Dance Workshops
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WC swing workshop
West Coast swing workshop. Photo courtesy of Mein Samala
About the Workshops
Notes from Kevin Cornette, our Workshop Coordinator:

1. If you are registered for the entire weekend, then all workshops are FREE (with your registration badge). You never have to pay extra to get in to a workshop at The Houston Hoedown.

2. If you purchase a Day Pass that includes Dance Workshops, the same goes for you. Your pass gets you in to ALL workshops for that day.

3. Remember if you are not sure about the level of the class check in quick with the instructor to see what they plan to cover. We are trying to accommodate multiple levels of dancers in most classes and give instructors flexibility to adjust to the people that show up. For the line dances we are trying to provide video links if they are online so you can preview what the dances look like.

4. Please remember ALL workshops are subject to change. Additionally most of our instructors are available for private lessons and coaching. Please set up a time with them directly either through their email or directly at the event.
Instructors
Lee FoxCouples

Lee Fox (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), IAGLCWDC Dance Competition Director, has been teaching ballroom, latin, and swing dancing for over 40 years and CW dancing for over 20 years.

He was a finalist in ballroom at the 1998 and 2002 Gay Games and IAGLCWDC champion in 1998.

He has judged many times internationally. He was choreographer for numerous dance troupes including the Southern Country South Florida Dream Team, the SunDancers, Heels On Fire, and Team Scandalous.
Kevin CornettCouples, Line Dance

Kevin began dancing when he was in college. His competition dance team competed in the Fun Country and UCWDC dance circuits.

In 2001, he and his dance partner took 4th in Div 4 at the UCWDC Worlds Dance Competition and 4th in Regional Dance with their Night Club Twostep.

Kevin's teaching career includes teaching in dance halls, clubs, dance studios, university class, and private dance groups, teaching country, ballroom, latin, and swing.

He has worked with some of the top names in country and swing, such as Robert Royston, Michael Kielbasa, Beatta Howe, Ronne Debenedetta and Rowdy DuFrene.

He has competed in teams, line dance, and couples divisions IV, III and II in both UCWDC and ACDA dance circuits.
Rowdy DuFreneCouples, Line Dance

Rowdy DuFrene has been dancing, teaching, judging and coaching for over 28 years.

He currently lives and teaches in Austin, Texas, at the new Rhythms Social Dance Studio.

He has danced competitively and won many awards to include many Masters Classic Championships, UCWDC World Championships, American Country Dance Associations top Couples and Line Dance Division of Superstars.

He and his dance partner Gretchen Smith are the current American Country Dance Associations Superstar Champions!

Rowdy does extensive traveling around the US, and Europe, Coaching, teaching and doing choreography for competitors and students.
Debbie FigueroaCouples, Line Dance

Debbie Figueroa started partner dancing in a country bar in 1992, then was introduced to the world of competitive partner dancing in 1993. She became a part time pro in 1994, then full time in 1995 and has never looked back! She has many titles to her credit including many UCWDC Masters Classic and Showcase titles, and has West Coast Swing titles in Classic, Showcase, Strictly Swing, and several Professional Jack and Jill divisions. She teaches, judges, and chief judges at many west coast swing events around the country. She also has her own judges training program. She loves to teach and figure out how to bring out each student's unique abilities regardless of their current level, as well as teaching teachers how to do the same for their students.

Debbie has lived in NYC, taught Out Dancing classes at Stepping Out Studios, as well as at the Big Apple Ranch and with the Prairie Dogs. She is so excited to be back with IAGLCWDC!

Contact her directly on Messenger (Debbie Bernard Figueroa) or at adswing1@aol.com for private lessons, teacher training, or judges training.

Nowadays, you can find Debbie at home in Austin, TX where she teaches private lessons and group classes as well as events across the U.S.
Michael SimsCouples, Line Dance

Since 2002, Michael Sims, owner of Lite on Your Feet, LLC, has been performing and providing dance lessons and choreography for special occasions and artistic performances. He teaches a wide variety of dance styles including, but not limited to, Swing, Nightclub social dancing, and Country Western. Lessons can be provided in the studio, in your home, or via virtual video. Originally from Houston, Texas, Michael currently competes throughout the U.S. and teaches at various locations in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.
Johnny QCouples, Swing

You may recognize Johnny Q from the swing rooms he runs at multiple events. A former astrophysicist at NASA, and an accomplished dancer, we love hearing his unique geeky-smart approach to music and dance technique. So when he says, "this ain't rocket science", you can bet he's figured out a way to skill you up in a way you've never considered before.
Juan GonzalezLine Dance

Juan Gonzalez accidentally discovered what line dancing was when he walked into a bar back in 2005, and instantly fell in love with it.

