Mike Topel is one of the best West Coast instructor/entertainers in the West
Coast swing world. Mike values the interpersonal richness which can come out of dance above all else, even though he
is a high level competitor and a phenomenal dance instructor, both in group workshops and in private lessons. YOU'VE GOT
TO SEE MIKE DANCE!
To SEE Mike dance a Pro Am with Crystal Fischer which has an astonishing finish, click here.
To SEE Mike win the Advancted Strictly Swing at 2005 Liberty Swing with Sheli Schroeder, click here.
The reason for the white bloomers with the Maple Leaf pattern (which Mike is wearing in the next four video clips) is that Mike's friends from Toronto (where he is wildly
popular) gave him the "special pants" and dared him to wear them on the competitive dance floor. SO HE DID!
To SEE Mike win the All Star Jack & Jill at 2007 Swing Niagara with Lynn Anderson, click here and here.
To SEE Mike place second in the All Star Jack & Jill at the same event with Angie Cameron, click here.
To SEE Mike lead BOTH Lynn Anderson and Angie Cameron at 2007 Swing Niagara, click here.
And, BEST OF ALL, to SEE Mike dance socially with Tatiana Mollmann (the current national champion) this year, click here.
Mike's workshops are full of cutting edge dance technique and pattern building information, but they are also full of laughs. As a social dancer, his goal is to make each dance super special for both himself and his partner. In fact, his mission as a social dancer gets his top priority and he often succeeds in making his dance with each partner their single best dance of the event.
Schedule of Events
(prerequisite for classes: basic west coast
swing moves)
3:15 - 4:15 Origami Originals
We can fold the body in multiple ways, and doing it in West Coast Swing is a kick.
4:30 - 5:30 Constant Connection in Ducking Moves
Develop the skill to center, connect, and continue moving in patterns where the head gets to play.
5:45 - 6:45 Seriously, How to Dip, Drape, and Drop
It's strength, it's connection, it's timing, and it's musicality.
6:45 - 8:00 Romaine and Cherry Tomato Salad with Marcona Almonds, Roasted Pepper and Corn Bisque, Eggplant-Potato Moussaka with Pine Nut Cream,
Carmelized Onion-Butternut Roast with Chestnuts, Pistachio Apricot Basmati Rice Cookies, and French Baguettes.
8:00 - 9:00 Rhythm in Your Blues
Is your dance all feet? Are your hands all thumbs? Move your body in clever and compelling ways that show illusion and improvisation.
9:00 - 12:00 Dance