Nathalie Gomes has just announced that Mickey Fortanasce will be teaching Balboa at Dance Renaissance! Locals who have danced with Mickey or seen him dance are swooning! He and his partner Kelly Arsenault won the International Balboa Championship at Balboa Rendezvous in 2006 and 2007 as well as the American Classic Balboa Championship at the 2008 All Balboa weekend. Sadly, Kelly won't be able to join him for Dance Renaissance, but that shouldn't stop follows from signing up!

Congratulations to Nathalie Gomes for winning the Champions division of the Jack n' Jill competition this past weekend at the American Lindy Hop Championships in Stamford, CT. The lucky guy she danced with was Max Pitruzzella (from France and now living in Montreal).

Thought some of you might enjoy a fun, if blatantly pro-Obama play on a popular swing tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJW67YfLWgs

Dance Quarter LLC has announced their Fall schedule of classes.
There is something for everyone. Classes start this week and next and fill quickly! For the complete details, visit:

http://www.dancequarter.com/schedule.html

Ernst Cafe Monday Night Balboa students won't want to miss Nathalie and Jayna's Balboa class!

If you like to dance or want to learn, you're not going to want to miss this party:

Come celebrate the opening of Dance Quarter LLC, New Orleans' new home for social dancing. Dance Quarter will offer dance classes, workshops and parties through which people will improve their dancing skills and reconnect with Jazz music, friends and families.

Nathalie Gomes and colleagues invite you to join in Dance Quarter's kick off party which will feature free lessons, dance demonstrations and open dancing.

Saturday, September 13, 8:00-midnight. FREE
2134 Magazine Street, 3rd Floor

Expand your social dancing skills and moves with the exciting upcoming Blues and Lindy workshop taught by Nathalie Gomes and Reuel Reiss (from Nashville, TN) on October 3,4,5, 2008. There will be classes appropriate for all levels of dancing proficiency.

Turn up the heat on your dancing with the blues workshops, make it more interesting with the Charleston class, and speed it up with the fast lindy classes. Class sizes are limited so register soon!

For more info:
http://www.dancequarter.com/workshops.html

During the recent Hurricane Gustav evacuation, Memphis swing dancers, many of whom had come to New Orleans last April for our Fleur de Lindy exchange, welcomed New Orleans dancers into their homes and pulled out the stops trying to distract us from CNN, The Weather Channel, etc. We had a blast, considering. They were even willing to take us back for Ike, if needed.