Unlike these cats, fancy shoes are optional, but masks are required.
Happy New Year everyone!
Wishing you all a wonderful 2023 full of joy, adventure, and of course plenty of dancing!
Was your New Year’s resolution to dance more? Then you’re in luck this month. We have an extra hour of social dancing at no extra charge There will still be a free beginner’s lesson from 7-8pm but no intermediate lesson.
Remember to bring cash if you would like to participate in our 50/50 draw.
The details:
– Free Beginner lesson from 7 – 8 PM
– Social dance from 7 – 11 PM
DJ: Rick Gillespie
This dance still requires masks to be worn throughout the event.
Prices:
– Beginner Lesson: Free!
– Dance: $12 member, $15 guest, $7 student
REMINDER: 2023 membership renewals are $20 for the year
Beginner Lesson Details
Our beginner’s lesson instructor is Dalynne Roberts. Dalynne has been dancing West Coast Swing for the past 10 years and travels to compete in improvisation competitions. She is trained in the Swing Literacy Development Method, and teaches Intro to WCS classes at SwingSoul Sundays at the DanceVancouver studio. A natural teacher, speaker, and entertainer, Dalynne is passionate about making every human feel welcome, included, and inspired.
The holidays are upon us and we hope you join us for another fun-filled evening of dancing. There will be some fun holiday music, door prizes, and we again will have our 50/50 draw (bring cash!).
Where: Confederation Centre in Burnaby (4585 Albert Street)
When: Saturday December 10th, doors open at 6:30 pm
– Intermediate lesson from 7 – 8 PM
– Free Beginner lesson from 7 – 8 PM
– Social dance from 8 – 11 PM
Our intermediate lesson will be taught by Celina Villarroel Whiting at 7 pm. This workshop will get you acquainted with your own unique body movement and styling. There will be a focus on solo freestyle, mobility drills and technique that will open up your movement vocabulary.
Our free beginner lesson that also begins at 7 pm and will be taught by Amy Shibasaki.
DJ: Santa Claus
The December dance still requires masks to be worn throughout the event.
2023 membership renewals are $20 for the year (increase from $15).
About our instructors:
Our intermediate lesson instructor is Celina Villarroel Whiting. Celina began her dance journey at the age of 8, starting with Modern dance and then expanding her training to include Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Salsa, Ballroom, Brazilian Samba, Dancehall, and West Coast Swing. She is a professional dancer and instructor with past credits that include music videos, corporate performances, theatre shows, and dance competitions. She is a graduate from SFU with a BSc. Kinesiology and also works as a Practicing Kinesiologist alongside her dance career. Her expertise in both dance and kinesiology allows her to help teach her students to master their own unique movement.
Our beginner’s lesson instructor is Amy Shibasaki. Nicknamed “The Poster Child for People Who Can’t Dance” by her friends, Amy is living (dancing?) proof that anyone can get comfortable on the dance floor. She’s been sharing her love of West Coast Swing with new dancers, with local classes and workshops across BC, for over 10 years with her husband Michael.
We’re excited to welcome you to our 25th Anniversary – cheers to 25 years of the BCSDC!
A bit of our backstory
Just over 25 years ago, the closest West Coast Swing club was located in Seattle and 4 people, Sharole Negrete, Larry Wolf, Chris Desjardins and J.J. Johnson decided a local club was needed. The initial name was North West Swing Dance Club, which was launched as a non-profit and included a Board of Directors. Using the Seattle Swing Club as their model, participants would pay a fee and be given a one-hour lesson, followed by a dance.
With no social media platforms like Facebook back then, Negrete, Desjardins and the others got the word out by hitting up all the local bars and handing out flyers. About 50 people showed up to the first dance, held at Centennial Lodge in Queen’s Park in New Westminster. After operating out of Burnaby’s firefighters’ club, then a few Vancouver halls, the club moved back to Burnaby to Confederation Centre in 2007. Dances were moved from Sunday nights to Saturday nights, and the club’s name changed to B.C. Swing Dance Club. The rest, as they say, is history!
Where: Confederation Centre in Burnaby (4585 Albert Street)
When: Saturday November 19th, doors open at 6:30 pm
Intermediate lesson from 7 – 8 PM
Free Beginner lesson from 7 – 8 PM
Social dance from 8 – 11 PM
Our intermediate lesson will be taught by David Tolksdorff and Claudia Houwers at 7 pm. “1-2 is good for you.” There will be emphasis on everything that fits within the triple.
Our free beginner lesson that also begins at 7 pm and will be taught by Henry Hwi.
The November dance still requires masks to be worn throughout the event.
We are starting renewals for 2023 this month at $20 for the year (increase from $15). Any new member can purchase 2023 and get the rest of 2022 included. You can Click Here To Renew Online Right Now.
About our instructors:
Dave and Claudia have been dancing together for more than 10 years. They both love dancing and prior to getting together they both danced a variety of styles including Ballroom, West Coast Swing and Salsa. They’ve been teaching WCS together for a number of years and enjoy sharing their passion for dance with others.
Henry has been dancing for over 11 years. He started with Salsa and other Latin dance forms, and dabbled with International Ballroom before finding his home with West Coast Swing. Since then, he has increased his WCS dance expression with Tap and Hip Hop.
Feel that chill in the air? Well we know one great way to warm you up, just come on down to Confederation Centre in Burnaby and dance with us on Saturday October 22nd.
Our October dance still requires masks to be worn throughout the event.
The evening starts at 7 pm with lessons.
The free beginner’s lesson will be taught by Celina Villarroel Whiting.
The intermediate lesson will be taught by Amy & Michael Shibasaki and has been dubbed, ‘Not a Fancy Patterns Workshop’. There will be no fancy new patterns here – just skills to allow partners to communicate with each other for a more enjoyable dance.
A friendly reminder (in case you missed it) that the lesson and dance prices have increased effective September 2022 and are as follows:
Where: Confederation Centre in Burnaby (4585 Albert Street)
When: Saturday October 22nd, doors open at 6:30 pm
– Intermediate lesson from 7 – 8 PM
– Beginner lesson from 7 – 8 PM
– Social dance from 8 – 11 PM
About our instructors:
Our intermediate lesson instructors are Amy & Michael Shibasaki. Michael and Amy met at a BCSDC dance and decided to become practice partners to improve their dancing. Along the way, they fell in love and got married. Now they share their love of the dance with the community. They teach group lessons in Burnaby and Vancouver, and workshops around BC.
Our beginner’s lesson instructor is Celina Villarroel Whiting. Celina began her dance journey at the age of 8, starting with Modern dance and then expanding her training to include Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Salsa, Ballroom, Brazilian Samba, Dancehall, and West Coast Swing. She is a professional dancer and instructor with past credits that include music videos, corporate performances, theatre shows, and dance competitions. She is a graduate from SFU with a BSc. Kinesiology and also works as a Practicing Kinesiologist alongside her dance career. Her expertise in both dance and kinesiology allows her to help teach her students to master their own unique movement.
