About Luke and Karen

As Dancers:

 

Luke

Luke has been partner dancing since 1996, about 48 hours after he first heard the Squirrel Nut Zippers on Minnesota Public Radio.  He has studied Ballet, Blues, Lindy Hop and Tango.  He has also dabbled with Balboa, shag and various ballroom dances.

His favorite part of blues dancing is slowing it down and building a strong connection with someone.  Getting to find the balance between him, her and the music.
















Karen

Karen Gilmore is a Ferrari, so she’s been told. She goes from 0-60 while Lindy Hopping, has a lightning fast response from Argentine Tango, and smooth handling from Blues. The Lindy Hop model was first released in 1999, an Argentine Tango body styling was added in 2002, with a Blues overhaul in 2005.

She speeds to national dance events and is in high demand as a follow for her connection, musicality and playfulness. She is constantly searching for moments of perfect dance bliss. She believes this happens when the fundamentals of connection, movement and musicality are well understood. She incorporates the balance learned from jumping horses as a teenager, and the musicality from 12 years of playing piano into her dancing.

She loves blues music because it has so much variety depending on what area of the country it is from, and what types of instruments are used. This variety in sound inspires different types of movements to different types of songs. She loves to dance many different styles because it gives her inspiration through being able to incorporate any tools in her and her partner’s toolboxes to creatively and uniquely express the music and the partnership, without being limited to what traditionally belongs within that music or dance style. This leads to moments of ”wow, I don’t know what we just did but it was amazing!”

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As Teachers:

 

Luke

Luke started teaching in 1997 in the back rooms and in the halls between classes at school.  He would watch a movie and find a move, or wake up in the middle of the night and just “have” to work on it.  Since then he’s taken a few opportunities to teach at places like the Colorado School of Mines Dance Club and Urban Blues Recess.  After meeting Karen, things have taken off and they have been much more involved with the Blues, Fusion and Lindy dance scenes in Denver, CO.

There are two aspects of Luke’s dance philosophy that explain much of how he approaches things:

 

1) Creativity can be taught most easily in three steps – Imitate, Assimilate, Create.

2) Everything physical that you have ever done, even the way that you walk informs how you dance.

This came about because of his experience with Ballet, Gymnastics and Greco-Roman Wrestling.  He feels that the more experiences you have, the more connections you’ll have waiting to be activated in your brain and the more likely it is that a teacher’s concept will stick. As a teacher, he looks for the “Aha!” moment when a student’s face lights up as they get a concept they didn’t understand before. .

 

Karen

When she teaches, she wants her students to learn the framework for dancing so they can dance to many styles of music with any partner, and have their own “Wow” moments.  Her classes focus on concepts of essential dance techniques, communicated through fun and unique exercises and games. She dances for the love of it, and enjoys sharing the passion she has for dancing through teaching.

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As DJs:

 

Karen

Karen started djing lindy hop dances 11 years ago, and has been djing blues for the last 5 years. She loves shaping her sets to the mood of the room. She enjoys a wide variety of music – from acoustic blues to soul, from pop to electronica. She can’t wait to find just the song to get you jammin’ and groovin’, or chillin’  and melting’.

She has DJed dances and events such as:

  • Monday Night Blues in Denver
  • Hot Night Fusion dances in Denver
  • Atomic Blues Fusion 2011
  • Blues it or Lose it – New Year’s and 4th of July 2011

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As Organizers:

Luke and Karen have been lending a hand with national dance events in their native cities and around the country for years, but in 2011 they began taking on larger roles with important titles such as “Registration Manager” and “Event Manager.”

This emboldened them to think they could actually run their own event, and so they did just that. Twice.

The “Morning After Workshop” series was originally conceived as a collaboration between the monthly Hot Night Fusion dance organized by cmDance, and Luke and Karen. It provided a way to bring in a national instructor to teach at the Hot Night Fusion Dance, and then have them stay for the weekend to teach a weekend workshop. The two workshops held in September and November of 2011 were extremely successful, with rave reviews by the participants and pleas for more.

The 2012 series is currently being planned.

Luke and Karen would be happy to bring their experience, organization and fun attitude to help you with your event!

 

Luke

Past Events:

  • 2008 Midwest LindyFest – Volunteer
  • 2009 Midwest LindyFest – Volunteer
  • 2010 Colorado School of Mines Dance Club – Blues Dance Instructor
  • Boston Fusion Exchange – Volunteer
  • 2011 Colorado School of Mines Dance Club – Blues Dance Instructor
  • 2011 Midwest LindyFest – Volunteer
  • 2011 Monthly Hot Night Fusion dances – primary organizer and manager
  • Lindy on the Rocks 2011 – Event Manager, Dinner Show Producer
  • Lindy Diversion 2011 – Event Manager
  • September 2011 Morning After Workshop with Heriberto Perez and Karen Gilmore – Primary Organizer, visionary, web-master, venue manager, volunteer manager
  • November 2011 Morning After Workshop with Campbell Miller and Chris Mayer  - Primary Organizer, visionary, web-master, venue manager, volunteer manager
  • San Francisco Fusion Exchange – Volunteer
  • Atomic Blues Fusion – Instructor

Upcoming Events:

  • Mile High Blues 2012 – Web Master, Instructor
  • 2012 Monthly Hot Night Fusion dances thru February – Organizer
  • 2012 Morning After Workshop Series – Head Guru
  • 2012 Colorado School of Mines Ballroom Club – Blues Dance Instructor

 

Karen

Past Events:

  • 2010 Colorado School of Mines Dance Club – Blues Dance Instructor
  • Boston Fusion Exchange – Volunteer
  • 2011 Colorado School of Mines Dance Club – Blues Dance Instructor
  • 2011 Monthly Hot Night Fusion dances – regular DJ, guest instructor, assistant organizer
  • Lindy on the Rocks 2011 – Registration Manager
  • Lindy Diversion 2011 – Registration Manager, Assistant Event Manager
  • September Morning After Workshop – Co-Organizer, Instructor DJ coordinator
  • November 2011 Morning After Workshop with Campbell Miller and ChrisMayer  - Co-Organizer, DJ coordinator, Finance manager
  • San Francisco Fusion Exchange – Volunteer
  • Atomic Blues Fusion – Instructor

Upcoming Events:

  • Mile High Blues 2012 – Registration Manager, Instructo

    2012 Monthly Hot Night Fusion dances thru February – Organizer

  • 2012 Morning After Workshop Series – Head Guru
  • 2012 Colorado School of Mines Ballroom Club – Blues Dance Instructor