Beginners! West Coast Swing Classes
by admin on August 23rd, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Erin Pick, Group Dance Classes, Swing Dancing, Types of Dances
West Coast Swing
Just the very words conjure up wonderful dancing music like …
“Black Velvet” by Crystal Bowersox
“Club Thing” by Yoav
“After Midnight” by Eric Clapton (Marc Cohn does a great WCS version)
“You Can’t Stop Me Loving You” by Tina Turner
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Pick School of Ballroom Dancing is offering a Beginning West Coast Swing class on…
Mondays starting September 12th at 7pm
You can learn how to lead or how to follow this smooth dance with such steps as the “Sugar Push”, “Left Side Pass”, “Underarm Turn” and “Tuck Turn”.
Did you know the West Coast Swing is the official state dance of California?
The West Coast Swing comes from an earlier dance from the 1930′s called the Savoy Style Lindy done at none other than the Savoy Ballroom in NY.
When Dean Collins, a big dancer and fan of the Savoy Style Lindy, came to LA from NY to pursue a movie career he brought his version of the dance with him.
To make a long story short he won numerous Swing competitions and eventually danced his socks off on the big screen as well.
Needless to say the dance caught on like wild fire among young and old alike and the rest is history.
Join us for this smooth talking, fun-loving dance and learn the West Coast Swing!
Click here for a Beginners Coupon and get started today!
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Studio Location:
1532 Taravel Street San Francisco, CA 94116
Phone: 415.752.5658
West Coast Swingin' It!
Sassy Samba Offered in August
by admin on August 2nd, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Erin Pick, Group Dance Classes, Latin Dancing, Types of Dances
Feel like learning something sassy for the summer?
Pick School of Ballroom Dancing is offering
Beginning 1 International Samba starting…
Wednesday August 17th from 8pm to 8:45pm!
Click here for a Beginners Coupon!
Samba is a Brazilian dance that conjures up gorgeous images of brightly clothed dancers undulating to a primal rhythm and beat for their annual Carnival.
The 2/4 beat of the Samba is catching and the music is fun to dance to and burns lots of calories!
Click here to listen to some sample Samba music to give you an idea of the dance.
There are three steps to every bar and the ladies get to undulate and use exotic arm movements to show off their flirtatious qualities.
Gentlemen will find that every lady loves to dance when there’s a Samba playing…
So grab that lemon yellow skirt and lime green shirt and join us Wednesday, August 17th to learn some Samba steps that will have you up and “Samba-ing” in no time!
Our four week class will cover the basics of the dance and give you some good technique so you can improvise a little too.
Who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love with the Samba so much you’ll want to visit Carnival and get out there and dance! 
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Studio Location:
1532 Taravel Street San Francisco, CA 94116
Phone:
415.752.5658
Learn Beginning Samba at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing in San Francisco!
August Beginner Class Fun in SF!
by admin on July 29th, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Group Dance Classes, Learn the Waltz, Swing Dancing, Types of Dances
Looking for something fun to do in August?
Try some of Pick School of Ballroom Dancing’s Beginner classes…
- Monday August 15th 2011, 7:00-8:00pm: Beginning 1 American Waltz
- Tuesday August 16th 2011, 7:00-8:00pm: Beginning 1 Night Club 2Step
- Thursday August 18th 2011, 8:30-9:30pm: Beginning American Swing/Lindy Hop
- Friday August 19th 2011, 7:00-7:45pm: Beginning 1 Argentine Tango
And feeling budget conscious in these recessionary times?
Take advantage of our incredible “Free First Time Group Dance Lesson Coupon”!
Click here to go to a printable PDF.
Here’s what David D. of San Francisco had to say on Yelp:
We’re studying dance!
Yes, Erin is teaching us all the right moves. She is patient, but she keeps the pace up. It’s fun to learn a step, then practice it with a partner, then shift left to the next partner. No memory of what you just flubbed, and often your partner is busy apologizing for his or her ineptitude.
But hey, we’re here to have fun! Everyone is a beginner in Salsa I. ”No experience necessary,” remember? Now, if I can just remember, 1, 2, 3 … 5, 6, 7 …
The hour flies by like it’s 10 minutes.
Check out the web specials. There are some very good deals there.
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So don’t be left behind in the summer sunset!
Come take advantage of Pick School of Ballroom Dancing’s summer schedule of beginning classes.
