And the classes begin!

This is my first week teaching for the winter session. Last week, I was a bit worried about the numbers, for January is supposed to be the biggest session of the year and we were barely breaking even. I forgot all about that meeting my old and new students. I love teaching so much!

Swing Intermediate last Tuesday

I challenged myself to teach the fundamentals of Lindy Hop in 4 classes and I succeeded last session. That 1st class was about getting a good stretch & release feeling from the 3-4 position in the swing out. Of course, we are not doing swing out yet, but we taught several movements using that position and feeling to get ready for what is coming.

We also introduced them to the concept of walking forward/backward instead of rock stepping all the time. This is tough for beginner dancers and I have been wondering how to make it easier. The longer you wait before teaching it, the harder it gets for the students to get it. I could decide to mix everything from the start, but it sounds to me awfully difficult if the priority in the Swing Beginner level is to make them dance.

Swing Beginner yesterday

That class was small, but those new people rocked it hard. I knew that at least 3 of them already have dance experience, so we prepared a lot of hot options to show either to everybody or just some of them. We taught everything we prepared including some Charleston turns pretty tricky. Everybody got it and the guys weer even able to mix their stuff and create new combos. How awesome is that?!

Frédéric Barbe

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Swing Dance Montreal

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