- [OPTIONAL] CARPOOL TO B.C.: Meet for coffee and snacks in Seattle, drive or carpool to Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. (carpooling details to be arranged individually. Contact Ari if you need a ride)
- 11:00am-6:00pm: Arrive at Harrison Hot Springs and enjoy the amenities! (you can store your luggage in your car or with the hotel concierge until your room is available) Hike, bike, golf, mineral bath soaks, R&R, dinner on your own...
- 4:00pm: Official resort check in is 4pm. You can check into your room earlier if it is available. If it's not available, you can still leave your luggage with the concierge and go enjoy the resort amenities! (Changing rooms are available at poolside)
- 6:00-7:00pm: Dance Retreat check-in and/or registration (in the lobby)
- 7:00-9:00pm: Meet & greet; introductions; games; group workshop with Ari
- 9:00-11:30pm: "Copper Room" dance to live music (bar drink & snacks included)
- 9:00-11:45pm: Camp ballroom available for late night practice, dancing (Bring your own music to DJ; sound system will be provided)
- 9:00pm-late: Hotel after hours activities -- hot tubbing, spa activities, fireside R&R, free-time (on your own).
- 11:50pm: Midnight Hot-Tub Chat & Story Swap (a great way to cool down and relax after the dance!)
- Early morning walks, watsu, yoga, stretching, spa, hot springs soak (Schedule TBA on Friday)
- 8:00-9:45am: [BREAKFAST in the LAKESIDE CAFE]
- 10:00-12:00pm: Morning Dance Workshops
- 12:00-1:30pm: [LUNCH BREAK]
- 2:00-4:00pm: Afternoon Dance Workshops
- 4:00-6:00pm: Free time (spa, walks, talks, practices, hot springs chats)
- 6:00-11:00pm: Copper Room Group Dinner & Dance Party, Live Big Band (business casual attire)
- 9:00-11:45pm: Camp Ballroom available for late night music, practice, dancing
- 10:00pm-late: After hours hot tubbing, spa activities, free-time (on your own).
- 11:15pm: Fireside "Team Trivia" Game: This will be a really fun, light-hearted, late-night matching of wits & memory, moderated by Ari. (With delicious prizes to the team who wins!)
- Early morning walks, watsu, yoga, stretching, spa, hot springs soak (Schedule TBA on Sunday)
- 8:00-9:45am: [BREAKFAST in the LAKESIDE CAFE]
- 9:30-10:00: Room Checkout (luggage storage available)
- 10:00-12:00pm: Morning Dance Workshops
- 12:00-1:30pm: [LUNCH BREAK]
- 1:30-3:30pm: Afternoon Dance Workshops, Wrap Up.
- 3:45-4:30pm: Special Group-Dance Activity (TBA)
- 4:30-6:00pm: Last chance to enjoy the resort before you leave! (hot springs, swimming, walks, etc). Changing rooms available at poolside.
- 6:00pm + : Optional group dinner and dancing for those staying an extra night (To be arranged on site -- not included in the weekend package)
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE CLASSES:
Classes will draw concepts and material from a variety of dance styles (ie, blues, swing, ballroom, latin, tango, fusion, etc) and will focus almost entirely on techniques that can make your dance connection and partnership that much more of a rich and profound experience in any dance you do (as apposed learning lots of isolated moves and step-based patterns for a specific style)
What makes this retreat such a unique experience is not only the knowledge of your instructors, but the material they will be teaching and the way they will be presenting it. During the course of the camp, you will be taken on a personal journey, utilizing a variety of social dance styles, to emphasize those critical elements of frame, flow, energy & connection that are so fundamental to improving your ability to communicate (or "converse") on the dance floor...in ANY style of dance!
If you have taken mostly "steps-based" classes or workshops in the past, this might be one of the most important experiences you will have in order to get you to that next level of enjoying your dancing, of fluidly improvising with alternate rhythms, of connecting profoundly to the music, and of truly appreciating and celebrating your partnerships, both on the dance floor and off.
This is the vital, rich stuff that all beginning dancers, and even most intermediate or advanced dancers have not really been exposed to, but are usually very eager to learn once they become aware of these elements. And this is what this weekend is about. It's a very unique, very special opportunity to take your dance to the next level with several masterful teachers, and it really doesn't matter whether you come to this from a beginning, intermediate, or advanced level of dance. This weekend will truly change the way you think about and appreciate partner dancing for long time to come!