We are delighted to present you
DUKE’S BLUES
When: 11 – 12 – 13 February, 2022
Where:
The workshop and parties will mainly take place in cultural center Altrimenti (5 Av. Marie-Thérèse, 2132 Luxembourg)
The solo blues classes on Saturday and Sunday will be held in a venue at walking distance from Altrimenti: Dance studio Vedanza (18 Rue Louvigny, 1946 Luxembourg)
What:
We are glad to announce our upcoming weekend workshop in February dedicated to Blues dancing with couple and solo tracks, special topic classes, live music, parties and many extras! Get ready to meet our talented teacher line-up of Jill De Muelenaere and Alexandre McCormack for couple blues dancing and Els Houttequiet for solo blues tracks. Furthermore, we’ve got you covered with the finest blues tunes by Tiny Legs Tim and his band!
Schedule:
Registration
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Please note that the price for a combined ticket Couple and Solo Blues will be corrected when you receive your confirmation email. Please follow our Facebook event page or newsletter for new announcements.
| What | Price per person | Comment |
| Couple Blues Intermediate – Green Satin | 120 € | 5h Couple Blues. All parties included |
| Couple Blues Advanced – White Silk | 120 € | 5h Couple Blues. All parties included |
| Solo Blues Intermediate – Cream Cotton | 120 € | 5h Solo Blues. All parties included |
| Solo Blues Advanced – Blue Velvet | 120 € | 5h Solo Blues. All parties included |
| Couple and Solo Blues Intermediate | 190 € | Combination of Couple and Solo Blues track. All parties included |
| Couple and Solo Blues Advanced | 190 € | Combination of Couple and Solo Blues track. All parties included |
| Friday special topic class – Solo Blues Roots | 20 € | Additional class on top of solo or couple blues track |
| Saturday special topic class – Slow Lindy | 20 € | Additional class on top of solo or couple blues track |
| Party pass Friday | 20 € | Included in workshop pass, not free if you take special topic class |
| Party pass Saturday | 25 € | Included in workshop pass, not free if you take special topic class |
| Party pass Sunday* | 10 € | Included in workshop pass, not free if you take special topic class |
* There is no pre-registration option for Sunday closing party. Party pass entrance of 10 euro can be paid in cash at the entrance for Sunday party.
Classes
You can take Couple or Solo Blues individually or combine the ones of the same level for the brave ones ! Which Track should you choose? Please read the track descriptions carefully:
Green Satin – Couple blues – Intermediate
This track is for you if you have taken at least 1 semester of Blues classes and you are familiar with the basic moves, as well as closed and open positions in couple Blues. Duke’s Blues might be your first Blues festival. In this track, our teachers will take time with you to feel the Blues, to expand your repertoire of bluesy moves and to explore both your individual dancing and your connection with your partner.
Please note that this is not a class for absolute beginners. You can combine this track with the Cream Cotton Intermediate level Solo Blues!
White Silk – Couple blues – Advanced
You don’t dance the Blues, you live the Blues! You know what Blues feels like after at least 2 years of Blues classes and maybe already some international Blues festivals. Now is the time to connect deeper with the different grooves of Blues music, to challenge yourself with faster blues rhythms, to improvise, to bring your connection and interaction with your partner to the next level!
You can combine this track with the Blue Velvet Advanced level Solo Blues track!
Cream Cotton – Solo Blues – Intermediate
In this track you will find your inner Blues dancer! This track is for you if you have started Blues dancing recently or if you have taken at least 1 semester of solo jazz classes and want to discover solo Blues dancing. We will develop and enrich your solo Blues vocabulary, work on body movement and play with different textures and tempos.
Please note that this is not a class for absolute beginners. You can combine this track with the Green Satin Intermediate level Couple Blues track!
Blue Velvet – Solo Blues – Advanced
You are an experienced dancer, who has taken Blues and/or solo jazz classes for at least 2 years and for whom Duke’s Blues might not be the first international Blues festival. You’re not afraid of improvisation and you definitely have the Blues in your body. You’re eager to grow as a dancer by adding stronger rhythms to your dancing, playfulness to your interaction with the music and meaning to your body language.
You can combine this track with the White Silk Advanced level Couple Blues track!
Special topic classes
Friday special topic class – Solo Blues roots with Els
Experience the African rhythm in solo Blues and connect your moves to the original groove. This class is open to dancers with little blues dance experience, but not open to absolute beginners. You should have at least 6 months experience in Blues dancing or solo Jazz. This solo blues class is not part of the above mentioned workshop tracks. **LIMITED SPOTS!**
Saturday special topic class – Slow Lindy with Alex & Jill
learn how to slow your Lindy Hop down in a different way. Join this special topic class if you have at least one year of experience in Lindy Hop. You are able to dance basic rhythms and figures such as swingout, tuck-turn and lindy circle. This class is not part of the above mentioned workshop tracks.**LIMITED SPOTS!**
Teachers
Jill De Muelenaere & Alexandre McCormack
Jill & Alex have both been dancing from a very early age, however coming from very different backgrounds: Alex is Benelux vice champion of breakdancing and has taught for over 13 years, whereas Jill came from a prestigious contemporary dance school in Belgium. Having both fallen in love with the old school style of Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz, they focus on individual expression and different perspectives on dance techniques. They’ll challenge you in staying controlled yet uninhibited; leave great individual freedom yet still remain a partnership, to dance the move instead of doing the move. Jill and Alex are very much inspired by the “old clips” showcasing a raw style of Lindy Hop and they have at heart to keep on exploring the African roots of the dancing too. They love flashy steps, fast dancing and aerials but also enjoy a smooth slow drag blues. Back in Brussels they train with their performance group, the Old Soulz.
