Ida's House of Lindy and Blues

This year, our dance weekend will be Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15. It includes the following events:

Lindy workshop, Saturday 1:30 - 5:00 pm (Annie and Even)
Masquerade ball, Saturday 8:30 - 11:30 pm (Solomon Douglas Swingtet, Denise Williams DJ'ing between sets)
Blues workshop, Sunday 1:30 - 5:00 pm (Sara and Bob)
Blues dance, Sunday 7:00 - 10:00 pm (DJ Bob)

We're all ready for you to register and pay online:

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Weekend passes are only available online. At the door, you will pay per event. The weekend pass comes with a t-shirt:

That's the front and back of the shirt.

Lindy Workshop

Basic Class Overview:

Learn the fundamental footwork and formations of this classic swing dance. Over the course of this workshop you will learn how to transition from 6 to 8 count rhythms, the function of frame and connection, and a few basic Lindy-specific moves and turns to add to your dance vocabulary. Once the basics are covered, we also plan to incorporate a few flashy yet socially-leadable moves into this course.

The Breakdown:

Section 1: Intro to Lindy - In the first class you will learn the basic footwork and proper connection for the Lindy Hop. Since most beginning swing classes start out with East Coast Swing, you will also master how to transition to and from these forms.

Section 2: Boosting Your Dance Vocabulary - In this class you will learn a variety of socially leadable moves to add to your dance repertoire.

Section 3: ...An Added Measure of Style - After you've mastered the fundamentals, the last class of the day will focus on varying turns, dips, and stylization.

Masquerade Ball

Solomon Douglas is a jazz pianist and bandleader, whose various bands have played at more than fifty exchanges, camps, workshops, and other events in North America, Asia, and Australia in the past ten years. His experience as a swing dancer and dance instructor gives him an understanding unique among musicians of the music that swing dancers and blues dancers like to dance to!

The Solomon Douglas Swingtet is a ten-piece dance band whose repertoire is rooted in that of the Basie band (One O’Clock Jump, Jive at Five, Splanky, Shorty George, Shiny Stockings) and that of the Ellington band (Cottontail, “C” Jam Blues, Mood Indigo, Take The “A” Train), with other big-band standards and classic jazz tunes thrown in as well. They can cater to a crowd that prefers up-tempo classic swing, to a crowd that prefers slower groovier jazz, or to anything in between. The Solomon Douglas Swingtet makes frequent appearances at large venues such as the Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom (DC) and the Century Ballroom (Seattle), and has played at many internationally-attended dance events.

Denise Williams is enjoying her role as a dancing deejay at Java Jive. Her specialty is creating the marriage of music, movement & mood with resultant joy & cohesion.

In the borrowed words of jazz greats, "Hey there, Cutes, put on your dancin' boots. And come dance with me..."

Blues workshop

Here's what Sara and Bob say about their workshop:

1:30-2:30: Intro to Blues - The first step in learning to blues dance is to learn the four principles of the blues aesthetic. We'll explore these concepts and how they relate to your dancing.

2:45-3:45: Getting Around the Floor - also known as "Floorcraft, not Warcraft!" In this hour you'll learn some travelling patterns and how to confidently move about the social dance floor. We'll spend some time focusing on the music, and using it to guide your movement.

4-5: Mixin' it Up - Everyone likes a bit of flash and class. We'll teach you some easy ways to spice up your dancing, including simple turns and dips that are impressive but won't leave anyone on the floor.

Sara Cherny began blues dancing in 2001 in St. Louis, and has been on the leading edge of the blues dance community since then. She is most recognized as a driving force behind bluesSHOUT!, the nation's premiere blues dance event. Sara has been teaching blues dance throughout the Midwest since 2004, and here in Sweet Home Chicago since 2007. She is proud to be an instructor at Big City Swing, where she has built a thriving blues dance community. Sara is passionate about helping the traditional forms of blues dance persist across generations, and loves getting in to the nitty gritty of what makes a dance not just good, but excellent.

Bob Bednarz began dancing in 2004 as a student at Purdue University, and became a swing and blues DJ shortly after. He taught regular lessons at Purdue and has been an integral part of Chicago's thriving blues scene since moving back to the city in 2008. Bob is most focused on perfecting basic fundamentals that have a strong impact on your dancing. He has always had a passion for music and helping students add musicality to their dancing. You'll see him out dancing and DJ'ing at all the major dance venues in Chicago including Swing Dancing at Fizz, Big City Swing, CodeBLUE, and Bluetopia. You'll also see him as a guest DJ at larger events throughout the Midwest.