S! Stewardship Mondays
Int-Adv Classes, DEI, & Teacher Development

S! Stewardship Mondays
Int-Adv Classes, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion Events, Teacher Development, and SwouZy Blues!

Location: 2nd Floor Ballroom @ Hoffner Lodge (in Northside)
4120 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45223, USA

See below for specific details, including sessions, costs, and registration

Current Policies - Click Here!

Pricing and Discounts


General Schedule

6:30-7:30pm Foundational Lesson (Intermediate/Advanced)

7:45-8:45pm Exploratory Lesson (Advanced)

9-9:30pm Rehearsal/Refinement

We will regularly run/practice the following core routines, and possibly others:
Lindy Chorus, Tranky Doo, Keep Punchin' Big Apple, Shim Sham, Jitterbug Stroll

9:30-10:30pm Social Practice Time


Skill Levels/Prerequisites


Partners, Roles, and Rotating

Upcoming & Current Sessions

Teacher Development Event (May 6)

Dates:
Monday, May 6, 2024

Theme:
Classroom Management

Instructing Team:
Bryan Sykes, Joel Domoe, Sam Uebel, Jesse Fatheree

For Full Details, Click Here

Lindy Chorus & Jitterbug Stroll (May 13 &20)

Learn the Frankie Manning's partnered Lindy Hop choreography, The Lindy Chorus and Ryan Francois's Vernacular Jazz routine The Jitterbug Stroll! These two choreographies are know by Lindy Hoppers all over the world. They offer  a great way to join other dancers in fellowship and also improve your technique & movement repertoire.


Dates:
Mondays ~ May 13 & 20

General Agenda:
6:30-7:30pm Class #1
7:45-8:45pm Class #2
9-9:30pm Rehearse
9:30-10:30pm Practice


Specifics by Date:

Mon, May 13
Instructors:  Joel Domoe

6:30-7:30pm Lindy Chorus Part 1
7:45-8:45pm Jitterbug Stroll
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo, Jitterbug Stroll, Keep Punchin' Big Apple

Mon, May 20
Instructors:  Joel Domoe

6:30-7:30pm Lindy Chorus Part 2
7:45-8:45pm Lindy Chorus Part 3, Review Jitterbug Stroll
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo, Jitterbug Stroll, Keep Punchin' Big Apple


Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the practice dance only

SwouZy Blues! (May 27 - Memorial Day)

Dates:
Monday ~ May 27

For Full Details, Click Here

Past Sessions

Intermediatapalooza! (April 15, 22, 29)

Dates:
Mondays ~ April 15, 22, 29

General Agenda:
6:30-7:30pm Intermediate Repertoire Builder
7:45-8:45pm Intermediate Technique Strengthener
9-9:30pm Rehearse
9:30-10:30pm Practice


Specifics by Date:

Mon, April 15 - Movement & Technique
Instructors:  Bryan Sykes & Melanie Myers

6:30-7:30pm Part 1
7:45-8:45pm Part 2
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Mon, April 22 - Musicality
Instructors:  Claire Danna & Daniel Verdon

6:30-7:30pm Part 1
7:45-8:45pm Part 2
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Mon, April 29
Instructors:  Meghan Stapleton & Joseph Symons

6:30-7:30pm Part 1
7:45-8:45pm Part 2
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the practice dance only

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Event (April 8)

Dates:
Monday ~ April 8

For Full Details, Click Here

Switch Workshop - Not a Joke! (April 1, 2024)

For our first S! Int/Adv Session in April (next week, 4/1/23) our fearless instructing team will escort us into the world of switching (i.e. dance roles - lead/follow). No foolin! This evening offers tons of fun, new perspectives, and "opportunities for improvement"

We are hoping to infect Cincinnati's swing dance community with the switching bug. Once it starts spreading, you can't avoid it. So you might as be there at inception! See you Monday night!

General Agenda:
6:30-7:30pm First Class
7:45-8:45pm Second Class
9-9:30pm Rehearsal/Refinement
9:30-10:30pm Social/Practice Time


Specifics by Date:

Mon, April 1 ~ Switch!
Instructors:  Ellie Zhukenova, Joseph Symons, Claire Danna, Delaan Sumler

6:30-7:30pm Switch Roles
7:45-8:45pm Rolling Switches
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the practice dance only

Advanced Lindy Hop! (March 11, 18, 25, 2024)

Dates:
Mondays ~ March 11, 18, 25

General Agenda:
6:30-7:30pm Class Part I
7:45-8:45pm Class Part II
9-9:30pm Rehearsal/Refinement
9:30-10:30pm Social/Practice Time


