What to do as the nights draw in?
August 2, 2010
Here’s the dilemma, the nights are drawing in and you don’t want another night in front of the telly so in your quest for something to do you draw up a list…
- Must be local
- Not expensive
- I can go on my own or in a group
- Must be something I can do on my own without a partner
- I want to be challenged but not feel under pressure
- I want to be exercised
- I want to get fitter
- Must be a varied and vibrant crowd of different ages
- I want to feel welcome
- I want to have a good laugh
There is only one activity I know that fits the bill perfectly and before you dismiss it because you think it’s all country music and cowboy hats think again and give Line Dancing a try. If you want to come on your own that’s fine as you don’t need a partner and you’ll soon make new friends.
We have been running line dance classes locally for almost 6 years and can guarantee that even those with two left feet will be line dancing within minutes of joining. Dancing to both traditional and the very latest music is both challenging and a great way to boost physical and mental fitness.
While some people like to stay at the beginner level others seek the challenge of mastering all our dances, the choice as always is yours. The one thing we can guarantee is that you will enjoy yourself and be laughing before the night is out.
Come and try an informal session for just £1
7 – 7.45pm Monday September 13th 2010 at Thorpe Marriott Village Hall
For more details contact Dolly
Quote from one happy dancer
Hi Dolly & TonyI just wanted to say how much I enjoyed last night’s class ! I feel as if I have ” got it ” now and can pick the steps up quicker than when I first joined, it also give you a boost when new people start and you can see the difference and are no longer the one that is getting it wrong all the time, I wondered when I first started if I would ever remember any of the steps !I am so glad I plucked up the courage to go that first evening and I know Bob enjoys it as much as me,Obviously it helps when you have a great teacher too ( and glamorous assistant) so many thanks !
Jean
Stepping Things Up
November 9, 2009
Welcome to week 9 of our Line Dance beginners course, last week we stepped things up a bit when we put Bad Boyz AB to the much faster track Bad Boys by Alexander Burke but we needn’t have worried, you all coped pretty well.
Last week we said we would continue in the same manner for the rest of the year but you are all doing really well so we are changing the plan slightly.
This week we have decided to start teaching you the dances we like and do in several of our classes and we are going to start with Peaches and Cream danced to You’re Sixteen by George Harrison. We’ll teach it early on and finish with it, that way the second class can join in and you’ll get to experience a full dance floor and will have plenty of people to watch and follow.
We’d also like to reconfirm that we are extending your class until December 7th 2009, that’s 3 extra weeks this year. December 7th will be the last Monday night class in 2009 and it will be a bit of a party night, we’ll supply snacks and refreshments, no extra charge, and we’ll finish for the year on a high.
We will restart on Monday January 11th 2010, your class will continue to run from 7.00 – 8.00 pm as usual.
Several people have asked about staying for the second class but have concerns they might put people off or get in the way… Don’t worry you are more than welcome to stay for the second class, 8.00 – 9.30 pm and join in when you can, you will find it challenging but you’ll never know if you don’t try. If you want help with the dances in the second class we can supply scripts etc.
Don’t forget you can always try one of our other classes, they are all different but as always we are here to help, please speak to Tony for more information, directions and suitability etc
Next week we will consolidate and master the steps we have learnt so far and will attempt to dance all the dances we have learnt so far, a tall order but one we are sure you are up to.
Dolly & Tony
Line Dance Class Times
November 2, 2009
Week 8 Newsletter
We find it hard to believe this is now week 8, where has the time gone? With just 53 days to Christmas (in case you needed reminding) we are rapidly coming to the end of our original plan for a 10 week Line Dance beginner’s course…
Our aim from day one was not to concentrate on learning lots of dances but to concentrate on fewer dances whilst learning and mastering the basic steps and you really have come a long way in a short time. Many of you have been asking what happens next? Tony has been asked several times if it all ends on November 16th when the ten weeks is up, absolutely not this is really just the beginning…
The good news is that we are extending your class until December 7th 2009 , so that’s 3 extra weeks, we will continue in the same manner as the previous weeks in that we will introduce new moves and repeat the dances we’ve all learnt so far. December 7th will be the last Monday night class in 2009 but it will be a bit of a party night, we’ll supply snacks and refreshments, no extra charge, and we’ll finish for the year in good mood.
We will restart on Monday January 11th 2010, your class will run from 7.00 – 8.00 pm as usual. You are more than welcome to stay for the second class, 8.00 – 9.30 pm and whilst you will find it a bit of challenge if you can pick up the dances fairly quickly you should be OK, we can supply dance scripts if requested. In the second class we still have run throughs but not on every dance and they are usually pretty quick when needed. This can make it harder for you to pick up dances but people do manage and we’ll always help when requested.
