Join Ari, Jae, & Worldwide Dance Adventures this Fall for a fabulous 3-on-1 New England Dance Adventure!
NEW ENGLAND DANCE CRUISE: October 2-8 (Sun-Sat)
- We are providing a calendar of events for all of the workshops and group activities in Boston. All travel arrangements, room and board will need to made by you. It's very easy to get to and around Boston so this should be no problem. The workshops will take place in the historic town of Concord which has a number of lovely accommodations to choose from if you would like to stay there (recommended)
- Registration and payment for the Boston Waltz Weekend will be directly through the Folk Art Center of New England. CLICK HERE to register today.
- PLEASE NOTE: You will need to sign up for this event separately from the Fall Foliage Dance Cruise & Quebec-City Weekend.
- Scroll down the page for full details about the Boston "Waltz Weekend"
The cruise portion of the event has limited space, so you will want to reserve your spot quickly and make sure you get on the ship (Scroll down this page for further details about the cruise). Pricing and availability can change at any time, so it's best to register soon. We can reserve and hold the room for up to 7 days prior to payment.
- CLICK HERE to go to the registration page and reserve your spot for a room on the ship. Once you fill out the registration form, we will connect you with our Holland America travel agent to complete details about your room assignment and any amenities you may want. Invoices will be sent out shortly after that. You do not need to pay at this time.
- FOR COUPLES, DANCERS with TRAVEL PARTNERS, or SOLO TRAVELERS: You can reserve your spot on the ship today and get confirmed, no worries.
- FOR DANCERS SEEKING ROOMMATES: We can hold a room for you on the ship, but please let us know you are seeking a roommate on the REGISTRATION page and we will do our best to match you up with other single travelers.
- Scroll down this page for details and pricing for the New England Cruise, including special offers for our group.
Scroll down this page to see the calendar of events we currently have planned for our Quebec City add-on. We will be arranging a group package that will include your hotel accommodations, city tour, ship transfer, and all group lessons, workshops, and dance parties for Sat-Mon. You are more than welcome join us on this package or to arrange your own stay and join us a la carte for any activities you wish to participate in.
- CLICK HERE to go to the REGISTRATION page and reserve your spot for the group package (or for any of the a la carte activities we have planned). Invoices will be sent out shortly once we lock in on all the costs. You do not need to pay at this time.
Boston Waltz Weekend Overview:
CLICK HERE to REGISTER TODAY for FULL WEEKEND PASS (Fri-Sun)!
DATES:
Sept 30-Oct 2, 2022 (Fri to Sun), in & around Boston, MA
WORKSHOP ITINERARY: *Details subject to change (full details from the FAC site coming soon)
THURSDAY, Sept 29 (Optional): If you're early in town, join us!
- 6:00-7:30: Group Dinner (TBA)
- We are meeting at Barra, at 23a Bow St, in Union Square, Somerville at 6pm.
- 7:30-10pm: Blues Lesson & Dance with Blues Union Boston
- Location: 16 Bow Street, Second Floor Somerville, MA
- Free beginner lesson 7:30–8:30 pm, dancing 8:30 pm–10:00pm.
- Suggested donation $5-$15
FRIDAY, Sept 30: (See class descriptions & location below)
- 6:30-7:00pm: Check in
- 7-9:00pm: Waltz Workshop#1: "Striding & Gliding Waltz Combos"
- 9-10:30pm: Open dancing practice DJ'd by Ari
SATURDAY, Oct 1: (See class descriptions & location below)
- 9:30-10:00: Practice Time
- 10:00-12:00: Waltz Workshop#2: "Fabulous Shadow Waltz Variations"
- 2:00-4:00: Waltz Worshop#2: "Fun with Foxtrot"
- 4:15-5:15: Special Bonus Workshop: "Finding Common Ground!"
- 5:15-7:30: ----- DINNER BREAK ------
We have reservations in several local restaurants. Be sure to use our SIGN UP PAGE to join with others for dinner
- 7:30-8:20: Pre-Dance Beginning Blues-Waltz Lesson with Ari
- 8:30-11:00: Mostly Waltz Dance Party (Waltz's and more to live music!)
