MATT & CRYSTAL AAAUCLAIR Toronto Intensive 2014!!!

Back by OUTRAGEOUS DEMAND: 

THE Matt & Crystal AAAuclair Intensive Dance Camp!

In all my dance travels, there is NO group of people more SPECIAAAL than the Torontoes!

Last year, when I heard about their brilliant scheme to bring the STELLAAAR teachers, Matt & Crystal Auclair into their community for 5 days of NON-STOP dancing, I was the 1st person to write a check!

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED MORE OF:

communities helping themselves.

.

         i.e., CAnAdiAn Ingenuity!!!

THE AAAuclair Intensive is held in Ancaster, about 40 mi. south of Toronto, (in Canada) which is a suburb near Lake Ontario. 

Being so near Niagara Falls, there's lots of outdoor stuff to do. Everything is lush and fresh. Lovely hiking trails and waterfalls pop up out of nowhere.

The lake shore is dotted with charming little villages filled with unique shops and cafes. 

Parks and lakeside paths offer accessible waterfront areas.

Since I took the whole week off for vacation, I wanted to be able to drive around to photo the landscape. So, I drove from New Jersey. 

Advantage Car rental gave me a great deal. ($335 for 10 days all inclusive) and it was a pleasant 8 hour drive. 

The event hotel was located in Hamilton, Ontario at the Admiral Inn. This was such a neato place! We were right across the street from Lake Ontario and the area had a very European feel to it. Sort of the "Fawlty Towers" of Toronto!

After settling into our comfy hotel room, my charming roomies: Annabelle Pain and Dominic Bernard who are from Quebec ... we headed off to the find our wonderful Torontoes cheerily dancing away at the Marshall Memorial United Church. 

The Intensive started with a practice and then individual (private and video'd) assessment. People at similar levels were temporarily paired.

Written assessments were provided and we were placed in one of two levels:

A = Newcomer/Novice
B = Novice/Intermediate

Each group was scheduled either in the morning or in the afternoon and alternated. Lessons were offered in Connectivity, Spins, Musicality, Quality of Movement and Styling.  

This was hands-on ... not a lecture series. We learned by doing. 

Matt coaching Rita Wohl

The BIG highlight however, was the 2 hours of coached practice sessions every evening! This means Matt & Crystal were on the floor watching us practice with each other and offering their assistance. 

We were told to pick one thing to concentrate on at a time. Sometimes they would work with us one-on-one. And sometimes we could approach and ask questions. 

Rita Wohl (pictured above) said: "A priceless and invaluable opportunity to see your dancing abilities improve in 5 days. A picture is worth 1000 words when you view your before & after dance camp video. Incredible coaching from awesome and supportive instructors. 2nd time around ... just as good as the 1st!"

Each day we reviewed the previous day's material and added on. The Connectivity lessons tackled a HUGE issue in this dance.

We mostly focused on our own problems, but we all learned more about creating stretch by refining our first step.

Judalyn Weeks (pictured above) said: The "BEST workshops I've ever attended. Great coaches with their skills and knowledge (top notch). I feel like my styling, spins and connection has improved tremendously. I would recommend this intensive to anyone to to improve to the next level. Love it a lot! Money well spent."

We drilled, Drilled and DRILLED ... and  our teachers were always on hand to catch us in the act of committing former crimes!  

Lessons on Spins were particularly useful.

We've all seen these difficult turns in routines but had no idea how to execute. Especially trying to twirl on one foot! Well, Matt & Crystal made it possible for everyone to spin multiple times. 

But, in the beginning, we must have looked like a bunch of drunks!!!

Marianne (pictured above) said: "Good practice is invaluable; logical instruction that makes personal sense - clear objectives and feasible tasks ... made the dance camp productive and meritorious. Sequences were understandable. Choreographed routine made subjective additions easier. If I had time ... I would take the 2nd camp too!"

Greg & Jean Polychenko

The Musicality workshops were extremely insightful. We worked on developing the ability to respond to other instruments in the song as well as tempo changes.

We got a clue about what do when a cool sound pops up on the music, like saxophone, the piano or even the triangle.

We even put together a little routine with these elements. This is something I would like to see next year. Let's have each group prepare a little routine and present it at the conclusion. 

At the end of the 5 days, we were re-assessed privately and video'd again. (We received copies.)

Greg & Jean Polychenko (pictured above) said: LOVE IT! Learned a lot!! Will be back next year!!!

Just about everyone from the Dance Camp who also attended the Toronto Open Swing & Hustle Championships, placed in at least one division. 

Alexandra J. & Ziv Kenet

In particular ... Alexandra Jakubowski won 1st place in the Intermediate Jack n' Jill with Christopher Muise of Boston. 

This girl blossomed at the camp. We watched her bud on day one and it was fascinating to watch her fully flower over the 5 days ... like a night blooming orchid!

Alex said: "The dance camp is probably the single best thing I’ve done to help my dance development all year. Matt & Crystal not only have amazing content but they took a personal interest in our development over the 5 days, and helped us implement it all correctly. The guided practice sessions every evening, where they walked around and corrected our technique, gave helpful musical hints, and answered questions, is something I’ve never found anywhere else and I've grown as a dancer thanks to this experience. A well-run, great concept - can’t wait to sign up next year!"

Michelle Blaike & Dominic Bernard

Dominic Bernard placed 1st at TOSCH with Yvonne DeSilva in Novice Division and is now joining the Intermediate level. 

Dom said: "Wow! What an amazing deal this ... 5 day camp! We had the chance to be assessed frankly about our level of dance and be given personal and appropriate exercises to improve. Matt & Crystal gave us goals and materials to practice for at least 6 months. They took their job as teachers and coaches very seriously!"