If you’ve got the bug you can always try one of our other classes, they are all different but as always we are here to help, please speak to Tony for more information, directions and suitability etc
Last week we learnt the first 24 steps of the new dance Dolly wrote and this week we will learn the final 8 steps and put it all together. We have included the dance script on the back page for you to get some practice in ready for week 9.
Have a good week and enjoy November 5th safely, looking forward to seeing next week.
Dolly & Tony
Coaster Line Dance Steps
October 26, 2009
Week 7 Newsletter
Last week we introduced 2 new moves which everybody seemed to pick up with relative ease and the reason for that is that some of the moves are happening without too much thought, they are becoming natural just as we promised they would, well done.
Some of you may not think you are doing so well because you still feel a little self conscious so it can be difficult for you to gauge your own progress. You can’t see how you as an individual and all of you as group look on the dance floor which is why you’ll be interested to hear that comments from the next class have been made…
We have said many times how good you are all doing, and we really do mean that, but you might just think we are simply hoping to boost your self confidence! We’ve had a lot of comments from the next class, many of whom have been dancing for a longer than they would care to remember and they have said how impressed they were with all of you both as group and individuals, one person even doubted you were beginners… so take it from us you are doing well.
Tonight we are introducing 2 new steps, first new step is a 1&2 step called a “Coaster”, it’s a commonly used step in dances both new and old and quite easy to master once it’s been explained. A Coaster step can start on either foot and can be either forwards or backwards. The second new step is a Scissor step which can go left or right, the instructions for the new steps follow…
COASTER STEP – BACK, TOGETHER, FORWARD
(Count 1 & 2)
To dance a right backward coaster step you start with the weight on your left foot now (1) step backward onto your right foot (&) bring your left foot backward to step next to right (2) step your right foot forward.
SCISSOR CROSS with a HOLD – SIDE, TOGETHER, CROSS, HOLD
(Count 1, 2, 3, 4)
To dance a Scissor Cross step right foot to side, left joins it, right crosses in front of left, Hold
Dolly has “created” a dance to incorporate both a Coaster and a Scissor, tonight we will learn the first 24 steps of this dance, (it hasn’t been named as yet) and next week we will finish it off, take care and have a good week, we look forward to seeing you all for week 8.
Dolly & Tony
New steps for line dance beginners
October 19, 2009
Welcome to week 6, we can hardly believe we are more than half way through our 10 week course, where does the time go? Last week we were please to see a couple of you making mistakes, not because you didn’t know what to do but because you are getting to the stage where you can dance and think about others things at the same time!!! We said it would eventually happen bet you didn’t believe it would, Yeeha!!
Last week we also introduced the 16 step “Lindi Shuffle” to help you master shuffles. We think this went down well so this week we plan on introducing another new dance with new moves. The dances we are teaching at the moment are not complicated they are simply to help you master the basic steps, build your ability to remember step sequences and build confidence. You must be pleased with your progress to date, we are very impressed with you all, well done and keep up the good work.
We also included our simplified dance sheets on the back of last week’s newsletter, hopefully some of you will have found the time to get in some practise between classes?
This week we are adding 2 new moves, the “Rhumba Box” and a “Rocking Chair” all on single count timing in a 2 wall dance we have included on the reverse side.
Here are the new steps:-
RHUMBA BOX – RIGHT TOGETHER, BACK, TAP, LEFT TOGETHER, FORWARD TAP
Count (1,2,3,4)(5,6,7,8)
To dance a Right reverse Rhumba box as in the new dance this week, step to the Right, Left joins it, step back Right, Tap Left, Step Left, Right joins it, Step Forward Left, Tap Right
ROCKING CHAIR – ROCK FORWARD, RECOVER, ROCK BACK, RECOVER
(count 1,2,3,4)
Starting with the weight on your left foot (this foot will now stay in place for the rest of the movement) (1) rock forwards onto your right foot lifting your left foot slightly up off the ground, but keeping it in the same position (2) replace the weight onto your left foot (3) swing your right foot backwards and rock onto it (transferring the weight onto it) (4) rock forwards onto your left foot.
Well that’s all for this week, we hope you enjoy the class this week and look forward to seeing on week 7…
Dolly & Tony
Line Dance Scripts
October 13, 2009
Congratulations, it’s week 5 and by the end of tonight’s class you’ll be halfway through our 10 week introduction course to Line Dancing, if I put it into perspective you’ve only been Line Dancing for four hours to date, just half a day at work!
