Leaders, this is your chance to learn exactly how to please a woman… a Lindy Hop follower, that is!

But seriously. We’re setting up a special kind of new workshop where all of the focus will be on level 1.5 leaders. What’s more, you’ll be dancing with Advanced followers during the workshop. So not only will you have the instruction of the teacher, you’ll also have experienced dancers as partners who can help you to master the subtleties of Lindy Hop technique.

This will be a terrific boost to your dancing! It might be just what you’ve been waiting for. 

Become one of the most popular leaders on the dance floor!

For Leaders at the 1.5 level who really want to push their dancing and master their social dance technique, this is the chance for you!

Dates:

• Saturday, June 2nd – 4pm to 6pm – Leader Intensive – $40 in advance/$43 at the door*
• More dates coming soon!

Space is limited for these exclusive sessions. Register now!

*It’s very unlikely that there will be space at the door for this workshop. Payment should be made in advance. Thanks!

With special guest, Dr. Krister Shalm!

“I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.” ~Marilyn Monroe

Followers, how would you like a workshop completely dedicated to YOU?

We’re setting up a special kind of new workshop where all of the focus will be on the followers. What’s more, you’ll be dancing with high level leaders during the workshop. So not only will you have the instruction of the teacher, you’ll also have experienced dancers as partners who can help you to master the subtleties of Lindy Hop technique.

These workshops will be offered at 2 levels:

Beginner Fast Track

For new followers to learn the Beginner level curriculum in 2 hours rather than 2 months!

Intermediate Intensive

For followers at the Intermediate or high 1.5 level to really master their following technique.

Dates:

• Saturday, June 23rd, 4pm to 6pm – Beginner Fast Track – $40*
• Saturday, June 23rd, 6:15pm to 8:15pm – Intermediate Follower Intensive – $40* WAITING LIST

* Advance payment only. You must be paid in full in order to fully reserve your spot. Space is limited and highly in demand for these exclusive sessions.

Register now!

Hello Advanced Followers!

You may have noticed the recently posted Leaders Opportunity. Well have no fear, we’re setting something similar up to help out leaders.

Now the thing about leaders is that their needs are very different. Early on in their dancing, they have a slower learning curve than followers and there are some things that they have to learn with time, practice and lots of social dancing time. Once they’ve reached the 1.5 level though, with the right motivation and hard work, we can really help them to sky rocket.

In setting up this opportunity for Advanced followers, our goal is to:

• Encourage and motivate “young” leaders
• Nurture their abilities to help them move up in experience level
• Teach them to properly care for their followers
• Motivate more leaders to keep dancing once they’ve started

Advanced followers: GET PAID TO LINDY HOP!

We want to offer a special LEADER INTENSIVE WORKSHOP. It will be a 2 hour workshop that will cover 1.5 level material for leaders and the students will be dancing with ADVANCED followers. That means YOU. The workshop will cost double what workshops usually cost – $40 for 2 hours instead of $20. Why the extra price tag? We are going to HIRE EXPERIENCED FOLLOWERS TO DANCE WITH “YOUNG” LEADERS.

That’s right, make $20 for every 2 hour workshop in which you lend your expertise!

This is a great opportunity for the leaders because they’ll be able to learn more quickly, and it’s also a great incentive for them to work hard on their dancing.

So not only will you make a little pocket money, but you’ll be encouraging the wonderful leaders who are new to our dance community. How great is that?

***This opportunity will also be open to men who are advanced level followers; your sex does not matter.

HOW TO APPLY:

Before I put out any advertising and pick a day for the actual workshop I’d like to have interested followers confirm their availabilty for following dates. Please respond by sending me a message that includes a copy of all of these dates with your name beside your available dates.

• Sunday, April 29th – 3pm to 5pm
• Saturday, May 5th – 2pm to 4pm
• Sunday, May 6th – 3pm to 5pm
• Saturday, May 19th – 4pm to 6pm (Victoria Day weekend)
• Saturday, June 2nd – 4pm to 6pm
• Sunday, June 3rd – 3pm to 5pm
• Saturday, June 23rd – 4pm to 6pm

Please note – these dates are NOT actually scheduled yet. I will schedule dates which will be confirmed with you based on the response and availability. 

Thank you for your participating in this trial workshop. Feel free to spread the word and *Advanced* followers may apply for the opportunity.  *Preference for participation will of course be given to regular Bees’ Knees dancers first.

Hello experienced dancers!

Click here for information about a similar opportunity for Advanced Followers. 

Do you ever feel that you spend so much time, energy and money investing in your dancing and that at some point you it would be nice to have that investment pay back a few dollars?

No, this is not spam or an infomercial!

First let me say that in addition to our interest in building a fun and strong dance community in Toronto, at Bees’ Knees Dance we really do appreciate the investment that you make into your dancing. Both the hard work that you put into it, but also your willingness to pay for the classes and workshops that we offer. So now it’s time for us to offer you a bit of a special THANK YOU!

**************

As you may have noticed, we’ve been having a major shortage of leaders in most of our levels and we actually have followers on the waiting list at various levels until JUNE. This has never happened before. We don’t want to lose all those waiting followers, and we also want to find ways to ATTRACT and RETAIN more of you wonderful leaders. So it’s payback time! How’s this for incentive?

GET PAID TO LINDY HOP!