Studio Location:
1532 Taravel Street San Francisco, CA 94116
Phone:
415.752.5658
Beginner's Classes in August at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
July Sizzles with Romantic Rumba
by admin on July 1st, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Erin Pick, Group Dance Classes, Health and Ballroom Dancing, Latin Dancing, Types of Dances
Beginner American Rumba Class!
Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
Beginners American Rumba Class
commences…
Tuesday, July 19th
from 7pm-8pm!
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Learn the basics of the Rumba box and some turns and beautiful arm movements.
Learn the dance you can do to such old time favorites as “The Girl From Ipanema”!
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Our group class will have you undulating around the dance floor in no time and guys, here’s a tip!
Ladies love the romantic Rumba. 
))
It gives them plenty of opportunity to do beautiful arm movements and show off their figures and pretty clothing.
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A little history on the Rumba…
Dating back more than 400 years, the original Rumba came from the black slaves imported from Africa into Cuba. Gradually their faster dance of male posturing and female submission, suggestively set against a backdrop of sensuality, evolved into our graceful and sexy American rumba rhythm.
There is an International Rumba as well but this Beginners class will focus on the easy going and social dance type of the American Rumba which is danced with lots of “Cuban motion” and bending of the knees.
If you’d like to learn more about the Rumba please see this article on the web.
Join us in July for this romantic dance.
Click here for a Beginners Coupon and get started today!
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Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
1532 Taravel
San Francisco, CA 94116
415.752.5658
Beginning 1 Salsa Class is Hot for July!
by admin on June 21st, 2011
filed under Group Dance Classes, Latin Dancing, Salsa Dancing, Types of Dances
Salsa Group Classes!
Want to look cool on those summer nights in the City?
SALSA!!
Starting Monday, July 18th from 7-8pm you can learn the hottest dance for summer at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing.
You’ll learn how to count salsa music…
How to do a salsa basic…
How to lead a salsa turn…
It’s a great way to get exercise and listen to some exciting music that will have you up and out onto the dance floor fast!
Salsa is a “street dance” with its origins in Cuba and has many similarities to the mambo. It utilizes vigorous and lively Latin sounding music that incorporates elements of jazz, rock and soul.
The key instrument that provides the core groove of a salsa song is the conga drum. Below you can click on the YouTube to hear 15 of the Greatest Salsa Songs of all time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpDb269zM6Q
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Come salsa with us on Monday nights and have fun this summer!
Click here for a Beginners coupon for the group classes and get started today!
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Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
1532 Taravel
San Francisco, CA 94116
415.752.5658
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.
Salsa For Beginners!
by admin on April 22nd, 2011
filed under Beginning Group Dance Classes, Group Dance Classes, Salsa Dancing
Salsa Dancing Group Classes at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
Pick School of Dancing is excited to offer a Beginning Salsa Class to all you budding salseros and salsaritas out there!
Starting…
Tuesday, April 26th 2011
7-8pm
Four Weeks
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Beginning new students can take advantage of a complementary group dance class coupon.
Click here to print out the coupon and present it at the beginning of the class.
Don’t be left on the sidelines anymore!
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Learn some basic salsa moves and take them out on the town.
Click here to go to the Pick School of Dancing registration page and sign-up today for beginning group Salsa classes.
Wedding Workshops!
by admin on April 13th, 2011
filed under Ballroom Dancing, Beginning Group Dance Classes, Group Dance Classes, Wedding Dance Lessons, Workshops
Wedding Workshops at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
Have you always dreamed of a romantic and beautiful first dance but don’t know where to even start to prepare for one?
Does your fiance say he has, “two left feet” and the first dance is the last thing on his list!
Well, then you’ve come to the right place for First Dance Rx.
Every third Sunday of the month Pick School of Ballroom Dancing offers one of their very special wedding workshops for brides and grooms eager to learn to dance to their wedding first dance song.
Join us this month from 10am-11:30am on Sunday April 17th at Pick School of Ballroom Dancing in San Francisco to learn some beautiful wedding first dance moves to help you dance with confidence on your big day to your special song!
This workshop will get you started moving around the floor and dancing with the love of your life to music.
The cost is $65/couple and preregistration is required.
Please visit the Pick School of Ballroom Dancing Wedding page to learn more and also to preregister! And make your wedding first dance a fun and romantic one now!
Pick School of Ballroom Dancing
1532 Taravel Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
415.752.5658
Wedding Workshop in May will be May 15th from 10am-11:30am. Visit this page to sign-up now!