Last week we introduced 2 new dances and changed the music for the other dances we’ve taught so far, we like to change the music and mix things up to keep it interesting, it makes you think more than you would if it were the same track every week and also stops you getting bored.
You’ll notice change on the back of this week’s newsletter, “The Dance Steps Explained” have been replaced by a simplified version of the dance scripts. A couple of you asked for the scripts but due to past experience we were reluctant to provide them. In our experience new dancers are put off when confronted with a Line Dance script and for some reason soon stop coming to the classes once they have a script in their hands, it’s almost like they lose the will to carry on, strange but true…
What we have come up with is a simplified script format, we hope you find it easier to understand and follow but if you can’t remember exactly how a Grapevine goes, for example, you can refer to the “The Dance Steps Explained” on the back of the first 4 newsletters.
The steps we want to master this week is the shuffle, both forwards and sideways versions and we’ll do this by introducing a new dance. The shuffle is a 3 step move over two counts of the music, 1 & 2, the & is a quickly inserted between the first and last steps which makes the move seem much quicker than it really is. The key to getting on top of this move is to take smaller steps, smaller steps give you more time to complete the move.
Once we have mastered shuffles we will be ready to start learning new moves and dances on a more regular basis…
Dolly & Tony
Line Dance Floor Confidence
October 5, 2009
Can you remember the first Line Dance we taught? It was to Michael Jackson’s “The way you make me feel” Remember how fast it all seemed, barely time to complete one set of steps before the next, sweaty palms, stiff limbs and awkward moves with no time to look round the room yet alone sing along…
Well that was just 3 weeks ago and I would guess most of you are now finding that it is getting much easier and whilst you might not remember the whole dance initially you have no trouble doing it after a one wall walkthrough, there are a couple of reasons for this…
1. You know the steps, you understand grapevines, walking forwards and hip bomps. When we say Grapevine to the right you don’t have to think too much about it because you know what to do, it’s becoming natural. Once you reach that stage you’ll find you are more relaxed and have more time for the move, you can listen to the music, sing along and even look around and smile at your neighbours.
2. Your confidence has increased from when you first started, you are starting to feel more comfortable on the dance floor, like you have a right to be there because now you can Line Dance.
Both your confidence and ability will increase week by week and whilst you’ll have bad weeks your skill level and memory will improve all the time. You will find yourself staying longer at the classes and tackling the harder dances which though they may seem unattainable now I can assure you with time will become easy for you to learn.
It has always been our practice to have walkthroughs, after all most people will only Line Dance once or twice a week, it’s so easy to forget how a dance starts or finishes if you haven’t done it for a week or two. We dance 4 and sometimes 5 days a week and we still go wrong and need the dance sheets as reminders so don’t think it makes you a bad dancer if you need a walkthrough, just ask.
This week we will again consolidate the moves we have learnt so far which we’ll do by introducing a new dance, perhaps two and we’ll be changing the music to mix it up a little. As the weeks go by we will introduce a few more basic moves, new dances and use different music to keep it interesting and before you know it you’ll be taking it all in your stride.
Dolly & Tony
Dance Floor Etiquete
September 28, 2009
Well here we are again, it’s week 3 and you’ll perhaps be pleased to know we are not introducing anything new this time, week 3 is to consolidate what we have learnt so far. We are currently learning to Line Dance and not learning Line Dances. The most important thing at this stage is to master the basic steps so that they become second nature, unfortunately that entails plenty of repetition and practice.
There are 2 subjects I’d like to cover this week, the first is footwear.
Footwear should have a smooth sole, small heel and securely fit the foot. A lace up shoe or boot which enables you to easily turn on the balls of your feet is recommended. You will see more experienced dancers in a wide variety of footwear but as a beginner it is best to stick with the recommended shoe or boot type. Trainers and flat ballet footwear aren’t recommended as they may cause an injury, i.e. strain on knees, calves or back, it is entirely your decision what you find comfortable to dance in the above is our professional opinion.
And secondly Dance Floor Etiquette, this isn’t a set of rules meant to spoil your fun, but a few common sense pointers about good dance floor behaviour so that everybody can have an enjoyable time.
Do…
• Line Dancing is danced in lines so you should try to keep in a line for the duration of a dance leaving space between you and your “neighbours”
• Apologise if you bump or collide with someone, even if it wasn’t your fault.
• Take smaller steps on a crowded dance floor, remember, the more the merrier!
• Remember we were all beginners once…
• Encourage novice dancers, try to be helpful.
• Keep your head up, smile and enjoy yourself.
Don’t…
• It’s not cool to stand on the dance floor to socialise, always leave the floor to chat.
