Off to the Flurry

This evening I'm off to the Dance Flurry in snowy Saratoga Springs once more!  I'm feeling very well-treated by the Flurry this year.  I have four sessions.  All were in my original schedule; no last-minute add-ons.  None are Waltz 101.  Two of them (Cross-Step Waltz and Victorian Contras & Squares) are in the main hall.  This will be my first time in the main hall.  I'm working with three groups of super musicians and friends: Spare Parts; the Flying Romanos; and the wonderful Mary Lea, Jacqueline Schwab, and Dan Beerbohm.  I'll have the magnificent Jennie Worden as my teaching partner for Cross-Step.  I made the (bottom of the) list of performer highlights on the Flurry webpage, the first time I have ever been part of the advertising.  And I get to repeat my disco line dance session from last year, for which I have procured some frightening black stretch pleather bell-bottom pants by way of setting the atmosphere.

I'm a little nervous about calling the Victorian session in the main hall, but not about teaching waltz in it.  Really, that makes sense.  I know my waltz session will draw hordes of people.  Two years ago when I did it, I had to have people dance in two separate groups since there wasn't room in the (smaller) hall for everyone to dance at once.  So it's good that they're acknowledging this by giving me a bigger space.  But the Victorian session is scarier, since it will draw the modern contra dance crowd who pretty much live in the main hall, and they're used to pretty good calling and dances that are, um, less Victorian.  So that's a more challenging crowd.

I have a new and clever method for teaching going in and out of zigzags in cross-step, which I have tested with my new local students and at a waltz workshop and a private lesson in the last month.  But a big session at the Flurry will be the true test.  I am not truly concerned; the first few experiments worked well.

The fourth session is Renaissance dances; specifically, branles from Arbeau.  No worries there.  The full schedule is up on the Flurry webpage, or you can find my personal detail schedule (minus the nervous rambling) on Kickery.

I have a passenger for the ride up but will be looking for riders to keep me company on the way back.  I will also be picking up a new and larger hoop on the way, but it does not qualify as company, being nonverbal.

I won't be totally offline this weekend -- along with scary bell bottoms for myself, I have bought my laptop new travel gear* -- but I'll be too busy to check in much.  If you're at the Flurry, find me at the end of one of my sessions -- not at the beginning and please, not in the middle -- and say hello.

Along with my own sessions, I'm hoping to finally get the Hambo to stick, find out what the Texas Two-Step is all about, practice Balboa, and continue my survey of Blues Classes With No Common Elements.

* What does it say about me that I have spent ten times as much money this week on buying wearables for my laptop as for myself?

Comments

[Marilee J. Layman]

Have fun and drive safely!

[Serge]

I wish you a good weekend, Susan!