Just Dance -- in October!

Greetings, dancers...

October ballroom dance group classes start this week. We're thrilled to be dancing on the brand new floor at Georgetown. Here's what is on schedule for this month:

Tango and Cha Cha classes will be taking place on Thursday nights. No prior dance experience is required. You do not need a partner to join. Everyone is encouraged to come and check it out. You can sit and observe first, or join right in. It's up to you!

What you can expect? A friendly group of people. A relaxed and easygoing, yet professional and talented instructor. A great time!

Advanced class is back. Those of you who attended this class before, please note the date change. The class will now be held on Tuesday nights at 8:00 instead of Wednesday. I'm told the Tuesday night slot worked much better for the majority of the dancers, so Vito made the switch in order to accomodate the schedules of as many people as possible.

The advanced class is for dancers with prior experience.  During the month of October, we'll be learning Waltz patterns. Give Vito a call if you would like to join this group.

Intermediate Rumba is back by popular demand on Tuesday evenings at 7:00. If you know the Rumba basics already, this class is for you!



Click above to download the PDF version of the flyer. It opens with the free program, Adobe Reader. Or, you can visit the website for class details.

See you in class!

We're back at the Georgetown Clubhouse!

Join us for the Grand Re-opening Celebration Ballroom Dance Party

It is with great pleasure that I announce a dance date once again at the lovely and spacious Georgetown Clubhouse in Wood Dale.

The construction at the Georgetown Clubhouse is complete. We have a brand new, spacious and lovely dance floor.

Our kickoff dance will take place on Friday, September 27, 2013. Join us for a Cha Cha lesson at 7:30, followed by a dance party from 8:00-11:00 pm. 

Hope to see you there! 

September Group Class Schedule - NEW CLASS ADDED!

Hello, dancers,

The September ballroom dance group class schedule is here! Vito has added a new Intermediate Rumba session on Tuesday evenings at 7:00.

Thursday evening classes are back by popular demand. During the month of September, Vito will be teaching 3-count Hustle at 7:00 and Level I Rumba at 8:00.

Get the details:



See you in class! 

Sandia

Georgetown Clubhouse Construction Update

It has been a while since I've posted a construction update - so to recap first, the floor at the Georgetown Clubhouse, despite being relatively new, was torn out in February due to moisture problems.

Before a new floor could be installed, the moisture problems needed to be addressed so that the problem wouldn't re-occur. The GWIC board met regularly and asked engineers and consultants to attend their meetings as well. Meanwhile, the bare concrete floor sat, completely surrounded by thick plastic sheets to protect the rest of the Clubhouse from dust and dirt.

The dance classes have been held in the South Meeting Room for the past several months. While the room has been a comfortable temporary home for the group classes, we miss our beautiful Clubhouse! But most of all, we miss the ability to hold monthly dance parties - something the South Meeting Room is too small to accomodate.

Finally, some good news!

Before: The bare floor prior to sealing and waterproofing. The drywall on the lower portion of the walls was removed around the entire perimiter.	Above: The sub-floor arriving at the Clubhouse!
The sub-floor being staged for installation. Behind, the floor has been sealed and waterproofed. The lower portion of the walls has been re-installed and a coat of fresh paint was put on all of the walls.

The group of professionals in charge of this project say they have determined the source of the issues. They made a plan and have gone to work. Floor installation is underway!

We haven't been given a firm date yet, but management estimates that we can resume monthly dance parties this September. We'll keep you posted.

It's been a long time, so in case you could use a reminder, the Just Dance ballroom dance parties are normally held on Friday nights. Depending on the Clubhouse's other bookings (weddings, etc.), the dance party takes place on either the third or fourth Saturday of the month. Tentatively, we're looking at September 27. We're optimistic that we'll be publishing announcements for that soon! Stay tuned...

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UPDATE

August 22, 2013

Good progress this week!

The final waterproofing coats have been applied. The installers have now moved on to the next step - installing the sub-floor.

