Beginning 2 American East Coast Swing
by admin on May 23rd, 2011
filed under Beginning Group Dance Classes, Group Dance Classes, Swing Dancing, Types of Dances
Sign up today for Pick School of Ballroom Dancing’s Beginning 2 East Coast Swing class that starts Monday night, May 23rd from 8-9pm!
If you’ve taken any American Swing you know what fun it can be to “swing it” on the dance floor with your partner.
American East Coast Swing today at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
The American East Coast Swing is a fun one that we’ve all seen in the movies many times. Ever picked up a copy of “Swing Kids”? — well one of the original dancers from that movie is still swingin’ and he’s eighty!
That’s how infectious and fun the swing is to do.
Our beginning 2 group class will pick up right where the beginning 1 group class left off and provide you with new steps and techniques to keep you out on the social dance floor even longer than before!
Who can resist a new move that shows off your partner and gets you that look of approval from others now eager to dance with you since you know even more than before?
So grab those dancing shoes and come join the fun in downtown San Francisco in the Beginning 2 American East Coast Swing group class.
Below are some popular East Coast Swing artists and songs to get your feet a-tapping:
- Elvis Presley: Don’t Be Cruel, Hound Dog, Johnny B. Goode
- Glenn Miller: In The Mood, A String of Pearls, American Patrol
- The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Jump Jive An’ Wail, This Ole House, Rock This Town
- Music from Swing Kids: Bei Mer Bist Du Schon,
- Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: Why Do Fools Fall In Love?
- Bette Midler: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
- Jumpin’ At The Woodside: Life Goes to a Party
- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: The Boogie Bumper, Go Daddy-O
- Jive Bunny & the Master Mixers: Glenn Miller Medley, Swing Sisters Swing, Swing the Mood
- Dwight Yoakam: Crazy Little Thing Called Love
- Kenny Loggins: Footloose
- The Monkees: I’m A Believer
- Harry Connick, Jr.: Come By Me, Recipe For Love
- Bill Haley & His Comets: Rock Around the Clock
- Michael Jackson: Rockin’ Robin
- The Swingfield Big Band: It Don’t Mean A Thing; Sing, Sing, Sing; In The Mood; Little Brown Jug, Chattanooga Choo Choo
- The Coasters: Yakety Yak
- Sam Cooke: Twistin’ the Night Away
Click here to go to our registration page and sign-up now! 
Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
415.752.5658
Waltz Me!
by admin on May 16th, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Erin Pick, Group Dance Classes, History, Learn the Waltz
Waltz Me!
The American Waltz in so much fun and conjures up gorgeous, romantic music with beautiful timing and sweeping movements. Ask anyone what they envision when you say, “waltz” and they’re likely to respond that the lady appears to be floating on air in her gentleman’s arms!
In the American Waltz the lady is allowed to separate from her gentleman out of the closed dance position and perform “open” movements that showcase her talents and costuming, often in syncopation with her gentleman. Many times the lady will be in “shadow” with her gentleman or even perform switching places moves while being led by one hand.
The roots of the American Waltz can be found in what we now call the “Viennese Waltz”, a dance that came to Vienna in the early 1800s. Condemned widely, especially in England, this waltz was considered immoral since the dancers danced in a “closed” dance position with their arms around each other rather than in the open side by side, and more formal position, of previous court dances of Europe.
The tempo was extremely rapid and the dance consisted of twirling and turning with no apparent breaks! Around the beginning of the 20th century this was replaced by the modern slow waltz which is danced at roughly half the tempo of the original Viennese Waltz. Thus, the problem of “waltz exhaustion” was solved by cutting the speed and smoothing out the basic step pattern. Please see this link for this and more information on the waltz and how it became what we know and love today!
And don’t forget the American Waltz makes for a beautiful first dance for your wedding. Many brides and grooms have chosen a waltz to highlight the romance in their relationship for their big day.
Pick School of Ballroom Dance in San Francisco will be offering a beginning American Waltz group class on Tuesdays starting May 24th at 7pm. The class will run for four weeks and conclude with the last class on Tuesday June 14th at 7pm.
If you’d like to come learn this “scandalous dance” of a bygone era, please bring your dancing shoes and come into downtown to Pick School of Ballroom Dancing at 1532 Taravel Street San Francisco CA 94116.
To reserve your space in the beginning American Waltz group class visit our website registration page here. Or call Pick School of Ballroom Dancing at 415.752.5658 for more information.
“The Waltz is the loveliest blossom of our ballroom. It is perhaps the most satisfactory dance ever achieved by man.” – Lloyd Shaw, 1949
Night Club 2-Step!
by admin on May 2nd, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Erin Pick, Group Dance Classes, Types of Dances, Wedding Dance Lessons
Night Club 2-Step – what is it??
Learn the Night Club 2-Step at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing!
Initially developed by dancer extraordinaire, coach and adjudicator Buddy Schwimmer in the mid-1960s, the Night Club 2-Step (a combination of the bolero and the rumba) found its way into the popular social dance scene in the 70s and soon became the number one romantic couples dance.
Most often danced to mid-tempo ballads in 4/4 time – it has a Quick, Quick, Slow type of beat.
A very popular example of a Night Club 2-Step song is the song, “Lady In Red” and the song, “Amazed” by Lone Star makes a lovely Night Club 2-Step first dance!
The Night Club 2-Step makes a wonderful choice for a wedding first dance since it’s smooth qualities feel very waltz-like as the couple moves across the floor.
And at the same time the dance feels more contemporary for modern brides and grooms looking for something a little more now!
The swirling turns and relaxed embraces make for a beautiful frame and show-off the bride and groom and their stunning attire on their big day.
So if you’d like to broaden your dancing skills take advantage of Pick School of Dancing’s…
Beginning 1 American Night Club 2-Step starting Monday, May 23rd at 7pm
Click here for a fun vintage video of Buddy and Laurie Schwimmer doing some wonderful Night Club 2-Step.