Get Ta Steppin

Time 6 – 9 PM

Basics Boot Camp 6 – 7 PM This is where you learn the FOUNDATION. Here we’ll go over conquer at least 4 different basics. “In Place”, “Normal”, “Half Basic”, and “Cross Basic” to start. Introduction to several methods, as well as the 6 and 8 count methods.

Basics Reinforced 7:10 – 8:10 PM We will get to know those steps like you know your own address, phone number, favorite ice cream, or favorite ---- well you get the picture. J We’ll also introduce some common turns into the process. And each week we’ll really focus on a particular turn or turns.

Confidence Builder 8:20 – 9 PM It’s not enough to know the steps, but knowing you KNOW them, and WHEN, and WHAT it feels like being LEAD through those steps. We’re going to embark on a bold new methods, and having you doing these steps blindfolded, literally. We’re going to be able to do these steps in our sleep, and on the floor effortlessly.

I use the term “WE” because it’s going to take both of us to make this happen. You will have to practice ON YOUR OWN, and NOT just in class. Or you’ll forever be taking classes, and that’s NOT good at all. You want to learn the dance, and go have fun. Not sit and watch everyone else doing it. J My goal is to GET you to the dance floor having fun, your goal is to BE on the dance floor having fun. Let’s make that happen.

As I know from personal experience, practicing to one’s favorite song really helps. So if you have one or two, let me know. Bring your CDs, I WILL get your song played. I’m not making any promises on that heavy metal, hard rock, deep country, underworld hip hop, folk music, or polka. I’ll lend you my head phones for those.

Cost $7

Big THANKS to HomeBase

The Steppin Community here would like to convey their deepest thanks to the people over at Homebase, for everything they're doing. Tonight they had a Chicago Step Demo, for those that attended. They had also given everyone a chance to get to learn the dance next month with two free lessons given by a few Phoenix instructors. Don't miss out, come check it out and see if you'll like to get in on all the fun.

As always Get Ta Steppin...

Class info listed on the right side

Coming Soon..... Stay tuned

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NEW Class Old Class

It's official! Thursday night's at the ELK's from 6-9 pm is the new class location and time. Yep, you read that correctly 6-9 pm. Starting Sept. 16th. That's 3 hours of learning, and it does come at with a higher price tag I'm afraid. I'll have all the details posted in the next couple of days.

Also there's going to be a Grown & Sexy night on Saturday. It's for the older crowd, and good Steppin, line-dance, and ballroom music will be played.

The Elk's is located at 1007 S. 7th Ave, Phoenix AZ

Ground Work

So here we have it, all the new people to take up this new and exciting dance. However, they're still doing or trying the same things I did, or tried when I started out. And I'm here to tell ya, it's not going to work. And here's what I'm talking about---The new students 1.) Don't want to count 2.)Don't practice 3.) Believe they are the true 1% that will pick up the concept after a day or a week. WRONG, WRONG, AND REALLY WRONG! It's a known fact that people like learning things the hard way. Instead of just buckling down, they always look for the easy way out, or the shortcuts, when in fact there are none. The only thing that you're doing is prolonging your own advancement. Here's an example:

Let's take LINE DANCING as the basis here. Now when you first saw whichever line dance you liked, you decided that you were going to learn that thing. So you got up and began learning it. You would do it, and do it, and do it, and do it, until you actually could do it without messing up. Now that you could follow along and do it without messing up, you did it even more. Every chance you got, you were doing it. You did it SO MUCH, that NOW you're starting to replace those simple steps with steps of your own. And even when they change directions, or steps, you're right in sync with them, and didn't miss a beat. GREAT !!!! But now let's take a closer look at that. You first learned the basics, and then you practiced, and practiced, and practiced, then when you mastered that basic step, you danced, and danced, and danced some more. So much so that you knew the exact timing of each part, each step, each turn, slide, bounce, wiggle, wobble, jump, roll, and even slip and fall if it's in there. Later you began to change some of those basic steps, and made up your very own steps, and never missed a beat once you got your timing down with those new steps. But you didn't always know what to do did you? Exactly! You had to practice to learn that step, and ALL of it. You took the time to learn parts 1, 2, 3, 4---- as many parts as there were, you took some time to learn them and practice them. You didn't say, just show me this part, and I'll make up the rest. Or say I don't need to do that part the right way, it doesn't matter. No you learned it the way it was supposed to be done FIRST, then you added your own stuff to it. Did you try to do your own stuff while you were learning it? NO, you didn't.

