September 25-27, 2026

Registration is OPEN!!

We are so excited to be hosting our 2nd year of Lake Effect Blues. Come join us for a weekend of laughter, dancing, cultural exploration and community building.

Reminder, merch is pre-order only!!

The Timely Bird ticket tier also ends August 24th! After this, all prices will increase and advance into the Late Bird Tier.

P.S. We still need volunteers! Please fill out our volunteer form under 'attendee resources' if you're available!

Attendee Resources

Looking for a Rideshare/Housing?

Looking for a housing group or ridesharing? Join our Facebook group to connect with others coming to the event!

Join the Group

Looking for Food in the Area?

Looking for restaurants or other things to do in the area?

See the Guide

Follow our Facebook
Event Page

Stay up to date with our announcements on our Facebook event page, see who's attending and learn more below!

Event Page

Looking to Volunteer?

Volunteer and earn a dance pass or full pass! Volunteer slots are limited for the weekend, and we will assign volunteers who apply on a first-come, first-served basis. Volunteering 5 hours earns you a weekend dance pass, and volunteering 10 hours earns you a full weekend pass!

Questions? Email us at brbgrants@gmail.com

Apply For A Scholarship

For those seeking financial aid who cannot volunteer the full set of hours or who are unable to volunteer all together, we anticipate having limited funds for scholarships.

Scholarships will be given out on a first come, first served basis based on donations that we receive.

Questions? Email us at brbgrants@gmail.com

Apply Here

The Schedule

This year we are focusing on the styles of movement in Blues within the structure of idioms. Throughout the weekend, each of our rooms will be dedicated to exploring either Ballroomin', Jukin', or African movement through blues music, dancing, history and culture.

Download the Full Schedule

Friday

7 pm | Beginner Lesson

8 pm | Dance

9 pm | Live Band w/Moko Bovo

10: 15 pm | Instructor Showcase

Midnight - 2 am | Late Night w/Austin Walkin' Cane

Sunday

10:30 am | Brunch Opens

11 am | Culture Talk

12:30 pm | Lesson Block 1

1:45 pm | Lesson Block 2

--- 3 pm Dinner Break & Beach Hang ----

7 - 10 pm | Goodbye Dance

Saturday

10 am | Lesson Block 1

11:15 am | Lesson Block 2

12:15 pm | Lunch Break

2:30 pm | Lesson Block 3

3:45 pm | Lesson Block 4

--------- 5 pm Dinner Break ---------

8 pm | Beginner Crash Course

9 pm | Live Band w/The Boilermakers

10:45 pm | Blakk Jakk Performance

Midnight - 3 am | Late Night w/The Boilermakers

Private Lessons

Private lessons may be booked through the instructors themselves when they have times between classes or during the dance at their discretion.

Class Descriptions

(JJ) Julie & Jamica | (AK) Adam & Krystal | (RonDale or Delores)

Jukin' Track

Jukin' comes from the south and its name comes from the fact that it was danced in "juke joints" the type of bars that early blues musicians would have played in. Because of the limited space in such bars, jukin' evolved as primarily a dance on the spot and, reflecting the music it's danced to, tends to be sharper and more punctuated with more focus on hip movement.

Chicago Triple (AK)

Hard rocking rhythms on electrified guitars define Chicago Blues. We'll use that music as a baseline to triple step with a partner. We'll explore how we move within our own body to this energetic music and integrate those movements into a really fun partnership.

Funky Butt (JJ)

Learn some Funky Butt basics, then get more funky ideas with variations on the movement and connection.

Piedmont & Hill Country (AK)

Let's explore connected, chill dancing to the country blues music from the hill country of MS to the Piedmont of Virginia and the Carolinas. We'll go over partner mechanics, the chill groove, and even dig in on some fancy footwork!

Struttin' Part I (JJ)

Struttin’ is a comfy and fun bar dance from Memphis! Danced in a specific type of close embrace, struttin’ combines comfy connection with cool footwork for followers and leaders. This class will give you the basics and some footwork, so you can get to struttin’ on the dance floor.

Classic Juke Joint Dances (JJ)

In this taster class, we’ll learn some dances that came from juke joints, honky-tonks, and house parties. Learn to have a great dance in a small space, move your hips, and get down to some guitar, harmonica, and piano-based blues.

Struttin Part II (AK)

Once you've gotten your feet underneath you, it's time to develop some dynamic partnered movement within the Struttin' framework! Here, we'll use the lean-to connection to create and manipulate momentum in the partnership and develop fun, dynamic movements together!

Ballroomin' Track

Ballroomin' blues comes from the ballrooms in the Northeast. When the big bands slowed it down to play a song that could be waltzed or foxtrotted, the dancers came up with their own style of dance based on a fusion of swing, vernacular jazz, and ballroom dance movement. Due to the having more space in ballrooms, this style of blues tends to travel more with elegant lines and momentum based movements.

