Capital Blues

Blues Dancing in Washington DC

Lunch/Food | Schedule | Venues | Bands | Instructors | DJs | Workshops | Competitions

Workshops!

Intensive workshops are back!  You get to spend each day with one of three sets of world-class instructors.  You won't have to worry about getting to the best part of the class in the last 5 minutes and then having to stop.  The instructors decide when to take breaks and get to know you and what you need to take your dancing to the next level.  Make sure you get there on time - since the intensives build off themselves, we won't be letting folks in past 15 minutes after the start each day.  **There are only auditions for the Advanced Intensives, which will happen Friday immediately following the main dance, around midnight.**

ALL LEVELS classes are $15 a la carte.

You may also purchase a full day of workshops for $65.

The Intensive-only classes are $45.

Saturday

Time Back Room Spanish Ballroom Room 202/203
10:45am - 11:00am
  • Auditions for those who missed Friday Night Auditions
11:00am - 12:00pm
  • Advanced Intensive
  • Joe DeMers & Mike Legett
  • Intermediate Intensive
  • Tim O'Neill & Julie Brown
12:15pm - 1:30pm
1:30pm - 2:15pm BREAK
2:15pm - 3:30pm
3:45pm - 4:45pm
5:00pm - 6:00pm
6:15pm - 6:45pm
  • Advanced Jack & Jill Pre-lims

Sunday

Time Back Room Ballroom Bumper Car Pavilion Room 202/203
11:00am - 12:00pm
  • Advanced Intensive
  • Tim O'Neill & Julie Brown
  • Intermediate Intensive
  • Jerry & Kathy Warwick
12:15pm - 1:30pm
1:30pm - 2:15pm BREAK
2:15pm - 3:30pm
3:45pm - 4:45pm
  • Critique/Feedback
  • All Levels
  • Chris Mayer, Amanda Gruhl, and Dexter Santos
5:00pm - 6:00pm
  • Mama Kibibi
  • All Levels
6:15pm - 6:45pm
  • Solo Riffin' Prelims

Course Descriptions

A Dancer's Love Triangle » Joe & Mike (Sunday 12:15 - 1:30)

It's me, you, and the music. Let's examine the roles that we fall into without thinking about it, and then create the connection and movement to complete the dancer's love triangle. Followers will make more confident suggestions in the partnership while leaders morph the framework of the dance.

Awesome Blues Performance Routine » Joe & Mike (Sunday 5:00 - 6:00)

Blues is awesome and so are Blues routines. Mix and match rhythmic, solo and connected movements to express the awesomeness in Blues music.

Being the Instrument » Dan & Jenny (Sunday 2:15 - 3:30)

This class goes right to the source of musicality: the instruments! But which ones? How do I show them in my body? We’re going to pick these elements out of music and figure out how to put them into our bodies. Come dance like instruments!

Blues Attitudes » Tim & Julie (Saturday, 5:00 - 6:00)

Come explore the wonderful range of styles and moods that blues music has to offer! In this class, we'll listen to *lots* of different music, trying out many common moods in blues music, and seeing how we can change our dancing to express them.

Getting Connected » Kelly & Paul (Saturday 11:00 - 12:00)

We’ll break down the way we think about connection and give you a framework to help build it back up. Want mo’ bang for your buck? How about mo’-mentum? Let’s use that connection to get momentum working for us (without working too hard for it). It’s time to get physical.

Man Spins and the Women Who Love Them » Kara & Amos (Sunday, 11:00 - 12:00)

This class will focus on the essentials and intricacies for great turns. We will share vocabulary that will enable both leads and follows to use precise, dynamic turns.

Moving, Feeling, and Shaping your Pulse » Rachel & Dexter (Saturday, 12:15 - 1:30)

The pulse is a very basic but very important aesthetic to your blues dancing and is more than just what you add to your step. This all-levels class will explore how to express the pulse in your body in your movements, in its feeling, and how you can shape it in various ways. Both the beginner and advanced dancer can take away new ideas and techniques from this class.

Shuffle Box » Jerry & Kathy (Saturday, 2:15 - 3:30)

Adapting the universal box step to complement blues music, especially a blues shuffle. Including unique moves and rhythms.

Stretching the Moment » Jerry & Kathy (Saturday, 3:45 - 4:45)

Creating musicality by extending motion and movement within the partnership.