Hot Ginger are excited to announce another one-day Balboa workshop!

We’re continuing to work to get this exquisite swing dance up and running here in Birmingham with another day long workshop.

Taught by Stephen Badham and Kerstin Treder at The Corks Club in Kings Heath, Birmingham on Saturday 18th May 2013, the workshop day will coincide with our Prohibition Party dance night.

So why not make a day of it? Learn the moves from 11am – 5pm, go home, take a break, get your glad rags on and come back to hit the dance floor at 8.00pm and swing the night away!

Attendees can chose between booking single workshops or all four at once.  To get the biggest benefit from the workshop it is recommended that all four classes are attended as there will be a natural progression throughout the day.

No former experience of Balboa is required.  The workshops are suitable for complete beginners looking learn the basics or for improvers looking to, well, improve! Stephen and Kerstin will be on hand to help iron out any creases in your technique and give you the latest approaches on this wonderful swing dance.

PLEASE NOTE: Although we will teach the basics, there will be plenty for those with a little more experience to learn. Our classes always cover the fundamentals for beginners as well as introducing some more challenging aspects for those who want to improve. We always make sure we introduce new moves and concepts to keep those with some experience interested!

The classes will consist of:

11.00am – 12.00pm: Pure Balboa Basics.  Learn the  basics what Balboa is and perfect the steps to Pure Balboa.

12.15am – 1.15pm: Bal Swing Basics.  Learn a simple Bal Swing step.

Lunch (not provided, but available locally, or bring your own!)

2.30pm – 3.30pm: Pure Balboa Plus.  Learn more about Pure Balboa and perfect the different styles of footwork, including some interesting variations for those with some experience.

3.45pm – 4.45pm: Bal Swing  Plus.  Perfect your Bal Swing and learn a more complex Bal Swing move.

Classes will cost £5 each or £16 if all four are booked at once.  That’s a great saving on a fantastic full-on day of swing dance lessons!  Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the Prohibition Party night at a special reduced price.

Bookings can be made by Paypal, see below.  Alternatively you can send a cheque or pay by bank transfer, please email info@hotginger.org for details.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU INCLUDE THE NAMES OF ATTENDEES WHEN BOOKING.

PLEASE NOTE:  Because of space restrictions places are limited.  To ensure even lead/follower numbers we ask that people try to book on as couples, although we will accept bookings from individuals.

All the best!

Stephen, Kerstin, Andy and Lorna

May 18th sees the return of our ever-popular Prohibition Party theme.

Our previous Prohibition Parties have been a roaring success with lots of people getting into the spirit of things and donning their best vintage clobber for a fantastic night dancin’, drinkin’ and daring dresses at our very own speakeasy.

Er…. what’s a Prohibition Party? you ask.

Okay, it’s a Gangsters and Molls night, but we’re betting it’s the only one you’ll ever go to with authentic music from the Roaring Twenties and bar prices to match!

So guys, get that pin-striped double-breasted suit from the back of the wardrobe, and girls, think feather boa! We’re going dappers and flappers.

But that’s not all, we’re also running a day-long Balboa workshop so that people can strut their stuff with this original 20s dance! Full details here.

Tickets will be available on the door on the night, £7 if you bring one of our flyers (print it out from here!), or £8 without a flyer.

Hot Ginger are excited to announce another one-day Balboa workshop!

We’re continuing to work to get this exquisite swing dance up and running here in Birmingham with another day long workshop.

Taught by Stephen Badham and Kerstin Treder at The Corks Club in Kings Heath, Birmingham on Sunday 21st April 2013.

Attendees can chose between booking single workshops or all four at once.  To get the biggest benefit from the workshop it is recommended that all four classes are attended as there will be a natural progression throughout the day.

No former experience of Balboa is required.  The workshops are suitable for complete beginners looking learn the basics or for improvers looking to, well, improve! Stephen and Kerstin will be on hand to help iron out any creases in your technique and give you the latest approaches on this wonderful swing dance.

PLEASE NOTE: Although we will teach the basics, there will be plenty for those with a little more experience to learn. Our classes always cover the fundamentals for beginners as well as introducing some more challenging aspects for those who want to improve. We always make sure we introduce new moves and concepts to keep those with some experience interested!

The classes will consist of:

11.00am – 12.00pm: Pure Balboa Basics.  Learn the very basics what Balboa is and learn the steps to Pure Balboa.

12.15am – 1.15pm: Bal Swing Basics.  Learn a simple Bal Swing step.

Lunch (not provided, but available locally, or bring your own!)

2.30pm – 3.30pm: Pure Balboa Plus.  Learn more about Pure Balboa and swing music and perfect the different styles of footwork.

3.45pm – 4.45pm: Bal Swing  Plus.  Perfect your Bal Swing and learn a different Bal Swing move.

Classes will cost £5 each or £16 if all four are booked at once.  That’s a great saving on a fantastic full-on day of swing dance lessons!  

Bookings can be made by Paypal, see below.  Alternatively you can send a cheque or pay by bank transfer, please email info@hotginger.org for details.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU INCLUDE THE NAMES OF ATTENDEES WHEN BOOKING.

PLEASE NOTE:  Because of space restrictions places are limited.  To ensure even lead/follower numbers we ask that people try to book on as couples, although we will accept bookings from individuals.

All the best!

Stephen, Kerstin, Andy and Lorna

Yes, Hot Ginger is back for 2013 with our Tootsie Roll dance night at our regular venue of the Corks Club, with its great big dance floor, fully licensed bar and hot tunes!

Tickets are a bargain £7 with one of our flyers, which you’ll be able to find in various outlets around Birmingham or just print this one off – or it’s £8 on the door.

