Every Monday
Entry £5.00 Per Person
Doors open at 7:45pm
Class starts at 8:00pm
Blues music right through to 11:00pm
The White Star
63 Kingsway
Stoke-On-Trent
ST4 1JH (The White Star is in the corner of The King's Hall Carpark)
Beautiful Decor
Los - Stokie's Newest Teacher
Weekly Blues Dance Classes EVERY Monday
The Teachers
Stokie's teaching team are absolutely passionate about Blues dancing. Their unique, laid back approach will allow you to discover the real Blues dancer inside you. As Blues dancing is about connecting with your partner and the music we believe in teaching together; the same way we dance. Stokie will give leads important tips on getting that connection right, so your follow can feel what you are leading. As Blues dancing is an equal partnership between lead and follow, Essie-Jo and Los will be focusing on the huge part that a follow plays within Blues dancing, so there's no need for you ladies to feel like a spare part in dance classes any longer!
We know that learning together is so much more fun!
So relax and let Stokie's Teaching Team (including UK Open Blues Finalists) show you how to get the most out of your Blues dancing. Learn to dance with your partner and achieve the legendary Blues Bliss! All to the delicious Blues music that will be being played right through to the end of the evening
What is it?
Blues dancing is a form of partner dance. Like most great things it's really easy to get to grips with the basics - after one class you'll be able to join in the dancing that happens afterward. It's not hard... yet it can take years to master the finer nuances and to become an accomplished Blues dancer.
There are many different flavours of Blues. Most of what is taught as Blues in the UK is English Blues. That is, slow, musical dancing to pretty, tuneful songs. However, real Blues dancig started in the Southern States of America and pre-dates dances like Modern Jive by decades. Authentic Blues grew from Jazz and Lindy-Hop around 1912 sometime. Authentic Blues is not some sort of Modern Jive dance. Where the Jive moves are slowed down and danced to slow melodic music.
What we teach at Stokie's is American Blues. The kind of dancing you may expect to see if you were in a Blues club or a Jook Joint somewhere in one of the the deep Southern States around 1912. What we focus upon is original Blues. Blues without compromise is exactly that - it's gritty, earthy, honest and most of all it's great fun
The Music
When you come to any of Stokie's events you should expect the music to be blisteringly good! The same level of care and attention that gets put into the music for our Blues freestyles is extended to Stokie's class nights. We don't believe that 'good enough' is good enough. So don't settle for anything less than outstanding, inspiring music - we don't! There will be plenty of well known tracks played, so you can focus on putting your latest skills into practice. That said, expect a few curve balls through the evening to keep you on your toes... literally. If you love listening to the likes of JJ Cale, B. B. King, Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, you'll love dancing to them
But I've never
danced before
That really is not a problem. Blues dancing is very straight forward, after your very first class you'll be able to join in the dancing with everyone else. Once you have a grasp of the basics you are able to expand on what you've learned to become a confident dancer. It really is a laid back, relaxed atmosphere without pretention or pressure. Everyone is there to learn together and share the fun and excitement of mastering a new skill that you will have for the rest of your life
What Do I Need?
The only thing you need to bring is yourself. Blues dancing is a partner dance, but as Blues dancing is a very sociable scene there will be plenty of people to dance with. Of course if you can bring a partner with you, all the better. Like most dancing it's a case of the more the merrier. You do not need special shoes, special clothes or anything else. It's best to wear comfortable shoes - but avoid rubber soled footwear, trainers for example - as this type of footwear can make your knees ache if you dance in them for extended periods. Loose fitting comfortable trousers work best for girls and guys alike - comfortable jeans would be perfect.
Blues dancing is a great form of excersise, as such you can get a bit hot. As Blues dancing is also a partner dance, it's wise to bring a small hand towel, some deodorant and a change of shirt or top to keep yourself nice and fresh
The Venue
The White Star in Stoke belongs to a small local brewery - Titanic Brewery (est. 1985) - famous for their locally brewed, multi-award winning real ales. Like the other three pubs in the chain the emphasis here is on quality. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the delightfully refitted surroundings of this establishment. These pubs have been born out of a passion to deliver nothing but the very best. After all, if you are going to the trouble of brewing the finest ales you possibly can, why on earth would you want to serve it in a sub-standard establishment? We feel that the ethos behind the venue and The Titanic Brewery compliments that of Stokie's perfectly. Stokie's don't brew beers, but if we did we'd be brewing exactly like this.
Unlike dancing at some venues, you will be able to arrive as early as you like. Parking is completely free after 6:00pm, so if the fancy grabs you have a drink and a bite to eat from the vast (and very reasonably priced) menu. Safe in the knowledge that the high standards of the venue carry through into the kitchen. The food has been tested on Stokie and he rated it as first class
