Boston Blues News: January 2017
Julie Brown
Hey dancers!
Here's what's going on in the Boston Blues scene and beyond this month:
- Musicality, Improvisation, & Partnership at Bluesy Tuesy with Sarah Elise & Claire Davis!
- Vintage Drag Blues with Ruth Evelyn & Mike Grosser at Blues Union Intermediate+!
- Second Sun Rising Fusion on Sunday, Jan 8th!
- Swing, Fusion, and other dances at the Arisia sci-fi & fantasy convention Jan 13-16!
- Boston Blend set for April 15th, registration opening soon!
- Travel to dance in Nashville, Saratoga Springs, Austin, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Chicago, and more!
Stuff around town
January at Bluesy Tuesy - Musicality, Improvisation, Partnership
with Claire Davis & Sarah Elise
Each week, Sarah & Claire will teach an all-levels class on a topic related to musicality, improvisation, and conversation. Check the Tuesy Facebook page each week for more details on that week’s lesson: https://www.facebook.com/groups/102014349907754/.
January at Blues Union, Int+ - Vintage Drag Blues
with Ruth Evelyn & Mike Grosser
Inspired by early slow jazz dancers, we'll add some melt, shape, and drape into your ballroomin'. Power into dramatic drags and add some burst to your turns. This style impresses partners and viewers alike.
Second Sun Rising - Boston’s fusion monthly
Sunday, Jan 8, Extreme Dancesport, Cambridge, MA
Ruth and Mike will be teaching an all-levels lesson from 7 to 8 p.m. and DJing the social dancing from 8 to 11 p.m. with a 30-minute sample set from Sariel Tulchinsky. https://www.facebook.com/events/1213735358663423/
Arisia: New England's Largest, Most Diverse Sci-Fi & Fantasy Convention
Friday-Monday, January 13-16, Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel
This large local convention will have a considerable dance track this year, including swing dancing Friday night and late night fusion Sunday night. Here are links to the the dance schedule and to its main website with information about registration and pricing.
http://schedule.arisia.org/#prog/track:Dance
Boston Blend - a Blues, Swing, & Chicago Steppin’ event
April 15th - Cambridge Masonic Temple
Come celebrate Boston’s Blues, Swing, and Chicago Steppin' communities with classes during the day, and catered soul food, performances, and social dancing at night. This year we’ve got more classes, music, and soul food coming up!a
https://www.facebook.com/events/1710383252605643/
Earn free dances while spreading the love of blues!
When you dance at a blues bar, music event, or other blues bomb (or if you teach at a local college), bring some blues ambassador business cards to hand out! If people come to dances for their first time with your card, you get in that night for free! Talk to Andrew at Bluesy Tuesy or Julie Brown or Jenn Martinez at Blues Union to get yourself some cards.
Live music where you can go dance!
Stay up-to-date on where people are blues dancing to live music:
Join the Boston Blues Bombers group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/28357446101/
Weekly/ongoing:
-Mondays at Toad to the White Owls
-Friday at Atwood's to Tim Gearan
-Sunday blues jam at Johnny D’s is no longer at the Causeway Restaurant & Bar, they are planning a move to a new location to be announced in January
-Sunday blues jam at Players sports bar in Rockland MA, 4- 8pm
-Sunday blues jam at Pete’s Grill in Quincy 9-12 on Sunday
*Dancers don’t always go to all of these every week; check Facebook (Boston Blues Bombers group) and ask around to see where folks will be.
Blues+Swing Dancing in Western MA!
Hogan Student Center, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Practice every Sunday - regular meetings of the blues & swing dancing group that meets every Sunday at 8pm. There will be a sign pointing out the exact room.
Traveling for Dance
Want a learning- and/or competition-focused event?
These events usually have multiple tracks or levels of classes during the day. At night, there’ll be tons of dancing and maybe one or more competitions or performances.
Mo’ Better Blues
Nashville, TN - Feb 17-19
Welcome back to the Music City!! This President’s Day Weekend, February 17th-19th, join us for the third year of Mo’ Better Blues!! 10 incredible instructors from around the nation and world, 3 Track Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and the launch of BluesGeek, our new community driven initiative.
https://bluesdancenashville.org/mo-better-blues/
DanceFlurry
Saratoga Springs, NY - Feb 17-19
The Flurry Festival features social dancing and classes in a mind-boggling wide variety of genres including blues and swing. Bands include Gordon Webster and Eight To The Bar.
http://www.flurryfestival.org/
Austin Blues Party
Austin, TX - March 3-5
Come to this “big damn party” for great live music, inspiring classes, and a fun and social atmosphere. Also enjoy the pleasant weather of Austin in the springtime!
http://www.austinbluesparty.com/
Steel City Blues
Pittsburgh, PA - March 17-19
Boston always sends a large group to this great workshop and party weekend. There will be lovely leads, feisty follows, wicked workshops, rocking comps, kicking bands, and inspiring dances. Plus, cheap flights!
https://steelcitybluesfestival.com/
bluesSHOUT!
Chicago, IL - April 6-9
bluesSHOUT! 2017 will mark 10 years of throwing it down, raising the bar, opening minds, and setting the standard for blues dance in our time. Come for high-caliber classes for dancers of all levels, inspiring performance and competitions, and some special things for bluesSHOUT's 10th anniversary!
https://www.facebook.com/events/967300303372138/
Montreal Bagel and Blues
Montreal, QC - April 21-24
5 tracks of workshops with la crème de la crème of teachers, including a teacher’s track, 4 social dance nights, amazing bands & Djs, an alternative Fusion room & an open Dj booth Sunday night, an all you can dance buffet and all the bagels you can handle!
https://montrealbagelandblues.wordpress.com/
Other events to travel to:
-Check out http://bluescal.com/
The Boston Blues Scene is dedicated to creating a fun, welcoming, & safe environment for everyone:
If you have concerns or want to tell us something, our anonymous feedback form is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6JBRRK6