So, only a month (to the day) into living into Italy, and I already have some lindy hop happening here! So I just wanted to announce it in case any stray lindy hoppers happen to stumble in or near the western Italian Alps :D .
First lesson was last week, in our tiny living room, with about 6 people, and tonight is the second one, to which apparently about double that number are coming over. The fact that I'm baking three pies may have something to do with it, but...whatever gets people dancing! A number of the people in our group of friends (and now becoming dancers, hopefully) are swing musicians, as well, so I have some fun schemes happening in my head...
It is interesting teaching to people who don't all speak English. I luckily have my fiance (Gianluca) to translate when I can't figure out the right words in Italian, but it just means that people gotta learn by watching, which I think is the best method, anyhow.
So I guess not much to discuss here, but if any lindy hop teachers (or plain old dancers or whatnot) ever feel like coming to Aosta, Italy, you'll have parties waiting for you :).... Next step on the agenda, after getting a few couples up and running, is to start teaching public classes (already have a location and the gym down the road!), and to get folks traveling! Woo hoo for new dance scenes!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Originally posted Monday, January 25, 2010 (2 years ago)
Oy, been distracted by things like learning Italian and starting a new job and wedding planning and such, so I've pressed the 'pause' button until things are a little bit less crazy here. But lots of people want to learn, so I think at some point it will be good! Just not yet...
I don't think there is any lindy in Florence. However, there is a lot in Genova, and in about 2 weeks there is actually a big lindy hop weekend there. Their website is www.swingdancegenova.net
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Originally posted Thursday, March 4, 2010 (2 years ago)
Just because it was so much fun, I feel the need to post this!
Tonight, after a who-knows-how-long break (November?), I started teaching lindy to friends again, here in Aosta. They all did fantastically, but I must say it is an entirely different experience teaching in Italy from other places I've taught(I've taught in the US, Ireland, and Sweden).
Because my 'plan' involves teaching a group of friends first before starting group lessons, so that I have a core of lindy hoppers, we taught in someone's basement. Right by their enormous wine cellar filled with some of the best wines in the world. And we kept being handed glasses of wine while teaching. And breaks for wine. And copious amounts of chaos and noise and general ruckus. And breaks for food. I'm kind of surprised they didn't need a coffee break.... You'd think with the constant distraction and noise and low attention span they'd learn nothing, but magically they all did exactly what I taught, and sometimes before I even taught it!
So they were all doing glorious swingouts, as well as a number of moves from closed, within 2 hours, and then afterwards we ended up in the wine cellar eating gelato, drinking homemade grappa and other liquors, and learning about fantastic 50 year old wines. I think I like teaching in Italy! Oh, and about half of the dancers I'm teaching are really gifted swing musicians :).
Just to let y'all know that all is going well here! And we are apparently having a number of lindy hoppers passing through town in the past month, so I'm really excited about that.
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Originally posted Sunday, March 7, 2010 (2 years ago)
Good on ya fids! Bringin' it to yet another country.
At least there are a few events you could get your new friends out to. [and oy, you are so close to Herrang now! Maybe not this year, but there's always the next...]
y i no haz signature? Come on people, make with the funny.
Originally posted Sunday, March 7, 2010 (2 years ago)
heck yes! Although I'm not the first one to bring lindy to Italy, I think I can safely say that I'm the first to bring it to this region.
The only problem with European events is that they tend to be almost exclusively camps. Which is great except that it means that they cost way more, and I'm super poor at the moment. So I haven't gone dancing since...erm... I don't remember. But yeah, Herrang probably next year!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Originally posted Sunday, March 7, 2010 (2 years ago)
So how does one get to Aosta anyways? I'm always travelling these days mostly to satisfy my wanderlust, and will be in Venice this summer. But am seriously thinking about Budapest and lindyshock for the Fall. I also have ADD so I can easily be veered off course of the landscape is beautiful. :)
Originally posted Sunday, March 7, 2010 (2 years ago)
You can get to Aosta by a number of ways: train, bus, car. Car, easy. Bus and train: get on one and go to Aosta. Generally you go to Turin and then go up! Train is super easy. I've done it from Venice and it's not bad. 5 or 6 hours or so.
I've always meant to go to the lindy exchange during Oktoberberfest, but I've always been busy that weekend when I've been on this side of the ocean. However, I plan on it next year as I've heard nothing but fantastic things about it. Plus, I love beer :)
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Originally posted Sunday, March 7, 2010 (2 years ago)
oh and as far as the landscape... well, there probably isn't a more beautiful mountainous place on earth. It's the steepest part of the Alps, with glaciers coating many of their tops, with a bazillion castles and other ancient ruins around, gorgeous villages, waterfalls, skiing (even during the summer), 2000 year old aquaducts in tiny quaint and gorgeous villages, and cheesemakers and vinyards so often you can throw a stone and hit one wherever you are. Hard to beat!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Starting a scene in the Italian Alps :)
So, only a month (to the day) into living into Italy, and I already have some lindy hop happening here! So I just wanted to announce it in case any stray lindy hoppers happen to stumble in or near the western Italian Alps :D .
