Starting in late January, 2010, Valerie will be teaching courses for the Comal ISD Community Education program in 2 different locations: Monday nights 7-9pm at Canyon Lake High School, in Canyon Lake itself, and Tuesday and Thursday nights 7-9pm at Canyon High School in New Braunfels.

All the classes listed below will run in 5-week sessions and will cost $65/couple. To register, call the Comal ISD Community Ed office at 830-221-2116 (they cannot take registrations on line).

[Don't forget to check the San Antonio and San Marcos schedules for more classes on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.]

MONDAYS at Canyon Lake:

Beginning East Coast Swing and Jitterbug, February 22 - March 29: Swing dancing is a "must" for any social situation - casual parties, night clubs, weddings, reunions. We will learn the basic rhythm for both dances, East Coast Swing and Jitterbug, and how to tell them apart; then we start turning the lady and creating interesting patterns which work well to either dance.

Beginning C&W, April 5 - May 3: this class will focus mostly on Two Step with five or six fundamental patterns, but we will also learn at least the basic steps for Western Waltz, Polka, Triple Two Step and Night Club Slow Dancing.

TUESDAYS at Canyon High School in New Braunfels:

Beginning East Coast Swing and Jitterbug, January 26 - February 23: Swing dancing is a "must" for any social situation - casual parties, night clubs, weddings, reunions. We will learn the basic rhythm for both dances, East Coast Swing and Jitterbug, and how to tell them apart; then we start turning the lady and creating interesting patterns which work well to either dance.

Intermediate East Coast Swing and Jitterbug, March 2 - April 6: building on what we covered in the Beginning class, we will create interesting patterns using Sweetheart and Cuddle positions, and we will introduce the cute and eye-catching syncopations and poses. Pre-requisite: Beginning East Coast Swing and Jitterbug.

Beginning West Coast Swing, April 13 - May 12: this is the ultimate dance for fun and personal expression! The patterns resemble those we saw in East Coast Swing, but are performed in a more disciplined structure, in various combinations, embellished with syncopations and flourishes and personal styling. Pre-requisite: Beginning East Coast Swing (strongly recommend Intermediate East Coast Swing, too!).

THURSDAYS at Canyon High School in New Braunfels:

Western Waltz and Night Club Slow Dancing, January 28 - February 25: this class will focus specifically on the 2 romantic dances in the C&W curriculum. Waltzes are distinguished by their 3/4 timing, Night Club dances by their slow beat and almost non-existant footwork. But there is footwork, and technique, and great patterns to both these dances. We will pursue moves that are easy to learn and beautiful to watch!

Beginning C&W, March 4 - April 8: this class will focus mostly on Two Step with five or six fundamental patterns, but we will also learn at least the basic steps for Western Waltz, Polka, Triple Two Step and Night Club Slow Dancing.

Intermediate C&W, April 15 - May 14: we will take our basic Two Step to a higher level, with twirls for the ladies and intricate patterns such as the High Five and Toss Out.

Rates in New Braunfels

Currently the classes being taught here are coordinated through the Adult Community Education program associated with Comal ISD for New Braunfels. CISD sets their own rates, which are dependent on the number of weeks per session -- for Spring 2010, all sessions are 5 weeks, costing $65 / couple. CISD prefers that their dance classes be offered to couples only, meaning the price they list is for 2 people, but singles may contact Valerie directly by email for assistance in finding a partner (nothing is guaranteed).

To register for these classes, contact Comal ISD Community Education at 830-221-2116.

Private lessons in San Antonio and New Braunfels cost $50/hour (may be split among 1-5 people) and can be arranged to fit our busy schedules, by contacting Valerie directly by phone or email.

Don't forget to check the San Antonio and San Marcos pages for more classes!