Swing Dance Workshops in Newton with Ryan Francois & Jenny Thomas April 20, 2007

Hop to the Beat Dance Studio (www.HopToTheBeat.com) is excited to bring Ryan Francois and Jenny Thomas back once again for a weekend of Lindy Hop Swing workshops on Friday, April 20 to Sunday, April 22 in Newton. Easily accessible by car and from the T line. No partner required, singles and couples welcome, no experience is required for some of the workshops. Early registration discount price available if registered by 4/11. Full information available at: http://www.hoptothebeat.com/ryan_jenny.html or email [email protected] or call 508-435-2363.

What Is Swing Dancing? Also known as Jitterbug, Jive, East Coast Swing and Lindy Hop. It is a partner dance done to all tempos of Swing music, starting with 1920's hot Jazz and smokin' Blues, Big Band Swing and Jazz Combos of the 1940s to today, the infectious energy of Jump Blues and Boogie Woogie, '50s Rock 'n' Roll, and also includes Rhythm & Blues and many of today's popular contemporary tunes. Lindy Hop is the original style of Swing dancing and has experienced a resurgence across the U.S. and Europe. Born in the late 1920s, evolving out of the Charleston, Lindy Hop quickly became an exuberant swing style which developed with the hot Big Band Jazz sounds of the times. Its exciting presence is seen in the movies A League of Their Own, Malcolm X and Swing Kids. Lindy Hop has continued to evolve over the years, influenced by other dance styles and changes in popular music. It has become an incredibly fun, creative partner dance mixing the classic with the new. With a character all its own, Lindy Hop is hard to resist!

Ryan and Jenny are two of the world's top Lindy Hop dancers today. They starred in the Broadway Musical Swing! as well as contributed most of the choreography. They have appeared at the Tony Awards, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rosie O'Donnell Show and with Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Ryan is the director, choreographer and founder of the Authentic Jazz Dance Company Zoots & Spangles, formed in 1987 and funded by the British Arts Council. His extensive list of credits includes numerous appearances in TV, film and theater, and tours in several dance productions in Europe. He danced in Malcolm X and Stomping at the Savoy. Ryan also choreographed for the movie Swing Kids and A Man for All Seasons, a Dudley Moore tribute at Carnegie Hall. Jenny also has an extensive list of dancing and choreography credits, including appearances in TV and theater. She began as a tap dancer at the age of 4 and won the All England Tap Championships for 3 consecutive years. Stage credits include the London cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance as well as other West End musicals. Early in their collaboration, Ryan and Jenny formed their own act, Over The Top which included Lindy Hop, Jazz, Tap and song. In 1997 they won the Lindy Division of the American Swing Dance Championships and the U.S. Open. Recently their images appeared as dancing elves in the Christmas movie The Polar Express. With rave reviews each time they come, don't miss this opportunity to be awed and inspired by this incredibly talented couple!

Official Website: http://boston.zebratickets.com/event/4013/newton