Once a month we want to offer a special FOLLOWER FAST TRACK WORKSHOP. It will be a 2 hour workshop that will cover all of the Beginner material for followers and the ladies will be dancing with EXPERIENCED leaders. That means YOU. The workshop will cost double what workshops usually cost – $40 for 2 hours instead of $20. Why the extra price tag? We are going to HIRE EXPERIENCED LEADERS TO DANCE WITH NEW FOLLOWERS.

That’s right, make $20 for every 2 hour workshop in which you lend your expertise!

This is a great opportunity for the new followers because they’ll be able to learn more quickly, and it’s also a great incentive for leaders to work hard to become good dancers so that they can start to get monetary remuneration for their efforts.

So not only will you make a little pocket money, but you’ll be helping to welcome a lot of nice followers to the dance community. How great is that?

***This opportunity will also be open to women who are strong leaders; at least at the Intermediate level but your sex does not matter.

HOW TO APPLY:

Before I put out any advertising for the actual workshop I’d like to have interested leaders confirm their availabilty for following dates. Please respond by sending me a message that includes a copy of all of these dates with your name beside your available dates.

Song: Ring-A-Ding Ding 

Artist:John Pizzarelli

This is a fun cover of Frank Sinatra’s Ring-A-Ding Ding. I particularly wanted to choose something by John Pizzarelli in order to draw your attentio to his excellent radio program on Sunday mornings on Jazz FM. It’s called Radio Deluxe and it’s on 9am to 11am on 91.1. Check it out!

In April, May & June we’re offering a special on private lessons for Beginner dancers.

• Regular price for a one hour private lessons for 1 or 2 students = $75 or 4 for $275
• SPRING SPECIAL – $65 or 4 lessons for $240

Please contact us for more information or to book your sessions.

Yesterday marked the 1st annual Toronto Vintage Easter Parade and it was a lot of fun! Thank you to everyone who participated!

The day started off as beautiful and sunny but unfortunately took a turn toward something more dull and windy. No rain on our parade though, and we made the best of the day with a terrific group walking from Yonge to Christie along Bloor St. We had a special stop at Crêpes à GoGo where we enjoyed some complimentary Limonana and crêpes and we had the chance to do a little dancing.

We were really surprised by how many people stopped and asked us why we were dressed up like that. Either people didn’t remember that it was Easter Weekend or they seemed to have no association with it. Oh well, they’ll learn as the parade grows! We’re definitely looking forward to making this an annual event and hopefully it will grow in the coming years.

SONG OF THE WEEK

Song: Spring Cleaning

Artist: Fats Waller

I couldn’t think of any Easter swing songs but this is a great spring song! If you’ve been following the song of the week (and why wouldn’t you???) then you’ll have noticed that I’m a big fan of his. His songs are punchy, with a clear beat, playful lyrics, and all around great swinging dynamics. This song is no exception. Love it!

Everyone!

Thank you SO MUCH for your hard work and the incredible results that amounted Saturday’s three performances of The History of Swing. I was absolutely amazed by how well the show turned out. I knew that you would all be great but it was really beyond that. The show pulled together into something really professional and memorable and you should all be SO PROUD OF YOURSELVES!

AND the show raised $1408.30 to put toward running the Frankie Tribute Weekend and then later toward the Frankie Manning Foundation itself. Hip hip hurray!

Special thanks to the following people:

• Andy for providing the awesome space that is our Dovercourt House
• Simon and Swing Toronto for teaming with us to make the everything work in one night
• Geoffrey Holmes for his extensive help with the video, projection equipment, and putting up with yours truly
• Divya for being Deck Captain!
• Lisa for being our Ticket Master!
• James & Heather, Masters of Pizza!
• Our lovely videographer (whose name completely escapes me, sorry!) Videos coming soon.
• Everyone who helped to sell tickets!

And in the show itself:

• Martha for her loyal work with the Lady Bugs as well as scrambling to learn the finale in one week’s time
• Riz for pulling together his own choreography and his own group, as well as Terri for choreographing her lady’s section
• Arthur for his outstanding 1920s choreography
• Jasper & Shannon for the welcoming choreography and encouragement they brought to our Beginner Choreography groupe! And bravo to all of the dancers who performed for the very first time!
• Phil & Reesa for their amazing work with the Balboa team, and awesome Shag!
• Caitlin for her work with the Comp & Show group
• Rachel for pulling together an awesome group for Sixteen Tons
• Glen & Drea for the hard work they’ve put in to Rock Sock The Boogie and their great choreography
• Jonathon & Carlynn who I think everyone agreed really stole the show with their unique contemporary choreography
• Phil for his leadership in the various teacher performances, and all of the teachers who rocked it out up there!
• Phei Mei, Drea, Glen, Jonathon, Riz, and others who were in so very MANY numbers. You guys are amazing!!!!
• I’m really sorry if I’ve forgotten to thank some other people. We love all of you. 🙂

Stay tuned for show information for 2013 coming in the fall! Saturday, April 6th, 2013.

XOXOXO

Mandi

Thank you to Phil Tucker for the lovely photos!

Song: A Tisket A Tasket

Artist: Ella Fitzgerald

Perhaps Ella’s first truly big break out song, this is a definite swing era classic. It’s a very simple, naive song, but that’s part of its beauty.