Our first AGM will be held at 8.30pm on Wednesday the 20th of June at the Centre at St Paul’s. All members are encouraged to attend. Nominations for next year’s committee are now called. For more details about the AGM, please see the Constitution. (Updated - Typo in the original post. The AGM is actually to be held on the 20th — sorry for the confusion).
The annual Summer in the City entertainment programme again includes some gigs that look good for swing dancing on Jesus Green. The first is the Savoy Jazz Band on Sunday the 3rd of June, from 3-5pm. Bring a picnic and get ready to swing out on the grass!
Join us next Sunday for the first of what we hope will be many tea dances, with live music provided by our very own Colin Hazel, social dancing and more cakes than you can possibly scoff. 4pm - 7pm, Sunday May 20th at the Centre at St Paul’s, corner of Hills Rd and St Paul’s Road, Cambridge. Members £5, Non-Members £6.
So it is, at last, time for CLH stash! The items we offer are:
For ladies: a turquoise-blue layered top Price: £15
For men: denim blue Hanes t-shirt Price: £12
If you would like to order stash, please email Maria asap. Don’t forget to tell me your size! You can also order items if you come to our Wednesday classes. There will be a sign up sheet there.
We do need you to pay your order as soon as possible, so please make sure you bring cash/cheques to the class. If you cannot attend the classes you can send cheques to Maria Andersson, Newnham College, CB3 9DF Cambridge.
The tops will have a white back print like this:
[Editor's note: for those who don't know, the term "stash" is a local idiom meaning items of clothing, specifically from societies!]
This week we’re beginning a trial of a new format for our classes, with the Beginner Class at 7.30pm, the Intermediate class at 9pm, and a half-hour social in between. We particularly want to encourage everyone to join us for social dancing, so do come along early if you’re only planning to do the second class. Also, one of the ideas in having the Beginner class first is to allow people to stay on and try out the Intermediate class if they feel like it. We are going to try running both classes in the same space for the first time, which should simplify logistics dramatically. Note that both classes will be held in the “Church” venue at St Paul’s, which can be found on the ground floor through the door to the right of the usual entrance. We’re keen to get your feedback on how the new format and venue works for everyone, so please let us know your thoughts.
Calling all leads! If you are thinking about private lessons, there are follows who would like to take a private lesson with a lead, so you can potentially split the costs. Get in touch with Lotte to discuss this. Beginners and experienced dancers alike can benefit from accelerated learning through private tuition, either on a regular basis or as a tune-up once in a while. Typically private lessons are conducted with 1 or 2 students at a time to enable you to focus more on your personal goals. You can tell us what you most need to work on. For example you might want to work on footwork, brushing up on the basics, variations, building your musicality, lead/follow technique, groundedness, or linking everything together. Or you might be interested in learning a particular style such as 20s Charleston, balboa, jazz, early Lindy or fast Lindy. It’s up to you. Private lessons for members start at £20/hr for one teacher, and £30/hr for two teachers (2 students max, based on a regular booking). Email Matt or Lotte to make a booking: matthew@cambridgelindy.com or lotte@cambridgelindy.com
Keep up to date with all the news about Lindy Hop classes, swing dance events, and jazz in and around Cambridge by subscribing to our email newsletter. Recently we’ve also been including featured items on the history of swing dance, fashion advice, and tips on technique from our Committee members. Maybe you’d even like to write an article for everyone to enjoy! We usually send out one brief message at the beginning of the week. To subscribe, see the Email List page, or to contribute, please contact Matt.
This week many of our members will be heading to various parts of the country for the term break. However we will be continuing classes during the next few weeks, and starting from this week will switch formats to one General level class from 8pm, followed by our usual social dance from 9-10pm. These classes are always a great opportunity to introduce some fun and engaging new ideas, so don’t miss out! See the updated Classes page for all the details.
On Saturday the 17th of March, there will be a very special dance marathon in Cambridge. 8 hours of non-stop swing dancing, all in the aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Come along, or if you can’t be there, sponsor a Lindy Hopper! Donating online is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor the event. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. At present there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but the fautly gene has been identified and doctors and scientists are working to find ways of repairing or replacing it. One of the main objectives of the CF Trust is to fund this work.
Update on 18 March: The Lindy Hopathon raised over £3,600 for the CF Trust! Congratulations to all involved, particularly to organiser & CLH Committee member Ros Evans. Don’t forget to collect your sponsorship money as quickly as possible — you can either send it to the CF Trust yourself, or give it to Ros.
On Saturday the 10th of March, from 8pm: a gig that promises to be an outstanding combination of live jazz. Kicking off with Torben Rees’ renowned Jazz Trio followed by Selwyn Jazz, this will be a great chance to lounge and chat or get up and dance to some lively big band swing. We recommend getting in early and reserving tickets by emailing leader@selwynjazz.com. Tickets will also be available for £3 on the door, if not sold out. Download the poster.
Were you unable to catch the Cambridge Lindy Hoppers troupe performing in ‘Elemental’ at the ADC Theatre recently? We’re very grateful to Duncan Grisby for providing a collection of fabulous photos of the performance. Check out the slideshow now: Slideshow (QuickTime / 2 Mb). For best results, right-click on the link and save the file to your computer. Then open the file in QuickTime.
We are very lucky to have Mr Bill Borgida visiting Cambridge on his way between workshops in Norwich and Dublin in a few weeks time. He will work with the troupe members in a special class on March the 6th, and then teach our regular classes on March the 7th, after which we will ask him to take up the challenge of a Battle of the DJs with Matt Riddle. Highly regarded for his teaching skills, Bill’s emphasis on connection and technique has had a profound influence on the Lindy Hop scene in the U.S. and all over the world for the past 11 years. He has been on the teaching staff at Herrang Dance Camp, Swing Out New Hampshire, Beantown, and the American Lindy Hop Championships (ALHC). He also judges at ALHC and the World Lindy Hop Championships.