“Foxtrot,” Dean says, “is the swing dancer’s best friend—because you dance Foxtrot and Swing to the same great music.” In this workshop, we’ll explore some of the transitions between the two dances…both simple and flashy. And we will emphasize stellar technique because having a feel for the styling of Foxtrot is as important as knowing its legendary moves. The dance moves beautifully across the dance floor…it can be silky smooth…yet is inherently playful. With Foxtrot in your dance tool belt, you can glide to any music written in four/four time, from swing to hip-hop, from the Beatles to Beyonce. Seriously.

We’ll also unlock the simple keys to the structure of Foxtrot music. Once you understand what’s going on with this structure, your sense of mastery will increase exponentially. Grokking this simple musical structure will help you make the connection between the way you dance to the music that is playing. You will more easily interpret a song—actually dance to what you’re hearing—instead of merely going through a list of moves you once learned, with music playing incidentally in the background. Using these new understandings as a springboard, we will explore rhythm changes within a song, the various options for Foxtrot rhythms, and how to deftly lead and follow these transitions.

Dean will also teach rotary waltz fundamentals and musicality. The rotary waltz is an essential dance to learn for all waltz tempos, but especially for faster tempos. He will explore the nuances of the "revolving embrace".

Dean is one of Seattle’s most popular dance instructors. His passion: non-competitive dance forms including waltz, swing, Foxtrot, Latin, polka, Argentine tango, one step, and the night club two-step. He emphasizes musicality and spontaneous partnering—that is, Dean emphasizes dancing in the moment, to the spirit of the music, without need for choreography, and with multiple partners—the very definition of social dance.

He loves getting chances to teach in Portland, and, for this visit, he’ll gear the workshop to people with some partner-dancing experience: advanced beginners, intermediate and more experienced dancers. “Foxtrot may have debuted in the early 20th century, but never make the mistake of thinking Foxtrot is somehow old fashioned,” Dean says. “It remains the most useful dance there is, because you can dance Foxtrot to anything except waltz.”

“My first goal in every class is always the same,” Dean says: “make it safe to screw up, safe to step on the wrong foot, safe to do even the simplest of moves completely wrong. Because only when you feel safe enough to make mistakes will you have enough confidence to take risks. And taking risks is necessary to really learn effectively.”

Dean studied for many years with the legendary Barry Douglas, and counts Joan Walton, Frankie Manning, and Richard Powers among his mentors. For nine years now he has taught at Seattle’s Century Ballroom, a Mecca for social partner dance, where he produces a 4th Sunday live-music dance called the Waltz Café as well as an outlandish Masquerade Ball each winter—this year on Friday, January 27. He also founded the Valse Café Orchestra, which has played numerous times at the Norse Hall here in Portland.

We are excited to welcome back a Portland favorite,  Larry Unger, who will be joined by Audrey Knoth on fiddle and Betsy Branch on violin. Larry knows how to play for dancers and his past performances here have been highlights of the dance year. Try not to miss this special dance.
 
Their playlist will be waltzes from Larry's CDs and some new ones plus acoustic swing, blues, foxtrots, tangos and other dance music. 
 
Larry Unger and Aubrey Knuth bring together traditional and contemporary acoustic music from around the world, creating a dynamic, swinging sound that is sure to get you on your feet. With Audry on fiddle and Larry on guitar and banjo, their music is full of rhythmic drive