Al & Leon Shim Sham
Inspired by a Classic
Day & Time: Saturday, 11:00 – 13:30
Dates: 13.01.2024 – 13.01.2024
The Shim Sham is a classic! Find out how different it can be when some of Lindy Hop’s inventors add their own style to it. Al Minns and Leon James were two of the most famous lindy hoppers of their time, and in this course you’ll learn their interpretation of the Shim Sham. Their steps and combinations are a bit more challenging than the classic shim sham version that we modern lindy hoppers got from Frankie Manning, so the routine gives you a lot to dig into.
Aside from just being a fun routine, the combos are really great for putting into your dancing, whether you’re choreographing or improvising, and it gives you a window into how these amazing dancers injected their own style and flair into the dance.
Join us and put a whole new spin on your Shim Sham!
What will I learn in this course?
Of course you’ll learn the routine itself, we’ll guide you step-by-step through all the moves and sequences you need to be able to dance Al & Leon’s Shim Sham with confidence. But you’ll get much more than just a routine out of this course! You’ll also train important concepts that will improve your dancing overall:
- Basic rhythm, groove and posture
- Swinging rhythm; Ball-changes, Half-breaks
- Classic but challenging moves: Full-breaks, Eagle slides, etc
- Combining kick movements with other jazz elements
What should I know before I join this course?
This course is mixed-level solo dancing, from beginner-intermediate all the way up to the most experienced dancers. We will build up each movement “from scratch” with no assumptions about which moves you know, but the transitions can be a little tricky so there will be enough challenge for everyone.
If you haven’t done any jazz dancing before, you're welcome to give it a try - but be ready for a challenge!
Want to Join Al & Leon Shim Sham?
Step 1: Select a payment option below and fill out the form
Step 2: (While logged in) Select this course again and sign up
All Info at Once
Here’s where Al & Leon Shim Sham takes place:
SwingStation Kurfürsten-Anlage 58
69115 Heidelberg
The entrance is on the eastern side of the building, reachable from the Kurfürsten-Anlage itself or from the Kirchstraße. Our studio is on the ground floor, at the end of the hall.
Public Transportation: many busses, streetcars, trains; stops “Hauptbahnhof” or “Stadtwerke”.
Parking: please do not park in the yard, the parking spaces don’t belong to us and you might get a ticket. It’s hard to find parking spots in our area, so you should plan in some extra time. You can try to find street parking in the Kirchstraße or Vangerowstraße, or you might need to go to a nearby Parkhaus (e.g. P1 in the Poststraße) and walk from there.