Feb 2 Swing Dance

Dear Dancers,

Thank you to those of you who came out for our contradance last Saturday. We will be hosting a swing dance this Saturday Feb 2.

Venue: Forest Lake UMC, 1711 4th Ave, Tuscaloosa AL. (Off Hackberry & 17th St)
Beginner's Instruction: 7:15-7:45 pm by Jennifer & Jimmy Kunz
Dance: 8:00-11:00 pm
Music by CDs..Swing, triple swing, hustle, electric slide, Cupid shuffle, Peabody.. just to name a few dances we do here.

Suggested donations:
$5 students, $7 general admission, $12 per couple/family

Note: Shoes required all the time. Smooth sole shoes are recommended. Rubber sole shoes are dangerous :)

See you on the dance floor,

Gloria

Tuscaloosa Contra Dance: THIS Saturday

It's taken us awhile to pull together a band, a venue, a caller and a sound system, but Gloria has persisted and we will be dancing this Saturday in Tuscaloosa!

A contra dance: Saturday, January 26
Beginner's lesson: 7:15 - 7:30 p.m.
Dance: 7:30-10:30 p.m.
Band: Chuck and Kat Weber
Location: UA Moody Music Building (directions follow below)

Contra dancing shares some elements with square dancing such as "swing your partner" and "do-si-do," but the couples form long lines rather than squares. It involves mixing with the other dancers as each couple performs a short routine with another couple before progressing to a new couple and repeating the routine.

Contra dancing is easy, mostly involving a smooth walking step. Most people learn the basics after a few minutes instruction. Each dance is composed of a different sequence of figures, so the sequence is "walked through" with the assistance of the caller before each dance begins.

Further information:

http://www.contradancers.org



Directions to Moody Music Bldg, University of Alabama

From the McFarland Blvd. exit (#73, US 82 W) on Interstate 20/59:

Go north on McFarland Boulevard.

Travel on McFarland Boulevard for 2.5 miles, past University Mall on the right and Midtown Village on the left. Get in the right lane.

Two blocks after the mall, take the exit ramp in the right lane for University Boulevard (AL 215).

At the end of the ramp, turn right to head west on University Boulevard.

At the fourth traffic light, the Moody Music Building will be on the left.

There is public parking in the lot directly across from the front of the building.



From LurleenWallace Blvd. (US43, AL69, I359)

Take Lurleen S. Wallace Blvd. to University Blvd. Go east through downtown Tuscaloosa, toward the UA campus.

Stay on University Blvd. past Queen City Blvd., the football stadium, and the Quad to 2nd Ave., which is the traffic light after Hackberry Lane.

If you pass DCH Hospital and McFarland Blvd., you've gone too far.

--
Jeremy Butler

http://www.contradancers.org

Volunteers neded for Dancing With the Stars at UA

Dear Dancers,

I have received this request from Phillip Farley and the Community Music School (CMS) here at Moody Music. CMS is organizing a fundraiser (Dancing with the Stars) on Feb 29 at the Concert Hall and there will be show featuring local dance artists. There will also be an open dance and dance lessons offered. We are calling for some volunteers who would be willing to dance in the show (swing), and also be willing to help in general. It would be a great opportunity for us to publicize our student group.

For those of you who are interested in dancing, there will be an interest meeting at Farley's Ballroom this Friday sometime after 4pm. The exact time is to be determined so pls email me (glojet at gmail dot com) back and let me know when you are available.

Thanks,

Gloria

ANNOUNCEMENT: Free Ballroom Dance from Tuscaloosa Contradancers!

Sat, Jan 5, 2008. 7:00pm - 11:00pm
Moose Lodge No. 804
201 25th Avenue NE, Tuscaloosa AL
(Note: Entrance to 25th Ave from Jack Warner Pkwy is closed. Pls use alternate route.)

***No Cover Charge***Please bring a Finger Food!
Dress Code: Casual

Music By: CD's
(Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Single Swing, Hustle, Tango, Cha Cha, 2-Step, Samba, Mambo, Peabody, Electric Slide, and Cupid Shuffle)!! Song List will be provided.
Jeri Acton 205-556-8080
Jennifer Kunz 205-394-2888

Christmas Swing Dance, Dec. 1

Hi Dance Friends,

We will be having the Christmas Swing Dance December 1st. Please bring a finger food. We will be giving out door prizes and hope that everybody will be able to attend the great dance. Please forward this to all your friends.The Gym will hold 125+ people. If you could help us to spread the word, we would greatly appreciate it. All information is below.

Christmas
Swing Dance

When: Saturday, December 1, 2007

Group Lesson for Beginner's 7:15-7:45pm
(Taught by Jennifer and Jimmy Kunz)

Dance: 8:00-11:00pm

Where: Forest Lake United Methodist Church
1171 4th Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
(Off of Hackberry Lane)

Directions: http://www.contradancers.org/directions.php#ForestLake

Music By: CD's
(Triple and Single Swing, Hustle, West Coast, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Waltz, Line Dances and More)!!

Suggested donations:
$5 for students, $7 general admission, $12 per couple

Sponsored by the Tuscaloosa Contradancers
http://www.contradancers.org

Please bring a finger food!

***Notice: Shoes are REQUIRED at all times!***

Some Announcements from Tuscaloosa Contra Dancers...

Announcements:
1) Birmingham contra dance is this Saturday November 10, 8pm - 11pm.

For those of you interested in carpooling to the Birmingham contra, please contact Gloria either by email glojet@gmail.com or phone 316-518-0182 before 4:00pm Saturday Nov 10, 2007.