I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on delightful moments shared with Dom ... he's a wonderful and kooky character!  

Annabelle and I enjoyed looking at his wedding pictures and listening to him slaughter the English language ... he made us laugh over and over again!!!

Michelle Blaike, pictured above with Dom, placed 4th in the Intermediate Jack n' Jill (and 1st & 2nd as a leader in the Jill & Jill.)  

Michelle said: "This event is called a "dance Camp" but it's really more like a group private lasting 5 days. We get 24 hours of small, leveled classes and 10 hours of structured, coached practice, plus access for discussion and clarification during the breaks between sessions ... all with the SAME set of amazing instructors working together to paint the same picture. You can't imaging what that type of personalized attention can do unless you've experienced it. You know when you take a private and you get an adjustment in your technique, but once you get home you can't quite make it work? What if your pro happened to walk by and see you practicing and give you a correction? That's what happens here. You have time to work it out and fit it all together. It's really incredible to see the positive change happening to other dancers over the course of the camp. It's even more incredible to see it in yourself." 

Gairey Richardson & Kathryn Richardson being coached by Matt

Another BIG winner was Gairey Richardson ... who took 1st place in Masters Division. His wife, Kathryn Richardson placed 4th in Newcomer and it was her very first time competing. 

Gairey said: "The most helpful WCS teaching we have ever received."

Lewis & Karen Chan

Camp Champ: Lewis Chan is becoming the Minnesota Fats of west coast swing! He racked up the following: Novice finals, 2nd Place Masters and 3rd place in the ProAm J&J with Courtney Adair!

Lewis & Karen said: "Terrific instruction, coaching an great fun! We will definitely come back!"

At the very end of the Camp experience, Matt & Crystal conducted a panel discussion about competition and fielded questions from the peanut gallery.

Most questions centered about getting a better idea of what the judges look for in competition ... which is one of the great mysteries of the universe!

I asked about age discrimination. This seems to be such a foreign concept to these pros and they thought this was just a nasty rumor! So listen up my New England readers: they might be right ... this may be a phenomena indigenous to the North Eastern region.

Ziv Kenet & Miki Goldsmith

Many of us were great friends before Intensive began because many of us are alumnus from last year. Or we see each other all the time at events. But THIS Camp cemented our bonds. 

We all grouped together together to travel – whether to the lesson location – or meals. We took care of each other.

Ziv (pictured above) said: "This is the only place where you can see actual huge improvement from the beginning to the end of the event!"

Annabelle with JP Marchand

Alternative rooming situations are often opportunities. This time I was afforded the opportunity to become acquainted with Annabelle Pain. It is unlikely I would have come to know this Québécois any other way and it was like catching up with a friend from a previous lifetime. 

Annabelle said: "Thank you so much for everything! An event where you know the teaches are really paying attention! It is really motivating to have professors who are never letting you go with what you have to work on! I will never forget how much they gave us."

There are a few special dance communities that I've discovered in my travels. The Torontoes are always at the top of my list ... like a BIG and gentle floating vine spread over the city – bursting with lovely CHEERY tomatoes!

JP said: Matt & Crystal have all proven to be highly knowledgeable and inspiring dance instructors. I consider myself very lucky to get to work with them. they have given me several tools and ideal that I know will bring my dancing to the next level. Invaluable knowledge! Thanks!!!

Joanna (pictured above) said: 2nd time thru was even better! Picked up on a lot of things that were missed last year. Was great watching people get better before your eyes. Recommend it for everyone who wants to be a better dancer than you were 5 days ago!

Upon requesting quotes from the attendees after the event, the most interesting phenomena occurred. It appears that most people were touched on a personal and emotional level.

During the experience our feet were often sore and many were soooo tired ... at times we wished this event would please end!!! 

AND THEN IT DID.

What remains are those moments of epiphany ... 

and the camaraderie ... 

and feeling the kindness from Matt & Crystal because they really get how hard this whole thing is for some of us. 

Elaine Royds (left) is the brilliant creator of the 
AAAuclair Dance Camp ... 

as well as the wildly popular monthly dance venue ...

Elaine's Ancaster
WCS Dance.

This is the BIG monthly DO that everyone looks forward to in Toronto.

Toronto is a HOTBED of WCS!

Check out Tuesday nights with Julie Epplett at her weekly venue...

"Groovy Tuesday" at Dovercourt House. 
http://towestcoast.com/

Shelly Saxena also has a weekly venue:

"West Coast Swing Sundays"

At Rhythm and Motion in Toronto – including workshops and a dance.

Local dancers speak highly of Shelly which tells me how popular and successful she is becoming. 

shelly@shellydance.com

This 5 DAY INTENSIVE provided a MIRAAACULOUS opportunity to help us develop our craft. 

Matt & Crystal get how much it is possible to suffer in the wake of this dance ... which is supposed to be fun.

Their own students do well, but in their travels they encounter us poor schmucks shoveling $$$ at this dance … only to fail.


Listen up everybody! I got out of Novice and you can too! 

It takes working with people like the AAAclairs ... 

pushing yourself through Intensives and workshops … 

private lessons with GOOD teachers ...
participating in ProAm Strictlies and ProAm Routines when possible.

You know what? This is WORK! Not the slavery that we must do Monday thru Friday to make somebody else successful.

No … this work makes US successful!!!

Dinner at The Brasserie (near camp)

My birthday was on the Sunday of the camp and I can't think of a better way to spend it! 

Dear friends ... Jean & Greg Polychenko and Lewis & Karen Chan took me for dinner. 

These are my favorite people in the world to see at dance events!

Elaine, Matt & Crystal!!!

It was one of the most worthwhile experiences of my whole dance life!