SUNDAY, Oct 2: (See class descriptions & location below)
- 10:00-12:00 Waltz Workshop#3: "Swinging The Waltz"
- 12:30pm: Transfer to the port to board the "Nieuw Statendam"
FRIDAY, 7-9pm: Fun "Striding and Gliding" Waltz Combinations:Learn a variety of fun, new, innovative cross-step waltz combinations from Ari’s ever-expanding library of moves and inventions; beautiful, flowing, and elegant as always. Plus, get a little introduction to the art of free-flowing “Fusion Waltz”. It’s easy to learn and lots of fun to do!Level: Non-novice Beg/Int. Comfort with any turning waltz style and basic partnering skills are assumed.SATURDAY 10am-noon: Fabulous Shadow Waltz Variations!In this class you’ll learn to various ways to transition in and out of shadows, all while creating wonderful & effortlessly flowing patterns like the turbine turns, corkscrews, and shadow rolls.
Level: Int/Adv. Facility with any turning waltz style and partnering skills are assumed.SATURDAY 2-4pm: Fun with Foxtrot!Foxtrot is the classic partnered travel dance popularized from the 1930's to 1950's, and boasts some of the best music of that era. It has continued to thrive on the ballroom dance floor to this day, and now is a dance that we easily blend with other styles, such as swing, waltz, rhumba, Laminu, tango, and blues. Fun to do! Expect some GREAT music as well.
Level: Non-novice Beg/Int. Comfort with any turning waltz style and basic partnering skills are assumed.SATURDAY 4:15 – 5:15pm: SPECIAL BONUS WORKSHOP -- "Finding Common Ground"In this very unique concept session, Ari will demonstrate how waltz, swing, WCS, one-step, foxtrot, NC2S, and even Latin dances are all based on the same fundamental building blocks of rhythm and movement. Understanding how these major dance styles are really all one-and-the-same will GREATLY help you to expand your repertoire and see the connection between them all. (No in-depth knowledge necessary, but it would be helpful if you happen to know the basics of any one of those dance styles listed)
Level: Open to all levelsSUNDAY 10 am – noon: Swinging the Waltz (Fun swing-waltz fusion)In this fun and informative class, you’ll learn how to intermix and blend some classic swing moves into your waltz. A perfect fusion of two dances that we all know and love!Level: Int/Adv. Facility with any turning waltz style and partnering skills are assumed.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY Workshops & Dances:
Concord Scout House
74 Walden Street
Concord, MA 01742
THURSDAY's Blues Dance is at:
Dance Union
16 Bow Street, Second Floor
Somerville, MA (in Union Square)
Advanced registration package pricing for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday:
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL FOR FULL WEEKEND PACKAGE
(Good through July 31st; $10 more after Aug 1)
- FULL WEEKEND "EARLY BIRD" PASS (Fri, Sat & Sun workshops, dancing, and Mostly Waltz Party with live music):
- General Admission $105 [SAVE $50]
- FAC members $95 [SAVE $60]
- Students $55 [SAVE $100]
A LA CARTE CLASSES & DANCES
(Registration for individual workshops and dances will open sometime in August, if there’s still space available.)
- Each 2-hr workshop (A,B,C,E):
- General Admission: $30
- FAC members $28
- Student $15
- Bonus workshop (D):
- General Admission: $15
- FAC members $13
- Student $7
- Mostly Waltz Dance Party (Saturday Night):
- General Admission: $15
- FAC members $13
- Student $7
- Friday Open Dancing (if not attending Friday Workshop): $5
CLICK HERE to REGISTER TODAY for FULL WEEKEND PASS!
Email mostlywaltzboston@gmail.com for any questions you have.
For carpooling, email mostlywaltzboston@gmail.com or post on the Mostly Waltz Facebook event page.
- The workshops are designed for non-novice dancers, experienced in any form of turning waltz, who are looking for something more!
- For any of these workshops, it is not necessary to attend with a partner, as we will rotate partners.
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your first workshop to check in.
- Help protect the halls’ wooden floors by changing from street shoes to clean, soft-soled shoes for dancing.
- Sponsored by Mostly Waltz for Boston and the Folk Arts Center of New England
FAC Waltz Weekend Website Page Coming Soon!
Registration Coming Soon!
HOUSING IN BOSTON or CONCORD: If you are coming from out of town and need a hotel room or a place to stay, you may want to look for options on any of the numerous online search engines such as hotels.com, kayak.com, AirB&B.com, TripAdvisor.com, etc. All of the classes, dances, and workshop Fri-Sun will be in Concord (not in central Boston)
MEANWHILE, GET YOUR CRUISE TICKETS BEFORE THEY SELL OUT!
(See details below)
Dance Cruise Overview:
CLICK HERE to REGISTER TODAY!
