On Saturday, July 9, 2022, I held the second part of a West Coast Swing musicality workshop at Dance Dimensions in Norwalk, CT. Some of these students had attended the first part of this series, while others were starting their musical journey with this workshop. This workshop focused on accenting the first beat of a musical phrase, exploring movements to fit ostinato sounds in songs, and how to hit major breaks in a song. I was so proud of how the students attempted to explore each aspect of the class—making their dancing look more musical and creative.
Social Outing with West Coast Swing CT Students
After the workshop, six of the students and I traveled to Harbor Point in Stamford to go out to dinner. We went to Mexicue and sat on their second floor balcony overlooking the Rippowam River as the sun lowered to the horizon. This social time with each other is just as important and exciting as the musicality workshops because it builds trust and creates a collective experience. Perhaps unbeknown to the students, these bonding moments have the ability to improve their West Coast Swing because it helps establish the trust required to develop creative expression as a partnership.
Music for Musicality II Workshop
Here is some of the music I used for the workshop:
Finding "1":
Baby One More Time by Britney Spears
Show Me Love by Robyn
Brave by Sara Bareilles
Ostinato:
Levitating by Dua Lipa
Lowdown (featuring Coolio) by Jimmy Sommers
Movin' On by CeCe Peniston
Hitting the Breaks:
Heart Attack and Vine by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Mustang Sally by Commitments
The Blues Is My Business by Etta James
