This slightly early email comes to you brimming with excitement and anticipation as we prepare for Karen and Tate to rock our world with their love and knowledge of Argentine Tango! Glad to have one more chance to lay out the details of the very special event, we are also want to share details regarding a brand-spankin’-new set of group classes in Blacksburg, a very special STAR WARS Dance Party in October, and what is up with the Tweens’ classes. Please keep reading below to find more information.

A Weekend of Argentine Tango with Karen and Tate, Sept 29 - Oct 1 - read more      - Friday Night Beginner Workshop      - Saturday Intermediate and Advanced Workshops      - Sunday “Taste of Argentina” for EVERYONE! STAR WARS Themed Monster Bash Dance Party, Saturday, Oct 14 - read more New Group Classes in Blacksburg starting NEXT week, Oct 3 & 4 - read more Upper Level Monday Nights in October: Latin, Swing, Quickstep - read more What’s Up with the Tweens’ Class - read more

Dates to Remember:

Monday, September 25 -West Coast Swing - Whips begins
Friday-Sunday, September 29-October 1 - Argentine Tango with Karen and Tate
Tuesday & Wednesday, October 3 & 4 - Blacksburg Group Classes begin
Saturday, October 14 - STAR WARS Monster Bash Dance Party with Polka Lesson
Friday, October 20 - Junior Ballroom TWEEN Session starts
Monday, October 23 - Quickstep - More Good Things begins
Saturday, November 11- 80's Explosion Dance Party with Cha Cha Lesson

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Don’t put if off any longer…..call us, go to our website http://www.sapphiredance.com/Karen-Tate.html, or drop by the studio to register for our biggest event of 2017… A Weekend of Argentine Tango with Karen Jaffe and Tate Di Chiazza.

This weekend has a little something for everybody, whether you want to dive in head first….or if you want to just sit back and watch without moving a muscle. Karen and Tate put a lot of care into creating each event and customizing every detail of the weekend to fit our dance community. And it always shows! If you are unsure which events are right for you, we would love to help you decide. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Here is what is happening….

Friday, Sept 29, 7:00pm - Path to Tango Beginner Workshop
In the Sapphire studio in Christiansburg, Friday night brings the “Path to Tango” workshop from 7-8:30pm. Tate and Karen will delve deeply into the fundamentals of Argentine Tango - walking, posture, embrace, connection, and musicality - in a relaxed, friendly environment. This is perfect for beginners ready to be swept up in this dynamic dance as well as a beneficial refresher for experienced dancers.

Saturday, Sept 30, 2:30pm - Next Steps Intermediate Workshop
From 2:30-4:00pm, take the “Next Steps” with Karen and Tate as they explore Navigation: interesting, musical, circular, or changes of directions….. never a dull moment! This class is more a beginner/intermediate level class. Experience is strongly encouraged but if you come Friday night as a novice and still want more, you are welcome to join us!
From 4:30-6:00pm, experienced dancers will be diving into Barridas. We will explore the techniques to execute simply elegant barridas that feel good.

Sunday, Oct 1, 3:00pm - A Taste of Argentina
Wait...that’s not all. We saved the most festive and intriguing event for last: “A Taste of Argentina.” Experience Argentine Tango in this multimedia performance, including live dancing. Enjoy wonderful wine and South American treats from Beliveau Winery as you watch the evolution of this beautiful and mysterious dance and culture unfold before you. After the presentation, stick around for a reception and dance party featuring lots of Argentine Tango as well as many other Ballroom, Latin, and Swing styles. Space is limited and by reservation only - so please RSVP by Wednesday (9/27) for this awesome event!

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Sapphire Ballroom is incredibly honored to be dedicating our next Dance Party on Saturday, October 14, to the memory of Ryan Hubbard, who recently died unexpectedly from a heart-related condition. Anyone that had a chance to interact with him knows what joy and enthusiasm he brought to our studio as a student and a member of our staff. We want to continue in that joyful spirit at the Monster Bash Dance Party, combining two of his loves: dance and dressing up in costume! Even better if it is in Star Wars garb.

So, if you don’t know what to be for Halloween this year, we will make it easy for you...make it Star Wars! Of course, if you’d rather not dress up, or have other plans for your Halloween attire, you are definitely still welcome. As Chirrut Îmwe (Rogue One) would say, “We are all one with the Force.”

