Summer '24 Newsletter
Summer is in full swing, and the dance opportunities are abundant! Keep reading to find out about Queer Tango in Roanoke, beginner and beyond West Coast Swing class opportunities both in B’burg and Roanoke as well as some exciting things blossoming in the broader West Coast Swing community.
Queer Tango @ Ursala’s Cafe in Roanoke
I am thrilled to be teaching a six-week beginner Argentine Tango series for Queer Dance Roanoke starting TOMORROW, June 12th at 6 pm! This series will be designed to allow folks to drop in anytime, but if you attend all six weeks, you will get introduced to many of the basic concepts of this dance and walk (or dance) away with an excellent foundation. If you are interested in learning more about this joyful, LGBTQ+-centered dance community and the class details, please look at it all HERE.
6 Weeks of West Coast Swing, “Fundamentals” and “Next Steps”
Sundays are the day to get all your WCS needs met! Starting this Sunday, the 16th, at 2 p.m., the “Fundamentals” class is designed to introduce this fabulous dance. This series is also the perfect review if you want to knock the dust off. It can also be used to take a deep dive if you have been dancing for a while but feel like your foundation could use some re-enforcement (I always give content for ALL levels). Another good use of this class is if you want to try the other role, making you a more versatile dancer and helping you understand the dance on a new level. The “Next Steps” series, at 3 pm, is for those who have taken the “Fundamentals” (often more than once!) and are ready to move into some deeper concepts. One of my favorite aspects of having these classes back to back is the half-hour between them, where both classes practice and enjoy this dance together. All the details are on my CALANDER, so please keep reading to learn more. And, as usual, these classes are drop-in friendly, so if you can’t make the whole series, no problem!
Also, specific details are TBD, but Bonny Branch will be running a series of her own in Roanoke with a similar structure. This means more opportunities to learn and in more locations! Get in touch with Bonny if you would like to know more.
Valley West Coast Swing
Valley West Coast Swing came to be in the Spring of 2020. Bonny Branch of Roanoke Westies and I decided to make some lemonade from the giant lemon that was the shut down due to COVID-19. We joined the two valleys, Roanoke Valley and New River Valley, for online West Coast Swing classes and continued to move, learn, and find joy together. This collaboration continued once dance floors began to open and in-person classes resumed. Bonny and I still work together to host larger events and bring outside instruction into the community. We recently reached out to community members to see what they want from the West Coast Swing community and from us as organizers. We found a desire for us all to work together to grow the community, make dancing more accessible in our area, and support each other's individual growth as dancers. Stay tuned to see what this group cooks up, and get in touch to get involved!
If you would like to be added to a Valley WCS-specific email list where we announce local classes and events, regional events we are organizing carpools to attend, and anything WCS-related, send me an email.
Stay calm, stay cool and stay dancing!