Class Schedule & Info

Class Venue: Ripley Grier Studios
Manhattan, 520 8th Avenue, New York, NY
16th Floor - Rooms 16J & 16K

Choose your own adventure - take any class for $25 - Purchase in advance, or Pay at the door

10:00am - 10:55am

Finding Your Groove w/ Kara & Jen: There are so many ways to feel and show the heart of the music, and it’s unique to each person. This class is about discovering the ways you personally like to connect to a song.
Creating Conversation w/ Jenny: Lead and Follow are two sides to a conversation, let's dance that way. Let's be witty, funny, mysterious and so much more. You will get various setups with different ways to respond to your partners choice, and some choices to make yourself.

11:00am - 11:55am

Strategies for Faster Blues Dances w/ Kara & Jen: Not sure what to do, Don’t panic! We got you.
Hips! w/ Jenny: Let's get into our hip movement. You'll walk away with effective technique, direction for flow and named moves to work with. This will be a mix of solo and partnered movement. Let's wine, grind, move around and find out!

1:00pm - 9:00pm - Blues BBQ Fest @ Pier 76. Community class instruction by Jess, Jenny, Odysseus, & Zach

1:00pm - 1:55pm

Close Embrace from the Ground Up w/ Kara & Jen: Join us to focus on blues fundamentals with some tips on practices to push your dancing past those inevitable plateaus.
“Look Ma, with Arms!” w/ Kerian: Are your fishtails fly? Are your grinds great? What about your arms? This class will help you integrate your upper body, especially your arms, into your solo Blues dancing. Learn how to appropriately deploy Jazz Hands for maximum impact and up your sex appeal with asymmetry.

2:00pm - 2:55pm

Latin Blues w/ Jenny: Afro-Cuban rhythms bring us to Latin Blues, so let's get into some Clave rhythms to give us the key to dance with them. Feel this chill party vibe with rhythm in your feet and up your spine. Join the Latin Blues club, when you know the rhythm, you know.
Traveling in Close Embrace w/ Kerian & Zach: Maintaining close embrace while traveling can be challenging. Master the range of compression necessary to maintain this essential Blues position. This class will have you gliding around the room in no time.

3:00pm - 3:55pm

Struttin’ w/ Kara & Jen: Struttin’ is a one step blues dance that incorporates a follow’s rhythmic expression and individuality. This class will go over the mechanics needed to dance comfortably in this blues idiom. We will also provide you with basic patterns and additives to make this dance your own.
How to Dance to Country Blues/Early Blues Music w/ Kerian: Some Blues tracks are very spare in their arrangements. How do you partner dance to those chill tracks that leave so much space for interpretation? Learn the Art of Subtraction to expand your musical adaptability.

Track Title	Track Description
Fundamentals on the Fast Track	These concept and technique based classes will focus on the nitty gritty of basic blues dancing. For example, pulse, close embrace, turn technique, momentum, stretch and lag.
Dig that Move!	These content and vocabulary based classes will focus on leveling up skills in solo moves, idiom dances and those cool turns, sidepasses or combos we want to learn!
Express Yourself!	These classes will focus on how to hone individuality within the dance. Topics like how to have the best conversation, be playful and cool; how to be your most musical self with a partner; and how to fall in love with blues again.
Jam Block	These classes are instructor’s choice, which means you get to jam with them about topics they love!
Lecture Hall	These presentations and lectures will focus on blues history, blues music, organizer topics, skills for instructors and tips for students.
Advanced Track (Audition only)	Auditions for the advanced track will take place at the Saturday Night dance. Don't worry! It's super low-key so don't stress! During the DJ'd time slots, Flouer and Shawn will be available to dance with you. All you have to do is go dance with them for a little bit and they'll let you know in person (and privately) if you can take their advanced classes. If you'd like a little bit of feedback about your dancing, they can provide that as well!