The holiday buzz is in full effect!  The studio is decorated and ready to go for our December Dance Party:  the Peppermint Ball on Saturday, December 12 (more details below).  Also another important date to remember is Friday, December 11, when Christiansburg is having a holiday farmers market starting at 4pm and a Christmas parade at 7pm.  We will not be having our Friday night “Cheaper-Than-Movie” beginner workshop that evening, so you can be festive with the market and the parade.  Check below for the last of 2015 events and see what is coming up in 2016!

			Give the gift of a new experience: Dance - read more Peppermint Ball, this Saturday, December 12 - read more West Coast Swing Upper Level Workshops - read more New Year’s Eve Dance For Hospice - read more Sapphire On The Town - read more

Dates to remember:

Lots coming up - get your calendar out and take some notes!

Saturday, Dec 12 - Peppermint Ball Dance Party with Polka Lesson
Monday, Dec 14 & 21 - West Coast Swing Upper Level Workshops - Just added!
Friday, Dec 18 - Last CTAM Beginner Workshop of 2015 - More will come in 2016!
Thursday, Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve Dance For Hospice (see below)
Monday, Jan 4- Quickstep: Renewing Old Friendships, 2 begins
Monday, Jan 4 - Upper Level Workshops resume with more West Coast Swing
Friday, Jan 8 - CTAM Beginner Workshop resume
Saturday, Jan 9 - Winter Blues Dance Party with West Coast Swing Lesson
Wednesday, Jan 13 - Spring Sampler : Free Intro Lesson
Tuesday & Wednesday, Jan 19 & 20 - Group Classes begin in Blacksburg

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Science suggests that spending money on experiences is more likely to make you happy than spending money on things, check it out! And we agree!  

Can’t afford a vacation to Bogota this year for all your friends and family?  Try the shared experience of learning to dance. Not only do you end up with a new skill, which is pretty awesome, but the process of learning is rewarding and fun.  There are many styles to suit different music genres and different personalities.  We have a variety class styles including private and semi-private lessons, one-night workshops, 4-week group classes, dance parties, and more.  There is something to suit any age, budget, and schedule. Check out our website for suggested packages or hand pick your own combination, http://www.sapphiredance.com/gifts.php

Try the gift of dance this year.  Science says you should.  : )

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Our last dance of the year is always a magical one.   We start this extraordinary evening with a light-hearted Polka lesson by Debbi at 7:30.  Then, at 8:30, open dancing, festive fun, and merry making will carry through the rest of the evening.  Bring a snack to share and possibly win a fascinating prize.  There is usually some creative culinary competition at our December dance featuring holiday baking, so if you really want to stand out, bring vegetables!

We look forward to sharing an evening with you! Find the details about this dance and upcoming dances at http://www.sapphiredance.com/events.php

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To finish up our 2015 Upper Level Workshops we are starting a series of West Coast Swing workshops:

Monday, December 14, 8:00pm - New Directions (Almost like the band, but even better)

Monday, December 21, 8:00pm - The Other Side. Explore familiar moves, performed on the other side.

Then to make you Westies even happier, Sapphire will be going on a West Coast Swing binge this spring:

• more Upper Level Workshops on January 4, 18, and February 1

• Winter Blues Dance Party with WCS Pre-dance lesson on January 9

• Level 4 West Coast Swing Group Class in Blacksburg on Wednesdays starting January 20

• and a visit from Sam and Denise Miller in April (details TBA) .

We are also hearing rumors of a West Coast Swing Club at Virginia Tech being started: https://www.facebook.com/WCSBlacksburg/?fref=ts

If you aren’t a West Coast fan yet, you will be after all these great classes.

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Need some plans for New Year’s Eve?  Want a fun evening of dancing complete with lessons, great music, and food?  Want to also support a good cause?

On Thursday, December 31, you can do all of those things at the New Year’s Eve Dance for Hospice to benefit Good Samaritan Hospice.  This event is sponsored by Swing Roanoke with support from Blacksburg Swing, Bonny Branch, Dancing Duo, and yours truly, Sapphire Ballroom. All proceeds are being donated to Good Samaritan Hospice, the only community-based, non-profit hospice in the Roanoke and New River Valley.

It is from 8:30-12:30 at the Woodland Place, 935 Niagara Rd, Vinton VA.  Tickets are available at the door and are $15 per person or $10 if you bring a snack to share. Dress casual or formal...it’s up to you!   No Partner is necessary and there will be lesson in Swing, Salsa and Waltz. Lane Mattox will be teaching Salsa.  The music will supplied by all the groups mentioned above, creating an exciting combination that’s sure to be good. You should also expect to see plenty of fun-loving dancers there. Join Lane to ring in the new year with dance!

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We have already been busy bees this month, teaching and performing at several events in addition to the New Year’s Eve dance mentioned above.  

On December 4, the Junior Rotary club had Debbi, Chris, Lane, and Luke come out to teach nearly 150 high-school aged kids several dance styles and do some performing too.  

On December 5, Debbi taught Fox Trot at the Virginia Tech Red vs. Green Holidance and then  treated the students to a performance with Luke.

And the Carilion Physicians have invited Lane and Luke to their staff holiday party perform, teach and generally get the party moving with some dancing. Some of the physicians have even been working on their own Waltz performance to share with their colleagues.  

If you ever have an event that needs some spicing up, keep us in mind!  

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