April Newsletter 2026
- Janet Bosson
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 14 hours ago
What’s on in April
Easter break
We are closed from 4th to the 10th of April
Blackpool
April 12th is our Blackpool trip. 12 of our Bosson School Cumbria dancers are off to the tower and will be meeting up with dances from our JLC Dance Company Blackpool and other old friends at the Tower Ballroom.
Cumbria
Bootle Village Wellbeing Walk
1st April - meet at 10am at the Carpark opposite the church.
Social Dance
2nd April Bootle Village Hall 7.30-9pm
New Ballroom course
16th April - 21st May - Ballroom Latin & Popular Sequence. - Price - Full Course £36 pp or £7 per week.
Cotton Club Show
Second show rehearsal class Tuesday 28th April
Sunday Technique classes
Are fortnightly 12-1pm we are hoping the next will be 19th of April but at this time we still waiting for confirmation of hall availability. See FB or WhatsApp for times.
Sign Circle
We will be having a coffee morning at mine I will post the date and time on WhatsApp and Facebook. I hoping we can watch and review a short 20 minute film.
Southport
(original home of Bosson dance formally JLC Dance )
This month we are having a reunion party in Southport.
Newcastle
Well actually Syros Greece New research-led project for Surface Area Dance Theatre Exploring the. Relationship between colour and sound.
Pictured - Ioannis Balopitas
On line
Yoga for beginners
Facebook challenge
Join our facebook group daily challenge
Sign Circle
We have been exploring greetings this month
Charleston
We have been learning about the Charleston not the city, the dance in our new show class.
Learning solo and couple style of Charleston and looking at the different styles.
So let’s start there.
Charleston Styles: 1920s vs 1930s 👯♀️
Which style do you prefer?
Whilst 1920s Charleston focuses on swivels, flicks and twists, the 1930s style begins to merge into a style more associated with Lindy Hop, there is more pulse, bounce and a more grounded feel to the dance. Despite the cross over in the genre, both decades are unique in style and it’s important to know the small nuances that distinguish the style.
Take a look at the link to see the different styles
I would love to know which you prefer?
we are talking Charleston which style do you like
0%1920’s
0%1930’s
How to Charleston
Firstly lean forward slightly and bend your knees a little, keeping the weight on the balls on the foot.
Let’s start with
The Rock step or Break
Step back with your left foot - toe only touching the floor.
Do not shift your weight
Step forward with your left foot this time transferring the weight to the left.
Step forward with your right foot - toe only touching the floor.
Do not shift your weight
Step backwards with your right foot this time transferring the weight to the right.
Traditional The only time when you might begin with your right foot is if you are following a partner where the leader steps back on their Left foot and follower starts by stepping back on the right, mirroring the leader.
There are at lots of versions of the basic step in Charleston.
We know it started with a twist or swivel step but by the 1930’s it had transformed into a kick action with swinging arms.
Here I have named 6 basic steps from different eras.
⭐️ groove walk,
⭐️ kicks,
⭐️ swinging kicks,
⭐️ 20’s twist,
⭐️ 20’s glide,
⭐️ afro version “reverse twist”
Who remembers this picture on my office wall at JLC Blackpool?
It’s from punch c1920 - Bought it in Hay-on-Why many years ago
The quot at the bottom
Girl with straight legs says
“It’s a pity you don’t Charleston Audrey…. Your knees are definitely made for it”
History
The Charleston is a dance that belongs to the genre of African-American dances.
It’s a type of swing dance danced to hot Jazz music.
The dance combines elements from improvised African dance moves and syncopated ragtime rhythms of the 1920’s and 30’s.
Music for Charleston
The Solo 20s Charleston is usually danced to music of 4/4 tempo at a temp of 50 to 60 bars per minute but some can go up to fast tempos of above 75 bars per minute.
Faster movements are often contrasted with slower, dragging steps and improvisations.
What’s your favourite Charleston tunes, tell us in the comments.
Who remembers Mandy and John doing the Charleston at our Strictly Bootle.
Fashion
The 1920s flappers girls broke the image of what a traditional woman should be.
They cut their hair short, wore make-up and are what many considered the "modern" woman, breaking away from victorian womanhood. Flappers Josephine Baker, Clara Bow and Louise Brooks are maybe the most famous three from the era.
Find out more about them here
Oh my god point your toes
A look back on last month
Janet was busy choreographing for our new Cotton Club Show in Bootle and we had our 1st rehearsal class.
A day of show work in Carlisle and Penrith
We had a Trustee meeting for SADT Newcastle.
On a personal note our grandchildren turned 1, 4 and 19 and Janet’s nice got married.
Picture slot
Had to be the Spring Lambs on our wellbeing walk in Bootle.
May specials
Blackpool
Janet’s off to the UKA conference end of May, two days of lectures and meetings.
Newcastle
Janet has a BSL course to attend for SADT trustees.
Charity
Janet is walking 100 miles in May for the National Deaf Children’s Society
👉 You can leave us a review on Google here:
Bosson Dance and Fitness School https://g.page/r/CazzLYMOiiTeEBM/review