DATES: Oct 2-8, 2022 (Sun to Sat), departing at 4:00pm from Boston, disembarking at Quebec City at 7:00am, on board the Holland America's "Nieuw Statendam"
ITINERARY: Ports of call include Boston (Mass), Bar Harbor (Maine), Halifax (Nova Scotia), Sydney (Nova Scotia), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Quebec City (Quebec), and one day at sea.
DANCE CLASSES & GROUP ACTIVITIES: Group classes on the ship will include a mix of morning and/or afternoon sessions in a variety of dance styles (swing, balboa, social, ballroom, Latin, blues, fusion, WCS, tango, etc), with a strong focus on both partnering & connection, as well as introducing fun new step patterns and stylings. Other group activities may include afternoon & evening dances; a cocktail social hour, games night, special dance outings in ports; as well as many other fun "non-dancing" activities onboard the ship and on dry land.
THE "NIEUW STATENDAM": Sailing some of the most popular cruise vacation destinations in the world, this amenity-filled ship is a crowning jewel of the Holland America fleet.
CRUISE PACKAGES & COSTS: Pricing and availability may change at any time at Holland America's discretion so we encourage you to sign up ASAP to confirm your room and pricing.
Additional Amenities: Book now through us to receive Holland America’s “Have It All” best value offer ($50/day) with four amenities included: $100 Shore Excursion Credit, Drink Package (non-alcholic), Specialty Dining and Wi-Fi! CLICK HERE for details. (This offer is good up to 10 days before the ship departs)
Prices listed below are as of July 22nd, 2022, based on double occupancy and are "all-inclusive". Price includes room & board, port fees, taxes, tip, dance classes, dedicated group concierge, all group activities. Not included: Onboard sundries, any extra amenities/excursions beyond those already provided, transport to and from ship.
Listed below are the current costs per category. Prices may change anytime at Holland America's discretion.
PRICING: (the first four categories are per person based on double occupancy)
$1,214 = INSIDE ROOM
$1,694 = OCEANVIEW
$1,974 = VERANDA
$2,674 = VISTA SUITE
$2,635 = SOLO CABIN
SPECIAL OFFERS:
1) $100 SHIPBOARD CREDIT: To honor and thank first responders, healthcare workers, and active, retired and veteran members of the military from the U.S. and Canada, Holland America is offering a $100 shipboard credit to individuals in those groups.
2) $100 SHIPBOARD CREDIT: Anyone who owns 100+ shares of Carnival Cruise Lines stock (CCL) will get a $100 shipboard credit (can be combined with other offers). Shares are currently selling for around $10 if you are planning to buy any
3) The "Have it All" Package: For $50/day/person ($600 total) you can get the following 4 amenities:
1. Signature Beverage Package (non-acholoic drinks only, normally $55/day alone)
2. $100 Shore Excursion Credit
3. Wi-Fi Surf Package ($100 value)
4. One Night Specialty Dining in Steakhouse Restaurant ($50 value)
WI-FI AVAILABILITY: Three Wi-fi packages are available on the ship:
- The $14.99/day "Social Voyage" plan allows you to connect to Facebook and other popular social websites and applications. The weeklong rate is $69.99
- The $24.99/day "Surf Voyage" plan allows access to email, news, sports and more standard web browsing. The weeklong rate is $99.99.
- The $29.99/day "Premium Voyage" plan supports audio/video calls and streaming on top of email, websites and apps. The weeklong rate is $139.99
TRIP CANCELATION INSURANCE:
If you need to cancel the trip due to COVID, you may do so and receive a full credit toward future travel on Holland America within one year. Otherwise you can purchase additional "Trip Cancelation" insurance to cover the following items.
1) GENERAL: Refunds 80% of your base fare plus all taxes and port fees. Can cancel up to 2 days before sailing.
2) PLATINUM: Refunds 90% of base fare plus all taxes and fees. Includes $25k medical insurance. Can cancel up until sailing.
Charges are based on room price and would be as follows:
Oceanview Cabin: General $119 / Platinum $149
Veranda Cabin: General $139 / Platinim $179
CLICK HERE for more details
TO REGISTER: CLICK HERE to go to the REGISTRATION page and reserve your spot for a room on the ship. Once you fill out the registration form, including your room preference and any amenities you may want. We will confirm your room availability. Invoices will be sent out shortly after that. You do not need to pay at this time.
