What is Ballroom Vermont?

Ballroom Vermont is entering it's 13th season and we expect it to sell out for the fourth year in a row! 

The 2011 season will be held at the Sunday River Resort in Newry, Maine. There are ballroom dancing classes each day in American style foxtrot, waltz, swing, rumba, tango, and cha cha. Our staff and of course, our fabulous guest artists, will be back!  

Our class size is limited to no more than 13 - 15 couples. Couples see the same teacher for each class and smaller classes allow for personal attention. To insure our class sizes, enrollment is limited for the 2011 season.

Ballroom Vermont is modeled after Jazz Vermont, Band Camp for Grownups. Jazz Vermont began in 1985. In its first week Jazz Vermont had ten participants and staff of seven. In 2011, JV included 86 participants plus many non-participants as well. Jazz Vermont was founded on the idea that there were those among us who always wanted to be musicians but went off in other directions; to be lawyers, doctors, computer programmers, etc. It continues to be a labor of love for its creator, Byron Siegal. Jazz Vermont came out of Byron's lifelong involvement in big-bands and jazz and the idea that people would like  to study and learn music together.

In October of 1995, Byron began taking ballroom dance lessons with Peggi Morrow. And then Byron thought, perhaps there are couples who would like to come to experience the joy of ballroom dancing in a format similar to the jazz camp. Teaming up with Peggi (now Ballroom Vermont Dance Coordinator), Ballroom Vermont was created.

Ballroom Vermont is open to all level dancers and features top rhythm champions in the U.S. - Jose Decamps and Joanna Zacharewicz - as guest artists on Wednesday and Thursday of the week. They perform a show as part of the gala finale and dinner dance on Thursday night.

In addition to Jose Decamps and Joanna Zacharewicz, the faculty at Ballroom Vermont include dance educators who teach at their own schools and who are certified by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance. On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday dances are taught by the staff and followed up on Wednesday & Thursday. Also on Wednesday and Thursday the guest artists begin teaching. The program focuses on repetition of the basic dances and teaching of similar dances together. For example the Mambo and Cha-Cha are paired because of their similarity. In addition to instruction as couples, the participants will be broken into groups to develop a brief performance as a repertory group (ballroom couples dancing together in a choreographed performance).

Private lessons will be available throughout the week with any of the instructors including Jose Decamps and Joanna Zacharewicz. There is an additional fee for private lessons.

Ballroom Vermont 2011
July 17^th- July 22^nd

Single reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Every attempt is made to have an equal number of single men and single women in each dance level, but there is no guarantee you will have an exclusive dance partner for the week.

Go to Contact BV for pricing and registration information.

updated 8/11/2010