Smoothstyle Dance Studio

Here is our monthly roundup of where Ottawa’s dancing WCS in February & March.

If you get to Toronto often enough, sign up to receive Julie Epplett’s weekly emails of WCS dances etc. happening there: Website >

If you travel much to the USA, sign up to receive Maria Cirino’s monthly roundup of WCS dances and events: mariacirino(at)hotmail.com

UPCOMING DEADLINES & TABLES

1. Maria is collecting names for the second Ottawa table at Toronto Open Swing & Hustle Championships (TOSHC – Toronto in July). Once you have registered & paid for the event, email maria to be added to one of her tables: andremaria(at)smoothstyle.ca. The next discount registration deadline is June 30th.

2. Maria is also collecting names for Canadian tables at Liberty Swing (New Jersey in June). The main event hotel is already sold out. Canadians, use the discount code “inter2010″ to receive a 20% international discount on registration fees. Once you have registered & paid for the event, email maria to be added to one of her tables: andremaria(at)smoothstyle.ca

IN OTTAWA

WEEKLY!
Saturday Night Swing

Saturday Nights: Two rooms, double the dancing! Dance WCS in the Westie Lounge and Vintage Swing in the front room.

• 151 Chapel Street @ Rideau
• 8:15pm beginner lesson
• 9:15-1:00am Dance
• $7.00/person or $5.00/student

Website >>

MONTHLY!
Double-Down WCS Weekends in Ottawa

Enjoy a Saturday-night WCS dance + Sunday-afternoon WCS workshops at Dance With Alana Studios, in addition to pre- and post- event outings!

DATES:

• April 14
• May 26
• June 9
• more dates to be announced shortly!

Web page >>

Facebook event page >>

RECOMMENDED WEEKEND EVENTS:

1. Friday night: Latin Dancing at Rahim’s Latin Fridays
Info >>

2. Saturday night WCS dance party: “uptown@DWA”

• With DJs OldsKOOL & DaCube
• Dance 8:00pm-midnight; after-party at Bella Vista restaurant
• Dance With Alana Studios, 1800 Bank Street, Suite #13
• $7.00/person
• Webpage >> 

3. Sunday afternoon: Groovy Westie Sunday Workshops & Practices

• 1:30-5:30pm (Beginner – Intermediate – Advanced workshops + practices)
• Dance With Alana Studios, 1800 Bank Street, Suite #13
• $15/workshop + practice, $10 for each additional workshop
• Register here >>

4. Sunday evening: Blues dancing at The Atomic Rooster

• Dance from 6:00pm until the live band stops playing!
• 303 Bank Street, Ottawa
•  Atomic Rooster website >

OUT OF TOWN

April 6-8
INTERNATIONAL HUSTLE & SALSA CONGRESS (Orlando, FL)

This event includes a West Coast Swing component, including workshops and competitions.

Website >>

April 27-29
WCS WORKSHOP WEEKEND WITH BEATA HOWE (Toronto, ON)

Spend a weekend learning from Beata Howe, head judge at July’s Toronto Open Swing & Hustle dance event!

Website >>

May 11-13
SWINGDIEGO (San Diego, CA)

The Superbowl of Swing!

Website >>

May 18-21
CANADIAN SWING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Lac Carling, QC)

The “Great Canadian Party” – an annual weekend of mayhem for all types of Swing dance!

Website >>

May 26 & 27
WCS/HUSTLE WEEEKEND WITH TYBALDT & HAZEL ULRICH (Ancaster, ON)

The incomparable Tybaldt & Hazel will be in Ancaster for a mini-intensive weekend of workshops:

SATURDAY:
1:00pm-5:30pm Hustle mini intensive
7:00pm-8:30pm Intermediate WCS lesson

8:30pm-midnight Dance

$60 for the whole day
$10 dance only

SUNDAY:
2:00-5:26pm WCS mini intensive
$40

Details: Email Elaine at elaine.royds(at)manulifesecurities.ca

Here is your monthly roundup of where Ottawa’s dancing WCS in February & March. If we’ve missed anything, please inform this group!

Note that Groovy Westie Sunday workshops now have a Beginner-level workshop – see below.

In Ottawa

WEEKLY!
Saturday Night Swing

Saturday Nights: Two rooms, double the dancing! Dance WCS in the Westie Lounge and Vintage Swing in the front room.

> 151 Chapel Street @ Rideau
> 8:15pm beginner lesson
> 9:15-1:00am Dance
> $7.00/person or $5.00/student

<http://www.saturdaynightswing.com>

MONTHLY!
Double-Down WCS Weekends in Ottawa

Enjoy a Saturday-night WCS dance + Sunday-afternoon WCS workshops at Dance With Alana Studios, in addition to pre- and post- event outings!

