Links
The following are places, people, and websites we like, link to, or spend a lot of time browsing. Let us know if you'd like us to add a new one!
Classes and Studios
Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre
We love this place! As members of both the Community Centre and the Roundhouse Community Dancers, we often drop in and practice in unused rooms. We also participate in free dance workshops every Sunday. And we have yet to find a venue that brings together as many different artists from as many different art forms over the course of a single year. It's our second home!
We teach a free, all-level, all ages drop-in partner dancing class here on Wednesdays at 12:30 pm. Visit the Roundhouse website for more information.
Britannia Centre
This is the location of a new poi class we're offering in the spring. Right in the heart of Commercial Drive, it's a great place to experience even more East Van culture. You can learn how to register for classes at the Britannia Centre website.
Rhythm Room
Home of the Urban Tap Squad and Time Step Productions, this is Jennifer Bishop's new space and a great place to learn tap with one of the best teachers around. There are classes for kids, teens, and adults in tap, flamenco, and musical theatre, with plans to continue adding more. Visit the Rhythm Room website.
Venues and Events
Just Dance
(September through June) Smoke-free, all ages, bi-monthly dance with captivating world music and a completely accepting atmosphere. Children, teens, and adults dance here without fear of judgement. We know of no better release, no venue as inviting as this one. There's nothing like it from here to San Francisco! Visit the Just Dance website.
Swing at the Legion
If you like to swing in Vancouver, this is where it's at. Every Saturday and most Thursdays you can practice your moves and socialize with a diverse crowd of dancers. You'll find beginners and seasoned dancers filling up the floor. Occasionally a live band heats things up even more. For a schedule of events, visit Jungle Swing.
Hot Jazz Club
Sadly, the Hot Jazz Club is gone! We're sorry to see it go.
The Yale
Finally, we found a spot to get down to some blues! Throughout the week, The Yale has an ongoing lineup of blues musicians for your dancing and listening pleasure. We've been going on Mondays when there is no cover and the music is smokin'. We're sure the other nights are probably good too.
Robson Square Summertime Dance Series
Starting in July, this lovely "outdoor" venue bustles with partner dancers of all backgrounds. Dance for free (or make a donation to the organizers), and witness a weekly taste of demos. From swing to salsa, waltz to rhumba, from polished professionals to hopeful beginners, you'll find it all happening here. Here's this year's information.
Fire Spinning at Trout Lake
This could be your tribe. A laid-back assortment of fire-loving folk visit Trout Lake every Wednesday for an evening of fire-based movement. We've seen everything here from fire poi to fire jump ropes and yo-yos. Ask for help, share some fuel, and discover what has hooked a growing segment of the population. For event details, safety information, fire toy purchasing, and more, go to Luxotica.
People, Groups, and Webpages
Kol Halev Performance Ensemble
The founder of this community theatre troupe took our solo blues class, and we started talking tap. She asked us, "Want to perform?" and we said yes! They combine Jewish history and culture with tap and other forms of dance, music, story telling, and theatre. Learn more on the Kol Halev website.
Poi Pixies and Pixie Hoops
If you're planning on visiting Victoria and want to take lessons or meet up with other spinners or hoopers, visit the Poi Pixies! (Links open in a new window.)
Poi Dancing : Fire Spinning Workshops on poipixies.comPixie Hoops : Hula Hooping Workshops Victoria on pixiehoops.com
Playpoi
For the ultimate in poi videos, photos, blog and more, visit playpoi, home of Nick Woolsey. We've never seen someone with as much control or grace while spinning poi, and would recommend his "Scales of Poi" approach to anyone who would like to improve their own spinning.
Richard Powers at Stanford University
If you enjoy reading about dancing and would like more perspective on social dancing—especially the kind we prefer—then we've found the perfect selection of social dance related articles. Especially pertinent are the articles entitled Ultimate Partnering and Intelligent Dance.
Elisha Clement
She's a dancer who also takes great photos. We were fortunate enough to have her in the audience at our recent New Works performance with Sweetpea Swing Band where she captured some nice shots. She also specializes in wedding photography. Here is Elisha Clement's website.
Harry Brewster
Harry Brewster was also in the audience at our New Works performance as the official New Works photographer. It was through his link to photos he took of our show that we discovered his impressive collection of dance/movement related photography. On Harry's website, you'll see everything from aerial dance to volleyball, flamenco to taiko.
Bellissima Wedding Consulting
In-depth wedding planning assistance covering every aspect of wedding planning in Vancouver, BC. View their services here.
Web Listings
Poi Tribe
There's a new tribe called Vancouver Poi, and we're hoping it will become a good central location for poi-related information in Vancouver. Feel free to join in and post your own thoughts, photos, events, etc!
Directories
We're listed in several web directories, including VanStart Dance - Vancouver BC, so more people can learn about what we do. This site is a nice portal to other organizations in Vancouver.
Here's a network of fire instructors and performers.
 | Member of the Fire-Dancing.com Network |
The following is a nice looking place to post free ads.
Vancouver Classifieds
