Dance with Bill Brown

 

Jazz dancers -- Jan Sizer will be teaching all my other Jazz dance classes during my absence. If you were planning on coming to my class, please still come and take Jan's -- she is an excellent teacher and I know you will enjoy her class.

  Jazz Dance
Most of all, I attempt to create a supportive atmosphere in my jazz class. Also, fun takes priority when I teach. I say, "fun—first, discipline—second." I admit that I am a playful instructor and strive for a collective good mood during my class. My goal is to see every student walk away with a big grin when the session has ended.

Jazz class consists of an energetic standing warm-up followed by plies (which interprets into a slow, lyrical dance), then stretching and strengthening while lying on the floor. Very upbeat music is played at this time. The entire warm-up is approximately one half of an hour.

Next, we do progressions of steps in lines across the floor. These include practicing turns and kicks. These steps are included in a jazz dance combination that changes weekly.

In effect, students have four classes (Tues., Thurs., Friday and Sat) per week in which to learn the week's dance combination. Each of those days I take time to teach the combination from the very first step to the last so that if you only come to one of the four days, you will have the opportunity to shine. Jazz combinations vary from slow and lyrical to fast and funky and everything in-between. The class culminates in a slow, aesthetic cool down. Level? Very mixed. If you are a beginner, I give simpler steps in the choreography while others may be given more turns.
about Bill

 

  Bill's BodyWorks
This aerobics/dance class averages 5400 steps (of various kinds) within an hour's time. Now that's working your buns off!

During this period I take participants on a ride of fast moving, easy-to-follow jazz, salsa and funk steps. The music I play is as diverse as the choreography itself. Whether it be blues, Motown, jazz, Latin, world,or pop, I often notice someone in the studio is singing along (an encouraged enhancement to the hour). All divas welcome! Ha!

Believe it or not, sometimes you may even experience a Mozart piece on the sound system (I sometimes use this genre of music during a brief balancing section of class immediately following the aerobics).

The remainder of the class consists of toning exercises. Bodyworks culminates with a relaxing stretch section. Ahhhhhhhh.

 

  StretchZone: Grab a coupon today and take this class for at half off! view and print coupon here
Here, I incorporate strengthening, balance and relaxation along with the stretching. The hour session takes on the feel of a calm easy-to-follow choreographed dance (meditation in motion, if you will) and culminates with five minutes of relaxation. But don’t let this fool you as StretchZone provides the entire body a thorough workout. The abdominal section is slow and intense. The music varies from classical to soft jazz.

Oh, and don’t worry about intimidation as I set the tone for improvement by suggesting corrections to the group as a whole rather than to individuals. For example, if I see one person slouching, I will address the group" elongate your spine" and suddenly everyone lifts to their best posture! StretchZone is ideal for those who haven’t exercised in a while and require a complete workout that doesn’t overwhelm. Side benefit:often in my class sometimes come in with an aching back and leave feeling much better. I hope to see you there.
about Bill

  BodyZone
BodyZone has it all--stretching, cardiovascular strengthening, balance and more. I call the class well-rounded, but some might get the wrong idea (never round the shoulders!), so for now let's just say BodyZone is a total fitness experience.

I begin the class with slow stretching at the barre, then take our warmed bodies onto the center floor where we begin to move to upbeat music. This segment of class lasts approximately 35 minutes. All right, so there may be a few dance steps, but I repeat them so much that eventually all who participate do catch on. Then voila! The experience is enhanced tenfold.

We laugh, we move, we sweat.

After this, I play slower music and we spend the nextsection balancing. While standing on one leg, we raise the other in various positions coordinating the arms to help achieve perfect balance. So sometimes the moment of perfection may be fleeting--not to worry. Practice makes better-- then we make a great discovery--- our center of gravity. Wow. Even you might catch a glimpse in the mirrors and ask yourself "Is that really me, or some exquisite ballet dancer I saw on a stage once upon a time?"

Hope to see you there!

Bill & Bub (Studio A's mascot)
  about Bill

As a last resort to rehabilitate chronic lower back pain, Bill Brown started taking ballet classes in 1976. Although he loved the discipline and the art of ballet, his interest became more piqued by what was happening in the adjacent studio--jazz dance.

Jazz dance.

The lure of the music and slick choreography caused Bill to take on a split major, if you will. Jazz dancing became his passion, and ballet his discipline. From that point on he set forth to sample classes throughout the Los Angels area. His mentors include Joe Tremaine, Sally Whalen, Sarah Reed Tayir, Christine Verse, Vince Patterson and Fred Walton.

After thousands of pirouettes and becoming intimate friends with Terrance Curtis (his favorite jazz instructor), the two set forth to open their own studio. Studio A Dance successfully debuted in 1982. At that time, Bill began teaching aerobics in their Los Feliz studio (now in Silver Lake), and soon after he led jazz dance classes, and continues today.

In addition to jazz, cardio, and stretch, from time to time Bill teaches beginning ballet classes. He has also led movement classes in halfway house for recovering addicts, and has hired himself out as a private trainer. Bill performed in the review "Earl Carrol Revisited" at the Variety Arts Center, a rock musical entitled "Cosmic Sands," he choreographed a piece presented on the Orpheum Theater stage, strutted down runways in fashion shows and appeared yearly with Studio A Dance's resident company Cumulus. Bill also volunteers his time as choreographer for the local high school musical theatre productions. Bill now produces DanceSpot, a monthy theater venue at Studio A Dance open to local choreographers.

But teaching takes top billing. The supportive instructor allows his students to find pleasure with dance rather than perfection. By keeping the atmosphere positive and by sharing his joy for dance, Bill motivates students to the point of surprising themselves and excelling far beyond preconceived expectations.