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Hope you all had a fabulous Independence Day weekend, whether you were barbecuing, enjoying the beach, watching some great dancing at the Manhattan DanceSport Championships or taking in some terrific workshops at the IDB Dance Camp outside the nation’s capital. And how are you managing under this sweltering heat? Great excuse to remain cooped up inside the confines of an air-conditioned dance studio.

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Khan Hannan, a good friend of this chapter, recently told me about a full day of dancing next Saturday, July 17, at Dance Chelsea. Starting at 11 am and running straight to 6 pm, Dance Chelsea will be offering -- for FREE -- dance lessons throughout the day, with instruction provided by advanced dancers affiliated with the NYU Ballroom Dance Team. The lessons will occur hourly and will cover Salsa, Swing, Argentine Tango, Hustle, Cha Cha and Foxtrot. All levels are welcome, no partners are necessary. It will be a great way to bone up on dances you already know or to learn a dance that you haven’t yet tried.

After the Dance Bootcamp, there will be a Fundraising Social starting at 8 pm which will run until 2 am. In addition to dancing with some of New York’s finest and friendliest dancers, there will be an auction at which you can bid on dance lessons and other items. Some top local talent will present showcases of their dancing. Admission is $15 for the general public, $10 for students or USA Dance members. All proceeds go to benefit the studio. For more information about the social, click here. Questions? Please direct them to Khan at xhannan@gmail.com.

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For those of you waiting until the very last minute to submit your nominations for the MAC 2011 publicity photo, your time is at hand. At 11:59 pm tonight, July 9, we will no longer be accepting your selections for the candidates for the MAC 2011 publicity photo. Thanks to those who have sent in their selections; many terrific shots from some excellent photographers have been submitted. Picking just one won’t be easy. If you want your choices to be among the ones we review, we need to hear from you before midnight tonight. Click here for the rules. We look forward to getting your picks of the top pics; send them to photos@nyusadance.org now!

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Who out there has been braving this oppressive heat to dance outdoors at Midsummer Night Swing? You are far braver than me. Here’s the line-up for the next few nights:

• July 9 (tonight): Dominican Merengue with Tony Swing. Lesson: Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin teach Merengue. DJ: William Otero (DJ Kato).
• July 10, Saturday: Swing, Jazz with Wycliffe Gordon Sextet. Lesson: Simone Coonrod of Swinging with Simone teaches Swing. DJ: Andrew D'Angelo.
• July 12, Monday: Afrobeat with Femi Kuti & Positive Force. Lesson: Maija Garcia (associate choreographer of FELA!) teaches choreography from the musical. DJ: Rich Medina with Sahr.
• July 14, Wednesday: Jazz, small band swing, blues, with Catherine Russell and The Cat & The Hounds Swing Band. Lesson: Joe Palmer teaches Swing and Lindy Hop. DJ: Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus.
• July 15, Thursday: Disco with Loser’s Lounge: Ladies Night. Lesson: Maria Torres teaches Hustle. DJ: Belinda Becker.

The fun takes place at Damrosch Park on West 62nd Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam. Lessons start at 6:30, music starts at 7:30. Tickets may be purchased on-line via the Midsummer Night Swing website. Or you can dance for free in the plaza on the concrete. Check the weather report before you go; performance cancellations due to bad weather will not be announced before 8:30 pm on show night.

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If you noticed from the Midsummer Night Swing schedule that nothing is on tap for Sunday, don’t despair. You can get your outdoor dancing fix at Pier 54, on the far western edge of West 14th Street, when MoonDance kicks off with a night of swing dancing to the sounds of the David Berger Jazz Orchestra. Dance Manhattan will be giving free dance lessons at 6:30 pm, and the band goes at 7 pm. If the weather cooperates, we should get a cool breeze off the Hudson River, making it a comfortable night for outdoor dancing. MoonDance continues for several Sundays, wrapping up on August 8 with the George Gee Swing Orchestra. For the full line-up and schedule, click here.

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Speaking of George Gee, fans of his Swing Orchestra may be pleased to know that he will be one of two live bands playing at the Bastille Day Ball, tonight, July 9, at the Harmonie Club, on East 60th Street, off Fifth Avenue. We just got done celebrating the American colonies’ Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, and now our French expats here in New York get to celebrate the launch of the French Revolution on Bastille Day. If you’re inclined to celebrate with them, you may want to drop in on the Bastille Day Ball. Be warned that this is not strictly a ballroom event, and from the photos on the Bastille Day Ball website, the floor seems a bit small for dancing. It might be a good change of pace from the usual dance event, though, so if you feel like checking it out, click here for more info.

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Fans of DWTS take note: The new season premieres on Monday, September 20, with a 2-hour special. That’s all I know so far. No details on which pros are coming back and no word on which D-list “celebs” will be dancing with them. Stay tuned. Mark the date in your calendars!

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Reminder:

USA Dance is hosting its first cruise taking place aboard the luxurious Italian Cruise Line Costa's "Atlantica" from November 28 through December 5, departing from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and hitting the following ports-of-call: Key West, Florida; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico. For more details, click here: www.dancecruiseusadance.org. The instructors will be Dan and Silke Calloway and Wayne and Marie Crowder. Sounds like a great cruise, tailored for ballroom dancers of all levels, so sign up TODAY!