But that's what you're doing with the Chicago Step. Instead of just learning the basic, counting OUT LOUD, and then practicing it over and over like you do those Line Dances, you don't. You try to shortcut, try counting in your head, or do things your way thinking you're getting over. It doesn't work. Yeah you're getting over, just NOT on the dance. You're getting over on saving your money, time, and most importantly getting some dances in when you go out. And don't tell me you don't get dances in because you're fat, or short, dark skinned, light skinned, your hair isn't long, or because you don't dress like a hooker and she does, or that guys only dance with skinny pretty ladies that look like they came out of a modeling magazine, because THAT'S B.S. If you can dance, you GET dances, and the ones that can't, don't. Plain and simple. I've dance with all types, you name the type, and I've danced with them. And what I'm looking for is just someone that can dance. Now don't get me wrong there are going to be some people you can F-L-O-W with better than others, but for the most part, you still can have a great time. Now, I've been challenged to prove my theory, and I've accepted. I'm going to pick 3 ladies to work with, and a couple of guys, that I'm going to personally work with for 2 months straight, and prove how if you just learn, and follow the rules, you pick it up very quickly. It's not a hard dance, but you do have to practice, you will have to count, and you'll be surprised of how much you'll learn when you do those little things.

I'm not saying you HAVE to count, but-------

Over the weekend I had a few people that told me that they don’t count they just do what they do--- HUH? So for those of you who don’t count, of think you’re just going to get up and do what you want---your dance card is going to be quite empty. And here’s the reason why: First don’t get hung up on the fact that we have you count, this instills uniformity in the dance. Now learning it that way, you can go to Cali, and get a dance, you can go to Detroit, ATL, Chicago and get a dance. Now if you get up there and decide that you’re going to do whatever YOU want to do, and call it Steppin’, that’s not going to work. Just as EVERY other dance Salsa, Tango, Foxtrot, Detroit Ballroom, Bop, River Dancing, Square Dancing, and many African dances all have Rules, and counting involved to keep that uniformity. Anywhere you go it’s the same. AND so is the Chicago Step. You can’t just make up stuff as you go along calling it “Freestyle”. If that’s the case I can get up there and just run in a circle and call it Steppin’. I know you CAN get up there and do what you want, but it’s going to cause some damage. Let’s look at it this way, here in America we all drive on the right side of the road. We all follow those same set of rules that were laid out when we took our drivers course. That course is the same all over the US. You can get in your car and drive to all the 50 states, with those same set of rules without any problems. Now let’s say you get up one morning, and you decide that you’re going to drive anyway YOU want to and call it “Free Styling”. You don’t stop at STOP signs, or red lights, you drive on the sidewalk, you drive the wrong way down a one-way street, and you decide that you want to drive down the freeway in a big S pattern. Although you CAN do those things, you’re going to cause some damage somewhere. These steppin rules are in place so that you’re able to dance regardless of where you are, and not just with a handful of people.

So if you’ve learned a different way, or a different style, again Class is always open. Everyone goes back to school for something, as the job changes, technology changes, you buy a new phone—now you have to learn how that works. Things change and progress for the better all the time, and so can we. Now somebody tell me how to change this darn ring tone-----

STEP Classes

Tuesday's from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm at Hollywood's 1707 W. Broadway Phoenix

Also on Friday at Hollywood's Hole in the wall same time 1707 W. Broadway Phoenix

Once class is over, there's open dancing and you'll be able to practice what you've learned.