Guess what folk... the Simply Chique Weekend is NEXT weekend!!!!! Are you as excited as we are????
For all of you who arrive early... we're kicking off the weekend on Thursday with
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Rhythm Ryding
@
Akron City Club Bistro & Bar
7PM - 10PM
No cover
The Ryders along with Tykmyn, maybe a few other special guests will be in the house gettin' our party on... who knows, we might have a few additional tricks up our sleeves....
The hospitality suite will be open at the host hotel on Friday from 3pm - 7pm so stop in, grab a snack, pick up all your particulars for the weekend
Friday night, the doors open at 7PM over at the Greystone for the Meet & Greet
Saturday morning, the hospitality suite will be back open from 10AM - 4PM to replenish yourselves once you get your workout on in the workshops....
Maps, Parking info, itineraries, where to go - will all be available at the front desk of the host hotel, in the hospitality suite, and at the Greystone. But feel free to use the following links: Venue Map Parking Map Weekend Itinerary Where to go
Contact information incase you need to talk to someone
Ivy: 330.701.3439
Jennifer: 330.608.8552
Valerie: 330.907.7277
Just to reiterate: the weekend itinerary
Thursday
Rhythm Ryding
7PM - 10PM
Akron City Club Bistro & Bar
20 W. Mill St
No cover
Free parking after 6 in the hotel garage... follow the signs
After partying
10PM until
Fatz
271 S Main S
No cover
Free parking on the street or in the lot just south of the venue
Friday
Hospitality Suite/Registration
3PM - 7PM
Quaker Square Inn
135 S. Broadway St
Free parking in the lot for hotel guests
Meet & Greet
8PM - 2AM
Doors open at 7PM
Food served 9:30 - 11:30
Greystone Hall
103 S. High St
Free parking in the garage across the street
Saturday
Workshops
10:00 - 12:30 Trainers Workshop with Dave Maxx $40
10:00 - 11:30 Fundamentals Workshop with Maurice Turner & Swan $20
1:00 - 2:30 The Art of Walkin with Dave Maxx $25
2:30 - 4:00 A Higher Level (Int/Adv) Workshop with Maurice Turner & Swan $25
Greystone Hall
103 S. High St
Free parking in the garage across the street
Hospitality Suite open at the hotel for food and beverage
Quaker Square Inn
135 S. Broadway
Main Event
8PM - 2AM Food served 9:30 - 11:30
Greystone Hall
103 S. High St
Free parking in the garage across the street Sunday
Farewell Bruch
12PM - 5PM
Fatz
271 S. Main St
Free parking on the street or in the lot just south of the venue
$50 gets you in all Weekend - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!
Can't swing the whole weekend?
Well then you pick your night - Friday or Saturday - $25 IN ADVANCE gets you fed and in the door. At the door there will be inflation, we gotta wait and react (get the cooks fired back up, etc), you gotta pay. So help us plan and save yourself $10 by getting your ticket now.
Email us rhythm_ryders@yahoo.com to sign up for the workshops or to schedule your private lessons...
On to the 411 (from Jennifer's perspective)
So to know me is to know that I'm real meticulous about my dance instruction, I'm all about knowing who to go to see to fulfill my needs. For the Simply Chique weekend we have a lot of top notch folk in the place to be who may or may not be doing workshops but if you have opportunity to get some of their insight you'll be better for it. To assist that end I thought I'd offer a break down of "what for" for all who don't know, based on what I've experienced... Here goes it. Stepper Profiles:
Dave Maxx
If you want to learn how to teach this dance, especially the lead, you need to come see Maxx. Period. Which is why I sold an arm to talk him into offering the Art of Teaching - A Trainer's Workshop. Across the country, the Mak3 Leader has been the most consistent product I've encountered - which tells me he has a system, a framework, conducive to building a foundation in someone. So as an instructor...a torch bearer for this dance, you owe to it yourself, you owe it to your students to get to this workshop. I know some of us think we got it but...come see, there's always room to grow and this is a prime opportunity. Like I said, I really had to sell him the idea, this is not information he presents to anyone outside of his team so DON'T SLEEP. You might not get another chance.
...bring your questions, pen, paper and be ready to STRETCH...your mind that is
Maurice Turner
Whew! This is an intense dance. First of all he is FINE and then he gets to singing in your ear, shit. It's difficult to allow yourself to go there with him and come back straight (lol) but not because of the aforementioned...let's talk about flow. Maaaaaaaan, Maurice will have you on a ride for real, one that just rolls. I know a lot of steppers skate but Maurice's dance feels like you're on wheels. So it you want to learn how to roll come see about Unique Maurice. He's got a nice framework too so, hint hint. Ask questions...
Who's next Malik Emir El aka Swan
You want to learn how to groove? Swan brings the funk out of you. He'll teach you how to listen to and express the music. If you're out here looking like everyone else, Swan will break that. He'll teach you how to transition yourself, in all that the word means - regarding style, regarding space, regarding movement. And finessing the lady? Pssht...Ladies get a dance, you'll feel like a lady, a queen, loved and adored. Fellas get a lesson, if any one are you are out here giving (or trying to give) every lady the SAME dance, there is a problem. Make your appointment now, lol.
Tykmyn
Hmmmmmmm. How to dance to the music... How to hear the music in different ways... Handles - pressure, torque, positions, points of contact. I've never met, danced with ANYONE so adept at manipulating movement with ease. Another seamless experience if you're willing to submit to it. And don't come over asking for a "move"... sure he can teach you a "move" but you'll get more out of it if you ask him to teach you a concept "how to manipulate movement", "how to travel", "how to trio". Moving on...
Ms. Erika Little
Ya'll know this is my girl but biases aside she is COLD at taking whatever you are working with and ironing it out. If you're struggling with something or just can't get the mechanics right, Erika will get you together. She is excellent at getting people moving. Especially for end level beginners who want to transition to that "next" - holla atcha girl!
Let's see....
Charnice, Melanie, Tisa, Deon, Cheryl, Monique SharonSistas in Sync
A "Ryder" in its truest form, Charnice floats on top of the music. So if you want to learn how to carry yourself throughout the dance, soft landings, rhythmic movement, fluidity, fierce feet - SiS will get you going. Secondly, if you lack authority in your dance... come holla. Following is our first priority as followers (duh) so there's a lot of submission but at the same time we need to make a contribution to the moment. A good dance requires feedback. SiS will learn you some following, then learn you some authority.... Unless your base isn't up to par, then its back to the basics. Can't build on sand around here (better get to work now) Gentleman, I recommend you see Niecy on some Walkin' too...
The Farr's
Deon & Mykel
Makin' it work. Need someone to articulate some things for you? Breaking things down? I don't care what it is, they'll get you together on it.... They've got drills for days to assist you in developing in ANY area and they come with the details, details, details, to make it work for you.
Keith Hubbard Romancing the Dance
What can I say... this is another of those intense experiences that you need to prepare for...lol. Seriously though, if you're really interested in getting schooled on this thing called steppin', understanding this dance, this culture, the romance of it, you need to holla at Keith. For real.
Candace Hinton & Feo Duncan Flint's Finest
Well, the obvious answer is PARTNERING, lol. Knowing where your partner is and moving accordingly, sharing space, trust, feedback, transferring energy... Candace moves and feels like butter so ladies if you're heavy... come see about her.... Feo's timing is fierce and so are his handles... Worth putting some time in with these two!
The only question that remains is "Are you ready to Ryde?" See you sson
