Thank you for Beantown 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just got back to Montreal from Beantown 2010. (Had the Swing tunes and bounce going on in me even through 9 hours of bus ride!). It’s been one of the most joyful and memorable experiences for me!
It was my first time and I loved it, even with sleep deprivation and sore muscles. (OK—next year I get in shape BEFORE!) Lovely campus, marvelous food. (Can you believe I actually lost some weight while eating like a horse! Go figure!)
I really appreciated the calibre of the teachers and their patience with us!
The Tai Chi classes with Richard REALLY helped a lot—helped clear my fuzzy brain for a new day of learning. Hope he can be available more often in the future. The stretching classes were absolutely marvellous too - kept me from becoming a human pretzel!
Applause to the schedulers—yikes! Don’t know how you did it! Superb!
The camp has really kicked my love for, and hopefully skill in, the dance up a notch or two! A thought came to me at one point during the week—it really was/is a privilege to be with, and learn to be a “bearer of joy” through these fun-tastic dances!
Many thanks once again!
Philip Mizener
Montréal, Canada
What a week. Thanks so much to everyone for putting in such long hours to make Beantown such an amazing event! Most definitely worth the investment, says I.
Ed Morales
Ashland, WI
fabulous! fabulous! fabulous!
In a word: fabulous! Thanks for a remarkable week that hit all the right notes. I can’t imagine NOT being at Beantown year after year. I love it that much.
Thank you, Aurelie! Thank you, Tony!
Big hugs!
Diane Ripstein
Newton Centre, MA
Beantown’s Got Talent - specifically the hilarious comments by Jen, Sylvia, and especially Peter. Good, funny, fun times. First time I actually participated in 5 years too :)
Soul night - men vs. ladies dance off…Naomi absolutely putting Mikey in his place. Don’t ever step up against Naomi in a dance off…ever.
Practicing aerials in the grass near the lake. Beautiful campus.
Naomi singing on the last night with Gordon Webster and his bad. It was amazing. That last part with all the call-back singing and crazy jams was just awesome. Ah! Good memories.
Getting to dance in the amazing, first-time-ever, Beantown show! It was such an honor to perform with some of my heroes—Ryan Francois, Jenny Thomas, Skye Humphries, Peter Strom, Naomi Uyama, Ramona Staffeld, Michael Jagger, Evita Arce, Mike Roberts and Laura Glaess.
Learning Jungle Speed Turbo (or whatever it’s called). I think my butt, for once, sweat more sitting down than dancing.
Michael Jagger. Period.
Eric Fenn.. Hip Hop.. Double Period..
Getting my shizzle broke down and rebuilt even better like the bionic man in the now annual relearn-what-you-thought-you-knew-and-were-good-at-change-your-dancing-for-the-better-awesomeness-that-is-Beantown.
Knowing that the time, effort, and money was once again completely worth it. My 5th year was amazing—can’t wait for the 6th!
Andrew Thigpen
Marietta, GA
I want to thank you for all your efforts in putting together Beantown. This was my first (not that I haven’t tried!!!) and it was worth every penny. Well organized, well paced, quality instructions and a wide range of attendees. Thanks for doing this.
Larry Fava
Winchester, MA
I wanted to let you know that I had the best time at Beantown this year. Everything was just great! The classes were great, my track partners were great, my housing was just fine, the performances were phenomenal, the teaching was SO good!
I’ll definitely be returning next year, for more of the same.
Best Wishes!
Ed Broderick
Wallingford, CT
10. Singing opera for Swing dancers… weird… but cool..
9. Micheal Jagger as a Salsa Instructor.
8. Just Chillin with Norma Miller…
7. A great Soccer game with joel and mikey and davis.
6. Being recognized as “Marshall” from How I met your Mother everywhere I went.
5. Long philosphical talks with Evita Arce, Mikey Pedroza and Andrew Thigpen.
4. Rocking a World cup tribute in the Solo Charleston Competition.
3. Micheal and Evita’s amazing “Shake that Thing” and “singin in the rain” routines.
2. Realizing again how much of a dance infant I am… It’s good to be reminded of your place every now and then.
1. An amazing 21st Birthday week!
Jonathan Tigert
Indianapolis, IN
I just got back to Montreal and I wanted to tell you that I had an absolutely incredible time at Beantown! Special shouts go out to Peter Strom, Sylvia Sykes, Ryan, Eric, and Zack and Maryse (of course) for their classes, which were inspiring and really touched on things in my dancing that I needed to work on! Track 5 was really focused on technical stuff this year, getting moves to feel good rather than introducing new moves, and I’m a firm believer in that…
I was totally thrilled to be dancing to Gordon Webster, and really appreciated how hard he worked to keep us dancing, keep his breaks short, and really play WITH us rather than AT us. All of the evening dances were great, Peter’s Soul Party was especially brilliant and got me out of my pattern box. Definitely a high point of the week!
Overall, you two did an amazing job with the hardest part of event planning: producing an atmosphere. The whole camp felt friendly, relaxed and homey, even when I was freaking out over having three choreographies to dance. It’s a subtle combination of factors that makes that feel right, and not everyone has a knack for it.
Finally, I want to add that Andrew Thigpen’s personality added a ton of positive energy to my experience, he’s the kind of guy you always want at an event: open, easy going, buckets of talent and style… he brings a great energy with him wherever he goes.
I was truly impressed and thrilled with every day of my experience! I had a fabulous time, met lots of wonderful people, and will most definitely do everything I can to make sure I’m there in 2011!
Thank you so much for everything!
Owen Hortop
Montréal, Canada
Just back from another fabulous Beantown Lindy Hop Camp . Lots of great instruction, music, dancing of course, and wonderful folks to share it all with. Now, it’s laundry time……….
