BluesProgressions series start this Thursday! Early bird price ends Monday

[Miles Cohen]

The next 5 week session of BluesProgressions is just around the
corner! These series
start Thursday, August 12th. If you or a friend are interested in
taking
these classes, tell them to sign up in advance. Those who sign up by
Monday, August 9th at 6PM will obtain the early bird price. Late
registrations
are an additional $5.

Thursday 8/12 - 9/9 at U-Studios
BluesProgressions Level 2 (7:45 - 8:45)
http://bluesprogressions1.eventbrite.com

BluesProgressions Level 1 (8:45 - 9:45)
http://madscienceblues.eventbrite.com


Anyone currently enrolled in a BluesProgressions series class will
obtain
free entrance to Back Alley Blues for the duration of the series. This
is a
$25 value! We offer this perk to help students get out and practice
the
material they just learned as quickly as possible. Back Alley Blues
is
located in the same venue as the BluesProgressions classes.

---
Level 1: Open Blues Movement
John Lozano and Karen R. Smith

Part of what makes blues so much fun is that during a single song we
can
vary the amount of space we have with our partner, adding another
level of
dynamics to our dance. When dancing in close embrace, we move as one
unit
with our partner, communicating our intensions to move in new
directions
through the direct connection of the embrace. Then, when we open up
our
dancing, the dance takes on a new dimension- the space we create
between us
gives us room to show our partner what we're made of.

The freedom created when opening up your blues dancing is also what
makes it
difficult to do well. Though our connection to our partner may be
less
direct, we still need to be able to communicate where we want our
partner to
be, if for no other reason than that we don't want them to run into
other
dancers. In this class we will establish the concept of a slot which
can
give you and your partner boundaries to work with. We'll help you
transition
smoothly between various kinds of connection, turn and spin, fishtail,
and
use leverage to add a nice "finish".

All levels are welcome to register for this level I class. This class
assumes no previous dance experience and no partner is required in
order to
join.

---
Level 2: Mad Science Blues: A Creativity Laboratory
John Lozano and Karen R. Smith

In the laboratory of dance, we all want to be creative geniuses! - but
what
if we run out of ideas? We have some vocabulary, but how do we keep
that
interesting - not only for our partners, but also for us? How do our
ideas
work in partnership? What can we do with differing level of partner?
In this Level 2 Blues Progressions, we'll experiment with some
"outside the
box" methods to construct our dance, infusing our dance and our minds
with a
mad science BRAINSTORM of creativity. Eureka!

Elements of our alchemy include:
Establishing and altering connection.
Body parts (including our IGOR hump).
It's Alive! Creating and ceasing movement.
Directional possibilities.
Reading, absorbing, and manipulating energy.
Adding style without disrupting connection.
Messing up and loving it! (recoveries).