Hello swing dancers near and far! Queen’s Swing Dance Club (QSDC) is proud to be hosting the third annual Meet in the Middle Lindy Exchange right here in Kingston. What is Meet in the Middle, you ask? Dig in and see what we’ve cooked up!
Quick Nav: Schedule, Music, Workshops, Dances and Maps, Shirts, Pricing, Jack, Jamie and Jill, Housing, Things to do in Kingston
Photo taken by Kroeker Photo from Meeting in the Middle 2016
The Basics
Meet in the Middle is exactly what it sounds like: swing dancers from Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, London, Waterloo, New York state and places in between and far beyond converging on a central point: Kingston, Ontario! We are welcoming dancers to join us for a weekend jam packed full of activity. We’ve assembled a triple decker weekend full of swingin’ live Lindy music, informative workshops, and late-night Blues. A BLW sandwich, if you will. We will all be gathering on the weekend of February 10-12, 2017. You’ve got TUX in January and O-Town Showdown in March, so why not sandwich in another great dance weekend in February!
Registering for our event, you’ll have to agree to abide by our Code of Conduct and Event Guidelines.
Additionally, the weekend also has some special events for QSC alumni. Check out this facebook event for more details (link).
Schedule
For easier access and more information, make sure to add our Google calendar for the event.
| Friday | 19:30-20:30 | Registration Opens | Social Dance with Beginner Lesson |
| 20:30-00:00 | Live Band Dance ft. The Bryan Brundige Trio | ||
| 0:00-1:00 | Evening Blues | ||
| Saturday Afternoon |
09:45-10:00 | Registration Opens | |
| 10:00-11:30 | Advanced Lindy Tricks: For Flash and Pizzazz | All Levels Lindy: Shaping your Swing with Musicaliciousness | |
| 11:30-13:00 | Intermediate Lindy: Taking Chances in Charleston | All Levels Blues – Jukin’ | |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch | ||
| 14:00-15:30 | Beginner Lindy: Lindy ‘Fun’damentals | All Levels Blues – Ballroomin’ | |
| 15:30-16:30 | Panel: Building a Swing Scene | ||
| 16:30-19:30 | Free Time! | ||
| Saturday Dance |
19:30-20:30 | Beginner Swing Dance Lesson | DJ Music |
| 20:30-00:00 | Shake, Reuben,on Rye: Live Band Lindy Dance ft. Combo Royale (J, J,& J competition) |
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| 00:00-04:00 | Late-night Blues | ||
Check out our Workshops Page for more details on the workshops and teachers.
Music
Workshops and Panel
We will be holding Lindy and Blues workshops taught by pro-level dance instructors. There will be 2 rooms of workshops going at the same time, with options for all levels of dancers. We will also be hosting beginner lessons before the social dances on both Friday and Saturday for any new (or rusty) swing dancers. These lessons will take place at the same venues as the dances. Check the schedule for times.
Full details about the workshops can be found at our Workshops Page for more details on the workshops and teachers.
Additionally, we’re super excited to be hosting a panel of Queen’s Swing Dance Club alumni who will be discussing things like scene-building, leadership in dance organizations, DJ’ing, teaching, and more.
Dances
On Friday night we will be in the newly renovated Wallace Hall on Queen’s campus, hopping to the tunes of The Bryan Brundige Trio. QSDC alumni and dancers who have been dancin’ around these parts for a while should feel right at home here. On Saturday night, we’re having our main event: Shake, Reuben, on Rye! Our lovely and iconic Grant Hall is going to be hosting us while we dance to the sounds of Combo Royale. Our theme for the night (and weekend) is sandwiches, and we’re leaving it up to you to be as creative as possible with that. Best costume will be getting a super cool prize! Check out where you’ll be dancing below (click for larger sizes).
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| Wallace Hall, newly renovated | McLaughlin Hall, where we’ll be Bluesin’ |
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| Grant Hall | Grant Hall, with dancers for scale |
Here is a map of the venues as well as possible parking options if you’re driving in. Additionally, check the sidebar for routes from some the surrounding dance scenes to give you a quick idea of how far Kingston is!
Shirts
MitM shirts will be available for $20 CAD on a first come first serve basis at the evening dances and workshops. Given the nostalgic aspect of our event this year, we’re throwing back to the early days of swing. You can find a sizing chart, here.
Pricing
We’re trying to keep prices fairly simple. If you buy tickets for the weekend before January 9, 2017 you get a $10 early bird discount. If you’re a member of QSDC, you get an additional $15 off. You have the option to buy the weekend package, that includes entry to all the events. Alternatively, you can purchase entry to the dances or workshops separately (no early bird discount).
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Weekend Package Early Bird† (Before January 9, 2017) |
65 |
| Weekend Package† | 75 |
| Workshops† | 60 |
| Friday Dance | 20 |
| Saturday Dance | 20 |
† Current QSDC members get a $15 discount on Weekend Package and Workshops.
All prices in CAD. There are no refunds on registrations, but transfers are allowed.
Jack, Jamie, and Jill
To fit in with our theme of being in the middle, we’re trying to mix things up and add some some extra dancers into what you’re already used to. Our Jack, Jamie and Jill competition is similar to a Jack and Jill, but has 3 dancers social dancing together as a team. As usual, a “Jack” is someone who primarily leads; a “Jill” is someone who primarily follows; and the additional “Jamie” is someone who leads, follows, or can do both. Note that possible combinations of team members may also include a team of 3 follows, or a team of 3 leads.
You can register individually on the registration page, or at the event registration desk for $5. Registration will be capped at the first 30 individuals to register. The competition will take place during the Saturday night dance. Details to follow.
The members of winning team will each receive tickets to both the Friday and Saturday dances and late-nights at O-Town Showdown 2017.
Housing
Billeting is now officially closed. If you want to attend, but still require housing email us at queenssdc@clubs.queensu.ca and we will attempt to find you accommodations.
We are offering billeting for dancers coming in from out of town. Billeting is when dancers here in Kingston host you for the weekend, free of charge. We do not guarantee that we will be able to find you a billet, but we will be doing our best. If you want to either host or be hosted, please fill in the appropriate section of the registration. For more information about what is expected of a billeter and billetee, please refer to our Event Guidelines.
Additionally, Kingston is home to some lovely AirBnBs, many of which are affordable and well within walking distance of the venues.
Things to do in Kingston
So you’re coming here for a dance. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get a chance to check out picturesque Kingston. It’s probably going to be more than a little chilly in February, but there’s still some great spots to check out, like the free ice-rink at our market square, or the sleepy Wolfe Island. For some ideas, check out http://www.visitkingston.ca.
Some of our personal favourites include Tommy’s Restaurant, a rockabilly-styled diner (+ bar) open 24-hours over the weekend (great for late-night eats), and the free ice rink at our market square, in downtown Kingston.
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