It’s the first Hot Ginger since our sold-out Christmas Swing Clash so make sure you get there, because it promises to be an unmissable night of vintage fun!

Our next event will be a battle of the best in vintage and 21st century swing! The classic age of the big bands meets the bolshy brass and big beats of Electroswing.

A collaboration between Hot Ginger, JazzJiveSwing and The Electro Swing Circus this event promises to be a special one.

We’re bringing the best of the vintage and contemporary swing scenes together for a night of big brass and big bass with the best of Birmingham’s vintage bohemians.

Whether you’re into the swinging big band sounds of the 30s, 40s and 50s, or prefer the heavy beats of electroswing there’ll be something for you.

We’ll have the best in live music from gypsy jazz band Playing Django and the fiery electro beats and dazzling live show from The Electro Swing Circus as well as music from some of the best DJs around.

We’ll be running a swing dance class, circus cabaret and some fine vintage fun.

Get out your glad rags and prepare for a night of yuletide awesomness. It’s going to be legen….wait for it….dary!

VENUE:
Hare And Hounds
106, High St, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7JZ.
http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

DATE AND TIME:
Saturday 15th December 2012
8pm til late.

TICKETS:
£10 adv booking.
Tickets now available via The Ticketsellers and booking is highly recommended – http://www.theticketsellers.co.uk/tickets/christmas-swing-clash/10023737

We’re exceedingly proud to announce that we’ve secured internationally renowned Balboa teachers, and multiple competition winners, Mickey Fortanasce and Kelly Arsenault for a one-day workshop in Birmingham on 9th September 2012.  The city’s first ever workshop with international swing dance teachers!

Aimed a improver and intermediate Balboa dancers, the workshop is intended to provide an opportunity for people to take the their dancing to the next level and give them the skills and confidence they need.  This one-day event will be a great stepping stone for those who know Balboa, but are perhaps apprehensive about attending full weekend events.  The workshop will also be great for intermediate dancers who want to hone their skills and revisit the fundamentals of Balboa. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to learn from the best!

The workshop will be held in the Performance Studio at mac in Birmingham’s leafy suburb of Edgbaston from 10.30am – 6.00pm and will consist of four hours of classes with an informal dance afterwards.

As the workshop is aimed at those with at least some experience of Balboa, attendees will need to know the basics including Pure Bal Basic, Lollies, Scoots, Come-around and Throwout.

The cost for the full day is only £55 per person.  To book your place, please fill in the form below.  We will confirm your place via email and send instructions on how to pay.

BOOKING FORM: PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BOOK!

There is plenty of free parking at mac, comprehensive directions can be found here: http://www.macarts.co.uk/plan-your-visit/getting-here/

Please email any questions to: info@hotginger.org

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham on 9th September!

See Mickey and Kelly in action here:

Hot Ginger would like to thank AYD Balboa and All Jazzed Up for their help and advice in organising this event.

Hi all

We’re really pleased to announce that we’ll be starting another course of  Balboa classes which will begin on Wednesday 23 May 2012 and run every Wednesday until July 25th.

The classes will start at 8.00pm PROMPT (doors open at 7.45pm) at The Corks Club Ballroom, 225 Alcester Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 6DT .  More information on the venue here.

This time we’ll be teaching two levels of classes:

Beginners: 8.00pm (Suitable for complete beginners and newcomers every week)
Improvers: 9.15pm (Suitable for those who have completed a beginners course or know the basics of Balboa)

Classes will be taught by Stephen and Kerstin, will last an hour and cost £5 per person for one class or £9 for two classes – payable on the door by cash only. Alternatively, we will be offering the chance to make a great saving and pay up-front for the full ten weeks for the price of eight weeks:

10 weeks, one class per week –      £40 per person
10 weeks, two classes per week – £80 per person

The classes will cover the basics as well as going in to the detail of Pure Balboa and Bal Swing.  We’ll be teaching all the classics as well as some more complex moves including: crab walks, come around, swivels, triple steps, lollies, out and ins, Texas Tommy and others, as well as learning about syncopation and musicality.

The classes will be suitable for complete beginners and improvers.  It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything about Balboa or if you’re looking to improve your basics – there’ll be something for everyone.  You don’t need a partner as we’ll be rotating partners throughout the class.

There will be a social dance and a chance to ask questions after the classes.

It is a good idea to wear suitable shoes for dancing. Gentlemen – leather or suede soles if possible, non-sticking soles are advisable.  Ladies – low heeled or flat shoes are fine, but please no stilettos as that could end in tears!

See you on Wednesday 23rd May!

The Corks Club Ballroom, 225 Alcester Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 6DT

Hi y’all!

We mentioned at last week’s class that we would link to a few videos that show some of the moves we’ve learned over the last few weeks.  Now, we could post a video of ourselves doing this, but figured the people who taught us what we know would be better placed to show you.  So, with that in mind here are some videos that show what we’ve learnt so far.

We should add our thanks to all the fantastic teachers who’ve taught at the workshops we’ve attended, some of whom appear in these videos: Bobby White, Kate Hedin, Adam Speen, Nelle Cherry, Marty Klempner, Alice Mei, Micky Fortanesce, Kelly Arsenault, Nick William, Sylvia Sykes, Anne-Helene and Bernard Cavasa, Dan Guest, Mel & Jo Calanglang, Balboa Bunch, AYD Balboa, JazzJiveSwing and many more!!  If you haven’t already, make sure you get to one of their workshops asap!  Cheers!  Stephen and Kerstin.

Pure Bal Basic:

Come Around Into Lollies:

Tossout/Spike Into Come Around:

Out and Ins: (taught slightly differently and with crossovers which we didn’t yet cover)

Scoots (side steps) and paddles: (These are intermediate lessons – spot Andrea in the background!)