Dancing to Old Time String Band Music: Introduction to Flatfooting
10 Jul, 2024, 7:30PM (EDT)
Top Hat Dance School of Dance
168 Water Street
Skowhegan, Maine 04976
About the workshop: Do you feel the urge to dance when you hear old time string band music but don’t know how, or feel shy to start moving and making noise? This workshop will help you feel confident moving on the dance floor!
In this 2-part workshop for adults and older teens we will:
In this 2-part workshop for adults and older teens we will:
- Learn and practice foundational sounds and movements of flatfooting
- Practice keeping time
- Develop skills and confidence to improvise to music
- Have fun and get a little sweaty
Dates: Monday, July 8, 2024 and Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Top Hat School of Dance, 168 Water Street, Skowhegan, ME 04976
No dance experience required. Each 90-minute class will start with a full body warm up followed by a beginner technique lesson. Then we will use simple exercises to have fun practicing putting the components together and dancing to some tunes before cooling down - with plenty of time for water and questions mixed in.
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Top Hat School of Dance, 168 Water Street, Skowhegan, ME 04976
No dance experience required. Each 90-minute class will start with a full body warm up followed by a beginner technique lesson. Then we will use simple exercises to have fun practicing putting the components together and dancing to some tunes before cooling down - with plenty of time for water and questions mixed in.
Participants will also walk away with a playlist and tips for practice at home, and super simple instructions to craft your own DIY dance board!
What to wear: Wear comfortable clothing that moves easily with you. Avoid pants that are too long and may get under your heels. For shoes: low-heeled tap shoes or leather-soled shoes (e.g. oxfords) or boots are best (ideally lace-up). A hard and smooth rubber sole (such as on dance sneakers) can work but rubber-soled sneakers or anything with too much grip will not work.
About the instructor: Sara Rowbottom is a flatfooter and clogger based in Brooklyn, New York. As a child growing up in Central Maine, the seeds of Sara’s love for dance and foundations of technique were planted at Bradley Adams’ School of Dance. After high school and college sports, Sara returned to dance, training and performing in hip hop and West African styles and dabbling in soca and dancehall. Sara discovered Appalachian clogging and flatfooting in 2012 and has been an integral member of the Manhattan-based City Stompers since 2016. She has performed at venues such as Caramoor American Roots Music Festival, Celtic Appalachia at Symphony Space, Bronx Music Heritage Center, Brooklyn Folk Festival, and the Jalopy Theatre. She has shared the stage with notable bands like Furnace Mountain Band and the Lonesome Ace String Band. Sara believes in the power of dance to connect people to share joy in movement, rhythm, and music - and to put positive energy into the world. Beyond dance, Sara loves supporting her partner, Kendell, and their son, Andre in their obsession with soccer. She is also a Senior Technical Advisor for Education & Youth with the International Rescue Committee.
What to wear: Wear comfortable clothing that moves easily with you. Avoid pants that are too long and may get under your heels. For shoes: low-heeled tap shoes or leather-soled shoes (e.g. oxfords) or boots are best (ideally lace-up). A hard and smooth rubber sole (such as on dance sneakers) can work but rubber-soled sneakers or anything with too much grip will not work.
About the instructor: Sara Rowbottom is a flatfooter and clogger based in Brooklyn, New York. As a child growing up in Central Maine, the seeds of Sara’s love for dance and foundations of technique were planted at Bradley Adams’ School of Dance. After high school and college sports, Sara returned to dance, training and performing in hip hop and West African styles and dabbling in soca and dancehall. Sara discovered Appalachian clogging and flatfooting in 2012 and has been an integral member of the Manhattan-based City Stompers since 2016. She has performed at venues such as Caramoor American Roots Music Festival, Celtic Appalachia at Symphony Space, Bronx Music Heritage Center, Brooklyn Folk Festival, and the Jalopy Theatre. She has shared the stage with notable bands like Furnace Mountain Band and the Lonesome Ace String Band. Sara believes in the power of dance to connect people to share joy in movement, rhythm, and music - and to put positive energy into the world. Beyond dance, Sara loves supporting her partner, Kendell, and their son, Andre in their obsession with soccer. She is also a Senior Technical Advisor for Education & Youth with the International Rescue Committee.