DATES:

> February 11
> March 10
> April 14
> May 19
> June 9

Web page >

Facebook event page >

Facebook page with info about the Jack & Jill competition >

WEEKEND EVENTS:

1. Friday night: Latin Dancing at Rahim’s Latin Fridays
Info >

2. Saturday night WCS dance party: “uptown@DWA”
> With DJs OldsKOOL & DaCube
> Dance 8:00pm-midnight; after-party at Bella Vista restaurant
> Dance With Alana Studios, 1800 Bank Street, Suite #13
> $7.00/person (bring some extra cash for pizza, beer, pop & water!)
> Dance details >

3. Sunday afternoon: Groovy Westie Sunday Workshops & Practices
> 1:30-5:30pm (Beginner – Intermediate – Advanced workshops + practices)
> Dance With Alana Studios, 1800 Bank Street, Suite #13
> $15/workshop + practice, $10 for each additional workshop
> Register here >

4. Sunday evening: Blues dancing at The Atomic Rooster
> Dance from 6:00pm until the live band stops playing!
> 303 Bank Street, Ottawa
> Atomic Rooster website >

Saturday, February 4, 2012
NEW YORK! NEW YORK! HUSTLE WORKSHOPS & HUSTLE/WCS DANCE

By popular demand, Andre Danis & Maria Ford will teach an afternoon/evening of New York Hustle dance workshops, then host a Hustle/WCS/Cha-Cha dance party.

Workshop details >

PRE-REGISTER via Dance With Alana studios

March 16-18, 2012
OTTAWA BLUES BLAST

Details & website TBD.
Info >

Out of Town

February 11-12
INTENSIVE WORKSHOP WITH ROBERT ROYSTON (Kingston, NY)

Robert Royston is a well-known and well-respected dance professional. His WCS intensive weekends are highly esteemed.
Details >

February 18-19, 2012
Elaine’s Dance, with WCS Workshops, Private Lessons & Dance with DAVID WARD & MARIA FORD (Ancaster, Ontario)

Ottawa’s David & Maria will be the guest instructors at Elaine’s monthly dance in Ancaster, Ontario.

Details >

March 2-5, 2012
MID ATLANTIC DANCE JAM (MAD Jam – Reston, Virginia)

This is a very large and extremely well run weekend of competitions and workshops in West Coast swing & New York Hustle. Note that the main hotel is sold out and overflow hotels are filling up!

Details >

March 9-11, 2012
THE CHICAGO CLASSIC DANCE EVENT (Chicago, IL)

Details >

March 23-26, 2012
BOSTON TEA PARTY (Newton, Massachusetts)

Two separate rooms and tracks are offered during this weekend of workshops and competitions: choose West Coast Swing or Lindy Hop or do a bit of both. Some Balboa workshops and competitions are also offered.

Details >

We’ll be holding a Jolly Jack & Jill competition this Saturday, January 14th, at the monthly uptown@DWA dance. Here’s what you need to know:

WHAT’S A JACK & JILL?

It’s a competition designed around social dance skills. You don’t know who your dance partner(s) will be and you don’t know the music – you dance with whomever you draw, just like you would on the social dance floor. If there is a preliminaries round, you will dance with multiple randomly chosen partners. In Finals, you dance with one randomly chosen partner.

WHY ARE YOU HOLDING A COMPETITION?

Lots of people are curious about what a WCS competition is like, and this is a great opportunity to find out in a low-pressure, friendly environment. Plus, it’s lots of fun and people will cheer!

Competitions are also a wonderful way to celebrate the achievements and growth of a community.

That said, we’re keeping the competition short so that everyone gets to dance a lot!

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

1. The competition is open to Newcomer dancers. “Newcomer” for this event is defined as someone who has NO (zero) Novice-level points collected from dancing in World Swing Dance Council competitions. If you have no idea what that means, then you probably qualify! It is also open to amateurs only – no instructors.

2. Women must compete as followers; men must compete as leaders

3. To enter, you must attend the uptown@DWA dance and register for the competition in person before 10:00pm (Saturday, January 14, 2012). Dance details are here:http://www.smoothstyle.ca/dance-parties/double-down-wcs-weekends/saturday-night-dance.html

4. There is no entry fee to compete.

5. In the case of a tie, there will be a dance-off.

ARE THERE PRIZES?

YES!
There are certificates of achievement and prizes for the top three placements.