Our September classes are now on sale:

We reopen on Monday 13th September with two popular courses:

Latin American at 8pm and

Argentine Tango at 9pm.

I'm still writing a companion course for the Tango class - Musicality for Tango Dancers.  You can read more about this class on this week's blog!

Our Private lessons reopen on Tuesday 14th September - let us know as soon as possible if you want slots.  Demand has already been very high for these.

We also have two new Saturday courses with Bromley Adult Education.

2nd October - American Smooth

6th November - Latin Fusion

Finally, don't forget that there is no Social evening in September this year - our first social event is 1st October.

Mayor's Festival 2011

11th-12th September

They are still finalising details for this event, but last year we had a massive swing dance floor by London Bridge, Samba bands by the London Eye, Tango dancing in Spitalfields and Ballroom dances in Royal Festival Hall.

keep an eye on the website for more details: http://www.thamesfestival.org/festival/

Tango Al Fresco

July 10th-11th, August 7th-8th

Two days of dancing at two venues.  The Saturdays are at Regent's park and involve a mix of dances, Sundays are at Spitalfields and tango specifically.

http://www.dancealfresco.org/

SpitalFields Tango

Tango Fever are back with their regular dancing in Spitalfields Market.  full details can be found at http://www.tango-fever.com/?p=specialprojects but the dates are:

Thursday 20 May
Thursday 24 June
Saturday* 10 July - special Big Dance event*
Thursday 29 July
Thursday 26 August
Thursday 23 September
Thursday 07 October

TIME: Free Milonga (Tango social dance) from 7.00pm – 09.45 pm with free half-hour tango lessons from 6.30 pm before each event.

Shows

Burn The Floor
21 July - 4 September
Shaftesbury Theatre. Box office: 020 7379 5399
Info & online booking
From Harlem's hot nights at The Savoy, where dances such as the Lindy, Foxtrot and Charleston were born, to the Latin Quarter where the Cha-Cha, Rumba and Salsa steamed up the stage, Burn the Floor takes audiences on a journey through the passionate drama of dance. The elegance of the Viennese Waltz, the exuberance of the Jive, the intensity of the Paso Doble - audiences will experience them all, as well as the Tango, Samba, Mambo, Quickstep and Swing. With special guest stars Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian.
www.burnthefloor.com

Tanguera
3-22 August
Sadlers Wells

http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Tanguera

After performing to sell-out audiences and gathering rave reviews across the globe, Argentina's smash-hit tango musical Tanguera comes to Sadler's Wells for a strictly limited run. Boasting a company of over 50 dancers and musicians, Tanguera tells a story of unrequited love in early 20th century Buenos Aires.

When Giselle, a young French woman, arrives in Argentina as one of the first waves of European immigrants, she meets Lorenzo, a port worker who falls in love with her at first sight. But as Giselle falls deeper into Buenos Aires' seedy under- world, Lorenzo must fight to win her love.

If you know of any more shows or events please do comment below and I'll add these things in....

I had great fun building this month's playlist - though it is probably the hardest one I've done so far this year as there were so many great suggestions sent in by you for this months theme of time.

I've kept a note of the one's that didn't make it this time, and if you keep sending me your suggestions I'll repeat this theme in October.

As for now, you can have a sneak preview of the playlist over in resources, and I look forward to seeing you on Friday night for our Merengue class.  Merengue is the easiest dance we do, so get all your friends along too!

It's only 1 week till the July social, the last one before we close for summer, and we won't be having another one till October!  It feels very strange to have such a long break this year, but the September social has traditionally been very quiet with holidays and schools starting and I can no longer afford to pay the hall costs for the door takings.  Because of the break, this year I want to make it into a real party atmosphere - so it would be great if you can make it and the playlist is shaping up to be a real treat. I'll be posting that up on the website on Sunday.

I usually go around telling people that children are particularly welcome at our Summer event (brighter evenings and things) but this year I thought I would make it official.  July is now our 'Family Social' - if you have children and want to bring them, under 16's are free and more than welcome.

On the subject of Socials, as you all know the building work at DTNA Towers is ongoing.  At the June social Russ had a conversation with one of you about doing some building work for us. Of course Russ promptly forgot who.  If it is you, you forgot to mail me.  If you are a builder and are interested - drop me a line!

I know Dr Who Confidential made into the blog last week, but it's here again this week!  For those of you who came to our Birthday Bash last year, or did our Tango Improver class in May you may have recognised the headless, one armed, cyberman as dancer Tim.  No, he hasn't lost his head, they green screened it outwith a stretchy all over head mask - which apparently got very hot!  Those of you who did the tango class can now boast to the grandkids that you've been taught by a cyberman.  Though I have to be honest and confess that I don't have grandkids, so I've been boasting to all my work colleagues!  Ah, fame by association.

The first of our improver level classes happened on Monday with our biggest expected turn out to do some fancy Swing moves.  Starting with a basic step (the Whip) we then built in variations on top.  Everyone was great and rose to the challenge of more advanced steps, figures and timing.  It was particularly gratifying to get thank you emails from some of the class later in the week to let me know they had enjoyed the class.  Monday sees our American Smooth class.

I'm putting the finishing touches to the September classes so they can go on sale in the next couple of weeks, and tomorrow is our day of dancing with Bromley Adult Education college - if the weather stays like this, I'll be taking LOTS of water with me.

I'm also starting to get in all the details of the alfresco summer dancing now - so next week's post will be full of details on those!

Have a fabulous week in this weather, and please keep hydrated!  To find out about the importance of water read the Water vs Coke article in resources.