Contra dancers take over the social hall at UUCA on Saturday March 7.

Waltz lovers dance Sunday, March 8 at Knights of Columbus.

Cajun Dancers enjoy live music on Saturday March 14 at Knights of Columbus.

Dance to the the Atlanta Blue Notes at Trilogy on Saturday, March 21.

Salsa makes Mondays spicy

You will find yourself looking forward to Mondays – once you start coming out for classes in beginning salsa. On Mondays, at 7pm, in the Several Dancers Core Studios in Decatur, you will learn to move to Latin music and enjoy dancing to the rhythms. Improvers in the class learn to link moves together and to create their own style on the floor. You will get some social dance time when you join us at Pura Vida Tapas on the third Friday each month:  March 20 and April 17. Shirley is teaching Mondays at 7pm at the Studio in Decatur. You can ‘drop in’ for $12 a class or $40 gets you the whole month of classes – and in March that is 5 classes.

The March series is full but it is the perfect time to register for April’s beginning dance class.

The next class series starts April 5 and will run for 3 Sunday afternoons.

(We will meet on Easter Sunday.)

We meet in Decatur at 2pm. Cost is $50 per person.

Our focus is learning how to lead and follow a partner to various tempos..

Email shirley@comeoutdancing.com to register. Class is limited to 7 students.

Photos from Friday Nights

If you have been dancing this month on Fridays, check out the photos in the Gallery for “Friday Night Dancers”,

You may see yourself – or a friend! And note that “Pink” is on the floor for this photo.

Dine and Dance in Decatur on Tuesday, March 3 and April 7

Dine and Dance in Decatur on Tuesday March 3 ( and Tuesday April 7)!

Sage on the Square is hosting a monthly evening of dinner and dancing on the First Tuesday of each month.

The restaurant is open from 5:30pm until 9:30pm and there will be room for dancing during the whole evening.

The menu is the same as usual with a nightly special offering from the chef and owner, Wayne Hamilton.

The music will be primarily big band standards – great for swing, lindy or foxtrot.

There will be a few Latin tunes as well.

Come out on Tuesday March 3 and help us bring back the joys of dining and dancing “Cheek to Cheek”.

To make a reservation ‘on the dance floor’ call (404) 378-2121 or email sageonthesquare@comcast.net.

On Mondays, at the studio in Decatur, beginners will learn to move to Latin music and enjoy dancing to the rhythms.

We start with a rumba or slow salsa tune to get the 3 count rhythm, then we move into some salsa basics and patterns that you can take to the dancefloor.

We end with a merengue and often a simple bachata – and you are ready to join us at Pura Vida Tapas on the third Friday each month: Feb 20 and March 20.

Shirley is teaching Mondays at 7pm at the Studio in Decatur. You can ‘drop in’ for $12 a class or $40 gets you the whole month of classes.

Check out the calendar at www.comeoutdancing.com

Waltz is arguably the most romantic dance you can invite someone to do with you.

It’s three beat (actually six beat ) rhythm is easy for some dancers – because it so much like walking.

This Friday we will learn a simple side sway and review the twinkle step for the improvers and beginners will learn the basics.

Every third Friday after class, some of us head to Pura Vida Tapas for some salsa, merengue and bachata.

So our second hour this Friday will focus on latin rhythms and you will see how the three waltz steps can help you learn salsa and rumba more quickly.

Cost for this evening is a sliding scale fee of $7 to $15 – depending on your personal economy right now.

Saturday, February 21, at 8pm Shirley teaches a two step class for beginners.

The dance venue is the country western bar called ‘3 Legged Cowboy’ but some of us still call it “Hoedowns”.

It is next to Trader Joe’s in Midtown.

The dance floor is terrific and the sound system is too.

After the lesson, you can dance to new and old country tunes.

I will teach the basic rhythm in open and closed position and then depending on the students, we will either learn the ‘belt loops’ pattern or a couples turn.

Be ready to dance. And be sure to say thank you to Sheila and Deana, the owners, for the free lesson.

Note: this is a gay venue but you will find it welcoming to men and women, gay and straight and dancers of all skill levels.

The photo is not about dance but about country singers who ‘step outside the lines’:

(Shelby Lynne, Willie Nelson & Shooter Jennings). Thanks to Vanity Fair for the image.

On Mondays, at the studio in Decatur,

beginners will learn to move to Latin music

and enjoy dancing to the rhythms.

We start with a rumba or slow salsa tune

to get the 3 count rhythm, then we move into some salsa basics and patterns that you can take to the dancefloor.

We end with a merengue and often a simple bachata –

and you are ready to join us at Pura Vida Tapas on

The third Friday each month: Feb 20 and March 20.

Shirley is teaching Mondays at 7pm. Cost is $40 for the month or $12 per class.

There is no advanced class at 8pm.

Check out the calendar at www.comeoutdancing.com

If you want happy, light hearted music for Valentines, Elise Will and Mick Kinney have put together a great night of live music and dancing for Saturday Feb. 14 at 7pm.

For the Valentine’s Dance in Pine Lake, Bill Rutan on Jazz banjo will be joined by fellow Hotlanta Dixieland  Jazz members,

Don Erdman (clarinet & sax), L.A. Tuten (acoustic bass), and pianist Mick Kinney. Shirley will lead a beginning swing dance class before the music starts.

Class at 7pm. Music at 8pm. Turn off of Rockbridge Road onto Clubhouse Drive and you will see the clubhouse a couple of blocks down.

Cost is $8 at the door and you can BYOB if you like.