Week 1/2: Stones Residency in DC! Intermediate and Beginner Blues Dance Classes (2026-10-8)

That's right--Visiting instructors Kelsy and Damon Stone will be at the Back Room two weeks in a row, teaching both our intermediate and beginner-friendly blues dance classes! They are based in Thailand these days, so this is a rare opportunity to learn from them in DC! More about the Stones below. 7–8pm Intermediate lesson taught by the Stones ($25 at the door, no pre-registration) 8:15–9pm Beginner-friendly lesson taught by the Stones ($10 at the door, no pre-registration) Paying for either class gets you into the dance for free! 9pm–11:30pm Blues Dance DJ'd by Brie K and Amanda Comi! No partner or prior experience is required! If you can, wear shoes that can slide. Please avoid wearing strong fragrances. Most people come to dance with everyone there (but if you'd prefer to stick with one person that's okay too). About the Stones: Damon Stone has been dancing his entire life, starting with vernacular Jazz/Blues first taught to him at the tender age of six by his grandmother. After nearly a decade of learning at the heels of his elders, he went on and eventually studied numerous dance forms until coming full circle in 1995 to focus primarily on the history and styles of partner dances as his family danced them with a special focus on the Southern Blues styles from the Mississippi Delta region. He has studied the development of vernacular Jazz/Blues dance across the United States learning from a number of the original dancers. He is largely regarded as one of the foremost authorities on Blues idiom dance and has been interviewed as a dance historian in documentary, dissertation, podcast, radio, and newspaper. Damon has been a featured instructor at camps, festivals, and workshops around the world. Kelsy Stone brings her lifetime of dance training, a passion for vernacular dance, and a sharp eye for technique to the Blues dance world. She has brought her joy and knowledge of Blues idiom dances to some of the most important and high-profile events in the USA and across five continents, including but not limited to: bluesSHOUT!, The Experiment, Muse, Hearken the Blues, and Seoul Blues Dance Festival—serving as faculty, mentor, competition coordinator, and judge. Kelsy's critical eye and love of deep technique are tempered by her love of "dad jokes," getting lost in the music, and embracing of the ridiculous. She shows her appreciation of African American culture by speaking of the history of Blues idiom dance and taking her craft seriously, but never herself. She believes every mistake is an opportunity to learn, every class an opportunity to challenge, and every dance an opportunity to pay respect to those who came before.