News from Modern Steps

Don't forget our Open Dance Party tonight from 7:00-9:30 and be sure to come early for the COMPLIMENTARY DANCE LESSON at 6:30!!  It's a great night of fun, friends and music to dance all your favorite dances!  Ballroom, Swing, Latin--we've got it all at Modern Steps.  $15/person for fun, the lesson, admission, a little wine, a few munchies...all included!

Next week:

Monday Night Social Dancing Group Class 7-8pm

Tuesday Night West Coast Swing Class 6-7pm

Friday Night Salsa/Bachata Class 7-8pm and Latin Party from 8-10pm

And save the date:  Wednesday, February 28  MOD SQUAD @ Bill's!

Come to one or come to all!  We love to see you dancing!

March Happenings at Modern Steps

January 23 2017--the Start of a Great Week at Modern Steps!

It's a beautiful week in Southwest Florida and we want to see you smiling!  Here are the great activities happening at Modern Steps this week that are sure to put a smile on your face:

Tonight, Monday, January 23 and next Monday, at 7pm, Jim is teaching a Technique Group Class--this is a great opportunity to learn from one of the best dance instructors in SW Florida.  Group Classes are $25 per person and there is no partner required.  All levels of dancer are welcome!

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am we hit the Barre with Eden to get those long and lovely muscles moving and grooving.  All are welcome!  Ballroom students $10/others $15.  If you are slipping in your New Year's resolutions, this is a great week to get back on track with this fun class!

Wednesday at 6pm--Attention Couples!!  Come to the first Couples' Class with Tammy!  This first class will be an Introduction to Formation Dancing and Ballroom Technique for Couples.  Come see what all the excitement is about!  All levels of dancers welcome.

Thursday Night is Girls' Night Out!  We will be meeting at Thelma Negley's home at 5:30 for a fun appetizer/potluck and a movie night!  Please call the studio for directions and let us know what you will be bringing (you know-so we don't all bring popcorn and have to send out for pizza!)  GNO is always a great time and you don't want to miss this!

And of course, be sure to come to our weekly Saturday party from 7-9pm.  Social dancing at it's best on our beautiful floor in our friendly club-style studio.  Wine, refreshments and great music always make it a happy place for friends to meet.  $15/person

PS--No group class this Saturday--Watch next week for our February Calendar when Saturday classes start again!

Valentine Special for New Dancers

January 2017 Calendar

Eden Rocks at Modern Steps!

It was a fortunate day when Tammy went to a class at the Marco Island YMCA and met Eden Looney.  Eden is the "Barre-ista" of EdenRocks and has brought her own special fitness program to Modern Steps.  Working with some great, ultra cool, ultra hip and ultra fun music and a barre just like the one you see in a ballet class, Eden is teaching us how to train our bodies to be leaner, stronger, and longer.  Her focus in the class is working on posture and finding balance in your body position.  Imagine that!  Posture and balance while dancing!  There's a connection here for students of ballroom dance!  Eden's story combines her love of dance, tennis and the need to train using less brawn and more brain.  Each class is an hour long, and meets three days a week at Modern Steps (Tuesday and Thursday at 9am, and Saturdays at 10am.)  She combines elements of barre exercise and ballet movements, with yoga and pilates, and then she throws in some serious cardio and ab workouts. And at the same time, she makes this a class for all ages and all levels of student ability.  If you are looking for a new dimension in fitness, come to Modern Steps and try this amazing hour of exercise--you just might get hooked!

Eden Looney leading the Barre Class.
Check her out on youtube.com.

Students lining up at the barre for warm-ups

Posture and balance are at the center of the class philosophy

Increasing flexibility is one of the class objectives.
Flexibility has been shown to decrease the
effects of aging.

Working on abs, or your core, strengthens back muscles
and reduces risks of osteoporosis and its symptoms.

Each student is encouraged to work at their own comfort level
and the community that builds in the class is also
a key to reducing depression and improving mental health.

For more information about the class, call Modern Steps at 239-775-3445 or email questions to modernsteps@gmail.com.

He Dances, He Sings, He's our very own Jim Clemens!

Sometimes we have diamonds in our very own backyard and we never really see them.  One of our shining, multi-faceted diamonds is Jim Clemens, owner and instructor at Modern Steps School of Dance.  You have probably seen Jim at the studio teaching lessons, or dancing at a competition, winning great accolades with his students and for the studio.  But you may not know that he is also a popular singer with a local group of entertainers called the Consecutones.  The trio of Jim, Antoine "Motown" Walker and Steve Fenntiman perform a wide selection of favorites from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's and you can see them on Friday nights in July at Bill's Steak and Seafood Restaurant, located at the corner of Lakewood Blvd and Tamiami Trail East in Naples.  Not only can you get a great meal at Bill's, but you can enjoy this talented group of gentlemen as they bring back oldies and our favorite love songs from 6:30-9:30pm.
Social dancing is one of Jim's passions, and you usually see him on Friday night dancing with students at Bill's and enjoying the music from the dancer's shoes he wears so well.  He has another side that we don't see as often, but his wonderful renditions of our favorite songs are a testimony to the shiny facet that you don't want to miss on this gem we are proud to call one of ours

Jim and Tammy before the show.

Steve Fenntiman and Antoine "Motown" Walker are
the other two thirds of The Consecutones.

The Consecutones at Bill's Steak and Seafood Restaurant

In addition to enjoying the great music, friends get together to dance and enjoy an evening out at Bill's.  You will often see students and friends of Modern Steps out enjoying the music and dancing around town at various venues.  Social dancing is just that--a great way to meet friends, dance and feel the joy of the music, all wrapped up in one great package.

.

What's Happening this Week

Saturday Dance Parties at Modern Steps are always fun and are open to everyone!  The party starts at 7pm and the music runs non-stop until 10pm with all your favorite dance music--ballroom, Latin and country.  And this Saturday, March 26, we want to extend a special invitation to our students to come out and dance with our instructors from 7:00-8:30pm, during the regular party.  Jim and Tammy, Mac and Justinas will be there to dance with their students and we will also have refreshments for everyone to enjoy.  Admission is $15 per person, and even if you're are not a student at Modern Steps, we hope you'll join us for a wonderful evening of dancing.  Save the date for next month's Teacher-Student night on April 23.

We will resume our Sunday Group Class on April 10, 17, and 24 at 2pm.  The dance in April will be the ChaCha, so make plans to join us--you'll be glad you did!  Each class is $25/person.

We're excited about this year's special performance night on Friday, April 29.  Our special Students in the Spotlight evening will be a great evening of entertainment and dancing, with special refreshments to celebrate after the show.  Tickets will be on sale beginning April 4.  Save the date and be sure to reserve your tickets in advance for this special night as seating is limited.

We want to wish you all a happy Easter this Sunday.  And to our northern friends who may be headed home, we will miss you and look forward to your return.  Keep dancing wherever you are and be blessed!