MinnesotaLindy.COM

Local :: DJ Chad Allen @ Tapestry!

Author: CruelShoes
Subject: DJ Chad Allen @ Tapestry!
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:05 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

_________________
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
~ Oscar Wilde

Local :: Swingin' Back to the Fifties - Scholarship Fundraiser!

Author: CruelShoes
Subject: Swingin' Back to the Fifties - Scholarship Fundraiser!
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:10 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

_________________
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
~ Oscar Wilde

Lindy Lessons and instruction :: Fundamentals Classes with Cindy Gardner in Falcon Heights

Author: CruelShoes
Subject: Fundamentals Classes with Cindy Gardner in Falcon Heights
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:08 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

Online registration: http://www.tcswing.com/lessons.htm#FOUNDATION-BUILDING CLASSES

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_________________
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
~ Oscar Wilde

Local :: The Senders @ Tapestry!

Author: CruelShoes
Subject: The Senders @ Tapestry!
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:00 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

_________________
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
~ Oscar Wilde

Local :: RE: DJ John Zimmerman @ Tapestry

Author: CruelShoes
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:59 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 1

If you missed John spinnin' at Second Saturday Swing Dance, you have another chance this Friday at Tapestry! Start with a swing dance lesson at 8:30 and Zim spins at 9!
_________________
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
~ Oscar Wilde

Tech Support :: RE: Time to say Good day

Author: Azeroth
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:15 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 6

I've cleaned out as much spam in the last two days as I have in the last two years. Thanks guys n' gals.
_________________
~ Shawn

Ask not what your scene can do for you;
Ask what you can do for your scene!

National Events :: Seattle Lindy Exchange 2010! Aug 13-15!

Author: SeattleLindyExchange
Subject: Seattle Lindy Exchange 2010! Aug 13-15!
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:57 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

Save the date! More info to come....

Seattle Lindy Exchange
The Northwest's best with sizzling special guests!
Aug 13-15, 2010

Questions? Contact seattlelindyexchange@yahoo.com
_________________

Tech Support :: I just want to say good day

Author: Anonymous
Subject: I just want to say good day
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:54 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

I'm brand new here on the place, discovered it by browsing google.
I count on talking in relation to numerous topics with every body.

National Events :: Enter the Blues 4 - Atlanta

Author: EntertheBlues
Subject: Enter the Blues 4 - Atlanta
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:01 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

Enter the Blues 4
May 21-23, Atlanta, GA

We're proud to announce that EtB4 is prepped to be the biggest, best EtB yet! We've kept the top-quality instruction level and the full nights of dancing, but we've added new talent and new competitions!

Instructors:
Don West and Tina Davis
Mike Legett and Reuel Reis
Mike Roberts and Laura Glaess
Plus special guest instructors!
Check out the Instructor Bios (link to http://www.entertheblues.com/etb4-instructors.html)

Competitions:
12-Bar Blues Jack and Jill
Jazz Blues Jack and Jill
Choreography Competition
For more information, check out the Competitions Page (link to http://www.entertheblues.com/etb4-competitions.html)

Early Bird Registration Is Open! Right now, it's only $90 for the whole shebang- and what a shebang it's going to be! So register early, and prepare for one heck of an event.

http://www.entertheblues.com/etb4-registration.html

National Events :: RE: bluesSHOUT! 2010 Texas Throwdown

Author: Swingmegg
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:26 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 17

yep i'm in -- doing a dance pass i think.
_________________
~~Ginger

We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They who love dancing too much seem to have more brains in their feet than in their head. ~~Unknown

National Events :: RE: bluesSHOUT! 2010 Texas Throwdown

Author: mtlaneyb
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:35 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 17

anna and ben also. ginger??

MinnesotaLindy User Blogs :: Sweet, Sweet Molasses Blues

Author: Azeroth
Subject: Sweet, Sweet Molasses Blues
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:08 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

Recently I attended just my second out-of-town blues dancing event -- Sweet Molasses Blues (SMB). It was a fantastic weekend. Workshops basically on time, dances were well attended, DJs were phenomenal and the band was great (until they got drunk, more on that later). Meanwhile, many great new friends were made! The essence of a perfect travel weekend.

SMB is a workshop weekend with 3 main dances (w/late nights). This is the 2nd, aptly named "We're going to need a bigger jar." John, a large man with a bald head, was lead organizer and near as I can tell he did a fabulous job of managing the event. Having hosted so many events of mine own, I know that is credit to him AND his staff. Attendees included [former] MN's and Chicagoans Ben, Mattia, Jamison, Sara, John, and Ruby to name a few. Instructors this year included:

* Damon Stone & Heidi Fite
* Joshua Boroff & Devona Cartier
* Tina Davis & Don West
* Ogden Sawyer & Amanda Gruhl
* Shawn Hershey
* Julie Brown
* Gui Cavalcanti & Jenn Martinez

It's a fairly tight line up! While I wish I had attended more classes, I had a great time meeting new friends.

While I took 3 of 4 classes on Saturday, Sunday I spent with my host, her guests and several nearby houses having a substantially enjoyable brunch. We spent the morning afternoon making foods, eating foods, browsing the onlines, singing songs, and finally watching a great game of Olympic Gold Medal Hockey.

