New Orleans

January 7, 2008
Thank you everyone for an amazing start to 2008, you fancy feet people dancing in New Orleans!!

This year will be ground breaking for the growth of the New Orleans dance community and the success of the 2007 Dance Renaissance Festival marks a fantastic beginning to a new and promising year.  All Dance Renaissance participants and the dedicated New Orleans community of loyal dancers, are the reason for this event success. It is YOU that make these events a blast. Thank you for being loyal to New Orleans.

And all our crazy fun has been recorded by the amazing JR! Thanks to the creative photographer, JR, everyone can enjoy quality memories!  Here are te links created by JR:
MARDI GRAS PARTY
USO DANCE
MASQUERADE BALL

Please share with all your friends. PLEASE keep JR in mind when anyone you know is looking for a FABULOUS photographer!  Check his website at http://www.jrportman.com. Thank you again JR.

If anyone else would like to share his/her pictures, please email them to this address or send me a link to view them. I will make sure to post them on the website.

Dance all night and let your mind go.
Dance fast, dance slow, dance until your feet don't know.

Happy New Year.

Love,
Nathalie

THE PEOPLE: YOU
This event is for everyone: young or old, singles or couples, non-dancers to pros.

THE MUSIC: A different Live Band every night. These jazz/blues bands will keep you swing dancing and jitterbugging all night. The DJs will also play other genres of music: Latin and Tango.

BEGINNERS WELCOME: for the workshops a whole room will be dedicated to those of you just starting. Two more rooms will offer intermediate/advanced classes and a variety of other stuff.
During the evening dances, beginners will enjoy the live music,  watching the performances and the contests. Our experienced dancers are very welcoming and will be happy to swirl with you around the dance floor. SINGLES welcome too.

DRESS ATTIRE:
1. Workshops: casual, comfortable, slippery shoes.
2. Saturday dance: Mardi Gras Party: wear a costume. Costume contest.
3. Sunday dance: USO Dance: dress vintage. You can also learn to do your hair vintage at 8pm. For that purpose, bring your pins, hairspray, little mirror, brush, hair flowers, etc. You will have one hour to get your hair a la vintage!
4. Monday New Year's Eve: Masquerade Ball. Bring your mask and dress up. Cocktail dress, be classy!

MASKS: Bring your own to the Masquerade Ball on New Year's Eve.

FOOD/DRINKS
AT THE WORKSHOPS:  Bring your bottles of water and some snacks if you think you will need some energy throughout the day. There are water fountains in the building though.
LUNCH: Bring your own lunch or you can get something at PJs coffee on McAlister and Willow. They serve sandwiches and drinks. However, we are a lot of people for one place to serve and we only have one hour lunch break.

AT THE DANCES:
Saturday and Sunday. Feel free to bring your own refreshments and bottles of water. Some will be available. There are water fountains in the building.

Monday New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball. Do NOT bring your own drinks, there will be a cash bar. Also midnight champagne, light buffet opens at 8.30pm.

PERFORMANCES: We will have special performances on every night.
If you would like to present a routine or something, please email info@dancerenaissance.com

CONTESTS:
COSTUME CONTEST: Saturday, show off your best costume.
FUN COSTUMED JACK N’ JILL: you sign up individually, you dance with various people any form of swing. CHARISMA will be the key element. Among the judges will be the audience.
STRICLY LINDY: You choose your partner, you dance lindy hop.
STRICTLY BALBOA: You choose your partner, you dance balboa.

Sign up now for the Jack n’ Jill and Strictly competitions by emailing register@dancerenaissance.com

DEADLINES:
Hotel and housing: December 10
Discounted rates: December 15
No more online registrations after December 26.
New Year’s Eve. Not available for sale after December 26 (we need a headcount for the buffet)
Competition registration until Saturday, December 29 at 3pm.
Passes/tickets will be available at the door on Saturday and Sunday at Reily Center ONLY (Tulane) SPACE PERMITTING.

INDIVIDUAL EVENT TICKETS:
Single party and workshop tickets will be available SPACE PERMITTING at the door only. These tickets will be sold at the Reily Center on Saturday and Sunday between the hrs of 11am-3pm.
You can not purchase individual dances/workshops on the website.
If we sell out, we will post it on the website so we can save you a trip to Tulane.

Pricing is as follows:
Each Evening Dance (Saturday or Sunday) $20
Single workshop $20. If you have a party pass, only $15.
New Year’s Eve: $39 before Dec. 15, $49 after. $75 at the door.

HOTEL RATE: guaranteed at $109 at the Sheraton on Canal Street until December 10.

VOLUNTEERS: If you would like to help with the event, please email us before December 10 at info@dancerenaissance.com. If you have any special skill or talent and would like to share it, let us know too.

We will host three competitions.

FORMAT:

• Jack n' Jill any style of swing (Saturday) : you show up, we choose the music, you dance with a minimum of 3 random partners for 2 minutes each time to 3 different tempos. ANYTHING GOES!!! This is not a serious competition. Remember you will be wearing your Mardi Gras costume :) Your dancing skills will count but your costume and charisma will matter even more.
  
  
• Strictly Lindy (Sunday): you choose your partner, we pick the music, you dance Lindy Hop. Competition runs in heats of about 5 couples at a time. 1min 30 slow, 1min30 med-fast. You will be judged primarily on your dancing skills.
  
  
• Strictly Balboa (Sunday): you choose your partner, we pick the music, you dance Balboa. Competition runs in heats of about 5 couples at a time. 1min30 medium tempo. All skate fast.  You will be judged primarily on your dancing skills.

LEVEL: intermediate-advanced. Entry is free. Entry limited to 15 males and 15 females in each division. 

PRIZES include:

• Two passes to Balboa Rendez-Vous in San Diego (April 4-8, 2008). Check www.2plyswing.com for event details.
  
  
• Two passes to the Canadian Swing Dance Championships in Montreal (May 17-19, 2008). Check www.swinginmontreal.com/csc/ for event details.
  
  
• Two passes to the Fleur de Lindy Exchange in New Orleans (April 12-13, 2008)
  

TO ENTER:
you must hold a Party pass or Weekend Pass.
Sign up via email to register@dancerenaissance.com indicating:
your name, your partner's name for the Strictly competitions and the contest(s) you wish to enter.

Deadline to enter: Saturday, December 29 at 5pm.

RULES: there are no rules but respect your partner, the music and the public.

Our tentative schedule is up. Weekend schedule. Workshops schedule.

The NYE party will include live music by Bob French, a dance lesson, professional shows, a light buffet, midnight champagne and party favors. Cash bar.

This is the Masquerade Ball. Please dress well and bring a mask. Some masks will be available at the event on a first come, first serve basis. 

A van will pick up out of towners staying at the Sheraton to go to the workshops, come back and go to the parties.

During the Holidays, it is very easy to park on campus as students and staff are off.

For the workshops at Reily, park in the parking lot building 103. No permit needed then.

For Dixon Hall, park on Broadway, Zimple, Audubon or Freret street.