We will be donating the profits from this dance to the Christiansburg Rescue Squad, another one of Ryan’s passions.

All of our Dance Party details can be found at SapphireDance.com/events.php.

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We are always boasting about our Group Class schedules….saying they have a fantastic mix of Ballroom, Latin, and Swing as well as opportunities for different interests and skill levels. This Fall is no different! This is a shorter season with only 2 full sessions and a truncated one in December. However we still managed to squeeze in lots of cool classes for you!

The first session of the Fall begins Tuesday and Wednesday, October 3 and 4.

On the menu we have Level 1 Salsa & Merengue, Waltz, Country Two-Step, and Polka. All of these classes would be perfect for beginners. Which of them you should take just depends on your taste!

Salsa & Merengue (Tuesdays, 7:15pm) will bring the fiery, Latin flavor with their fast footwork and spicy music. You will get to explore some complex rhythms and patterns in Salsa alongside the more straightforward and playful Merengue.

Waltz (Tuesdays, 8:15pm) is a classic dish serving up slow, graceful movements with that beautiful Ballroom frame.

Country Two-Step (Wednesdays, 7:15pm) brings the western element to the table and promises to have you moving around the floor and spinning the lady...all to Country music, of course.

Polka (Wednesdays, 8:15pm) will get the juices flowing with its lively bounce and twirly nature. After taking this class, you will be ready for any Oktoberfest celebration!

Filling the Wednesday “Class by Request” slot, we are cooking up a Level 2 Salsa & Merengue (not for beginners). This class will take all the flavors mentioned about these dances above and intensify them. Anyone who has taken Level 1 Salsa or with similiar experience is welcome to join in!

If you are thinking we must of been hungry when writing this, you would be right: hungry for dance! Find all the details about these classes and more at http://www.sapphiredance.com/groupclasses.php.

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You've heard it before: variety is the spice of life! If that's true, Mondays at Sapphire are definitely going to be lively this month. Check out this eclectic line-up on Upper Level Mondays.

Oct 2, 7:00p Bachata - Upward Mobility
Don't get stuck in a rut! Break out with vertical moves (forward and backward) that will have you thinking outside the box (if Bachata had a box...).

Oct 9, 7:00p Rumba - Back to Back Spot Turns
Back spot turns are cool, exciting, and feel completely unique in the Rumba-verse. And ... with just a little bit of transition, can easily be danced back-to-back.

Oct 16, 7:00p Rumba/Cha Cha - Crossing the Line
When two dances are as closely related as Rumba and Cha Cha, you know there's going to be cross over. Come try a new Rumba move, then learn how to do it in Cha Cha, too.

Oct 23, 6:00p East Coast Swing - Dips and Tricks
Everyone needs a trick or two up their sleeves, right? These moves will add just a touch of spice to your swing dance.

Oct 30, 6:00p Hustle - New Yorkers, Walk This Way
Frequently compared to Tuck Turns in other swing styles, New York Walks are not just for New Yorkers, though they do benefit from a little NYC attitude.

All these workshops carry a Level 2 prerequisite in their respective dances. But if you're feeling bold, talk to an instructor - you might be able to join in with less!

For 4-week classes in October, WCS Whips will be finishing up (it starts in September) and then on October 23 at 7:00pm (Debbi's 13th wedding anniversary), we'll be starting up a new Quickstep class: "More of a Good Thing." Dancers interested in taking this Quickstep class, should already feel confident with the foundation sequence and 1 or 2 cornering moves.

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We have been struggling with what to do with the Tweens’ Class, the classes in the Junior Ballroom program at Sapphire oriented towards 10-13 year-olds, ever since we lost the ability to rent the studio next door at that time. While we have not managed to find a solution as convenient as the previous schedule, we do finally have a plan!

Junior Ballroom @ Sapphire’s Tweens class will be held on Fridays, 4:00-5:00pm, just before the Teens class. The sessions will continue to be 4 weeks long and cost is still $44/student (sibling discounts available). The only other big change is that Debbi will be teaching the class. Lane is sorry to have to let the class go, but we’re sure that Debbi will keep things fun in the coming year.

If you are interested or know someone who might be interested in this class, please let us know.

The first session of the season will start Friday, October 20.

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

To subscribe to Sapphire Dance News, our monthly e-newsletter, visit us at SapphireDance.com/email.php.