Photo Credit – Nuria Aguadé Fotografia
Els Houttequiet
Els is a blues and jazz dancer based in Ghent (Belgium). She was first influenced by modern dance which opened her eyes for body awareness and techniques. Later on she discovered the joy of swing dancing after which she started teaching lindy hop. But very soon also solo authentic jazz and blues caught her attention.
Els likes to dive into different dances that carry the same african roots (ragga, afro house, dancehall, blues…). These African roots are a red thread through her dancing. Which makes her style energetic, raw and playful. In her classes she tries to share her enthusiasm and hand out tools in order to feel more free in your dance, and to be able to discover your own style.
Els has been performing as her alter ego Sweet Elle. She is actively teaching for dance school Crazy Legs, helping build-up the solo scene of Ghent. She has performed with the Hodi Maputo Mozambican Dance Company, the Steam Heat Cats and the Dipsy Doodles.
Photo credits: Sweet Elle @GHX 5 – For Dancers Only
LIVE BANDS
SATURDAY BAND – Tiny Legs Tim & band
Tiny Legs Tim (Tim De Graeve) is a finger-picking virtuoso and talented slide guitarist with an instantly recognizable voice. He’s also a fine lyricist and a gifted songwriter with a strong feel for melody and clarity resulting into an ever-growing collection of personal compositions based on his eclectic love of blues and roots music.
“Tiny Legs Tim explores all corners of the blues; he knows it like the back of his hand. His weapons of choice are beautifully tempered guitar playing with a brutal side of slide, a pleasantly dreamy voice and a golden pen from which songs flow that you will start humming effortlessly after only listening once or twice.” JAZZISM (NL)
FRIDAY BAND – Hot Guys Stompers
We’re delighted to invite our back our friends from Nancy, France for this year’s edition. This time they come in the shape of a quintet called Hot Guys Stompers.
SUNDAY BAND – The Duke Box
Let’s wrap up the festival with our local band the DUKE BOX!
HYGIENIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL MEASURES RELATED TO COVID-19 – UPDATE 12TH OF JANUARY 2022
Even if cultural activities are facing new restrictions, we aim to still offer you the possibility to do couple dancing with an option for dancing without masks and distancing restrictions. All courses and parties during Duke’s Blues workshop will be held according to the ‘CovidCheck 2G+’ regulation applicable in Luxembourg since December 25th 2021 for sport activities in a group of more than 10 people. To find the latest info on Covid-19 measures from the local government, please check here. Below measures are based on governmental information:
- Access to the evening parties and/or courses is only possible if you are fully vaccinated or if you have a valid healed status. On top of that, you need to present a valid negative covid test result in case your vaccination is more than 6 months past (2G+). Valid negative covid tests are:
- either perform a self-diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 on site (please bring your own self test to be done onsite in view of the entrance staff / self tests will be on offer at the venue in worst case)
- or to present the result of a NAAT test (PCR, TMA or LAMP methods)
- or to present a valid certified SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test
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UPDATE since 12th of January 2022, following persons are exempt from the testing obligation.
- a vaccination certificate issued within the last 180 days
- a certificate of the booster vaccination
- or a recovery certificate for a period of 180 days
- To enter each individual course you will need to present a valid CovidCheck 2G+ certificate. The CovidCheck application of the Luxembourg government will be used to check the validity of your QR-code. An invalid CovidCheck will not give you right of access to the course. We recommend to take the paper proof of your Covid passport in case the digital scan doesn’t work at that time.
- You will need to come at least 15 minutes in advance of your class in order for us to have time to check you in. It will not be possible to enter the class without having been checked-in.
- You will need to wear a mask after entering Altrimenti until the point where you have been checked in. After check-in, it is up to your individual choice to wear a mask or not.
- Students are required to wash their hands before and after class. Washing your hands with soap and water is recommended over the use of hand sanitizer.
- We recommend all students to bring their own water bottle to class. Sharing a bottle is not recommended.
- It will be possible to change partner during class, however changing partner is not an obligation and it is up to your individual choice to remain with your fixed partner.
- In case you feel ill or are coughing, we kindly ask you to be responsible and not join the event.
- Above measures are in the interest of our students, teachers and public health. Failure to comply with these measures will result in expulsion from classes. Thanks in advance for your understanding and we look forward to see you at the Duke’s Blues!