What a fabulous 2011 it has already been! It was great to see everyone at the first Practice Party of the year in January - to say nothing of the incredible evening we had on our Salsa Night Out on the Town. And then, to top it off, we had our bi-annual Showcase on January 23rd that ranks as one of the best shows we have ever put on. The year is already off to a racing start, and there are several more exciting events in the near future.

This Friday night is our Valentine’s Day-themed Practice Party! Friday, February 4th, we’ll start the evening off with an East Coast Swing class at 7 p.m. followed by great wine, friendly faces and a floor full of dancers. We have an amazing variety of world-class coaches joining us at the studio (Kasia Kozak, Heather Smith, Glenn Weiss, Ron Montez and Marianne Nicole), and two of them will be offering our unique Coach’s Seminars. Several of our students and nearly all of our teachers are preparing for the California Open Dancesport Championships in Irvine in late February (the 17th–20th). We’ll be hosting a Cocktail Party that Saturday night, and it would be great to raise a glass with you as we cheer on our teachers before the evening’s events.

In the two years of South Coast Dancesport’s existence, it is incredible that we have had the opportunity to enjoy the talents of such amazing teachers and coaches.  You already know how good your own teacher is, so we feel like it is icing on the cake when we have the chance to experience instruction from those who train our teachers!

•  Kasia Kozak will be returning to the Studio February 1st (and hosting a Coach’s Seminar at 7:45 p.m.)
• Heather Smith will be joining us for most of the day February 3rd
• Glenn Weiss (former World Ballroom Champion) Monday February 7th and Tuesday the 8th for his first visit to the Studio (Glenn will also be teaching a Coach’s Seminar at 7:45 that Tuesday you won’t want to miss).
• Marianne Nicole (a popular and charming former champion and regular competition judge) will be teaching at South Coast Dancesport on Wednesday, February 16th. 

Finally, we wanted to make sure you plan on joining us this Friday, February 4th for our Valentine’s Day Practice Party.  At 7 p.m. we will start the evening with our Beginner's East Coast Swing Group Class and continue on with the Party. You don't need a sweetheart (but it's okay if you bring one) to join us for this fun-filled evening. This is a great way to hone your dance skills or just enjoy meeting new people and social dancing. There is no charge for this night, so lace up your shoes and join us on the floor!  All of our wonderful teachers will be there, and they hope to have an opportunity to dance with you. So, invite a friend, or two or three, and watch out for Cupid's arrows!

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!