First lesson was last week, in our tiny living room, with about 6 people, and tonight is the second one, to which apparently about double that number are coming over. The fact that I'm baking three pies may have something to do with it, but...whatever gets people dancing! A number of the people in our group of friends (and now becoming dancers, hopefully) are swing musicians, as well, so I have some fun schemes happening in my head...
It is interesting teaching to people who don't all speak English. I luckily have my fiance (Gianluca) to translate when I can't figure out the right words in Italian, but it just means that people gotta learn by watching, which I think is the best method, anyhow.
So I guess not much to discuss here, but if any lindy hop teachers (or plain old dancers or whatnot) ever feel like coming to Aosta, Italy, you'll have parties waiting for you :).... Next step on the agenda, after getting a few couples up and running, is to start teaching public classes (already have a location and the gym down the road!), and to get folks traveling! Woo hoo for new dance scenes!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
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How is it going with your new scene? I'm looking to find dancing in Florence. Any ideas?
Oy, been distracted by things like learning Italian and starting a new job and wedding planning and such, so I've pressed the 'pause' button until things are a little bit less crazy here. But lots of people want to learn, so I think at some point it will be good! Just not yet...
I don't think there is any lindy in Florence. However, there is a lot in Genova, and in about 2 weeks there is actually a big lindy hop weekend there. Their website is www.swingdancegenova.net
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Just because it was so much fun, I feel the need to post this!
Tonight, after a who-knows-how-long break (November?), I started teaching lindy to friends again, here in Aosta. They all did fantastically, but I must say it is an entirely different experience teaching in Italy from other places I've taught(I've taught in the US, Ireland, and Sweden).
Because my 'plan' involves teaching a group of friends first before starting group lessons, so that I have a core of lindy hoppers, we taught in someone's basement. Right by their enormous wine cellar filled with some of the best wines in the world. And we kept being handed glasses of wine while teaching. And breaks for wine. And copious amounts of chaos and noise and general ruckus. And breaks for food. I'm kind of surprised they didn't need a coffee break.... You'd think with the constant distraction and noise and low attention span they'd learn nothing, but magically they all did exactly what I taught, and sometimes before I even taught it!
So they were all doing glorious swingouts, as well as a number of moves from closed, within 2 hours, and then afterwards we ended up in the wine cellar eating gelato, drinking homemade grappa and other liquors, and learning about fantastic 50 year old wines. I think I like teaching in Italy! Oh, and about half of the dancers I'm teaching are really gifted swing musicians :).
Just to let y'all know that all is going well here! And we are apparently having a number of lindy hoppers passing through town in the past month, so I'm really excited about that.
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Good on ya fids! Bringin' it to yet another country. At least there are a few events you could get your new friends out to. [and oy, you are so close to Herrang now! Maybe not this year, but there's always the next...]
y i no haz signature? Come on people, make with the funny.
heck yes! Although I'm not the first one to bring lindy to Italy, I think I can safely say that I'm the first to bring it to this region.
The only problem with European events is that they tend to be almost exclusively camps. Which is great except that it means that they cost way more, and I'm super poor at the moment. So I haven't gone dancing since...erm... I don't remember. But yeah, Herrang probably next year!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
So how does one get to Aosta anyways? I'm always travelling these days mostly to satisfy my wanderlust, and will be in Venice this summer. But am seriously thinking about Budapest and lindyshock for the Fall. I also have ADD so I can easily be veered off course of the landscape is beautiful. :)
hey fiddletree, go to Munich Lindy Exchange for Oktoberfest, it's definitely not a camp and lots of fun. :)
You can get to Aosta by a number of ways: train, bus, car. Car, easy. Bus and train: get on one and go to Aosta. Generally you go to Turin and then go up! Train is super easy. I've done it from Venice and it's not bad. 5 or 6 hours or so.
I've always meant to go to the lindy exchange during Oktoberberfest, but I've always been busy that weekend when I've been on this side of the ocean. However, I plan on it next year as I've heard nothing but fantastic things about it. Plus, I love beer :)
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
oh and as far as the landscape... well, there probably isn't a more beautiful mountainous place on earth. It's the steepest part of the Alps, with glaciers coating many of their tops, with a bazillion castles and other ancient ruins around, gorgeous villages, waterfalls, skiing (even during the summer), 2000 year old aquaducts in tiny quaint and gorgeous villages, and cheesemakers and vinyards so often you can throw a stone and hit one wherever you are. Hard to beat!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
Four American lindy hoppers are visiting from San Fran and Portland and it is awesome.
Dancing+grappa+rabbit named after alcohol+food+Italians+Americans+music = you should come here too!
follow my adventures at www.AppalachianToAlpine.blogspot.com!
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