BsB Deep Dives w/ The Stones (Winter 2024) [Oakland]

For Who: Intermediate and beyond, minimum of 2 years of social dancing experience in any dance style. If you're looking for beginner classes, check out the Tip Toe into Blues Workshop!

Cost: $50-70 sliding scale pre-registered, $80 cash at the door. If cost is an issue, please reach out at info@bayshoreblues.com before December 13th (No one turned away for lack of funds!)

Summary: Join us for a 4 hour dive deep into partnership dynamics, Blues Dance aesthetics, Texas Shuffle, and Stride while exploring personal style and creativity. 

Doors Open at 12:45p and close fully at 1:15p.

Workshop does not include a social dance. Want to get some dancing in? Check out the bonus hang outs below.

Updates: Event updates and day-of information will be posted primarily through the Facebook Event Page. (Though an e-mail with finalized info will be sent to the e-mail you register with) Be sure to mark yourself as going to the event page!

About Kelsy Stone:

Kelsy brings her lifetime of dance training, a passion for vernacular dance, and a sharp eye for technique to the Blues dance world. She has brought her joy and knowledge of Blues idiom dances to some of the most important and high-profile events in the USA and across five continents, including but not limited to: bluesSHOUT!, The Experiment, Muse, Hearken the Blues, and Seoul Blues Dance Festival-serving as faculty, mentor, competition coordinator, and judge.

Kelsy's critical eye and love of deep technique are tempered by her love of "dad jokes," getting lost in the music, and embracing of the ridiculous. She shows her appreciation of African American culture by speaking of the history of Blues idiom dance and taking her craft seriously, but never herself. She believes every mistake is an opportunity to learn, every class an opportunity to challenge, and every dance an opportunity to pay respect to those who came before.

About Damon Stone:

Damon has been dancing his entire life, starting with vernacular Jazz/Blues first taught to him at the tender age of six by his grandmother. After nearly a decade of learning at the heels of his elders, he went on and eventually studied numerous dance forms until coming full circle in 1995 to focus primarily on the history and styles of partner dances as his family danced them with a special focus on the Southern Blues styles from the Mississippi Delta region. He has studied the development of vernacular Jazz/Blues dance across the United States learning from a number of the original dancers.

He is largely regarded as one of the foremost authorities on Blues idiom dance and has been interviewed as a dance historian in documentary, radio, and newspaper. Damon has been a featured instructor at camps, festivals, and workshops regionally and internationally.

Covid Precautions:

KN95, KF94, N95 or higher rated masks required (well fitting, no vents) for duration of the class. We will not be checking vaccination record, but we highly encourage you have your booster shots. If you feel sick or like you might be getting sick, please do not attend. If you have had COVID recently, do not attend unless you are testing negative and 10 days have passed since your first symptoms or positive test. If you cannot attend, please reach out and we'd be more than happy to offer you a full refund upon request.  We also encourage you to take a test prior to showing up to class if you do feel well just to double check, but tests are not required as efficacy is not as high of a spread prevention method as masking up.

Bonus Hang Outs [Make a weekend of it!]:

Saturday 12/21

- Social hang outs at Soba Ichi: Join us after class, a few blocks away, for food, drinks, and chats (Vegan options also available). No cover, counter service, no official dancing.

     - DJ's Social dancing at Breakaway Blues. Intermediate Class 6:30-7:45PM. Beginner lesson at 8pm, Dancing 9PM-Close, cover $20 for both classes + social dance, $15 for dance only.