The Night Owls - Jazzing the Blues (SOLD OUT)

A blues and slow jazz weekend featuring Evita Arce with Jessie Gordon and Andy Swann! Expect amazing live music, as well as partnered and solo blues classes for all levels of dancer.

Friday March 17 - Social Dancing featuring live music with the incredible Jessie Gordon with Andy Swann's Shake 'n' Shimmie Blues Trio, beginner dance lesson by Kara and Evan, and DJed music by Laura Duncan! Doors open at 7:45 pm, lesson at 8 pm, and the band starts at 8:30 pm.

Saturday March 18 - Partnered and solo blues dance workshops with Evita and Andy

 

Saturday Morning: Ballrooming Blues
Ballrooming blues is a style of blues dancing which developed when blues artists moved to the northern states in America and was danced in ballrooms to Big Bands and Orchestras. It has influences from swing dancing, vernacular jazz and other ballroom dances. It is still deeply rooted in rhythm, has fluid movements, longer lines as well as beautiful spins, turns, and traveling steps. Expect to hear songs from great African American artists of the time such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and many more.

Note - the partnered classes require some basic blues experience with concepts such as closed position, weight changes and rhythms.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm: 'Evita's take on Fundamentals'
Regardless of skill level or steps learned, blues dancing requires constant revisiting and exploration of the fundamentals. Evita will help us explore quality of movement in this beautiful style of blues and special ways to enhance partner connection.

12:15 pm - 1:15 pm: 'Deepen the Expression of Your Movements'
Explore and expand the emotional, technical, and aesthetic aspects of dance to bring more meaning, intention, and impact to each movement. Evita will focus on body control, musical choices, sustained steps and storytelling. Expect to stretch and challenge yourself.

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm: LUNCH

Saturday Afternoon: Solo Blues and Slow Jazz
Evita is known for incredible creativity and freedom in her dancing. She is one of the creators and dancers of SW!NG OUT, a full length lindy hop show touring the United States featuring a star studded cast of international lindy hop dancers with a performance largely improvised on stage with a live 10-piece band. Evita is eager to share what she has learnt about improvisation and personal expression with all of us!

Note - the solo classes will cater for all levels of dancer.

2:15 pm - 3:15 pm: Solo Blues - 'Let the Spirit Move You'
How would you move if you weren't worried about getting it right or being judged? Let's find our inner guide which can inspire a freer, more expressive and authentic form of movement.

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Slow Jazz - 'Improvisation and Finding Your Courage'
To improvise with confidence involves facing and overcoming fear and self-doubt through self-reflection, knowledge of musical ideas, and embracing one's individuality and strengths. Finish off your day dancing to some of the most beautiful jazz ballads of the era.

Friday - Social dancing - The Aegean Greek Restaurant (19 Brunswick St, Brunswick VIC 3056 - MAP)

Saturday - Workshop classes - Ela Rose Studios (20 Chingford St, Fairfield VIC 3078 - MAP)

If you're a student, you can use the promo code 'StudyDance' at checkout to receive a 40% discount. 

If you'd like to be added to our waiting list, click the Contact Event Organiser button and include your name, email address and what pass you would like.