Musicology Workshops Schedule
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Workshops are at the Crosby Whistlestop – 24 Roland St, Charlestown, MA
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11:00-12:00 Intro to Harmonica (Kevin Sihlanick) - The best way to get into the music is to play it! We will have a *few* harmonicas to loan out for the class, but if possible please BYO harmonica (and then you’ll have one to practice on later). You can get one pretty cheap ($2-10) at your local music store, or here. Any harmonica that is diatonic, 10 hole, key of C will work.
12:15-1:15 Musical elements: how to hear & dance to them (Lindy and Blues) (Gina Helfrich & Shawn Hershey) – How you listen for and try to predict different elements in the music: finding the 1, beginning & end of phrases/solos, breaks, repeating rhythms, interesting rhythms, the end of a song.
1:30-2:30 This one time at band camp…(Blues) (Dan Repsch & Jennifer Sowden) - Become a part of the band! Find the difference between dancing the rhythm section, the melody, and ultimately becoming your own instrument at certain points in the music. In addition to analyzing music, they’ll offer specific ideas for more advanced interpretation.
3:00-4:00 Dance like you know it (Josh Fialkoff and Shawn Hershey) -
Dancer 1: “Damn, you really know this song!”
Dancer 2: “Uh, actually, I’ve never heard it before.”
Dancer 1: “Get out!”
Dancer 2: “Fa’ real!”
4:15-5:15 ‘Tain’t What You Do (Dan Repsch & Jennifer Sowden; Tim Lewandoski) - Have you ever seen those dancers that go beyond interpreting the music to seeming like they are a part of it? Like they have actually rehearsed with the band? Jenny, Dan, and Tim will teach you musical tools that both dancers and musicians use: macro dynamics and being ‘in the pocket.’ Remember, it’s the way thatcha do it.
**Online registration is now closed, but you can register at the door!
Instructor Bios
Kevin Sihlanick
Kevin started swing dancing in March 2006 and playing the harmonica in September 2007. He believes that playing music is great for dancers because it can help them intuitively develop a sense for the music. Kevin was the harmonica player in the widely acclaimed Saturday night band at Blues Shout 2011.
Gina began dancing the Lindy Hop in 1999 with the Boston College Swing Kids, where she was taught to swing out at her very first lesson. She was completely hooked and has maintained a deep (some might say obsessive) love of the dance ever since. Gina is also a talented dancer of Balboa, Charleston, vernacular jazz, and other swing-era dances. For over a decade, she has studied extensively at camps and workshops across the U.S. and Europe. Gina is an accomplished teacher, competitor, and performer of swing era dances. She also likes to DJ.
Gina’s teaching style focuses on the social dance floor and empowering her students to really “own” their dancing. She is especially committed to helping followers find their voice and confidence in the dance. Gina’s skill at breaking down difficult concepts into easy-to-grasp pieces makes her a sought-after instructor. Most of all, she loves sharing the joy of jazz dance and swing music with others.
Shawn began studying Lindy Hop from Kerrin Flanagan and Elizabeth Miller at the Lindybaby studio in 1999. Having always loved and studied jazz music he was immediately drawn in by the dance. He has studied extensively at camps and workshops across the US with many nationally renowned Lindy Hop instructors.
In addition to being an avid social dancer he has won awards at several national and regional competitions. Shawn began teaching Lindy Hop with Marilee Annareau in 2002 in order to help share his love of dance and music. In 2004, he happily joined the It’s All Swing studio and has been teaching there ever since.
Dan has spent the last few years traveling the country to dance, teach, DJ, and generally goof off. Since his start in the Penn State swing club, he’s won a whole bunch of competitions and earned a reputation as an international instructor of Charleston, Lindy Hop, and Blues. Dan’s classes focus primarily on innovation and how to create the most comfortable connection between partners, because that’s what makes dancing fun. He likes to challenge his students, and help them create their unique style.
To summarize: Dan will show you the fun way to awesome.
Originally from San Francisco, Jennifer has been training in dance for over twenty years and teaching for over fifteen, with a BA in Dance and Theater from San Diego State University. Her background influences her teaching and general style through musicality, variety, expression and an understanding of body mechanics. Jenny has studied such styles as Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theater, Hip-Hop, Funk, Gymnastics, Capoeira, Aikido, Tango, Waltz, Salsa, Lindy-Hop, Balboa, Charleston, and Blues. She is an international instructor and DJ based in New York City where Jenny is a full time dance instructor and organizer for local and national events, including BABBLE (NYC’s only exchange May 11-13). Jenny believes that the dance floor is a ‘World of Yes’ where by constantly accepting and being inspired by what happens creates an amazing place to be. In turn we take classes in a ‘World of Intension’ to expand our ‘World of Yes.’ Find out more at jennifersowden.com
Josh has been lending his smoky voice and soulful instrumentals to dance floors since 2006, both as a solo artist and with ensembles like his J-Street band, and the Fried Bananas. A dancer himself, Josh knows how to pick out those blues elements that make people want to move and combine them with modern musical elements to produce interesting arrangements that are killer to listen to–whether you’re sitting, standing, or dancing around.
Josh’s music has been featured at dance events along other such headlining artists as Ernestine Anderson, Gordon Webster, and Barbara Morrison. Dancers at events like Beantown Camp, the Albany Exchange, Montreal Bagel and Blues, and more have swooned and swayed to his unique musical mixture of the modern and the traditional. Once you hear Josh play, you’ll revel in his refreshingly genuine sound, too.
The first time Tim Lewandowski went swing dancing in the fall of 1997, it was with four girls. He ended up sitting out most of the night. Nevertheless, he persevered, and was introduced to blues dancing at Cheap Thrills 2004 in St. Louis. He has played trombone for 21 years, and moved to Boston in 2005 to study jazz performance at New England Conservatory under drummer Rakalam Bob Moses. He has appeared on five albums and is a member with the Baker Thomas Band. When he’s playing music, he’s a dancer, and when he’s dancing, he’s part of the band.