Participating Dance Companies

The festival workshops will be run by the following local dance teachers who are donating their time and energy for free.

Carry on Tango www.carryontango.co.uk Anthony & Alex teach the Argentine Tango. An improvised dance of connection and body language that relies on intuition and silent communication to create a magical dance that transcends all others in its beauty, grace and wonderful music. They teach a Free beginners class in Chester every Monday and an improvers workshop every Wednesday.

 

Clan Cuban www.clancuban.co.uk CLAN CUBAN are a group of salsa teachers, DJ's and salsero's based in the Chester and North Wales area. They specialise in Cuban Style Salsa but also offer lessons in Bachata, Merengue and Rueda in Chester.    Clan Cuban believe that SALSA is a lifestyle choice, not just a dance. It is a great way to keep fit, to improve flexibility and most importantly to have fun and meet new friends who share your passion for dance.      SALSA: Salsa dance exists in many styles  which has evolved and developed since the early 20th Century. What unites all the different styles is that all salsa is danced to 4 beats of music consisting of 3 stepped weight transfers, each one beat long, with the remaining 4th beat dressed up as a tap, pause, kick or other movement. The overall look of Cuban Salsa is sensuous, sexy and fluid. Cuban Motion is not just about swivelling hips. The movement originates from the centre of the body, and therefore the shoulders, ribs, hips and knees naturally move to the rhythm of the music. Salsa Video   MERENGUE: Merengue originated from the Dominican Republic and is the national dance of the island. It is danced with a characteristic 'limping' appearance due to the stories of a limping war hero returning home after the war. Merengue music is played in a 2/4 time signature and the tempo can vary a great deal. Typically turn patterns in Merengue are executed slowly in 4 beats/steps per turn. Due to the limping step motion the upper body tends to stay still during the dance with emphasis on the lower body movement of the feet and hips. Merengue Video   RUEDA: Rueda is a lively popular Cuban dance form in which couples partner dance in a circle (wheel) and perform routines that are called by the leader of the Rueda (the Caller). Dancers execute the routines and exchange partners in quick succession creating a dynamic and exciting atmosphere for everyone involved.  This style of dance allows any number of people to take part... as few as 2 couples or as many as the dance space can hold. Rueda Video

 

Jive

Blitz Jive Steve Ledsham and Paula Chaloner Modern Jive is a fun, energetic and stylish partner dance. Don't confuse it with the old-style rock 'n' roll jive as Modern Jive can be danced to almost every style of music - latin, rock, soul and pop are just some of the musical genres to be heard on this particular dance floor.

 

Laura Murphy  -  Bambeat Dance A hip hop style dance workshop suitable for all levels. Laura teaches a weekly adult hip hop dance class at D' Meltin' Pot, 31 wategate Row, Chester, CH1 2LE. Every Thursday. 8pm-9pm - £3. Bambeat Dance is available for private lessons and group workshops in Hip Hop, Salsa, Reggaeton, Jazz, Irish, Theatrical, Contemporary and more. Choreography services are available for shows and weddings and also the dance crew, Raw Matter can be hired for performances to entertain an audience. Bambeat dance is available as a solo or duo act - no crowd too small or large! bamboolaura@hotmail.co.uk   07972409990

 

Sue Knight www.susieqsalsa.co.uk Burlesque : Satine is a unique dazzling and tantalizing burlesque performer who teaches ladies the art of posing, walking, shimmering and glove peeling.  For Ladies of all ages, shapes and size.   Burlesque dancing is fun and builds confidence. It has all the sexiness of a striptease without the strip.  It focuses on the female form and body awareness.  Allowing you to have fun while being sassy and adventurous.   Satine aka Sue has danced from an early age in various styles of dance, and is also a qualified UKA Teacher in Salsa. Satine has also had a successful career in modelling and still choreographs and produces fashion shows for various companies. Satine divides her time between Burlesque Revue Shows through out the country, teaching burlesque workshops and salsa/bachata classes. Bachata: A romantic style of dance that accompanies the music of the same name. It has its origins in the Dominican Republic. Bachata music is derived from the tradition of guitar music and is played in a 4/4 time signature. The dance timing of Bachata is similar to Salsa with 4 beats per bar where 3 steps and a pause beat are taken. On the pause beat in Bachata the hip movement is emphasised. Bachata on YouTube

 

Take-2 Fitness / Zumba with Melanie Jones Ditch the workout, JOIN THE PARTY ! Join the millions of people that have decided that having fun and working out are not mutually exclusive. Join those who'd rather have a blast. Join the party ! ZUMBA IS... FUN - Exercise in disguise. Participants enjoy it!! DIFFERENT-the music, the steps, they feel- like no other class EASY - for any fitness level, background, age or dance ability EFFECTIVE - in assisting you to achieve your fitness goals www.take2fitness.co.uk International zumba www.zumba.com

 

Appalachian Dancing Mind the Step A dance group which performs Appalachian dancing (with a little bit of English step clogging and Irish dancing too!). Appalachian dancing originates from the Appalachian Mountains in the SE USA. Over the years traditional steps from Europe have been combined with African and Native American dances, emerging as the tapping of hobnailed work shoes on kitchen floors and porches. Mind the Step choreograph dances using a mix of traditional and modern stepping. Dances involve 2 to 8 people and most involve sets of couples (like in barn dances) but with step patterns (like in tap dancing). It's great fun and also great exercise! We perform with live acoustic music and wear flat leather-soled shoes with metal taps to provide a percussive accompaniment. We have performed at folk and bluegrass music festivals, fetes, folk clubs, dance days, and we have arranged and led several workshops too. We practice on Sundays at 7.30pm until 10pm at Tabley village hall (Junction 19 of the M6 approx 25-30mins drive from Chester). We welcome new members to join us for our practises to learn our dances and then perform with us. Contact details: Jennifer Hillier 07505 505074   YouTube clips of Appalachian dancing (called "Clogging" in the USA). 1. The Bourree Dance / 2. Bailey Mountain Cloggers / 3. Southern Belles” 2008 Championship routine, performed live on the streets of Norway

 

Flavours of the Middle East  Ya Raqs www.yaraqs.blogspot.com Ya Raqs is a traditional Egyptian and North African dance troupe based in Chester and Wirral who will be performing a selection of folk dances from Egypt and North Africa including Saaidi, Ghawazee, Baladi, Nubian and Tunisian, concluding with a modern Oriental style routine and a "have-a-go" session where members of the audience will be invited to learn a few of the dance moves for themselves.