Blues workshop 1 - June 2025

Jo and Andy are back with three Intermediate level Blues Workshops in 2025, and tickets for Workshop #1 are on sale now! Blues is a beautiful African American art form, danced to Blues music and with its own unique aesthetic. It was created by enslaved peoples, who, out of unimaginable hardship, created a rich and diverse art form with it’s own distinctive aesthetic, core principles, history and cultural values, all rooted in African musical, dance and cultural traditions.
Why learn Blues? Because it’s amazing! As the original American art form (it pre-dates Jazz) it’s the root of many other dance styles such as Lindy Hop, so an understanding of Blues makes ALL your dancing better. Blues music is one of the most diverse genres out there, so there is always more to learn, more songs to dance to and explore, and more to enjoy.

DETAILS:
Workshop 1: Saturday 7th June, 2-5.45pm (3 hours with breaks)
Where: Vine Church Hall, 196 Albion St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Cost: $60
Transport: Nearest station is Central, limited street parking available (check signs)
Facebook event

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
2.00pm: Doors open

Class 1: 2.15-3.15pm - Travelling Ballroomin’ Blues
In this class we’ll be taking a deep dive into travelling in the line of dance, with a focus on building excellent technique, beautiful connection, and musicality. The class will start with some fundamental technique drills, before we ramp it up with some more advanced skills and moves.

Class 2: 3.30-4.30pm - Texas Shuffle and Chicago Triple Jukin’ idioms
Next we’ll be exploring two of the most popular Jukin’ styles of Blues: Texas Shuffle and Chicago Triple. Both idioms are suited to specific types of Blues music and are perfect for faster tempos, with plenty of shuffling fun! We’ll introduce the footwork for each style, talk about some of the key differences and techniques, and give you plenty of time to practice and play.

Class 3: 4.45-5.45pm - How to be the partner that everyone wants to dance with!
How can you be the kind of dance partner that people fight over - what can you do to be the best dancer that you can be? We’ll examine how you can build a wonderful conversation with your partner that will make for magical connection and make you a partner in hot demand!

WORKSHOP LEVEL:
These classes will be aimed at intermediate and above level dancers, and are not suitable for beginners or people who are new to partner dancing. Experience in Blues dancing is ideal, but if you are an intermediate level dancer in Swing or another partnered dance style, you should be OK. We will also have some tricky moves and technique for anyone who is up for a challenge. If you are new to Blues dancing, then a great place to start is the All-Levels Blues classes at North Sydney with Jo and Andy. We are planning to run these on June 3rd, August 5th, October 7th and December 2nd 2025. You can find more information about these here: https://www.facebook.com/SwingPatrolNorthSydney/

WAITLIST: If your preferred ticket type is sold out Text Swing Patrol on 0412 309 311, with your name, the workshop title, and which tickets you want, and Swing Patrol will text you back if tickets become available, giving you an exclusive Access Code to use for booking within a specific window of time.

REFUND POLICY:

A full refund (less admin fee) will be available if you cancel by 5pm on Saturday 24 May,
A 50% refund will be availabe if you cancel 5pm on Saturday 31 May.
If you need to cancel, please advise Swing Patrol via text to 0412 309 311.
After 5pm Saturday 31 May, no refunds will be issued.