Specifics by Date:

Mon, March 11 ~ Advanced Lindy Hop
Instructors:  Joel Domoe, Ellie Zhukenova, & Abby Thrasher

6:30-7:30pm Footwork Variations: Rhythm
7:45-8:45pm Footwork Variations: Shapes
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Mon, March 18 ~ Advanced Lindy Hop
Instructor:  Melanie Myers & Joel Domoe

6:30-7:30pm  Adv Lindy Hop Part 1
7:45-8:45pm Adv Lindy Hop Part 2
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Mon, March 25 ~ Advanced Lindy Hop
Instructor:  Claire Danna & Joel Domoe

6:30-7:30pm Adv Lindy Hop Part 1
7:45-8:45pm Adv Lindy Hop Part 2
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus, Shim Sham & Tranky Doo

Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the practice dance only

Teacher Training (Feb 26 & March 4, 2024)

Dates:
Mondays ~ Feb 26 & March 4

General Agenda:
6:30-9pm Teacher Training Workshop
9-9:30pm Rehearsal/Refinement
9:30-10:30pm Social/Practice Time


Specifics by Date:

Mon, Feb 26 ~ Swing Dance Teacher Training I
Instructor:  Joel Domoe

6:30pm  Material/History
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo

Mon, March 4 ~ Swing Dance Teacher Training II
Instructor:  Joel Domoe

6:30pm  Process/Methods
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo

Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the practice dance only


Teacher Training
These two sessions of teacher training are actually independent, but reinforce each other. It's ideal to attend both sessions, but it's OK to attend just one - either one - as well.

Session I: Material/History PreClass Work
If possible, please do the following 3 things prior to class on Mon, Feb 26

Session II: Process/Methods PreClass Work
If possible, please do the following prior to class on Mon, March 4


Jan/Feb 2024 Session (Immersion Nights!)

Dates:
Mondays ~ Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb 5, 12, 2024

General Agenda:
6:30-7:30pm Foundational Lesson (Intermediate/Advanced)
7:45-8:45pm Exploratory Lesson (Advanced)
9-9:30pm Rehearsal/Refinement
9:30-10:30pm Social/Practice Time


Specifics by Date:

Mon, Jan 1 ~ New Year's Day!
No SupermurgaNati Monday on New Year's Day


Mon, Jan 8 ~ Slow Lindy Immersion Night
Instructing Team: Sam Uebel, Katie Spang
6:30pm Dynamics: Speeding Up and Slowing Down
7:45pm Connection: Improv-ing & Improving
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo


Mon, Jan 15 ~ Empathy & Racial Awareness Within The Lindy Hop Community
MLK Day Video Workshop by Collective Voices For Change


Mon, Jan 22 ~ Balboa Immersion Night
Instructing Team: Meghan Stapleton, Daniel Verdon
6:30pm Getting Balbasics In Your Balbones 
7:45pm Dancing Balboa for the WHOLE Song! (What!!!?)
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo


Mon, Jan 29 ~ Blues Immersion Night
Instructing Team: Bryan Sykes, Rachel Payne
6:30pm Blues Clues
7:45pm Sophisticated Blues
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo


Mon, Feb 5 ~ Soul Immersion Night
Instructing Team:  Melanie Myers, Joel Domoe

6:30pm How To Dance to Soul Music Using Your Swing Dance Knowledge
7:45pm Break It Down Like James Brown!
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo


Mon, Feb 12 ~ Zydeco Immersion Night
Instructing Team: Delaan Sumler, Joel Domoe
6:30pm - Zydeco Basics
7:45pm - Laissez les bons temps rouler!
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo


Mon, Feb 19 (President's Day) is our next SwouZy Blues!
Full Details Click Here!


Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the practice dance only


"Immersion Nights"
This session we have five "immersion nights" facilitated by various teaching teams. Each will have a specific dance genre as its focus, but the unifying thread is immersion. We want to spend one night doing a LOT of the particular genre in order to try and ingrain it within the students, the teachers, and the community as a whole. While everyone is welcome and there will be a diversity of experience and expertise working together, the pace will be for slightly more experienced dancers. Please do not let that scare you from being brave and participating as fully as you can. It's ok to make "mistakes," feel confused, and struggle. In fact, you should hope to at least a little!

In the first hour, we will cover some basics and need to know stuff, but it will move quickly and feature a lot of repetition with the intention of getting everyone into the "rhythm" of the dance. The first hour will lay the groundwork for exploration of interesting ideas in the second hour. If you are familiar with the genre of a particular night, these classes will help you become more fluent, natural, and expressive. If the genre is one to which you are new, then the evening will present both a challenge and an opportunity to incorporate it into your lexicon.

