves and technique to ensure the course are progressive for those who came the last course, but not overwhelming for those wanting to try Balboa for the very first time! In other words – PERFECT!



Level 1 - Learn the Charleston

L1 Class Summary

With this course we will be teaching you how to dance the Charleston with a focus on Hand To Hand Charleston a fun dance that is great to do to faster music and to add to your lindy. We'll be teaching this course for the next two weeks and we'd love to see you. The Footwork The basic charleston footwork: [1-2] Tap behind, [3-4] step forward [5-6] Kick forward, [7-8] step behind Tip: keep a small pulse in your body while your doing the steps. Turn on 7 A cool step where we turn follower as well as our selves Foot: Charleston footwork Tip: Get your hand on the hip early Hand 2 Hand A turning step where the dancers turn side to side together. Foot: Kick step footwork Tip: Pivot upper body with lower Sneaky Kicks While your partner is kicking one way you can get cheeky and kick the other way. Foot: Kick step footwork Tip: Follow kick in front on count [1] and leads can kick behind on count [5] Back to Closed Using the turn on five to get back to closed Foot: Kick step footwork Tip: Get your hand on the follows back so they can tell it's over Watch all these moves in the video diary below.

Level 2 - Basic Slips, Tricks and Dips

L2 Class Summary

What are Slides ? A slide occurs when you step into a foot outside your balance point. Normally we don't do this but for slides we do. Tip: Practice plunger exercise for V-Slides Pull Through with a V-Slide Leading your partner in a pull trough, switch hands and prep slide on 4, slide on 5 Leg Over Leaders Start like a basic turn step down on (6) Kick over (7) turn back to follow (8) Tip: Leads kick over your own hand not theirs to avoid kicking them. Tango Tip Surprise This move starts as a tango dip but has a surprise drop on count 7 Tip: Add in the little rise and falls that we talked about in class. Watch all these moves in the video diary below.

Level 3 - Advanced Slips and Tricks

L3 Class Summary

What are Slides ? A slide occurs when you step into a foot outside your balance point. Normally we don't do this but for slides we do. Advanced Tip: "Any one can slide for 1 count, the tru skill is to be able to do it over multiple counts with control" - Nick Willams Maxi Slide A cool balboa move that uses v-slides for the leaders. Named after Maxi Dorf. Tip: Step behind on 1 to allow follow through catch on 4 for standard swing out. Variarion: From closed with an inside turn. Washington Slide Leading a tight twisting motion leaders can control how the follower steps as well as the prep for a v-slide on count 1. Cross step through on &4 to finish with a slide on count 5-7. Triple Slide Theory Weight preps on the sending foot, step into slide. Weight remain centre as feet switch positions. The Marcus 'n' Barbel Slide coming out of the washington slide leads can go left as the follows go right to create a cool split effect. Watch all these moves in the video diary below.

Video Diary

URL Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtYaHhWQbKo

COMING UP: Learn to Lindy Hop

A new 8-Beat basics course is starting at Newtown soon. In our Level 1 class we will be teaching the basics of 8-Beat step also known as "The Lindy Hop". Check out: The Face Book Event Dates: Monday 2nd August at 6:30pm Monday 9th August at 6:30pm Monday 16th August at 6:30pm Monday 23th August at 6:30pm Details: No experience or partner required, just rock up.

Private Lessons with Derek and Trish.

If you want to speed up your learning or put the finishing touch on your dancing then why not consider a private lesson with Derek or Trish (or both). Private lessons cost $60 per teacher or $80 for both (Great for couples learning). For more information drop Derek and/or Trish a email derek@swingpatrol.com or trish@swingpatrol.com

View other diary entries for Newtown (St. Stephens Hall) ...