Happy New Year! It’s exciting to be writing to you in a brand new year with lots of possibility….and lot’s of dancing. We already have some really great things on the calendar for this year and many other things are in the works. If there is something you would like to see on the schedule, there is no better time to let us know than now!

We wish you all happiness, health, and great dancing in 2016!

Winter Blues Dance Party - this Saturday, January 9 - read more Winter Sampler - Free Intro Lesson - Wednesday, January 13 - read more Blacksburg Group Classes - January 19 & 20 - read more Upper Level Mondays: Salsa, WCS, and 3 Count - read more Argentine Tango with Karen Jaffe - read more Valentine's Day Special - read more

Dates to remember:

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

Friday, Jan 8 - CTAM Beginner Workshops resume
Saturday, Jan 9 - Winter Blues Dance Party with West Coast Swing Lesson
Monday, Jan 11 - Salsa joins Upper Level Mondays
Wednesday, Jan 13 - Spring Sampler : Free Intro Lesson
Tuesday & Wednesday, Jan 19 & 20 - Group Classes begin in Blacksburg
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, Jan 22, 23, & 24 - Karen Jaffe returns for more excellent Argentine Tango!
Saturday, Feb 13 - That's Amore Dance Party with Viennese Waltz Lesson
Saturday & Sunday, Apr 30 & May 1 - Sam & Denise Miller return for West Coast Swing, Country Two-Step, and more!

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Winter has arrived (finally!) and brought with it low temperatures, snowflakes, and best of all, our one-and-only “Kick the Winter Blues” dance party.

Don’t stay home, singing the blues, come out and lift your spirits by dancing to the blues! This dance is just a big excuse to play lots of “bluesy” music and teach a West Coast Swing pre-dance lesson. Don’t miss the one dance where blue jeans are encouraged!

Be sure to arrive at 7:30 to catch a groovy West Coast Swing Lesson by Lane, beginner friendly and yet still interesting and cool for advanced dancers. Open dancing, a.k.a. "great music and dancing the night away," starts at 8:30.

Check out all the upcoming Sapphire events at http://www.sapphiredance.com/events.php.

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It’s time to kick off another semester of Blacksburg Group Classes with our Winter Sampler.

Before each semester we give you a chance to come out and experience a dance lesson, see with your own eyes what these dances look like, and talk to your potential instructors...all for FREE.

Join Lane and Debbi Wednesday, January 13, at 7pm, to see what group classes are all about, learn a little something, and have a lot of fun. If you decide to sign up for a class at the Sampler, we will give you $6 off the cost!

Check out more details at http://www.sapphiredance.com/events.php.

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We have an exciting line up of group classes in Blacksburg, starting in just a few weeks. Some more beginner friendly, some more challenging. Some fast, some slow. They each offer something different, but all offer four weeks of fun no matter what you choose! We have….drum roll…

Level 1 Waltz: This classic ballroom is a wonderful place for any new dancer to start. You will the love the grace and elegance of this traveling dance.
Level 1 Rumba: This slow, romantic, Latin style is a must for wedding couples and anyone looking for a beginner friendly, not-too-fast, versatile dance style.
Level 1 Country 2 Step: For you country music lovers….or anyone who likes to travel fast and spin a lot…Country 2 Step will blow you away!
Level 1 Salsa and Merengue: Your Latin Club 101 class! This class will focus mostly on the fast and rhythmic Salsa and give you a little Merengue on the side.

We also have a continuation class, Level 4 West Coast Swing. If you have experience in this style and want to join this group (they started at Level 1 and kept going!) email Debbi@sapphiredance.com to find out more.

Find all the details at http://www.sapphiredance.com/groupclasses.php.

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Monday nights at Sapphire is where you find both upper level workshops and upper level four week group classes. If you have some experience under your belt (sometimes Level 1 is all you need), then you should keep eye on our Monday night schedule! A one-night workshop will give you a blast of information, enhancing what you already do, while a four week class will give you some time to sink your teeth into one dance style.

For the rest of January, as our dancers finish up their Quickstep class, you will see both Salsa and West Coast Swing at the 7pm time slot. These high-energy styles will keep Monday nights in January rockin’.

Then in February we will spend four weeks digging into some 3-Count Hustle. We will be stretching it out, spinning it up, and hustling away starting Monday, February 8, at 7pm. Paired with some more Salsa and then some new Cha Cha workshops at the eight o’clock slot, February will be hot!

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Argentine Tango is taking hold and taking off in this area! We are thrilled to have Karen Jaffe back at the end of this month for another Tango infusion. There will be two opportunities to get an introduction to this dance style (or a brush up!), a workshop for those who have some experience, private lessons for anyone, and a practilonga for everyone. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to dance and learn with this experienced teacher and dancer!

Start your Tango weekend on Friday night here at the Sapphire Studio with the “Focus on Fundamentals” class, perfect for building, refining, and expanding your skills in Argentine Tango fundamentals. This is a great introduction to this dynamic dance style, or fantastic for experienced dancers who want to improve their dancing from the ground up.

On Saturday, you can take your Tango the next level in Karen’s “Next Steps in Tango: Ochos! ” class focusing on one of the most quintessential Tango figures. Improve your technique, comfort, and grace during Ochos in this intense class. Dancers are encouraged to participate in either the "Focus on Fundamentals" class on Friday (above) or the "Path to Tango" class on Thursday (below), before trying "Next Steps."

Finish the weekend off on Sunday by using all your new skills at the Practilonga/Tea Dance, featuring a lesson on Vals and open dancing. Whether you came to one workshop or all of them, even if you were unable to come to any of them :-(, join us for one more lesson and experience the fun, exciting, and very unique social dance called Practilonga. You don't want to miss your chance to put everything you've learned into it's elegant, social context.

If you're interested in getting a head start, you can also find Karen at Virginia Tech on Thursday night. The Virginia Tech Ballroom Club will be hosting Karen on campus for an hour lesson and an hour of guided practice. You don’t have to be a student or affiliated with VT to attend, just contact the club for more information at https://gobblerconnect.vt.edu/organization/ballroom or check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/310331795645267/.

Find a full description of the Sapphire classes, schedule, prices, and registration at
http://www.sapphiredance.com/Jaffe.htm.  

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Use this Valentine’s Day as a chance to do something really special for your special someone. Whether you want to treat your spouse, your best friend, family member, or yourself, we are offering a great deal to get you on the dance floor and save some money! With three different packages there is something for everyone. It doesn’t matter if this is your first time even *thinking* about dancing or if you have been dancing with us for years, you can take advantage of this great deal.

We would loooove to be a part of your Valentine’s Day. ;^)

Check out the options at http://SapphireDance.com/Valentine.html.

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