As always, Monday classes are intended to train and develop not only individual dancers, but our community as a whole. When we learn together, we become familiar with each other. We deepen and broaden the possibilities for everyone. Thank you for enriching and investing in our community!

December 2023 OneShots (3 Independent Mondays)

Dates:
Mondays ~ Dec 4, 11, 18, 2023

General Agenda:
6:30-7:30pm Foundational Lesson (Intermediate/Advanced)
7:45-8:45pm Exploratory Lesson (Advanced)
9-9:30pm Rehearsal/Refinement
9:30-10:30pm Social/Practice Time

Specifics by Date:

Mon, Dec 4 ~ Tranky Doo Night
Instructing Team: Joel Domoe, Claire Danna, Mary Price, Abby Thrasher, & Emma Unangst
6:30pm Frankie Manning's Tranky Doo Routine Part 1
We'll start in the middle with the tougher parts first. With any luck, we will trick your body into being a great dancer! 😜
7:45pm Frankie Manning's Tranky Doo Routine Part 2
We'll nail down the beginning and the end to get to the whole shebang.
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo

Mon, Dec 11 ~ Moves & Style Night
Instructing Team: Joseph Symons, Emma Unangst, Joel Domoe, & Melanie Myers
6:30pm Intermediate Moves Vocabulary Builder
At least four lead/follow Lindy Hop Moves that will get you out of your rut!
7:45pm Exploring "Style"
Exercises to inform how you & your partner choose to dance
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo

Mon, Dec 18 ~ Combo Night
Instructing Team: Joel Domoe & Sam Uebel
6:30pm Vernacular Jazz & Working It Into Your Partner Dancing
Learn some solo moves and then learn how to make them partner moves! Yay!
7:45pm Build-A-Combo!
        Creative work with a partner to come up with mini routines
        NOTE: For this class we will work with one specific partner for most of the class. We won't be rotating.
        Feel free to bring a partner if you have a preference, or just find one at class.
9pm Rehearse Lindy Chorus & Tranky Doo

Cost:
We want your participation! Pay if you can, but don't let $ keep you away.
No splainin' necessary. Be brave and join us!
Suggested $15/night for both classes and the dance
Suggested $5 after 8:45pm for the dance only

Nov/Oct 2023 Adv Collaborative, Musicality, Lindy Chorus

Mondays ~ Oct 30, Nov  6, 13, 20, 27 (5 weeks)

Instructing Team: Melanie Myers, Bryan Sykes, Rachel Payne, and Joel Domoe


6:30-7:30pm Advanced Swing Dance Collaborative Workshop
          Each week we will have a different topic that is independent of other weeks. We will also have a designated teacher(s) to be the guide for each week/topic. Topics and guides are included in the syllabus (see below). Topics will be presented in a way that includes room for student participation and contribution. We consider advanced class to be a gathering of experienced dancers with a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives.

7:45-8:45pm Musicality + The Lindy Chorus
          Musicality is awareness of the music to which you are dancing. To raise awareness levels, dancers must understand how the music is constructed and what differentiates it from other music. This allows dancers to be more appreciative of the artistic choices that musicians make. It also empowers dancers to make informed interpretations of the music with their movement and partnering. It also enables dancers to be more aware of the choices that other dancers make when interpreting the music.
          The Lindy Chorus is a lindy hop choreography created by the legendary Frankie Manning. After the Shim Sham, The Lindy Chorus is the next most significant historic choreography that any lindy hopper should know. We will not only learn it, but we will get it down and after the conclusion of this class session, practice it each week in our 9-10:30pm DJ Dance.


8:45-10:30pm DJ Dance & Practice
In addition to DJed social dance time, during this period, we will run the Tranky Doo & Lindy Chorus at least once each week and possibly other group dances such as Swing Rueda, Social Big Apple, etc.
DJ Schedule: Oct 30 Joel Domoe, Nov 6 Bryan Sykes, Nov 13 Joel Domoe, Nov 20 Rachel Payne, Nov 27 TBA

Cost:
$15/night for both classes and the dance
$5 after 9pm for the dance only
Package Deal: $60 for entire 5 weeks
Pay at the door with Venmo or Cash
Pay online (link blow) to use a credit card

Oct 23, 2023 Doug & Rachel Night!

