West Coast Swing and Tango
4-Week Group Classes
Starting Tuesday, Jan 23 and Thursday, Feb 1
plus some thoughts on what is the difference between Group Classes and Workshops

Workshops, Classes, and Lessons. Oh my!

With so many options for dance lessons, it’s not surprising if you’re unclear on the different benefits or drawbacks for each format. Just to be clear, these definitions are how Sapphire uses these terms.  Other studios may use them completely differently and that’s fine. We try to be as consistent as we can to help you find the right fit.

Lessons

The easy one first - A lesson is any time you get to learn with a teacher involved including workshops, group classes, and private lessons. There are also pre-dance lessons which are very workshop-like, but are also part of a dance party. 

Workshops

Workshops are low-commitment group lessons that give you a self-contained blast of information.  They are a great way to sample several different dance styles, accommodate wacky schedules, or give a style you already know a quick refresher and new inspiration. They are low-commitment because there is no expectation that attendees will have attended the previous lesson and therefore no build from one week to the next, no review, and no repetition or practice.  That freedom can be just the thing when your life doesn’t fit a neatly predictable plan. 

Sometimes, like with Monday Night Deep Dives, we will have a series of workshops.  These are a few independent lessons that support each other in some way. They are still intended to be self-contained but may require an increasing level of previous experience to replace attending the previous workshop(s).  They are workshops with a little bit of a Group Class flavor. 

Friday Beginner Workshops (FBW) and Beginner Line Dance Workshops (BLD) are completely independent - you are welcome to join in at any time with absolutely no experience. Trying to be as clear as possible (again), FBWs do occur in groups: 3 weeks of the same dance style.  But each week starts over from the beginning of that dance and then progresses to something different. If you attend all three weeks, you will see the basic 3 times but also learn something different each week to add to your collection. Similarly, every BLD includes an ultra-beginner dance from the previous workshop, but also something new. Both new and repeat dances are taught from the ground up. You do not need to have attended the previous workshop.

Group Classes

4- Week Group Classes are 4 lessons, one hour at a time, once a week. Occasionally we will plan a Group Class with a different schedule, usually to accommodate calendar challenges.  But they will always follow a flexible syllabus, make continuous progress, and provide ample review and practice time. 

Group Classes provide a path towards solid understanding of a dance style that you can't get with the flexibilty of Workshops. They require a commitment to show up time after time so that everyone in the class can build that foundation. 

If you’ve attended the Friday workshops and found it hard to keep up or to remember what you learned a week later, the structure of a 4-week class would be good for you. Because 4-Week Group Classes follow a syllabus and require repeated attendance, they can tackle harder dances and progress into more advanced material, moving into Level 2, 3, or 4. Workshops (which have to start over every time) have a harder time making that progress.

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Schedule Highlights

Check out SapphireDance.com for more details about all the coolness coming with 2024.

In the meantime, here's a preview of the next few weeks. I'm always working and developing our schedule - feel free to make requests! I looove requests.

Sound like fun? Sign up today! Please register by noon the day of the event online at SapphireBallroom.Square.site or by emailing us and paying at the event - just reply to this email with your name and the names of anyone you plan to bring.

Want to help make these events a success? Bring your friends, bring a snack to share, share the Facebook event, like our Instagram posts. It all helps!

Remember, you can keep up with our news on Facebook at SapphireBallroom and Instagram at SapphireBallroom.

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Sapphire's group classes and workshops are always small, low stress, and fun. They are a great way to meet other people who have also decided to learn to dance, as well as get to know our teaching staff. It doesn't take any long-term investment to get started, no special clothing or shoes - just something comfortable to wear and a sense of adventure. So, take the plunge and try it out.

All classes (in person or online) require registration by noon the day the class starts. We are happy to add late-comers if we can, but classes may be cancelled or rescheduled if registration is low.

Four ways to register, just choose one and we'll take care of the rest:
1 - reply to this email info@sapphiredance.com;
2 - register and pay at the same time at our online store at SapphireBallroom.square.site;
3 - talk to your favorite Sapphire Staff member;
4 - give us a ring at 540-382-8782.

Thanks for reading; we hope you found something you liked. Until we see you again, happy dancing!

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