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Looking to improve your dancing? Here are some ideas for classes and practice spaces:

• Become the best ballroom dancer you can be for your partner by working on yourself first. ISTD Fellow Michael Choi shows you how with his Ballroom Barre, at Chelsea Studios, every Wednesday, starting at 8:30 pm. Just $25 per person for USA Dance members. For the latin dancers, Michael offers the Latin Barre, at Basic Ballroom, every Thursday, starting at 9:30 pm. Also just $25 per person for USA Dance members. The classes are non-sequential so drop in any time; no partner required, all levels welcome. For more information, contact Michael at michael@dancemchoi.com.
• Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio has Standard rounds on Thursdays, from 9:30 to 10:30 pm. The floor is huge, with plenty of space to swing out, so if you're looking for a good place to run your standard routines, visit Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio on Thursday nights.

• Basic Ballroom holds a Competition Run-through Class supervised by former World Professional Latin finalists Paul Richardson and Olga Rodianova on Friday nights from 8 pm to 9:30 pm. Just $20 for USA Dance members.
• Dance Chelsea is offering a special promotion of an $85 unlimited practice card. For more details about this great deal, contact the studio or log on to their Facebook page.
• Check out the special rates for USA Dance members at Basic Ballroom: just $79 for a 10 session card and $90 for their unlimited monthly card.
• Dance with Me Soho will be hosting Practice Sessions, and they are offering both an unlimited option and a 10 practice session card. For the unlimited option, the cost is $100 per person, with a 15% discount to USA Dance members, so our members can get unlimited practice time at Dance with Me Soho for just $85 per person per month. If you would prefer to go for the 10 practice session card, the cost for that will be $100 per couple, with a 25% discount for USA Dance members, or $75 per couple. Questions? Please call the studio at (212) 840-Dance (3262).
• At DanceSport, present your USA Dance card at the door and get free admission to their supervised ballroom practice on Thursdays from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm. This session is supervised by either Snejana Petrova, Luana Conte, or Tobi Kretschmer. Plus, practice at the studio on Sundays for just $10 per hour per couple.
• USA Dance National Latin Champion Val Chmerkovskiy teaches a Latin technique class on Thursdays at 7:10 pm at Dance with Me Soho. If you'd like to learn how to make your own Latin dancing sharper, better and hotter, you may want to check out these Thursday evening classes. No partner is necessary, and the price is just $35 per class (or $250 if you take ten classes). For more information, click here.

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Looking to social dance? Besides the options mentioned above, here are some other suggestions:

• Tonight, July 9, Hot Salsa Friday at the VIP Lounge at the Iguana. Doors open at 6 pm.
• Tonight, Friday Fiesta monthly dance at American Ballroom Theater Studio (formerly Pierre Dulaine Dance Studio). Lessons start at 7 pm, dancing starts at 8 pm. Admission is $15 per person, just $12 with your USA Dance card.
• Tonight, Friday Night with Abakuá at YSBD/Club 412, hosted by Frankie Martinez and Manny Blackett, featuring salsa/mambo and cha cha, starting at 9:00 pm.
• Tomorrow, July 10, Millennium Dance Party at Club 412/YSBD, three DJs in three rooms, spinning hustle, salsa and ballroom. Lesson at 8 pm, dancing starts at 9 pm.
• Tomorrow, July 10, mixed ballroom dancing at Manhattan Ballroom Dance studio, starting at 7:30 pm with a free lesson.
• Sunday, July 11, Sunday Tea Party at Manhattan Ballroom Dance, mixed ballroom dancing starting at 3 pm.
• Monday, July 12, Salsa at Taj, with live band and special performances. Arrive before 7 pm and get in for $6 (admission price doubles after 7 pm).
• Tuesday, July 13, Hot Salsa, West Coast Swing and Hustle Tuesdays is back! Grand re-opening party at Club 56 in Farmingdale, featuring a showcase performance, salsa lesson, buffet dinner and door prizes.
• Wednesday, July 14, free admission to the swing/lindy party at DanceSport on Wednesday night from 9:30-10:30 pm.
• Thursday, July 15, Sunset Salsa, FREE beginner salsa lesson from 6:30 to 7:30 pm followed by Dance Party from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Join Talia Castro-Pozo and a guest instructor every Thursday for a great evening outdoors at the Triangle at 14th St. and 9th Ave. It’s all FREE! Co-sponsored by Stepping Out Studios.
• Thursday, July 15, free admission to the weekly mixed ballroom social at DanceSport on Thursday nights from 9:30-10:30pm.
• Thursday, July 15 Thursday Night Dance Club at Mirelle's, in Westbury, featuring Latin, Hustle and West Coast Swing. Lesson at 7:30 pm, dancing starts at 8:15 pm. Admission just $10 per person for USA Dance members (present your card at the entrance to get the discount).

For more ideas, check Wayne's Dance Commentary or bailamosdance.com.

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Partner seekers: We have two tall followers seeking leaders in latin, one beginner, one advanced. Check out the Partner Search page to see their listings, or post your own ad to find a partner. It's free, easy and quick. Do it today!

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That does it for this week. Stay cool!

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Yang Chen
President
Greater NY
USA Dance
(NY USA Dance)

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General disclaimer: Please note that, other than events organized by NY USA Dance, the listing of events in this newsletter is purely for informational purposes and does not carry with it any endorsement, sanction or seal of approval, express or implied. If you have any questions about an event other than one organized by NY USA Dance, you should direct them to the organizer of that event. NY USA Dance has no control over any of the events listed herein, other than those events which NY USA Dance itself organizes. NY USA Dance bears no responsibility for the content, conduct, quality, management or operation of any of the events listed in this newsletter, other than those events organized directly by NY USA Dance.