The month of May came and went so fast, it's hard to believe it’s June!! Group Classes will be back in session starting Tuesday and Wednesday, and it’s time for the Summer Sizzle Dance Party. Plus, we are cleaning out our closets with a sale. Maybe June will slow down a little bit so we can smell the roses...and dance in the sand...

High Powered West Coast Swing - Get in the Groove on Monday, June 6 - read more Upper Level Workshops: Rumba, Fox Trot, Salsa, Waltz - a new dance every Monday - read more Blacksburg Group Classes - Begin Tuesday & Wednesday, June 7 & 8 - read more Summer Sizzle Dance Party - Saturday, June 11 - read more $hoe $ale (and more) - nearly everything is nearly half off! - read more What’s Up With Pre-Dance Lessons? (and should I come to one?) - read more

Dates to remember:

Summer doesn't mean "time to let your dancing go" - there's always lots going on!

Monday, June 6 - Summer Dance Camp for Teens begins
Monday, June 6 - High Power West Coast Swing begins
Tuesday & Wednesday, June 7 & 8 - Group Classes begin in Blacksburg
Saturday, June 11 - Summer Sizzle Dance Party with Salsa Lesson
Monday, June 27 -Session #2 of Summer Dance Camp for Teens begins
Tuesday & Wednesday, July 5 & 6 - Group Classes begin in Blacksburg
Saturday, July 9 - American Made Dance Party
Monday, July 11 - Silver Waltz begins
Tuesday, Sept 6 - Fall Sampler: Free Intro Lesson

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We know you “Westies” have been anxiously awaiting the next High Powered West Coast Swing class on Mondays nights. Wait no longer! The first class begins Monday, June 6, at 7pm. Join in to explore some cool patterns that will illustrate a bunch of concepts sure to amp-up your dancing.

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Monday nights are becoming a buffet, an eclectic mix, an artful collage, an enticing collection. No matter what night you look at, you will see something cool! And if you look at any given month you will surely see a dance that strikes your fancy. So check out the line-up for June and July which includes Rumba, Fox Trot, Salsa, Waltz, East Coast Swing and Hustle, http://www.sapphiredance.com/int-adv-wksp.php.

On that line-up, you will notice one workshop in July called “Dancer’s Choice.” The workshop in June (or whatever the previsious month was, if you're looking at a Dancer's Choice later in the year) with the highest attendance will come back for an encore performance - stepping up the level and adding new themes. Your presence is a vote for your favorite styles, so get up, come out, cast your ballot and reap the rewards!

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4-Week Group Classes, oh, how we missed you!

Blacksburg Classes are back and ready to heat up the summer with Salsa, West Coast Swing, Night Club 2-Step, Hustle, and Polka. You heard me: Polka! This fun, bouncy dance is the newest addition to the styles available in Blacksburg; don’t miss it’s debut. You can find the line up for June and beyond at http://www.sapphiredance.com/groupclasses.php.

Don’t forget about Sapphire's group class loyalty program. If you take three 4-week group classes within six months, you get half off your 4th class. Dance classes are like potato chips, one is never enough, so take advantage of this hefty discount!

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It's gettin’ hot in here! The summer heat is creeping in and we are embracing it for our June Dance Party. Yes, we will keep the AC on full blast… so that no one has to hold back on the “HOT” dancing! What’s hotter than Salsa? Join us for this spicy lesson at 7:30, just the beginning of the sizzlin’ night full of dancing that begins at 8:30. Wear your reds, oranges and yellows...and you may want to bring a pair of shades because it’s going to be flaming in here!

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Even though it's june, we are still spring cleaning and want to trim our shoe inventory so that we can add some fresh styles back in. We need to make room! For the month on June, we are taking 40% off almost 80% off our shoe inventory. So... nearly everything is nearly half off! :^)

If you have been thinking about buying a pair of shoes, now is the time! The sale will run the entire month. That’s plenty of time to get in here and try some different styles on. But don’t let it pass you by: this is one heck of a deal!

While the discounting mood is in the air, there are also some t-shirts and bags that will be significantly discounted. Once we clear these out we may just have to design a new Sapphire T-shirt!

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They are fun and cool; and... yes, you should.

If you have never been to one of our pre-dance lessons before, you should know that they are unique, specifically geared toward entertaining, teaching, and helping everyone - not one particular level.

Teachers at Sapphire Dance Parties never know who is going to show up, for the dance or the lesson, and that is part of what makes the whole thing so wonderful!

There could be some people walking onto the dance floor for the first. time. ever.
There could be some trying the featured dance style for the first time, but have danced a bit before. And there will probably be some who love that style and come to see what cool new thing they can add to their dancing. Likely - there will be some of all three groups.

Even with all that uncertainty, there are a few facts you can count on at every Sapphire Pre-Dance Lesson:

Fact #1: We will ALWAYS start with a basic step. People say all the time, “I am not good enough to come to a dance yet!” It make me so sad. That is just never true. Even the most beginner dancers are welcome at Dance Parties and especially at the Pre-Dance Lesson. What might be true is that the last move featured in the lesson is a bit beyond your current skill level. Don’t sweat it - other people are surely feeling same way.
Fact #2: Pre-Dance Lessons get harder as they progress. Moving on from the basic, the teacher will then ease the pre-dance lesson into another fundamental move. Then, a little more than halfway through the hour, they try to knock the socks off the seasoned dancers. So, if you are a beginner, make sure you join the lesson at the beginning! Even if you know the dance, you may still want to see the fundations that will build into the harder pattern.
Fact #3: There are always multiple Sapphire staff members there to answer questions, help you feel good with your dancing, and have fun, both during the lesson and after. Ask them to dance, for help, anything you need. As long as it has to do with dancing! (We don't clean gutters, for example.)
Fact #4: Our dance community is AWE-some. They are friendly, welcoming, and happy to dance with you and answer your questions. Changing partners is encouraged during the Pre-Dance Lesson, which gives you a chance to meet these wonderful people and benefit from their knowledge.

In general, you should look at Pre-Dance Lessons as an opportunity to meet people, learn something cool, and become a part of a really nice community, as well as a great time to improve your dancing.

Still nervous about joining in? Sometimes, you just really need to feel like you are surrounded by peers. If you want that strictly beginner environment, check into the Friday night “Cheaper-Than-A-Movie” beginner workshops. They also give you the chance to meet other dancers in the process of figuring it all out, try new dance styles, and everything starts with the a basic step.

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