Solo Jazz Blues (JJ)

This class will work on dancing in your own body before bringing that into partnership. Focusing on jazz-blues music, we’ll work on connecting to the music and building basic movement vocabulary.

The Stride Part II (AK)

Let's continue to develop our Stride technique as we work to find a joint axis with any partner to enable swift, smooth rotation and textured holds throughout the dance, and even march through moving turns and promenades!

The Strut (JJ)

Come learn some Strut basics! Work on shared shaping in close embrace and the flow of momentum in line of dance.

Savoy Walk (AK)

When the music slowed at the Savoy, dancers switched from Lindy Hop to Slow Dancing in a way that we now call Savoy Walk. We'll lay down the basics, then break out of the box step to explore traveling and develop swing-
inspired spins and passes following the melody of this iconic music.

The Stride Part I (AK)

Stride is a swift, driving Ballroomin' Blues idiom that really moves around line of dance. In this class we'll get your hips swinging and marching to the beat with a partner, milking the unique close embrace to drive and savor every step.

Slow Drag (JJ)

Slow Drag is one of the oldest and still-living partnered Black American dances we know of. It has been danced to many types of blues music (and other genres) throughout time. This class will give you some basics of slow drag, and tools to find a comfortable and organic connection with your partner & the music.

Afro-Fusion Track

Afro-fusion dance is an eclectic and dynamic style that blends traditional and contemporary African dance forms with global genres like hip-hop, jazz, dancehall, and contemporary. Rooted in rhythmic expression and cultural storytelling, it fuses movements from across the African continent and the diaspora into a hybrid dance experience.

Afro-Fusion (RD)

This course will explore specific techniques, vocabulary, creative processes, dynamics, and musicality of the afro-fusion technique. This includes experiencing a variety of movement styles and techniques. Warm-up exercises such as body toning and stretching. Students will learn diagonal and center step combinations leading to choreography.

Afro-Movement (RD)

Creative Movement (RD)

This class will consist of touches of modern and hip hop as a way to express movement creatively.

Stepping (RD)

Described as “one of the most exciting dance forms created in the 21st century,” Stepping is a percussive, highly-energetic art form first developed through the song and dance rituals performed by African-American fraternities and sororities. In stepping, the body becomes an instrument, using footsteps, claps and spoken word to produce complex poly-rhythms.

In the early 1900s, as more African-Americans entered college, they formed their own Greek-letter organizations — known today as the Divine Nine — and stepping became a powerful expression of love, pride and community.

This class will explore Stepping & body percussion techniques, vocabulary, musicality, and movement styles, progressing from warm-up exercises to full choreography.

Culture Talk: Roots in Motion

"How Culture, Community, and the Pandemic Shaped My Voice - RonDale Simpson (Blakk Jakk)

A story-led reflection on how cultural exploration and community responsibility shaped my dance expression - and how the apndemic pushed that purpose into building Blakk Jakk.

Meet The Teachers

Adam & Krystal Wilkerson

Adam (he/him) is proud to call Huntsville, Alabama home, but he's originally from Mississippi. He’s been partner dancing since 2004, starting in Ballroom, Latin street dances, and Lindy Hop, but he followed Krystal into blues in 2010, and it’s been his primary focus ever since. He’s passionate about social dancing and blues music, and loves to explore all different blues styles in his instruction and setlists. He strongly believes in teaching the context and history of the music and the dance, focusing on research in the Mississippi Delta in his spare time. His analytical approach to connection and value for intuition in dance provides a unique classroom environment that promotes self-awareness and improvement beyond the classroom. He believes in learning through experience and experimentation, so expect a LOT of getting up and dancing in his classes.

Krystal (she/her) loves living in Huntsville, Alabama, although she is originally from southern Ohio. She has an uncanny energy and enthusiasm for blues music and dancing, and can often be seen at events all over. She’s been partner dancing various styles since 2007; Blues stole her heart, however, in 2010, and has never let go. She has taught all over the world, ranging from small community-focused events all the way up to Large-Scale International events including Korea Blues Camp, Blues Geek, and the Blues Experiment. She has a fervor for both competing and judging and enjoys geeking out on strategies for both. She brings her passion for connection into all of her dancing and instruction. Her love of the dance is contagious, and she believes in injecting fun into all of her classes.

photo credit: Conway Li Photography

The Music

Meet the Bands

Friday Late Night

Austin Walkin' Cane

Austin Walkin’ Cane is an original & classic delta blues artist featuring slide guitar and soulful vocals. Austin Walkin' Cane is a blues singer, songwriter and slide guitarist that performs acoustic solo, duo & electric band sets. He’ll be bringing in a band for the evening and playing solo for the late night at Lake Effect Blues! He has toured Australia, Nepal, Colombia, France, Germany, England, Wales, and the US, from New Orleans, Louisiana to Juneau, Alaska with only a guitar & suitcase in hand. Austin walked for ten years with a cane due to an arterial venous malformation at birth. While performing on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a homeless man called out "Hey Walkin' Cane got some spare change for a brother?!" Austin took the jibe as his nickname. In 1996, after years of battling the inevitable, his left leg was amputated below the knee. A year after the surgery, he returned to the music scene stronger & without need of a cane.

