Union Foundations: April 13

All levels solo blues class with Sarah Geiger, followed by social dancing! No partner required.

7:30-8:30pm – class
8:30-10:00pm – social dance, optionally practice class stuff

Sliding scale $10-25, admission covers the whole night. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

Cash or Venmo at the door.
Pre-sale tickets available here:
[link coming soon]
^^WithFriends supporters, get pre-sale tickets to use your discount.

This is part of the continuing Union Foundations project, to help us rebuild and reconnect.

COVID SAFETY
-Proof of vaccination required (including booster if J&J or 2nd dose was 6+ months ago). If you have a medical exception or if you have questions, please reach out to the Union email address.
-Surgical mask, N95, KN95, or KF95 masks required (we’ll have some if you don’t).
-HEPA filter in the venue.
-If you test positive within 10 days of attending, email BostonBluesUnion(at) gmail(dot)com, so other attendees can be informed.
**If you have questions or think you’ll be unable to meet these guidelines, email us before you decide to attend**
More on covid policies: https://bluesunionboston.com/code-of-conduct/#covid-policies

ACCESSIBILITY
-Gender-neutral single stall bathrooms
-Soft chairs for sitting/resting
-Not wheelchair accessible – the venue is up a flight of stairs
-As much as possible for you, please refrain from wearing/using synthetically fragranced products such as perfume, cologne, and body spray (such as Axe) and fragranced hand sanitizers to help keep the space accessible to chemical-allergy & migraine sufferers.

Union Foundations: April 6

Come for a casual night to dance blues & socialize in person, and bring your new-to-blues friends!

7:30pm-10:00pm

There will be an instructor on call to give folks the basics on the side while social dancing starts.

Pay-what-you-can $5-15 – cash or Venmo at the door, or pre-sale tickets online:
[link coming soon]
^WithFriends members, get pre-sale tickets to use your discount.
No one turned away due to lack of funds.

DJs to be anounced!

This is part of the continuing Union Foundations project, helping us rebuild and reconnect.

*Covid safety*
-Proof of vaccination required (including a booster if J&J or 2nd dose was 6+ months ago). If you have a medical exception or if you have questions, please reach out to the Union email address.
-Surgical mask, N95, KN95, or KF94 masks required (we’ll have some if you don’t).
-HEPA filter in the venue.
-*If you test positive within 10 days of attending, email BostonBluesUnion (at) gmail (dot) com, so other folks can be informed.*
More on covid policies: https://bluesunionboston.com/code-of-conduct/#covid-policies

*Accessibility*
-Gender-neutral, single stall bathrooms
-Soft chairs for sitting/resting
-Not wheelchair accessible – up a flight of stairs
-As much as possible for you, please refrain from wearing/using synthetically fragranced products such as perfume, cologne, and body spray (such as Axe) and fragranced hand sanitizers to help keep the space accessible to chemical-allergy & migraine sufferers.

Union Foundations: March 30

Come for a casual night to dance blues & socialize in person (feel free to bring your new-to-blues friends!)

There will be an instructor on call to give folks the basics on the side while social dancing starts.

7:30pm-10:00pm

Pay-what-you-can $5-15 – cash or Venmo at the door, or pre-sale tickets online:
https://withfriends.co/event/15848815/social_dance
^WithFriends members, get pre-sale tickets to use your discount.
No one turned away due to lack of funds.

DJs Sarah Geiger and Paul Loschak will be playing the blues!

Stay for an end-of-the-night toast to Women’s History Month!

This is part of the continuing Union Foundations project, helping us rebuild and reconnect.

*Covid safety*
-Proof of vaccination required (including a booster if J&J or 2nd dose was 6+ months ago). If you have a medical exception or if you have questions, please reach out to the Union email address.
-Surgical mask, N95, KN95, or KF94 masks required (we’ll have some if you don’t).
-HEPA filter in the venue.
-*If you test positive within 10 days of attending, email BostonBluesUnion (at) gmail (dot) com, so other folks can be informed.*
More on covid policies: https://bluesunionboston.com/code-of-conduct/#covid-policies

*Accessibility*
-Gender-neutral, single stall bathrooms
-Soft chairs for sitting/resting
-Not wheelchair accessible – up a flight of stairs
-As much as possible for you, please refrain from wearing/using synthetically fragranced products such as perfume, cologne, and body spray (such as Axe) and fragranced hand sanitizers to help keep the space accessible to chemical-allergy & migraine sufferers.

