I trust this edition of The Coaster finds you in good spirits. It’s been an exciting summer in Southern California and we have several more months of warm weather to look forward to. With that said, dancing fever is upon us yet again as your favorite dancing shows make their way to a television set near you! This month, acclaimed choreographer and world champion Wendy Johnson will be back to South Coast Dancesport choreographing for our January Showcase. British Open champion Kasia Kozac will be returning as well. With the success of our Coach’s Seminar in August, Kasia will be holding her own Seminar Tuesday, September 8th at 7:00 p.m. Other events of note include the Embassy Dancesport Championships over Labor Day weekend, our new Workshops (beginning next week) and our monthly Practice Party on the evening of Friday, September the 11th, complete with live band!

If you missed it, Charlotte Jorgensen held a Coach’s Seminar at the studio last month that was very well attended. She worked on increasing awareness of your partner’s movement around the floor (with the ladies having an opportunity to try their hand at leading!), developing a sensitivity to direction changes (ever tried dancing with your eyes closed?), and learning to stand up and present yourself with confidence (it was fun to watch the whole room stand a little taller). It was a great hour packed with practical information.

With all the positive feedback from our first Coach’s Seminar, mark your calendar right now for September the 8th (that’s next Tuesday) at 7:00 p.m. Kasia Kozac, one of the studio’s favorite coaches, will be returning for a day of instruction with students and professionals. Kasia is a former United States Latin champion, as well as the winner of the Latin American British Open Rising Star title. An excellent communicator, Kasia’s $10 Coach’s Seminar will cover the basics of body action and a brief discussion on music recognition. Learn what it takes to move like a true Latin dancer and figure out what to listen for in the music. Our Coach’s Seminars are designed for dancers of all levels. And at only $10, this Seminar is an inexpensive way to add valuable knowledge.

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The Embassy Dancesport Championships are coming up this weekend! You’ve seen the professionals dance on television, but have you had the experience to see the best dancers live? This is a perfect opportunity, and it’s right in your back yard. Held at the Irvine Hyatt Regency from September 3rd-6th, this internationally recognized competition is a member of the prestigious World Cup circuit. The top couples in the world take to the floor in a comfortable, audience-friendly setting. Either Saturday or Sunday is an excellent night to come see these professionals in action! To top it off, South Coast Dancesport student Trish Van Mourick will be competing all weekend against competitors from all over the world (even as far away as Hong Kong). We would love to hear your cheers! Click here for information on tickets and session times.

Getting married soon? Know someone who is? Then take a look at South Coast Dancesport’s new Wedding Packages.

Back by popular demand, our Workshops return for a new six-week series! Taught by Ryan Crutcher, these Workshops are progressive classes that grow with you. Each week, Ryan will add information to what you’ve learned in previous weeks. Much more intensive than our nightly Group Classes, these Workshops are fun and challenging. Want to know more about the hugely popular social dance West Coast Swing? Join us Monday at 7:00 p.m. (starting September 7th). Love Country music? Then our Line Dancing Workshop on Wednesdays will be right up your alley. Starting Wednesday September 9th at 7:45 p.m., Ryan will get you Slappin’ Leather with the best of them. The final week of this Workshop (October 14th) will include a night out to In Cahoots to actually use your new Line Dancing skills. Finally, our Salsa Workshop is on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. (beginning September 10th). This class will help you gain confidence in this massively popular social dance that is easy enough for anyone to learn. All classes are $125 for the full six-week series, or you can drop in any night for $25. They start next week!

Speaking of Group Classes, if you haven’t joined us for our nightly classes, September has a great lineup. Click here for our full September calendar.

Finally, our monthly Practice Party is coming up Friday, September 11th from 8:00-10:00 p.m. For the first time at South Coast Dancesport, we will be dancing to a live band! The Jenelle Wax Orchestra will accompany us throughout the evening. Jenelle Wax is a local musician with a love for great live music and ballroom dancing! As a dancer herself, she has selected music that will be high energy and easy to dance to. Expect a full house, so get here at 7:00 p.m. for our free Group Class, then start dancing at 8:00 p.m. Have friends you’ve been thinking of inviting to the studio? This party will be a great environment to bring them. And we’ll be offering fantastic guest specials, too. It’s $5 to come to this party, but guests are free! Bring your dancing shoes and be ready to have a great night out.

Our desire is that The Coaster will help you stay on top of all things dance related in your life. If you’d rather not receive this monthly newsletter or were mistakenly added to the list, please click the ‘unsubscribe’ link on the bottom of the page. But we hope you’ll stay subscribed and join us at any of the events listed above. See you on your next lesson! Have a great month dancing!