• Chatting in a loud voice is distracting to both dancers and the instructor, do it quietly…
• Try not to own a particular spot on the floor, dance where there is a free space
• Never walk through dancers on the floor, walk around the outside or wait until the dance ends.
That about sums it up for this week, hope to see you all at the class tonight.
Happy Dancing
Dolly & Tony
Line Dance Beginners-Introducing turns
September 21, 2009
Hi, glad to see you made it back for the second week, 2 – 3,000 steps and around 400 calories during an hour of Line Dancing is about normal and because Line Dancing is an effective all over workout which tones and strengthens ankles, calves, thighs and buttocks, is it any wonder you may have noticed an aching muscle or two after your first class…
The British Heart Foundation say’s Line Dancing is beneficial to health and it’s recommended by doctors as it invigorates all major organs from brain to toes and can help improve posture, stamina, muscle tone and coordination. If you are making changes in your life regarding nutrition and exercise it is wise that you consult your doctor before doing so.
Week 1, we danced 3 different 32 step dances, all facing Dolly on the front wall and we introduced you to Grapevines, Struts, Jazz Boxes, Walks and Charleston’s. The music used was intentionally slow, that way you get more time to think about your feet and what they should be doing. Eventually they will do their own thing and that’s when you’ll find your mind will wander and you’ll go wrong, I noticed Tony did so several times…
The format each week will be roughly the same:-
- Recap moves and dances from the previous week
- Introduce and practice new moves
- Learn new dances which incorporate new and previously learnt moves
We will also mix things up a little by dancing to different music tracks which might not seem like much but even the most experienced dancers can find that a challenge.
This week we are introducing Lock Steps, Shuffles and Turns but we’ll be gentle with you, promise. Turns can create confusion and cause a dancer to lose their sense of location in the room which is why this week we will keep to left quarter and left half turns only.
Next week’s newsletter will recap what you have accomplished so far and cover dance floor etiquette, whilst we are pretty relaxed about most things it is good to know what is expected on the dance floor, especially useful if you dance at other venues…
Dolly & Tony
PS If you need advice on any aspect of Line Dancing please speak either to Dolly or Tony, you can talk to us at the end of the class or if you prefer by phone on 01603 – 861271, we are here to help.
Line Dance Beginners
September 14, 2009
Tonight is the first week of our new 10 week beginners course, we know how daunting that can be so we are trying something new this time, the beginners weekly news sheet is one item we have introduced to make things easier, hopefully it will help…
Welcome to Silverboots and your first week as a Line Dance beginner, we hope you’ll enjoy your classes over the next 10 weeks.
During week one you will be facing Dolly on the front wall at all times, no turns this week – phew!!! You should feel more confident not having to turn.
The steps we’ll learn this week are Grapevines, Jazz Boxes, Struts and Charleston’s and through repetition it will help you to remember the dance steps. Please take small steps (even though the music is slower in the first few weeks) that way you will find it easier when the music picks up tempo.
We could easily “teach” you a couple of Line Dances each week but our aim is to teach you to Line Dance first, the dances will follow once you have mastered the steps. Please feel free to sit out if you find things getting too much and join in when you are ready.
Although practice makes perfect you don’t have to stay on the dance floor all night, not everyone learns at the same rate or even the same way, some prefer to watch whilst others prefer to do and repeat so don’t worry if you can’t get it first time, it’s like learning to drive, it gets easier every week. Tony was a classic case of someone who couldn’t get it for a long time and very nearly gave up but look at him now…
Another concern people often have is worrying about people looking at them, the chances are they are simply following you because they think you’ve got it.
As the class progresses more experienced dancers will join in and quite naturally as a new dancer you’ll perhaps worry about putting them off or wondering if you’re standing in their place. DON’T, it’s your class and it’s unlikely they’ll be put off by what you do, to be honest when they do go wrong it’s probably because they are thinking about something else, it’s certainly not what you are doing…
Line Dancing is not so hard to learn if you do it on a regular basis, we all have things crop up and need holidays etc but if you want to master it it’s best to make it to class on a regular basis.
That about sums it up for the first week, remember it’s about having fun, getting fitter and learning to Line Dance and you’ll do that much easier if you have a smile on your face…
Dolly's Newest
Line Dance
I Like It -
Enrique
48 count, 2 wall
Intermediate
Choreographed by: Dolly
July 2010
Music: "I Like It feat Pitbull"
by Enrique Iglesias
Watch it online
Youtube
Latest Posts
- What to do as the nights draw in?
- I Like It Line Dance
- Club News
- December 09 Line Dance Social
- IMPORTANT DATES
- Charity Linedance
- Week 10 Congratulations
- Stepping Things Up
- Line Dance Class Times
- Coaster Line Dance Steps