Union Foundations: March 23

Join us for a crossover night of bachata and blues dancing!

Bachata and blues are both dances that arose from a history of African roots & rhythms that have since evolved and been shared all across the world! Come learn the basics of both dances and how their shared history allows us to find similarities between the two.

Bachata is a dance that originated in the Dominican Republic that rose to the level of Intangible National Heritage (by UNESCO) and has since spread all across the world.

Blues dance is a family of social dances (some solo, some partnered) created by Black Americans, intertwined with different styles of blues music. Each dance was shaped by the music, the people, and the settings in which it developed.

7:30-9pm: Lesson with Lumyr Derisier, Tara Gonczi, and Jenn Martinez
9pm-11pm: Social dancing with DJs John Mamba Shider and Paul Loschak trading mini-sets. 50% Bachata, 50% Blues

Sliding scale $10-25, admission covers the whole night. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

Cash or Venmo at the door.
Pre-sale tickets available here:
https://withfriends.co/…/15894336/blues_and_bachata_union
^^WithFriends supporters, get pre-sale tickets to use your discount.This is part of the continuing Union Foundations project, helping us rebuild and reconnect.

This is part of the continuing Union Foundations project, helping us rebuild and reconnect.

*Covid safety*
-Proof of vaccination required (including a booster if J&J or 2nd dose was 6+ months ago). If you have a medical exception or if you have questions, please reach out to the Union email address.
-Surgical mask, N95, KN95, or KF94 masks required (we’ll have some if you don’t).
-HEPA filter in the venue.
-*If you test positive within 10 days of attending, email BostonBluesUnion (at) gmail (dot) com, so other folks can be informed.*
More on covid policies: https://bluesunionboston.com/code-of-conduct/#covid-policies
*Accessibility*
-Gender-neutral, single stall bathrooms
-Soft chairs for sitting/resting
-Not wheelchair accessible – up a flight of stairs
-As much as possible for you, please refrain from wearing/using synthetically fragranced products such as perfume, cologne, and body spray (such as Axe) and fragranced hand sanitizers to help keep the space accessible to chemical-allergy & migraine sufferers.

Blues Workshop: March 11

One-day blues workshop with Jamica Zion, while she’s in town.

Open to all levels, no partner required.

12:00pm-5:00pm

Classses:

  • Travel & Momentum for Blues Dancers
  • Blues Vocabulary & Breakaway
  • Critical Choreography – learn and practice a short choreography, but not in the traditional way! Developing your musicality, personal style, etc.
  • Bachata and Blues

Full-day and half-day class passes available. Register here! https://forms.gle/J3sFx6g9BpERGWk2A

We’re offering sliding scale pricing to cover costs while keeping events affordable for those who need it (we’re a not-for-profit org). By paying the higher tiers, you help keep events accessible and support others in the community to participate <3

About Jamica: Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Jamica Zion prides herself in being a dynamic follow. She aims for range, not just in connection and style, but across genres too! She holds multiple titles in Blues and Lindy Hop contests from top US events including Lindy Focus, Beantown, and Camp Hollywood. When she’s not social dancing, teaching, or working on choreography, she’s likely working on her research for her dissertation which focuses on these scenes (that she has been a part of since she was 15)!

Her approach towards sharing dance with others includes a critical understanding and appreciation of its history and culture, while simultaneously ushering students to build their own styles and meaningful connections to it. Jamica is a Frankie Manning Ambassador for this approach both in her local community and as a guest instructor in other scenes. She draws on the professional training she’s received while working with organizations like the Anti-Defamation League and her sociology doctoral program which allows her to deliver inclusive, responsible, creative, and stimulating classes.

Playlist of some of Jamica’s recent and favorite performances!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3mEui1kJF-5JhYcluLquzs1aw54NbMMI