Day of Dance in the South West
It was such a pleasure to pop down to Bristol last weekend to lecture alongside one of my trainers, colleagues and favourite all round people Angela Cobley! The IDTA South West Area is always a wonderful area to work for. Answering their kind request to teach a lecture day for professionals and their students, was a very simple yes to make. Naturally, I called the woman that taught me how things were long, long ago and I was thrilled when she said yes. We got together before Christmas to solidify our choreo and then met in a hotel the night before the workshops to iron out any creases that might have crept in over the 10 weeks since we had last seen each other. We’re sure that the boys in the security room of the Bristol Ibis had great fun watching us Samba, Jive and Waltz along the corridor by the lifts.
We started the day with coffee and tea at the Warmly Community Hall on the outskirts of Bristol and chatted to the members of the IDTA South West Area. The floor there is absolutely beautiful to dance on and we were just raring to burn it up! Samba was on the cards right out of the gate, followed by a sensual and rhythmically intriguing Rumba which was suitable for all levels, but developed for higher grades and competitors. We sped things ups with a Jive filled with a mixture of kicks and flicks and basic variations with embellishments for the more advanced dancer and then slowed the pace with a simple, but effective group in the Waltz. With travelling contra-checks, a ronde-oversway section and some syncopated turning whisks, this set of variations was smooth and easy flowing.
After lunch we moved on to an introductory set of figures for basic Argentine Tango, for those new to the style. Angela’s work was perfect for an introductory or one off workshop for teachers to take away with them. As Salsa is one of my loves we couldn’t miss that off the list and took the members and students through a routine with plenty of turning and rotation. Last off was the Paso Doble. Angela and I taught this piece with a solo introduction section that focuses on the characterisation and connection with your partner. It was a wonderful day and we very much enjoyed sharing our work with the participants. Thank you to the IDTA South West Area for inviting us and Angela for partnering and teaching with me. If you'‘d like to book myself or Angela for a workshop/lecture day, just let us know using the contact page.