One Night Event
6:30-7:30pm Doug & Rachel's Advanced Swing Dance
7:45-8:45pm Rachel and Doug's Musicality
8:45-10:30pm DJ Dance & Practice

Doug & Rachel's Advanced Swing Dance
Every dance is a conversation between partners and the music, expressed as a variety of dynamic shapes. Join Rachel and Doug to explore the ways each partner contributes to the momentum in this collaborative expression of the song.

Rachel and Doug's Musicality
Ever watch someone dance to a song, and they just seem to hit every big moment? Join Doug and Rachel for an introduction to jazz music structure and tips for pursuing musicality - starting with breaking out of your default patterns!

Doug Bae (he/him) found his passion in swing and blues dancing in 2016, and very soon began traveling to learn, compete, teach, and of course dance as often as possible! He is an organizer for PittStop as well as his local scene, the Pittsburgh Swing Dance Community. Doug loves nothing more than to share with others the joy and excitement he experiences while dancing! As a teacher and dancer, he enjoys focusing on connection and energy, responding to his partner, and playing with the music.

Rachel Kreher fell in love with swing dancing at her very first Charleston lesson in 2012, and dove into Lindy Hop with her college performance team friends. She learned all about jump blues music and St Louis Shag in its birthplace from the world-renowned Jenny & Christian, and has spent incalculable weekends traveling to learn, compete, and meet new friends from all over the country. She is ALWAYS excited to use all the experience and knowledge she’s gathered to teach in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas. Best described as an exuberant, not-so-mildly-awkward teacher, Rachel loves to share her passion for dance with anyone willing to learn. Excited to teach Lindy Hop, Charleston, St. Louis Shag, Balboa (and more!), Rachel specializes in technique and developing a deeper understanding and love of the art of dancing.

Cost: $15  before 9pm, $5 after 9pm
Payment Options: Online (Shopify) prior to event, Venmo/Cash at the Door

Int/Adv Lindy Hop & Tandem Charleston - Sep/Oct 2023

6:30-7:30pm, Mondays ~ Sep 11,18, 25, Oct 2, 9, 16
Instructors: Joel Domoe  & Melanie Myers

This class is designed for Intermediate or Advanced level Lindy Hoppers. We will assume that all students know basic 8 count and 6 count patterns and also have some exposure to Side by Side Tandem Charleston. We will explore interesting and challenging figures, go in depth on critical partnering technique, and work to strengthen fundamentals. When working on Tandem Charleston, we will use lead/follow technique and operate from the "Positions, Transitions, and Variations" perspective.

Cost: $15/night or $75/session ($15 discount)
Payment Options: Online (Shopify), Venmo, Cash at the Door

Beg/Int Blues Progressive - Sep/Oct 2023

7:45-8:45pm, Mondays ~ Sep 11,18, 25, Oct 2, 9, 16
Instructors: Bryan Sykes & Delaan Sumler

This class will be accessible to dancers with limited exposure to Blues Dance, but will progress from week to week. Bryan and Delaan will lead students through a variety of styles in the Blues idiom with a focus on movement technique, partnering, musicality, and pattern variation.

Cost: $15/night or $75/session ($15 discount)
Payment Options: Online (Shopify), Venmo, Cash at the Door

Lindy Hop Fundamentals - Sep/Oct 2023

9-10pm, Mondays ~ Sep 11,18, 25, Oct 2, 9, 16
Instructors: Joel Domoe & Emma Unangst

No experience is necessary for this class, but some exposure to introductory swing dancing in any form is helpful. We will each and develop the fundamentals of stance, pulse, frame, connection, positioning and partnering while working on iconic Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Vernacular Jazz patterns of various rhythms.

Cost: $15/night or $75/session ($15 discount)
Payment Options: Online (Shopify), Venmo, Cash at the Door

Advanced Lindy Hop - July/Aug 2023

6:30-7:30pm ~  July 31, Aug 7, 14, 21, 28 (Five Classes)
Instructors: Bryan Sykes and Melanie Myers

This class will be guided by the perspectives of Bryan and Melanie. They will address Mastery of Fundamental Techniques, Higher Level Techniques, Broader Viewpoint Considerations, and Creative Ideas & Patterns. It is intended for experienced Lindy Hop dancers.

Students approved for this class must be proficient in the fundamental 8-count patterns in Lindy Hop, very comfortable with 6-count swing dance (Jitterbug, East Coast Swing), and be generally comfortable on the social Lindy Hop dance floor.

