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Weekend Workshop April 25-27, 2008, with Joan Walton Join us now for a wonderful vintage dance weekend workshop with the superb Joan Walton, from San Jose. Classes in late 19th and early 20th century dances Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday, all levels (exact schedule being finalized). Special Jazz Age French Bistro dance Saturday night, featuring the Gordon Cole Quartet. Sunday night, there will be a sumptuous Ragtime dinner/dance at the fabulous Prado Ballroom in Balboa Park. Authentic music with our own Heliotrope Ragtime Orchestra. Don't miss this weekend! Registration opens shortly!! |
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Dancing Through Time
San Diego Vintage Dancers is a group dedicated to the study, preservation and performance of historic social dancing from about 1800 through the 1950s. We offer periodic events and dance workshops throughout the year. We have sponsored 3 summer weeklong vintage dance weeks, and hope to do so again in 2009. We are available for private and public dance performances.
We experienced the enchantment of a traditional 19th Century Ball, celebrating the music and dances of the Strauss family and their contempories. San Diego's own Grand Pacific Waltz Orchestra provided LIVE authentic music for Waltzes, Polkas, Schottisches and more! The evening included light refreshments. Mid-late 19th Century ball wear was in great abundance, as always. Mark your calendars NOW for January 31, 2009, our next Victorian Ball.
The incomparable Richard Powers of Stanford University, presided as Dance Master for the evening. Mr Powers, an international authority on historic vintage dances, also taught a basic class in "survival waltz" in the afternoon prior to the ball.
The Ball and afternoon class both took place in our favorite grand ballroom, the Balboa Park Club, a 12,000 sf 1915 ballroom in famous Balboa Park.
There are free beginning vintage dance lessons on Fridays in Balboa Park at the Casa Del Prado Bldg. Rm 207 from 7:30-10 PM
Contact Russell Hedges for info: Aquarussell@yahoo.com
Ragtime era Dancers
Mid-19th Century Ball, 2004
We had another spectacular vintage dance week in 2006. Unfortunately, you missed it, including our unique dinner/dance at the legendary Rosarito Beach Hotel in Baja, CA. But you can check some of it out at www.lahacal.org/sandiego/html.
Richard Powers: Musings & Thoughts on Dance
A few (MUST) ground rules:
Some dances travel in line-of-direction, like waltz, polka, one-step and foxtrot. For these dances...
1) The fast lane is on the outside. Please don't block or slow down the traffic. Dance in the fast lane only if you can keep up.... don't be a rock in the rapids!
2) The slow lane or stationary steps are in the center, the eye of the hurricane.
If you're not dancing for a moment, please clear completely off the floor. The dancers will appreciate it.
Floorcraft-- Please take extra care not to bump other couples. i.e. don't step on others, don't rock-step back onto others, don't throw your partner into someone else (!) and don't ram another couple (!!). Always be aware of the others around you.
Guys, look where you are going to lead her before you send her there. Don't start a move unless there is room. Protect her from collisions.
In swing, don't do aerials or kicks in crowded conditions.
Even if you have lots of space, never attempt to lead an aerial with someone unless you've carefully practiced that move with them.
Don't wear heavy perfumes and colognes to a social dance. Most people don't consider it very sociable, and some have allergies. And similarly...Dance hygiene! Need we say more? (Your partners may find it hard to dance while holding their breath.)
Further(optional)suggestions:
We encourage you to dance with people you don't already know. Most dancers will be happy to dance with someone new.
If you are far more experienced than your partner, dance for your partner's style and comfort. Yes, some challenges and surprises are fun, but being pushed around uncomfortably isn't.
Give your partners all of your attention. Let them know, somehow, that you'd rather be dancing with them than someone else.
Dancing is all about having fun. Criticizing your partner isn't fun. Don't give an impromptu lesson unless asked.
If there is live music, don't treat the musicians like canned music. Let them know that you appreciate their presence and their talent.
Relax. Don't get flustered, keep moving, laugh at what happened if appropriate but keep dancing. Truly exceptional dancers will almost always make a mistake look like something they planned if at all possible. There are no mistakes in dancing, only new moves.
Dance for your partner. But also dance with your partner — have fun yourself and let your partner know that you're having fun with them.
Happiness itself is the way to dance and to live. It isn't something you try to get from dancing or living. Happiness is something that you bring to dancing, and to life.
— Richard Powers
Going Out Dancing – How to have more fun; how to let your dance partners have more fun!