In 2017 he started teaching at the local bars in Dallas and started choreographing his own line dances in 2020.

Since then he has competed at several line dance choreography competitions, taking first place in the Intermediate Division at the Vegas Dance Explosion Choreography Competition 2021, and making it all the way to the finals of the United States Line Dance Choreography Championship 2022 and 2023.
Michael MetzgerCouples, Line Dance

Michael Metzger began dancing in 2005 and immediately felt like he had found his tribe. Within a couple years he began teaching, and not long after he began choreographing. He loves bringing the joy of line dancing to as many people as possible, and he enjoys creating dances of diverse styles and difficulty levels. Something for everyone. He looks forward to seeing you in class, dancing, playing, and laughing.
Jim DrewCouples, Line Dance

Jim Drew has been dancing country-western for over 30 years and teaching for over 25 years. He has performed with and choroegraphed for several dance teams, including the Rain City Rhythm Riders. He has taught regular lesson series in San Francisco and Seattle, plus workshops each year at the Emerald City Hoedown, and at Sundance Stompede and the IAGLCWDC annual convention hoedowns. He competed in line dance at the World OutGames in Montreal, Copenhagen (where he won two gold medals), and Miami.
Edie DriskillCouples, Line Dance

Edie Driskill has shared her love of line dancing with thousands of people in Central Ohio for the last twenty years and doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon! As an NTA-certified instructor, she enjoys teaching beginners helpful techniques that lay a foundation of fun, injury free, dancing for a lifetime.

Around 2010 her teaching schedule allowed her to join the Columbus Stompers and was quickly drafted to teach at their weekly dance night. She first taught at the 2011 Annual Convention in Philadelphia where she made a lot of friends and has joined our teaching staff at several conventions since then.

In Columbus, she has run numerous weekly dances and hosted special events over the years. She owned her own dance hall for five years that closed early in the pandemic. She returned from the pandemic to teach at Worthington Community Center and Crystal Ballroom.

She travels to other events and keeps up with the latest dances at all levels. Her first love is country but enjoys good choreography to all genres of music.

Edie is available during the convention for private or semi-private sessions for all levels of social line, and beginner partner instruction. You can schedule at https://ediedriskill.as.me
Rick DominguezCouples, Line Dance

Rick has been a country-western DJ for over 30 years. He has taught and choreographed line dances for the past 25 years in the Los Angeles area, merging pop and country styles into a unique style of dance. Rick is also the founder and lead choreographer for the award-winning line dance troupe, The LA Wranglers, now in its 21st year.
Rob Ollander-KraneCouples, Line Dance

Rob grew up hating country music until one day a few years ago, he walked into a gay bar and saw a group of men doing the two-step. Country music and two-stepping have been his obsession ever since ... and he has the cowboy drag to prove it.
Herb MooreCouples, Line Dance

Herb has been a dance enthusiast since birth. He started his teaching career 14 years ago at Charlie's Chicago. Herb leads the dance instructors who teach Country 2-step, Nightclub 2-step and Line Dancing. 8 years ago Herb joined the May I have This Dance Studio Family. Under the tutelage of Nino Digiulio, he started a more intensive study of West Coast Swing, Hustle and other study dances. Herb worked extensively on the techniques involved that make the dance look and feel great.

Herb can always be see with a huge infectious smile lighting up the dance floor. He is very excited to be participation as a staff member at this IAGLCWDC event. Ask him to dance. He is both a lead and a follow.
Workshop Schedule
(last updated on Wednesday, May 24, 2023)

