6:30
there's a drop-in class,
usually in some kind
of waltz; the dance always
includes music for practicing your new moves.
7:30 the
dance begins, to a
mix of about half waltzes & half other dances, mainly swing,
blues
& Latin
dances: the mix we've been playing for
years. We've offered a weekly waltz-oriented dance in Seattle since the
beginning
of
1999.
9:30 we
slow things down, with a mix of slower waltzes, blues, neotango
&
other sensuous Latin,
sweet & sultry ballads, cool
jazz etcetera. Call it an alternative milonga, or eclectic blues
dancing, or just a sweet variety of slower dances. We usually
go until
10:30 or so, but I'll go later if people are there dancing.
Waltz etcetera dancers
are friendly, casual, unpretentious, non-competitive. We
play a wide
variety of music,
so we attract dancers who are versatile
& creative, and our dance family includes dancers from many
different Seattle dance communities: swing, tango, blues, ballroom,
contra, WCS, folk - not to mention waltz! There are a couple of snapshots
of the dancers down below.
How much?
$6 for the dance, $15 for the class, $20
for both.
Where?Lake City Community Center, 12531
28th Ave NE in Seattle; it has a big hardwood dance floor plus plenty
of room off the main dance floor to socialize, rest or dance in a
quieter setting; the offsides area has the same
great hardwood floor. People go back there to practice new moves, coach
and be coached, etc.
Parking?
Free parking in the LCCC's lot plus plenty of free street parking
nearby. Please don't park in the fire lane (striped area) along the
north side of the building; you may get towed.
Do I need to bring a
partner? No, most people come solo to both classes and
dances. In classes we rotate partners frequently, but you don't have to
rotate if you don't want to.
What's it like? You
can read about it here,
and there are some video clips of the dance at the bottom of our video page.
Current class:
Slow waltz
Our classes for August and on into September a ways will be in
Slow Waltz. Zachariah &
Linda are
teaching this class for the first time; it's all-new material we've
never taught before, and it's not the same as anyone else's
slow waltz. There are no pre-requisites, all dancers welcome. This is
a fundamentally different
approach to waltzing compared to turning waltz or cross-step. Slow
waltz is a dreamy
dance that combines a few simple elements that let you glide and float
around the room rather that swooping or spinning (read
more). Here's a
video of Zachariah and Linda dancing Slow Waltz:
Class
details: You can drop in anytime. No need to sign
up, just show up. Classes are
6:30 - 7:30 pm every Monday, $15 per class, right before the dance, at
the Lake City Community Center.
No partner required; we rotate partners frequently. The dance
afterward always includes music for you to practice what you
got in the
class. In all our classes we teachhumane,
egalitarian leading & following, dancing
that's 100% voluntary for both partners, and 100% respectful. Read more about humane
lead-follow.
What's it like?
Waltz etcetera feels warm & easygoing, like home:
relaxed,
undemanding &
cheerful. People discover
us, then keep
coming for years. There's quality and depth to the
connection between partners; the dancers are playful, friendly,
kind,
generous with
each other. Here are some qualities &
characteristics that make Waltz
etcetera what it is.
Connected, easygoing
dancing -
That's the core of it. I see a lot of respectful, humane, egalitarian,
kind dancing every Monday. People don't show off; it's not a dance you
go to to be seen. Most people
dress casually.
We're all equals
here - Many people have told me over the years
that Waltz
etcetera is like church for them, or words to that effect. It's a
haven, a welcoming
environment week after week. Even though some people have been coming
for years, there's no in-club to join at Waltz etcetera, no clique of
cooler dancers or more involved/connected people. Newcomers are
welcome, and quickly become part of the family if they like it here and
keep coming.
Old-timers don't give themselves any airs; everyone's an equal at Waltz
etcetera.
Music that touches
people -We
have a great collection of music for dancing; just ask any of our
regular dancers. It never ceases to amaze me: there is so much
great music for dancing out there, and so little of it gets played at
dances. I look for music that moves me,
and I'm always looking. When I find something, I try it on the dancers
and if it moves them too, I've got a keeper.