Alice Chico
Syracuse, NY
Beantown was such a wonderful time. Thank you Tony and Aurelie! It was an honor to come and be apart of it all. Can’t wait to see what you create for next year!
Mike Roberts
Austin, TX
Thank you so much for yet another fabulous Beantown! Once I catch up on my sleep, I’ll start looking forward to next year. :)
Tara Weinstein
New York, NY
Thank you Tony and Aurelie. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster after having been away from dancing for two years, but well worth the ride. What a gift you guys give the Lindy Hop community.
Melanie Richters
Winnipeg, Canada
Big Thank you to Beantown organizers. It was a total blast and I am hoping to get there next year.
Honora Newell
Monroe, NC
Beantown Camp 2010—Top 10 Good Times
A few reasons why Beantown was so awesome this year:
Feeling like I’m in a House Party movie during the spontaneous soul train and boys vs girls battle at Peter’s Soul Night in the lodge.
The foreshadowing of Hammertime, so you’re ready for it when Hammertime actually happens.
Tap dancing in the show alongside some of my favorite dancers, and witnessing the amazing Jenny Thomas throw it all together on the spot in 10 minutes.
Doing the Big Apple during sound check on the first night and watching Joel rock out with a soccer ball.
Feeling like I’ve been to dance boot camp. It’s been a while since I’ve learned this much dance stuff in a week.
Watching Reid and our other students bust out the Beyonce hand to hand Charleston move in class.
Having the time and opportunity to get to know people and just hang out in between activities.
Eric’s hip hop classes, and watching his class performance.
PB and J sandwich making/ eating contest and Andrew catching an apple in his mouth.
Busting out to the Cangelosi Cards and Gordon Webster as well as Michael Gamble and Mary Freitag’s DJing.
Karen Turman
Santa Barbara, CA
Thanks again for everything, Aurelie & Tony. Yes, it was incredible, absolutely incredible. I’m so glad I couldn’t bear to go home & stayed. It is really absolutely fantastic what you & Tony have put together at Beantown. Really truly incredible and fantastic. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it!
Connie Swan
Boston, MA
Without a doubt—the best Beantown ever.
Maryann Houglet
Newtonville, MA
Thanks for all your hard work for the camp.
Mike Nowak
Tinley Park, IL
My husband and daughter who aren’t from the USA and had never social danced before, let alone Lindy Hopped, said it was wonderful and plan on coming back next year!! Yay!!
Juliet Parry
Lynn, MA
Well, it looks like the end of vacation is here and its back to reality tomorrow. I wanted to let you know that I had a real nice time at Beantown this year. Stayed up very late dancing two or three nights (hit the pillow at around 3:30 PM on one night) and had more fun with the dance this year as a result of my comfort level growing. In the classes, I really felt like I was able to absorb a lot more this time around as a result of having the benefit of a bit more experience.
You guys conduct a very organized event at a beautiful facility, I am sure you know that it is widely appreciated. The vibe there is really cool.
Damian Capobianco
Cambridge, MA
Since this was my first time at Beantown, I wasn’t sure what sort of post camp communication would be forthcoming. I do want to let you know that I thought Beantown was the best camp I’ve ever attended.
Thanks!
Brian Abbott
Montpelier, VT
Michael & Evita’s “Singing In The Rain” at The Show. This is the one memory from Beantown 2010 above all others which I will carry with me.
Ryan & Jenny’s comedic Charleston routine at The Show.
The Lindy Hop Addiction public service announcement skit.
Twelve campers from Minnesota, including four over the top terrific townhouse-mates…. Plus three instructors with strong Minnesota ties.
The wacky wild adventures of the inflatable dinosaur in our townhouse. Still waiting on photos.
Zack & Maryse, both as Balboa instructors and teaching a terrific little routine for our track. Their positive attitude, encouragement, and incredibly friendly demeanor are very much appreciated.
Almost peeing my pants when Sylvia gave me a huge compliment in a Balboa class. Seriously.
Michael & Evita’s “Blues Clues” class. Yummy ochos.
Food. Food. More food. And terrific food at that.
Geeking out with Richard Moffit about photography.
Brent Casavant
Eagan, MN
I can’t thank you guys enough for the FABULOUS time I had at Beantown. It’s my third camp but my first whole shebang and man, going the extra mile and staying was a BLAST. Doing a routine in the track really brings everyone together. Met tons of great people, danced my toes off and learned a lot. Such nice people on all sides: the attendees, the instructors and the college staff.
Many thanks!
Pam Murphy
Siasconset, MA
We had a fabulous time at Beantown this year! Thank you for all your efforts to put together such a well-organized and inspirational event. I know how much work that must take.
Lisa Lutton
New York, NY
Thank You!
Thanks so much for putting on such an amazing event! I loved it! Beantown was the Best vacation I’ve ever had! I can’t wait for next year!
Adriane Reeves
Minneapolis, MN
Cheers to you, and thanks for ALL your HARD WORK for a great BEANTOWN!
Betty Stone
Arlington, MA
Hope you are enjoying the rest of the summer now that camp is over. The Show was a wonderful addition to Beantown, pulling together terrific performances in a much more effective setting than the dance floor. I hope you continue it every year. It’s worth the price of admission.
As always the wonderful instructors are the biggest draw for me. Ryan and Jenny are unsurpassed, of course, but I enjoyed Skye and Naomi’s classes a great deal as well. Michael and Evita just blew me away with their performances and are always among my favorite teachers. Their teaching skills match their performance skills and they are as unpretentious as any instructors I’ve ever worked with.
Thanks for the months of work you and Tony put in to make Beantown such a terrific experience. See you in the fall.
Susan Phillips
Newton, MA
If you’re a dancer and have never been…… You NEED to go. One of the best weeks ever! Plan now!