COVID SAFETY, REGULATIONS, & POLICIES:
- You will need proof of COVID-19 vaccination
- You will need a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hrs prior to departure
(See bottom of FAQ below for more details about the ships COVID policy)
Quebec City Weekend Add On:
DATES: Oct 8-11, 2022 (Sat to Tues) (*Itinerary subject to change)
SATURDAY, Oct 8, 2022:
- 9:00am: Disembark ship
- 9:30am - 12:30pm: Bus tour of Quebec City, transfer to hotel
- Hotel Location: Le Bon Entente: 3400 Ch Ste-Foy, Quebec, QC G1X 1S6. (5 min walk to Sat/Sun dance events)
- 5:00-6:30pm: Group Dinner (TBA)
- 6:30-8:30pm Swing Dance Workshop with Port-O-Swing Dance School,
- Location: Port-O-Swing Dance School, 3314 Ch Ste-Foy, Quebec, QC G1X 1S3
- 8:30pm-1am: Port-O-Swing Dance Party + Balboa Festival and Performances
- Location: Port-O-Swing Dance School, 3314 Ch Ste-Foy, Quebec, QC G1X 1S3
SUNDAY, Oct 9:
- 1-3pm: NC2S Workshop with Port-O-Swing Dance School (Ari teaches)
- Transfer to Downtown Hotel (Uber is available)
- 7-11:00pm: WCS and Blues evenings at "The Pheonix" Bar/Restaurant:
- Location: 441 Rue du Parvis, Québec, QC G1K 9L6
MONDAY, Oct 10:
- Transfer to airport (for those leaving Monday)
- Free day for touring (for those staying longer) See Suggestions below
TUESDAY, Oct 11:
- Transfer to airport (for those leaving Tuesday)
PRICE: (includes Sat, Sun, & Mon hotel, Sat & Sun dance classes and parties, Saturday city tour and hotel transfer from ship. Does not include meals, Sunday transfer to hotel, airport transfer or flight home): Current estimate (per person based on double occupancy) is roughly $525
TO REGISTER: CLICK HERE to go to the REGISTRATION page and reserve your spot for the group package (or for any of the a la carte activities we have planned). Invoices will be sent out shortly once we lock in on all the costs. You do not need to pay at this time.
Sightseeing in Quebec (CLICK HERE for full descriptions and pictures):
- Place Royale
- Le Château Frontenac (Frontenac Castle and Dufferin Terrace) (1 Rue des Carrières, Québec City, Québec)
- Musee de la Civilisation (Museum of Civilization)(85, rue Dalhousie, Quebec City, Québec)
- Chutes Montmorency (5300 boulevard Sainte-Anne, Québec)
- Old Montréal (Vieux-Montreal)
- Parc Jean Drapeau (Location: Île Sainte-Hélène, Montréal, Québec)
- Canadian Museum of History (100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, Québec)
- Notre-Dame Basilica (110 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec)
- La Citadel de Quebec (1 Côte de la Citadelle,Québec City, Québec)
- Mont Tremblant (1000 Chemin des Voyageurs Mont-Tremblant, Mont Tremblant, Québec)
- Montreal Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanique) (4101 Rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, Québec)
- Zoo de Granby (1050 David-Bouchard Blvd., Granby, Quebec)
- Gatineau Park (Address: 33 Scott Road, Old Chelsea, Québec)
- Hudson Bay
- Forillon National Park (122 Gaspé Boulevard, Gaspé, Québec)
- Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (10018 Ave Royale, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Québec)
- Iles de la Madeleine
- Bonaventure Island (île Bonaventure)
- Mount Royal Park
FAQ's:
Where does the ship leave from and how do I get there? The ship leaves from the port of Boston, MA. If coming from out of town and not using one of the pre-cruise hotel package options, you will need to arrange your own travel to the port which is very accessible from the Boston (SEA) airport, and anywhere in Boston. There are many shuttles and taxi's available throughout the region, as well as Uber, Lyft, and other shared ride services.
Who is the organizer and administrator for this cruise? This cruise is being organized by Ari Levitt & Jae Gregory at www.WorldwideDanceAdventures.com
- For questions related to either the cruise and/or your travel, please contact Jae @ danceadventures@comcast.net
- For questions regarding the dance workshops, please contact Ari at arilevitt@hotmail.com
If I am single and would like to share a room, how can I find other participants who would like to do the same? If you are interested in connecting with other single participants who would be interested in sharing a cabin, please indicate this on your registration form. Alternatively, you can direct any specific questions or requests to Jae @ danceadventures@comcast.net and she will be more than happy to help arrange room sharing for you.
How can I find out more about the ship? More information about the ship can be found on the Holland America Website
When do I need to have my down payment submitted by? A deposit of $350 ($700 for single occupancy) is due with your reservation of the cruise. Full payment is due July 25th, 2022.
