Alternative blues, fusion, turquoise.
Whatever you call it, Shades of Blues is bringing it.
Born from a house party style and desire for something new, Shades of Blues fuses together a mix of traditional blues, jazz, funk, soul, trip-hop, R&B, hip hop, and alternative tango to your weekly dancing schedule. While this venue is centered around blues dancing, we welcome all dance styles, partner or solo. We aim to please so if you are a long term partner dancing fanatic or someone who new to the blues scene, we want to hear your feedback and for you to be part of our community. Come dance with us!
For the latest information on upcoming classes, featured DJs and events for our community, become a fan of Shades of Blues on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Also, we love hearing what you think! Tell us what you want to see from Shades and add to the discussion boards on our fan page or drop us (Ruth & Alexis) an email, shadesofblues at gmail dot com.
Or you can just come up to us at Shades. We'd love to hear what you like and what you'd like to see more of. And we'll always have an open heart, open mind and open smile.
Location of Shades of Blues
What: Shades of Blues – Blues Dancing to Alternative Blues Music
Where: The Polish Club, 3040 22nd St at Shotwell, close to 24th and Mission BART
When: Every Monday in the Mission!
8:30 – 9:30 Beginner or Intermediate Lesson (no partner necessary)
9:30 – 12:30 DJ’d dancing
How much: Dance + Lesson - $12/Dance only - $6
***always free after 11:30***
BLUES DANCING?
For a more historical and deeper point of view on blues dancing, Dave & Damon have some excellent thoughts.
At it's simplest, blues dancing is essentially a basic weight shift to the rhythm. And since the basic step is so “simple”, where the magic REALLY happens is in the connection with your partner and your connection to the music.
You know that feeling where you just want to move to the music? How would that feel to move with a partner? And then in a way where you responding to one another? Blues dancing can be simple or complex, it all depends on how you connect to it and with your partner.
Although it is an intimate dance, there are many more emotions that can be conveyed; playfulness, sadness, consolation, joy. The dance can be a conversation, a game and clearly addictive for some of us. We hope you enjoy it too.
Alt Blues? Fusion? HUH???
Alt blues was the inspiration for Shades of Blues; to bring more of a house party feel to the community and have a more playful venue. Alt blues music consists soul, hip hop, funk, nuevo tango, trance, trip hop and of course good ol' traditional blues, all meant to bring new sources of inspiration to your dancing.
This is where blues fusion comes in. Since with that new inspiration from music, you'll need new moves to match it. Blues fusion is taking moves and styles from other dances and adapting it to blues dancing as a whole. It could be adding a taste of tango to your blues or spicing it up with salsa. Either way, it's a different twist on your dancing.