Old friends Tim, Khrysti, and Terri were there along with all sorts of new friends in Danielle, Sara, Emily, Adam, Carrie, Emelio, Lissa, Allena, Claudia, Patrick and few more that escape me momentarily. One of the fantastic things about exchanges and workshop weekends is the opportunity to meet fantastic people. While I said before that I wish'd I had taken more classes, I don't feel bad about it as I thoroughly enjoyed the company I was in. Later we went to their Blues Jam at a local bar and then watched "The Imposters" at Tim and Khrysti's "Bad Good Movie Night". (It was cool, I recommend it.)

In Summary,

Workshops and Exchanges are great for so many reasons. The dance we do is called a "social dance" for good reason. A good event provides opportunity and balance between dancing/learning/competitions and good social interaction. It cannot be micromanaged, and social interaction cannot be guaranteed, it is very dependent on the attendees and hosts. SMB was structured with a good balance between dance and socialization, while I was fortunate enough to be in a particularly social home. By not attending as many classes, I converted the event from a workshop weekend for me to more of an exchange. I was very happy with that. Events are about the dance, the people, and the fun. SMB Delivered on all three and I definitely recommend it in the future.

~ Shawn

P.S. 2011? Yea, That's gonna be Sweet Molasses Blues Shout!, so I'm likely to be back!

P.P.S. Most photo credits go to Ben Hejkal Photography.
_
From the Other Side - An Organizer's Notes
There were only four marks that I have to make on event organizing:

1. Homestay Announcements
2. Drunken Musicians
3. Internal Communications
4. Customer Survey

1. The homestay announcements came out a full 5 days before the event. For my own part, I was already working in Reno at that time and I had a few special circumstances to negotiate with my host and fellow guests. When I finally got to act on my notice, it was but 4 days before the event, and three days before resolution. While that certainly was enough time, it only worked out because Danielle is so awesome. Homestay should have notifications released 11-14 days beforehand to give guests and hosts the opportunity to make special accommodations as needed.
Homestay is a challenging nut to crack, I always recommend out-sourcing it to someone who does nothing else for the event and give them strict timelines to meet. Closing housing 14 days out is a must, but then again so is keeping a reserve home for any late registrations that need/want late-date homestay, as annoying as that is to deal with, the emergency house makes it tolerable.
2. The band was pretty good, mixed a bit loud for my tastes, but good. Until their last set! Somehow, they got pretty damn drunk and instead of singing the lead vocalist was just yelling into the microphone. I napped through the entire third set and struggled to avoid a head from the grating noise that bellowed throughout the building.
3. On Friday I had dropped off fliers for North Star Blues and Midwest Lindyfest on the flier table. The flier table was absolutely packed with fliers. Saturday, however, none of the fliers were to be found! During the dance that night I did some investigation. I was sent from one person to the other to the other until I got to one fellow who told me that the fliers might have been packed up with Boston Swing Central who runs their Friday Night Blues dance of which was part of SMB. Interestingly enough, after a few more people, I would up asking Tim about them and he did pack them up.
The moral about internal communications from that story is that the organizing team should be available to answer difficult queries like that and the volunteer staff should know where to send people with challenging questions. Your guests should not be the ones running around trying to find answers, that is the job of staff and volunteers.
4. They ran a customer survey after the event. The survey was emailed to registered attendees a few days following the event. I think this is something that every event should do. Kudos. Normally events tend to only hear of the good and only rumors of the bad (unless its really bad, like, say, the 55 degree Barn at NSB!). The survey provides a direct means to relay constructive feedback to the organizers in an anonymous, helpful manner. I know it is scary to hear what people really think, but it's absolutely necessary for growth! Way to go SMB!
_________________
~ Shawn

Ask not what your scene can do for you;
Ask what you can do for your scene!

National Events :: RE: bluesSHOUT! 2010 Texas Throwdown

Author: orange
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:19 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 17

I'm going! Are you going?

list:
laney
me
susan
joe
anna
ben
ginger
you?

<<edited to add people>>
_________________
- eryn

Once, I went into a knife shop and said, "Here's million dollars. I'd like to buy a knife." The guy said, "NO, money can't buy knives."

National Events :: RE: bluesSHOUT! 2010 Texas Throwdown

Author: snagglepuddlian
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:58 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 17

The early bird gets the cheapest pass, and if you haven't had a chance to register yet the clock is ticking...

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR EARLY BIRD...
TODAY is the last day you can register for bluesSHOUT! Austin! at the Early Bird price. At midnight the price jumps from $115 to $145 for a full weekend pass. That pass gets you into all the classes, dances and competitions throughout the weekend.

BUT IT'S THE FIRST DAY FOR DANCE ONLY PASSES...
The Dance Only pass will be available starting today at $75! That pass will get you into all evening and late night dances during bluesSHOUT! You can also enter any of the bluesSHOUT! contests for FREE with this pass.

AND DON'T FORGET HOUSING AND YOUR T-SHIRT!
Housing for bluesSHOUT! Austin! will close on Wednesday, March 31st. Priority for housing assignments will go to folks who have registered AND paid for a Full Weekend or Dance Only pass. Don't get left out in the cold (or really, a hotel). Pre-orders for t-shirts will also close on March 31st.

For any and every thing about bluesSHOUT!
Check out the website: http://www.bluesshout.com/2010/
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bluesshout
Or on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bluesshout

Blah blah... :: RE: Want herb seeds to plant?

Author: kitkat
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:10 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 13

If I make it to Tap tonight, I'll be bringing my seed collection. I'm up to 30 packets or something--I collect far more than I can plant.
_________________
"So grab a newbie and enter a jam. Or challenge some other good dancer with a newbie. Or whatever. Share the joy." -Julius
"I think you're just a syncopation junkie, Katie." -Bilo