Learn More

Friday Night

Dan Bode & MoKo BoVo

MoKo BoVo has deep roots in blues, making the music accessible, and can push interesting rhythms and extended improvisation. Well known for 30s/40s jump and swing, Blues repertoire runs from early traditional folk and gospel blues to postwar classics and modern styles.

Guitarist Al Moses and Bassist Rick Kodramaz played together for many years in funk, soul, and jazz groups before meeting up with vocalist and harmonica player Dan Bode. They brought in Kip Volans on drums, and the band name was formed from the first two letters of the last names. Pete Dell was on drums through the 90s. John Stebal joined as drummer in the 2000s.

Follow Them

Saturday Night

Paul Cosentino's Boilermaker Jazz Band

Paul Cosentino’s Boilermaker Jazz Band brings the sounds of the jazz age and swing era back to life. Interpreting Jazz Classics and The Great American Songbook in their own unique fashion, you’ll hear familiar tunes and rarities performed by superb instrumentalists and heartfelt vocalists. From concert halls, festival stages and dances, to elegant soirees, weddings and corporate events, listeners and dancers agree — with their infectious beat and enthusiasm this band can make any crowd move!

Leading the Boilermaker Jazz Band on clarinet, saxophone, and vocals is Paul Cosentino, a full-time bandleader/performer who founded the band in 1988 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He is constantly searching for more tunes to add to the band’s classic jazz repertoire — you’ll hear something different every time!

Learn More

Meet The DJs

Pittsburgh, PA

Cynthia Menos

Cynthia has been active in the dance community since 2016, balancing roles as a teacher, DJ, and organizer. Over the years, she has helped found two blues dance scenes, in Gainesville, Fl and Pittsburgh, PA.

Cynthia enjoys DJing Blues and loves to play tracks showcasing historical and modern blues musicians, giving a space for the past and present as the genre continues to thrive. You’ll find her at a coffee shop trying to Shazam ‘a really good song’ mid-conversation, binge purchasing at CD sales, or going to support the local blues artists around her.

Pittsburgh, PA

Om Choudhary

Om has DJed at numerous events and workshops, specializing in Slow Drag, slow Jazz, Delta Blues, Chicago style Blues, and more. Beyond Blues, Om enjoys dancing to Bhangra and Bollywood music, and has cherished his love for folk Rajasthani music for over 22 years.

Columbus, OH

Dan Miles

Dan Miles first fell in love with the blues a the 2012 Chicago Blues Festival, overwhelmed by their tribute to Koko Taylor, the Queen of the Chicago Blues. With that as his starting point, he has been refining his understanding of Blues and exploring the rich variety of the genre ever since.

Ann Arbor, MI

Sarah Redman

Sarah is an Ann Arbor, MI local who loves dancing Blues, Lindy Hop, and Balboa. After discovering swing dance in 2018, Sarah began DJing in 2021 and discovered the further joy that is lining up the music for dancing. She is all about exploring the full range of the Blues from the DJ booth and on the dance floor, so please ask her to dance!

Cleveland, OH

Loreto "Lo" Agdinaoay

Loreto aka "Lo" is a Cleveland native and is entering his 25th season since he took his first dance steps back in 1999. Originally a swing dancer, he has taken his tools and talents and blended them into other styles of dance including Blues, Latin, West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango and Fusion.

Lo comes with over 20+ years as an experienced instructor and master DJ with a body of work that has given him the privilege of working with scenes throughout North America as well as across borders while remaining a steady contributor and collaborator in the local dance community. You can still catch him today spinning for the vintage Swing, West Coast Swing, and Blues scenes.

Meet the MC & Photographer

Master of Ceremonies (MC)

Daniel

Daniel found partnered dancing in 2009 and it completely changed his life. Slowly, but steadily, the dance lured him to explore more about the music, movement, and history of American musical genres. He describes his relationship with dance as a love affair, and wants to do all that he can to share its magic with others.

After years of honing his dancing skills, he began teaching workshops, DJing, and then emceeing. Daniel is now the official emcee for five annual regional events. His work is characterized by an exuberant passion for promoting the bands and DJs that keep all of the beautiful humans on the dance floor.

Photographer

Kayo Omoyosi

Kayode Omoyosi is a traveling portrait and event photographer based in Seattle, WA. He approaches creating every photograph with technical rigor and care, all with his characteristic bold aesthetic.

His experience as a working photographer includes being the staff photographer for a burlesque troupe, work with a local newspaper to capture images for articles, and a freelance shooter for a variety of clients. These distinct jobs honed his eye for color and allowed him to create a photographic style based around a few key principles. His work focuses on honest portrayals of subjects, charming candid photos with dynamic elements, and balancing colors to render all skintones in the best way possible.