Workshops

All Levels Workshops with Chris and Melissa Moy
April 28, 2024

Schedule
Workshop 1 – 10:15-11:45am – Connection in West Coast Swing
Workshop 2 – 12:00-1:30pm – Breaking Out of the Basics
Intro class with Jess – 1:30-2:15pm
Social dance – 2:15-4:30pm

Cost
Each workshop is $30 before April 14 ($40 after April 14). Both workshops is $50 before April 14 ($80 after April 14). Registering for the workshops includes the social dance. The cost of the social dance is $15 (or $10 if travelling more than 40 km).

Workshop Descriptions

Workshop 1 – Connection in West Coast Swing
In this workshop, we will explore the elements of connection in West Coast Swing by building from the bottom up. We will explore body positioning, foot work, hand hold and frame to level up your connection with your partner. We will explore expanding your creativity in the dance by using connection in both open and closed positions. Participants should know: left side pass, right side pass (under arm turn), sugar push (push break), basic whip, basic starter.

Workshop 2 – Breaking Out of the Basics
In this workshop, we will look at the ways to bump up your basics and foundational patterns by introducing elevated movement and musicality concepts. Through the use of foundational patterns and guided drills, we will help you on the journey to developing your own style in the dance. It will be helpful to know the following patterns: left side pass, right side pass (under arm turn), sugar push (push break), basic whip, left tuck, front tuck, single turn basics, and basic starter step.

Drills, practice, questions & feedback: During the last half hour of each workshop, we’ll answer questions, give feedback, and review-record a video recap of the practice drills presented in the workshop.

Known for their entertaining style and emotionally captivating musicality, Chris and Melissa Moy are premier West Coast Swing Dance Instructors in the Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit area. They offer a unique teaching experience focused on technique, purposeful practice, and fun all while adapting their instruction technique to each student and fostering each dancer’s unique style. As the originators of Monday Night Swing! and its former dance studio in Ann Arbor for 10 years, they are enthusiastic about growing West Coast Swing around Michigan and forming relationships with other dance communities. Melissa and Chris Moy are pleased to offer their instruction services for workshops, private lessons, group lessons, choreography, and demonstrations. Melissa and Chris can be regularly found dancing and teaching around the Metro Detroit area and West Coast Wednesdays in Centerline.

Nelson Clarke Workshop
November 19, 2023

Workshop: 11:00-1:00

Shake Up Your Foundations – In this workshop, you will learn how to make your dancing more musical by adding shape, texture, and rhythm variations to foundational movements and patterns. Knowledge of foundational patterns (pushes, passes, whips) in WCS is required.

$50 for Workshop and Social Dance ($40 if you register before November 10)

$45 for Workshop only ($35 if you register before November 10)

Beginner Lesson and Social Dance: 1:00-4:00

$15 if not attending workshop ($10 if driving > 40km); free for first-timers

Nelson Clarke was introduced to Line Dancing by his grandmother in Cornwall, Ontario, when he was just 11 years old and took to it like a fish to water. He discovered West Coast Swing while on tour with a Line Team that performed across North America and never looked back. Known for his exceptional musicality and his success in competition as both a lead and follow in the All Star division, Nelson currently teaches private lessons and workshops and specializes in choreographing routines.

West Coast Swing Foundations Refresher Workshop
Monday, September 11, 2023

Workshop: 6:30-8:30 pm

Get back on your dancing feet with this refresher course. Review the foundational patterns of west coast swing (pushes, passes, whips) just in time to start Foundations II on September 18! Ideal for those who have completed Foundations or the Introductory workshop. Partner not required.

Location: Polish Hall, 554 Hill St.

Instructor: Claudia Amaral

Cost: $25 via eTransfer to swinglondon.wcs@gmail.com

Introduction to West Coast Swing Workshop
Sunday, July 9, 2023

Workshop: 10:00-12:00

This workshop will introduce the foundational patterns of west coast swing: pushes, passes, and whips. Dancers and non-dancers welcome!
Partner not required

Location: 430 Waterloo St. (right side at back, up stairs)

Instructors: Jessica Polzer and Claudia Amaral

Cost: $25 via eTransfer to swinglondon.wcs@gmail.com

Introduction to WCS Whips Workshop
Sunday, August 20, 2023

Workshop: 10:00-12:00

This workshop is a follow-up to the Introduction to West Coast Swing workshop and will introduce whips. Basic knowledge of pushes and passes, or participation in the previous workshop are necessary.

Location: 430 Waterloo St. (right side at back, up stairs)

Instructors: Jessica Polzer and Claudia Amaral

Cost: $25 via eTransfer to swinglondon.wcs@gmail.com

Joanna Swanson Workshop
June 25, 2023

Workshop: 11:30-1:15

This workshop will focus on how to lead and follow dips and tricks safely and how followers can decline and adjust these invitations. Knowledge of foundational patterns (pushes, passes, whips) in WCS is required.  $30 if register before June 15 ($35 after June 15)

Beginner Lesson and Social Dance: 1:25-4:00

Includes introductory WCS lesson. $5 with workshop; $10 without; free for first-timers

Nelson Clarke Workshops
April 30, 2023

Workshop 1: 10:30-11:45 – Line dance

This workshop will focus on improving the quality of solo movement and will be oriented to movements that can be applied to west coast swing. No prior knowledge of west coast swing necessary. All dancers and non-dancers welcome! $20 if register before April 1 ($25 after April 1)

Workshop 2: 12:00-1:30 – West Coast Swing

This workshop will focus on a technical concept/idea that is central to West Coast Swing and will use patterns to drill the technique and add to dancers’ repertoire. Knowledge of foundational patterns (pushes, passes, whips) in WCS is required.  $30 if register before April 1 ($35 after April 1)

Beginner Lesson and Social Dance: 1:30-4:00

Includes introductory WCS lesson. $5 with workshop(s)

Nelson Clarke was introduced to Line Dancing by his grandmother in Cornwall, Ontario, when he was just 11 years old and took to it like a fish to water. He discovered West Coast Swing while on tour with a Line Team that performed across North America and never looked back. Known for his exceptional musicality and his success in competition as both a lead and follow in the All Star division, Nelson currently teaches private lessons and workshops and specializes in choreographing routines.

Musicality
Not Running at this Time.

Webster Defines Musicality as:

• Sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music
• The quality of being musical

For a dancer it means to make the dance fit the music.  This in turn means using movement to represent and emphasize the tempo, harmony, melody and vocals in a song.

Adding musicality to your dance requires some understanding of the structure of the music itself.  It also means you must be connected to the music.

This course is not about learning patterns but more to how to take your existing patterns and shape them to the music. There will be a fair bit of theory and exercises to help you become a more musical dancer.

This series is aimed at dancers who have strong understanding of their basics.

Here is a video of a song danced to the music