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Friday, May 26, 2023
Plaza I
Time Dance Instructor
9:00
(B) Flip A Quarter
(B) Bang Bang EZ 
Jim Drew 
10:00
(I) Vertigo  Juan Gonzalez 
11:00
(M,I) Everyone Needs a Hero  Edie Driskill 
1:00
(I,A) That's Hot  Michael Metzger 
2:00
(M) (You're My) Adrenalina
Up & Down 
Juan Gonzalez 
3:00
Just Dance Competition Dances
Boys
Girl Crushin 
Michael Metzger 
4:00
(I) Different Roads  Jim Drew 
Galleria IV
Time Dance Instructor
9:00
(B,M) Waltz  Lee Fox 
10:00
(I) Twostep  Kevin Cornett 
11:00
(B) Only the Shadow Knows  Rob Ollander-Krane 
1:00
(B) Twostep  Herb Moore 
2:00
(B) Nightclub  Jim Drew 
3:00
(A) Twostep  Rowdy DuFrene 
4:00
(B,M) Triple Twostep  Rowdy DuFrene 
Ballroom (Galleria I-III)
Time Dance Instructor
9:00
(B) WCS  Herb Moore 
10:00
(M,I) WCS  Michael Sims 
11:00
(A) WCS  Michael Sims 
1:00
(B) Beg Hustle  Michael Sims 
2:00
(A) WCS  Rowdy DuFrene 
3:00
(I) WCS Anything But Basic, Dress Up Your WCS  Debbie Figueroa 
4:00
(I) East Coast Swing  Lee Fox 
Saturday, May 27, 2023
Plaza I
Time Dance Instructor
9:00
(I) Giddy Up  Michael Metzger 
10:00
(M) Gasoline
(B,M) Amigos in Low Places 
Juan Gonzalez 
11:00
Turning Like A Pro for LIne  Edie Driskill 
1:00
(I) Been There Done That  Michael Metzger 
2:00
(I) I Wanna  Jim Drew 
3:00
(I) Devil in A Dress  Michael Metzger 
4:00
(I) Tequila Snaps  Michael Metzger 
Galleria IV
Time Dance Instructor
9:00
(B) Salsa  Michael Sims 
10:00
Turning Like A Pro For Couples  Edie Driskill 
11:00
(M,I) NightClub  Lee Fox 
1:00
(I) Twostep  Lee Fox 
2:00
(B,M) Polka--Fun With Polka  Edie Driskill 
3:00
(M,I) Nightclub  Rowdy DuFrene 
4:00
(M,I) Shadow Part II  Rob Ollander-Krane 
Ballroom (Galleria I-III)
Time Dance Instructor
9:00
(B) WCS Complete Connection Tools for creating a joyful connection with every partner  Debbie Figueroa 
10:00
(M,I) Intermediate Hustle  Michael Sims 
11:00
(A) WCS  Rowdy DuFrene 
1:00
(I) WCS The Dark Arts of Rhythm Variation  Johnny Q 
2:00
(I) WCS The Music Equation Lean to dance with confidence to a range of WCS music(even the stuff you dont like  Debbie Figueroa 
3:00
(M,I) Hustle with Attitude add spice to your hustle  Debbie Figueroa 
4:00
(A) WCS Rock & (You) Go, Gurl!  Johnny Q 
Sunday, May 28, 2023
Plaza I
Time Dance Instructor
1:30
(I) Do Thy Neighbor  Juan Gonzalez 
2:30
(I) Aces and Eights  Jim Drew 
Galleria IV
Time Dance Instructor
1:30
(I) Twostep  Michael Sims 
2:30
(M,I) WCS What is Swing: A Musical Journey  Johnny Q 
More Info
For any additional information, please contact
Kevin Cornett
Kevin Cornett

Director of Dance

Sponsors


Silver Sponsorship $1000 USD
Copper Sponsorship — $250 USD

34 Host Sponsors


In random order: Rob Ollander-Krane ~ Michael Stevens ~ Danny Rideout ~ Alan Gaudet ~ Keith Manning ~ Charlie Monroe ~ Terry Chasteen ~ Joan McDonough ~ Drusilla Steele ~ Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon ~ Jim Coakley ~ Chad Graber New Mexico Dance Fiesta ~ Cross The Line Dancing Houston ~ Curtis Tutt ~ Scott Roewer ~ Daniel Craigmile ~ Jose Martinez ~ The LA Wranglers ~ Lori Boldman ~ Tony Labella ~ Kimber Keany ~ Jim Chakeres ~ Cullen Ruff ~ Ingu Yun ~ Lisa Coopersmith ~ Richard Sheftman ~ Eiki Yoshikawa ~ Klint Kendrick ~ Daniel Barutta ~ Mark Evans ~ Claude Godbout

23 Clubs Attending


In random order: Club Bolo Danse Country Montreal ~ Dancin' Divas ~ The LA Wranglers ~ San Diego Coasters ~ Rain Country Dance Association ~ Columbus Stompers ~ Southern Country Charlotte ~ ~ Scandalous ~ DC Rawhides ~ Gays for Patsy ~ Second City Country Dance Association ~ Toronto Wranglers ~ Mavericks ~ Southern Line Atlanta ~ Manhattan Mustangs ~ The Dairyland Dancers ~ Rainbow Ranglers Dance Club ~ Big Easy Stompers ~ Dance Ranch Palm Springs ~ The Sundance Association for Country Western Dancing ~ The Rocky Mountain Sway ~ Big Apple Ranch