Cost: $15/night or $60/session ($15 discount)
Payment Options: Online (Shopify), Venmo, Cash at the Door

Intermediate Jitterbug - July/Aug 2023

7:45-8:45pm ~  July 31, Aug 7, 14, 21, 28
Instructors: Joel Domoe and Melanie Myers

This class will expand your technique and repertoire within Jitterbug without requiring knowledge of 8-County Lindy Hop.  Making use of primarily 6-count rhythms, we'll work on bumping beginning and intermediate level dancers up a notch or two.

Prerequisites: Students should be comfortable with the basics of 6-Count Swing Dance (Jitterbug/East Coast Swing/Triple Swing) and also have a fundamental repertoire (arch-loop/outside-inside turn, belt turn/feel the tire, cuddle/sweetheart) as if they have attended at least 8 dances (SwinGallery for example), and taken the introductory lesson prior to the dance.

Cost: $15/night or $60/session ($15 discount)
Payment Options: Online (Shopify), Venmo, Cash at the Door

Beginning Balboa - July/Aug 2023

9-10pm ~  July 31, Aug 7, 14, 21, 28
Instructors: Meghan Stapleton and Joel Domoe

This class will introduce you to and get you dancing Balboa and Bal-Swing - swing era dances from Southern California that emerged on very crowded dance floors and were thusly adapted to dancing tight spaces. Balboa can be danced for an entire song, but is also closely related to and danced to the same music as Lindy Hop and Jitterbug. Therefore it these three dialects can also all be used during the same dance.

In the worldwide Swing Dance community today, Balboa is omnipresent and extremely popular, having been revitalized alongside Lindy Hop in the swing dance revival of the 1980s, 90s and 21st Century

This class is open to and appropriate for anyone from brand new dancers to experienced students wishing to gain a more clear and broad perspective.

Cost: $15/night or $60/session ($15 discount)
Payment Options: Online (Shopify), Venmo, Cash at the Door

Int/Adv Lindy Hop with Teaching Topics - June/July 2023

6:30-7:30pm ~ June 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17, 24 (No class July 3), 2023
Instructors: Melanie Myers and Joel Domoe

This class will address Mastery of Fundamental Techniques, Higher Level Techniques, Personal Awareness, and Approaches to Teaching Lindy Hop to others. It is intended for experienced Lindy Hop dancers.

Students approved for this class must be proficient in the fundamental 8-count patterns in Lindy Hop, comfortable with 6-count swing dance (Jitterbug, East Coast Swing), and ideally be familiar on a basic level with the flat sole version of The Shim Sham (choreographers: Leonard Reed, Willie Bryant).

Cost: $15/night or $90/session
Special: Students who pay for the $90 session get 8:30pm entry to SwinGallery on Thursdays June 15, 22, 29, July 13, 20, 27 ($30 value, no cash value, non-transferable)

Intermediate Lindy Hop - June/July 2023

7:45-8:45pm ~ June 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17, 24 (No class July 3)
Instructors: Daniel Verdon, Meghan Stapleton

You are swinging out (at least a little). It's time to expand your vocabulary, refine your technique, and develop your style. This class will cover new moves, rhythm variations and changes, and int+ level techniques/concepts.

Prerequisites: Students should be familiar with fundamental 8-count Lindy Hop Patterns (Swing Out/Lindy Turn, Swing Out from Closed,  Lindy Circle, Side by Side Charleston) relatively comfortable with your chosen role (lead, follow, both) while partner dancing.

Cost: $15/night or $90/session
Special: Students who pay for the $90 session get 8:30pm entry to SwinGallery on Thursdays June 15, 22, 29, July 13, 20, 27 ($30 value, no cash value, non-transferable)

Fundamentals of Swing Dance - June/July 2023

9-10pm ~ June 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17, 24 (No class July 3)
Instructors: Melanie Myers and Joel Domoe

This class serves to create a broad and comprehensive foundation that enables students to not only begin dancing comfortably, but also gain the perspective necessary to pursue higher level swing dancing of multiple idioms. We will develop the technical aspects that run common to all Swing Dance, but also begin some exploration into the uniqueness of different genres. Our base dance will be 6-Count Swing (Jitterbug, as we call it), but we will also expose students to Lindy Hop, Balboa, Partnered Charleston, and Vernacular Jazz.

This class is open to and appropriate for anyone from brand new dancers to experienced students wishing to gain a more clear and broad perspective.

Cost: $15/night or $90/session
Payment Options: Online, Venmo, Cash at the Door
Special: Students who pay for the $90 session get entry to SwinGallery on Thursdays June 15, 22, 29, July 13, 20, 27 ($30 value, no cash value, non-transferable)