For dancers, this is a critical part of the process. It's the last time we'll see it. But not the last time we will know it is there. Our feet will thank us for dancing on this floor because of the thick, rubber coating that will provide the finished floor with a flexibility that will absorb shock that would normally occur in our own joints; knee, ankle, you name it. The sub-floor will also protect the flooring on top of it from moisture in the future. The product resembles this photo I found on the website of a flooring company:



As you can see in the photo below, the installers managed to lay approximately 20% of the sub-floor by the end of the day on Thursday.



As always, I'll keep you posted as this project moves forward.

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UPDATE

August 28, 2013

The new floor is almost finished!!!



WOW! We walked in to quite a suprise yesteray afternoon. The Clubhouse looks fantastic!

There is a small amount still remaining to be done at the far end (you may be able to see the subfloor still exposed on either side of the fireplace). There are also unfinished areas at the edges of the stairs where you enter the floor (not pictured). The baseboards will need to be installed, then cleanup and then the removal of all that plastic sheeting is all that is left. The Clubhouse is starting to look great again... finally!

We will meet with management and see if we can get some dance dates on the calendar. More on that as soon as possible...

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UPDATE

August 30, 2013

When we arrived for class, we found most of the plastic sheeting had been taken down. A GCIA member was walking around on the floor, inspecting it. So, we decided to give it a whirl!



We are really impressed. The thick rubber and plywood sub-floor pads this floor and makes it so comfortable! What can I say? Can't wait to dance on it!

Ballroom Dance Party - Saturday, August 17, 2013 at Ballroom City in Villa Park

Vito Magrone will be at Ballroom City this Saturday night! Join Vito and the gang for Cha Cha -- stay for the dance party. We're going to have a G-R-E-A-T time!!!



Click for dance party details.

West Coast Swing and Rumba - Back by Popular Demand!

The students have taken a (very informal) vote, and the verdict is...

Let's do more West Coast Swing and Rumba!!!

We've had so much fun learning the basics of both these dances the past four weeks. The problem is, we're just getting into it and hate to see it end so soon. So, the group has spoken and the fun continues! Starting Thursday, August 1, 2013 Vito will be beginning brand new sessions of these two fabulous dances. If you missed it first time around, consider this the perfect opportunity to join the class. Vito will review all the basics, then we'll move on to some stylish patterns.

Come for one class or both!



West Coast Swing (WCS) is currently one of the most popular dances to learn. You might even call it a dance craze! It is so appealing to dancers because it is incredibly versatile. At first, WCS had roots in Country music and a western or bluesy feel. It still does, but nowadays you'll see it danced to pop music, too. What used to be more of a fun novelty is now quickly becoming a mainstay at ballroom dance parties. This is a dance you'll be able to take with you nearly everywhere you go to dance - from a Western bar to a wedding to a nightclub. You'll be very glad you learned this relaxed, and laid-back dance!



Rumba, the loveliest and smoothest Latin dance, is also perhaps the easiest to learn. Vito is a Latin dance expert. You can read his impressive bio here. You'll be learning from a true professional! In class, Vito teaches basic but beautiful Rumba patterns. But what really sets him apart is that he takes the time to give simple styling tips that make you look great. Few instructors will give you so much bang for your buck!



A note to all you non-dancing "lurkers":

Considering starting but not sure dance is for you? Neither were any of us! If you've been thinking about joining the class but haven't done so yet, why don't you just stop by? You don't have to stay. You can just observe. I can tell you this. We're a regular group of people from the area, from all walks of life. Nothing intimidating here, no ballerinas, nobody taking it too seriously, just a friendly crowd. Dance is great exercise and it's a lot of fun. But mostly, we just come to have a great time! And we always do.

Classes take place at the Georgetown Clubhouse in Wood Dale.

Hope you can join us!

See you out dancing soon,

Sandia

Vito will be at Ballroom City in Villa Park this Saturday Night!

Here are the details. Hope to see you there!