The $6,000,000 question.. What Level should I join ?
Please be sensible and choose classes that suit your experience. Whilst we all like to be challenged, there's no point in making yourself and others frustrated by joining a class that is beyond your level. We will aim to balance leads and follows and put a limit on the number of people in each group, based on hall capacity. Where class sizes are huge, this year we may divide them into two.

Please also be aware that with so many international dancers attending GNSH each year, the standard may be higher than your regional class. To reflect this, the Balboa and Lindy Hop levels criteria below, will be higher than last year, so please review carefully prior to choosing your level.

LINDY HOP LEVELS:

BEGINNERS:
You know bo diddly about Lindy hop - Please take weekly classes prior to GNSH, as we do not currently offer classes at this level.

IMPROVERS:
Ok so you've dipped your foot in. You've taken 6 months of classes, covering fundamental 8 count moves such as lindy turn, lindy circle, swing outs, basic charleston steps and want to learn a bit more and have some fun to impress your partner or maybe you parents!

INTERMEDIATES:
By now, the teachers will assume you have the bug, social dancing regularly, attended a few workshops and weekly classes for at least a year and have a good appreciation of the fundamental stuff such as Swing outs, Lindy turns, Lindy circle, Texas Tommy, Swivels for followers, with a good measure of moves and charleston variations chucked in, such as Side-by-Side, Tandem and Reverse Charleston, but wish to build upon your existing repertoire, with some groovy or trickery pokery variations to spice things up a bit..

INTERMEADIATE / ADVANCED:
This is where things heat up a little. You have at least two years of Lindy Hop experience, a nice repertoire of moves and Jazz Movement, with possibly a few tricks here and there. You lead or follow reasonably well to slow n faster tempos. You have some musicality and currently feel comfortable at Intermediate or possibly advanced level in other classes and camps, but wish to iron out the creases, dot the i's, cross the t's, You're ready to connect and make peace with the floor, your partner and the music.

ADVANCED:
OK, so now things have already heated up. Vindaloo level. At this level, most of the teachers and advanced dancers at GNSH will have seen you at various camps around the world in advanced classes. You are comfortable with slow grooves or faster tempos. You should have musicality, originality, vitality, speed - ality, ? You can brag about doing a swing out to "sing sing sing", whilst eating noodles and talking to your mum on your mobile! You are used to adding complex and fast Jazz steps to your Lindy Hop, yet you are focused more on technique and quality rather than quantity of moves.

NB: As advance levels vary in each country, entry is by audition only on the Friday evening.

ADVANCED PLUS / TEACHERS:
Due to previous feedback and the increasingly high standard of international dancers that come to GNSH, we have decided to continue with this level, which will be chosen from the cream of the Advanced group by invitation only, during the auditions.

You should be a top dancer, a competitor in your country or possibly teaching internationally. All the teachers and everyone from your country's swing scene should instantly know you. You're the" Muhammad Ali" of the Lindy dance floor. You will probably be very good at Balboa, Shag, Blues and Complex Jazz Movement which compliments your Lindy Hop, yet you are happy to focus on perfecting one move if required. In 2009 this level was truly high, as it contained many international teachers and competitors.

At this level you are also happy for individual teacher and group feedback. Numbers in this level is strictly limited and balanced.

BALBOA LEVELS:


BALBOA LEVEL I:
This is the basic entry level. You have no experience of Balboa at all or maybe you've done a few taster classes here and there.. There are no official classes provided for this level. This group will be catered for with any Taster classes, on the weekend, which also allows you to take part in Lindy Hop classes also.
NB: This level will not run this year..

BALBOA LEVEL II:
You have been social dancing all of the key Balboa steps such as Cross Overs, Transition steps, Throw Out, Paddle, Lollies etc, plus a range of key Bal-Swing moves on a regular basis and take weekly Balboa classes and intermediate level workshops at Balboa Festivals. You will get approx 3 classes per day, plus tasters.

BALBOA LEVEL III:
You know all the above steps, attend weekly balboa classes and have been social dancing reguarly, as well as taking Advanced level workshops at balboa festivals. You can lead/follow complex Bal-Swing Steps with tricky footwork and don't feel afraid to dance with international teachers. You will get approx 3 classes per day, plus tasters.


AUTHENTIC JAZZ LEVELS:

AUTHENTIC JAZZ LEVEL I:
Dancers at this level, will have at least 6 months experience of Lindy Hop. No prior Authentic Jazz movement experience necesary.
NB: Please note that only level II will run this year.

AUTHENTIC JAZZ LEVEL II:
As there is only one level of authentic jazz this year, dancers will need to have been dancing weekly at an intermediate lindy hop level or above, for the last two years, with some knowledge of Jazz Steps or have over 1 years weekly experience of Tap or line dancing, as these classes will tend to go at a good pace. You will need to be able to grasp ideas, techiques, style and routines quickly.

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