We meet at the Walmart on Skyland Blvd in their parking lot near the filling station area at 6:45 PM and leave by 7 PM. Hope to see lots of dancers.

Directions:
All Saturday night dances are held at the YWCA: From I-59/20 take the 22nd Street Exit. 22nd is one-way in the direction you want to go. Stay on it until you get to 3rd Avenue North. Turn left and go one block. The YWCA is on the corner of 23rd and 3rd and the parking lot is beside it on 3rd. We have a friendly security guard in that lot.

From 280 or the Red Mt. Expressway, take the 2nd Avenue North exit. Stay on 2nd until you get to 23rd Street North. Turn Right. Go one block and you will see the YWCA. Turn right on 3rd and park in the lot beside the Y.

2) There may be a contra on campus Nov 18 held by a residence hall. We will send out a confirmation.

3) Our next swing dance will be held on Saturday, Dec 1 at Forest Lake UMC. Save the date. Lesson: 7:15-7:45pm. Dance: 7:45-11:00pm

Regards,

Gloria

--
Gloria Tham
316-518-0182
http://musicagloria.blogspot.com

Swing Dance on November 2!

Please join us for our upcoming Swing Dance. We need several volunteers to be at the door to collect donations. Please contact Gloria at glojet@gmail.com if you are willing and interested to help.

Thank you!

Swing Dance

When: November 2, 2007

Group Lesson for Beginners 7:00-7:30pm

(Taught by Jennifer and Jimmy Kunz)

Dance: 7:30-11:00pm

Where: Forest Lake United Methodist Church

1171 4^th Avenue

Tuscaloosa , AL 35401

(Off of Hackberry Lane)

Directions: http://www.contradancers.org/directions.php#ForestLake

Music By: CD's

Suggested donations:

$5 for students, $7 general admission, $12 per couple

Sponsored by the Tuscaloosa Contradancers

http://www.contradancers.org

Contra Dances THIS Weekend, Swing Dance NEXT Weekend

I received this email today from the Tuscaloosa Contra Dancers:

Tuscaloosa Contra Dancers' next contra dance will be tomorrow, 27 October, at University Presbyterian Church.

Here are the particulars:

Beginner's lesson: 7:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Dance: 7:30-10:30 p.m.
Band: Sons of Anak
Caller: Archie Faulkner
Location: University Presbyterian Church

And our next SWING dance is...

Friday, November 2 at 7:00pm.
Where: Forest Lake United Methodist Church

Both dances are open to the public, require no partner and no experience! More information, including directions to the venues, is at:

http://contradancers.org/

Contra Dance This Saturday (10/27) in Tuscaloosa: Sons of Anak, with Archie Faulkner Calling

I got this email from Jeremy Butler today:

Join us this coming Saturday evening (10/27) for a contra dance in Tuscaloosa. Sons of Anak will provide live music and Archie Faulkner will do the calling.

Contra dancing experience is not required; all dances are taught. Open to the public. Come with a partner or fly solo! (What is a contra dance? See below.)

When: 7:00 beginners session, 7:30-10:30 contra dance
Where: University Presbyterian Church, 1127 8th St. (corner of 12th Avenue and 8th Street, near Bryant-Denny Stadium), Tuscaloosa
Admission: A modest donation is requested.

Further details:

http://www.contradancers.org/

See you Saturday.

-- directions to University Presbyterian Church --

A map is available on our Website.

From the McFarland Blvd. exit (#73) on Interstate 20/59:

1. Take McFarland Blvd to University Blvd. Go West, toward the UA campus and downtown.
2. Left on 12th Ave. (Buffalo Phil's/Publix corner).
3. Left on 8th Street.
4. Free street parking is available.

From Lurleen Wallace Blvd. (US43, AL69, I359)

1. Take Lurleen Wallace Blvd. to University Blvd. Go East through downtown Tuscaloosa, toward the UA campus.
2. Right on 12th Ave. (Buffalo Phil's/Publix corner).
3. Left on 8th Street.
4. Free street parking is available.

-- What is a contra dance? --

Most contra dance events are open to all, regardless of experience. A typical evening of contra dance is three hours long, including an intermission. Many events offer beginner-level instructions for up to half an hour before the dance. A typical event consists of a number of individual contra dances, divided by a scattering of other partner dances, perhaps one or more waltzes, schottisches, polkas, or Swedish hambos. In some places, square dances are thrown into the mix. Music for the evening is typically a live band, playing jigs and reels from the British Isles, Canada, or the USA; often the tunes are traditional and more than a century old, and sometimes a few tunes which are more recent compositions that follow the traditional form, perhaps composed by the musicians on stage.

Generally, a leader, called a caller, will teach each individual dance just before the music for that dance begins. This is an introductory period called the "walk-through", during which the dancers learn the dance by walking through the steps and formations while following the caller's instructions. The caller gives the instructions orally, and sometimes augments them with demonstrations of steps by experienced dancers in the group. The walk-through usually proceeds in the order of the moves as they will be done with the music; in some dances, the caller may vary the order of moves during the dance, a fact that is usually explained as part of the caller's instructions.

After the walk-through, the music begins and the dancers repeat that sequence some number of times before that dance ends, often 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the length of the contra lines. Calls are normally given at least the first few times through, and often for the last. At the end of each dance, the dancers thank their partners. The contra dance tradition in North America is to change partners for every dance, while in the United Kingdom typically people dance with the same partner the entire evening. One who attends an evening of contra dances in North America does not need to bring his or her own partner. In the short break between individual dances, women and men invite each other to dance.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance