Get on your Dancing Shoes!

From Han Christian Andersens Red Shoes to Cinderellas glass slippers, dance shoes have often been imbued with magical qualities. So how important is it to get the right shoes when dancing the Charleston? Whilst in many dance forms just bare feet is fine, The Charleston really does require the right footwear. 

The main reason shoes are so important in Charleston is so you can swivel the feet; the foot swivel is a defining characteristic of the Charleston style so non-grip shoes are a must. Back in the day dance floors were waxed and offered a lot of glide, modern dance floors and studios are smooth but not slippy. The dilemma then is getting shoes which offer some glide but not so much that you end up kissing the floor with your bum. Another thing to consider is how much support the shoes offer the foot, if you have weak ankles or collapsed foot arches you will need more supportive shoes.

So here is the low down on shoes we know and love and the pros and cons of each …

Greek Sandals – Cheap, light, strike a good balance between grip and slide. The down side is they don’t offer much support and they definitely aren’t outdoor shoes, so save them for the dance studio and you’ll perfect your swivel in no time.

Jazz Trainers – More on the grippy side but offer good support to the foot, super comfy and hardwearing.

Jazz Shoes – Light and good for swivel, again they offer limited support but one up on Greek sandals.

Toms – These fashion shoes are very popular in the Lindy Hop scene. They are a solid pair of shoes, good on swivel but the soles don’t offer great flexibility.

Character Shoes – A lot of dancer find a bit of heel is actually quite helpful. I’m a big fan of character shoes but would advise going to a dance shop and getting ones which are a really good fit, if the feet are in any way sliding within the shoes you will feel unstable.

Fashion Shoes – Well its luck of the draw but some of the best shoes people have showed up to class in have been bought in Charity Shops – Win! Often in the style of pumps or brogues the best ones tend to be made of softish leather and with leather soles which offer glide.

Well happy shoe shopping and please keep us update with your posts on shoes that work for you.

Dancing in the Streets

If you were out and about in Brighton last Sunday you may have noticed Savoy Kicks high kicking, toe tapping and Charleston Squatting under the British Airways i360. Dressed in our summer attire of bright red and blue dresses on a miserable January morning, we were out and about filming for our latest video project which has been commissioned by Visit Brighton.

This March Visit Brighton is hosting ExploreGB, VisitBritain’s flagship event providing British & Irish tourism suppliers the opportunity to meet and do business with international travel buyers from 40+ countries.

The summit will open with a gala dinner for a 1000 delegates at the Hilton Metropole and to launch the whole event the ‘I Charleston Brighton Official Film’ has been selected to open the show!

For those who don’t know about the film, Savoy Kicks featured in I Charleston Brighton’s iconic viral video in 2014.  The film is an energetic, colourful spectacle of dance, costume and humour. With music to match, the viral video captures the quirky character of Brighton, its people and frivolity. Standout scenes include a fan dancer, Charleston dancing at the naked bike ride, two pole dancing builders and a scene shot of the iconic piers. The film originally launched on the 5th September 2014 at a private screening attended by the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Councillor Brian Fitch.

Three years since the start of the project, the film is now having a facelift for ExploreGB to showcase Brighton’s latest attractions, predominately the British Airways i360 which opened in the Fall of 2016.

Getting back out dancing on the streets was great fun however we were not so lucky with the weather. Trying to recreate a beautiful summers day in January was quite a challenge but fortunately the rain stopped and we manged to film some create shots including capturing our reflections in the glass of the i360. The tourists looked rather bemused but even after three years since the original film was convinced we are still showcasing Brighton’s dance talent and the sites of one of the UK’s most flamboyant cities.

The updated film will be showcased on the 2 March but in the meantime check out the original here:

First Social of 2017

Our next social is with The Soultastics is on the 26 Feb and tickets are now on sale, grab them whilst you can for just £8! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunday-swingporium-tickets-29097000913?aff=erelexpmlt

Going Going...

There are only 3 spots left in our Charleston Beginners Class starting on Tuesday evening and a few more spaces in our Thursday morning group. To grab one of the spots visit www.dancebrightonandhove.com/classes

Kickstart 2017!

Want to kick start the year in style? We have brand new classes starting from 3 Jan but hurry as both Beginners are already over half full. To grab a spot visit www.dancebrightonandhove.com/classes

#Flashback to 2014

Remember this? Our Christmas Flashmob with Exercise Movement & Dance Partnership which raised money for Winston's Wish was two years ago! Can't quite believe how much time has flown! 

Final Class of 2016!

Brilliant last class. Thanks so much to everyone for the classes & the show. And a big thanks to Tim & Helen for the bubbles & the party tips. Have a fab Christmas and see you in the New Year!

Dance Active 2017

Well done to our wonderful students tonight who got up on stage (many for the first ever!) to perform at Dance Active, you were all fantastic!!!

Stricty Charleston Fever

Seeing as it is #throwbackthursday and #Strictly has taken the country by storm, we wanted to share with you our videos from our Strictly Charleston competition from the #brightonfringe! 3 local businesses took part to raise money for charity. Take a look at why Pretty Eccentric wanted to get involved.

Healing by Fiona

When people talk to me about the many benefits of dance they are preaching to the converted; I know its great for fitness, co-ordination, mood, musicality, creativity the list goes on.  But this week the benefits of dance revealed themselves to me in a way I found quite extraordinary.
 
I had injured my finger, possible broken it as it was very swollen and lost all mobility. I’ve never thought of my fingers having a huge involvement in a dance such as Charleston but I did have to apologise to class that my hand position was a bit of in a particular move. 
 
Other than that I didn’t give my wounded finger much thought until I left the class and discovered the finger had regained almost full mobility. I could now put gear stick into reverse without having to swap hands. I was genuinely amazed that dance and had moved energy around my body in a way that extended all the way to my finger tips. I know this story isn’t quite a miraculous as raising Lazarus from the dead but I would be intrigued to hear of other similar experiences.

Get in touch with your stories about how dance has helped you at contact@dancebrightonandhove.com