What is included in the price? What additional charges/fee's should I anticipate? The price includes your cruise, taxes, port charges, dance workshops, and all onboard gratuities. It does not include transportation, optional onboard amenities, excursions, or incidentals.
Are prices guaranteed? The ships cabin pricing cannot be guaranteed and will fluctuate based on Holland America's current room charges and availability. Please check with us to confirm the latest status and pricing for rooms (Holland America frequently runs special deals)
What is the refund policy? To review the refund policy, please refer to Holland America "Refund" page. Also see the "COVID Safety, Regulations, & Policy" paragraph below
What is the typical day's dance schedule? Dance workshops will take place from 10am-noon during the day at sea, and on the free mornings or afternoons when we don't dock until the late morning or come back in the early evening. Other classes will be inserted during cruising times when not in port. The schedule will allow you to fully take advantage of all of the ship's activities and amenities during the rest of the day. There will be plenty of music and dancing in the afternoons and evenings, as well as opportunities for more informal gatherings and "tune-up" lessons.
What kinds of dance classes will be offered? Specific workshops topics will be decided closer to the sailing date (and on the ship) in order to best tailor the lessons to the group's abilities and interests. Styles will be selected from among swing, latin (salsa, cha cha, merengue, rhumba), ballroom (waltz, foxtrot, etc), night club 2-step, 1-step, blues, and fusion. We can be fairly flexible with how all of this is set up.
Will there be opportunities for private lessons? Yes, these can be arranged individually with Ari onboard the ship or beforehand by email. If you are taking advantage of the pre-cruise Waltz Weekend in Boston, we can also schedule lessons on shore then.
What level will the dance classes be geared toward and what will be their focus. Group classes will be geared toward the adv-beginner/intermediate level dancer (ie: you should be comfortable with beginning level dance steps, connection, and framework, and be ready to move forward from there). If you still consider yourself a novice dancer, not to worry. You have plenty of time between now and October, 2022, to sign up for some local partner dance classes and get ramped up! (I would recommend classes in swing, salsa, latin, or ballroom, although just about any kind of social partner dance would be fine).
The class format will be very much geared toward fun, playful social partner dancing, which is to say that we will not be focussing on performance choreography, competition styling, or line-dancing. In each workshop, we'll start by laying the groundwork for strong partnering foundations, imparting a clear understanding of how connection, framework, and energy can be utilized to create playful movement and improvisations, and reviewing basic steps and combinations. On top of this we build a wide-ranging repertoire of fun moves and variations.
What is the evening dress for the ship? Each night on the ship, there is typically a different theme for dress. Our week of cruising will include two formal nights, two informal nights, and three casual nights. The recommendations for dress typically applies only to the ship's dining room and public areas after 5:00pm, and are as follow:
- Formal attire: For men this might include either a jacket & tie, a suit & tie, or a tuxedo; and an evening dress or gown for women.
- Informal attire: For men this might include shirt, jacket, and slacks; and a summer dress, or slacks & blouse for women.
- Casual attire: This is fairly flexible, though the ship does request that you not wear shorts or jeans.
What travel documents will I need? As per all international travel, you will need to bring a current passport from your country of citizenship. A driver's license is also recommended. No special visas or further documentation will be required for US citizens in these ports-of-call.
Do I need any special immunizations for international travel? You will need proof of COVID-19 vaccination. While you should make sure that your other regular shots are up-to-date, no other special immunizations are needed for travel to these ports.
COVID Safety, Regulations, & Policies:
- You will need proof of COVID-19 vaccination
- You will need a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure
- All staterooms and public areas are frequently and thoroughly sanitized with medical-grade disinfectant proven to kill coronaviruses. Hand-washing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers are available throughout every ship.
- We have enhanced the air-handling systems on board all ships using a combination of increased circulation of fresh air together with upgraded air filtration.
- Masks on board are recommended but not required indoors or outdoors*
- COVID-19 Protection Program (Free of Charge):
- 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) if you or your stateroom travel party test positive for COVID-19 within 30 days prior to embarkation
- Complimentary onboard COVID-related medical center visits and testing of suspected COVID-19 cases, including reimbursement of expenses for COVID-related medical care required shoreside
- Flexible Cancellation Program (Free of Charge):
- Cancel up to 30 days before departure and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC)
- Receive a 100% FCC within 30 days and up until your embarkation date if you or someone in your immediate travel party tests positive for COVID-19
- You can purchase additional Cruise Travel Insurance. See details HERE