HELLO

Hello, fellow flamingos! Start flappin' your wings and get ready to fly! This is one of the last, comprehensive Fla-lingo Flash emails you receive before we all arrive at the Pavilion to flock in flamingo frills for the most flamazing flamingle ever!

Thank you for supporting Palm Springs Winter Break! Looking forward to a flamazing flamingling weekend with you all!

LOCATION

Palm Springs Winter Break is held at a City facility with a beautiful wood dance floor. The building is called The Pavilion. Located at 401 South Pavilion Way, Palm Springs, California 92262.

The Pavilion is part of Sunrise Park – a 38-acre Parks and Recreation complex. Sunrise Park is also home to the Library Center, Swim Center, Palm Springs Stadium, Leisure Center, Mizell Senior Center, and Palm Springs Skate Park. If you are interested in any of these, please call the phone numbers listed here: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/parks-facilities/sunrise-park

Parking is available immediately next to the Pavilion in a free lot, first come, first serve. Carpooling is always encouraged. 

THEMES

The themes brought into Palm Springs Winter Break by Michele Burton & Michael Barr are continuing! That means FLAMINGOS all weekend and LIGHTS for Saturday night. 

There's lots of flamingo paraphernalia out there - feel free to flock in flamingo frills (say that 5 times fast) all weekend! From past years, I remember some flamingos love wearing tutus!!!  

The SATURDAY NIGHT THEME PARTY is You Light Up My Dance Life.  Wear anything that lights up - ring, pin, hat, shirt, etc. The crazier, the better. If you do go ALL OUT, be sure to do a test run of your lights in advance - with dancing - to make sure your lights don’t impede your moves! It’s such a high-spirited night of fun.

CHECK-IN PROCESS

To expedite event check-in, please print this waiver and bring your signed one to the event check-in table in the Pavilion lobby. (https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/waiver)

No one will be allowed to enter the event without signing the waiver (just like they do at trampoline parks and other physical activity events). 

Once your signed waiver is received by our registration volunteers, the normal event check-in process will continue. 

Peggy Hall will once again be our wonderful, smiling, always happy to see you ambassador for the 2023 Palm Springs Winter Break. Peggy and our fabulous volunteers will check you in and get you set with your wristband and nametag (and stepsheet booklet if you pre-ordered one).  There will also be prints of the schedule and local food map available.

You will need to be wearing your wristband and nametag (we give you a lanyard) to enter the event. 

The first time you enter the main hall, you will get a precious, handmade chair cover to use for the weekend. We do ask that you return them to registration at the end of your time at PSWB so we can carefully store them and continue to use these beautiful, functional decorations year after year after year!

SEATING

The round tables in the Pavilion will be set for 8 flamingos at each table.  Plenty of space for all! When you find your weekend roost, place your cover on your chair and settle in! You are welcome to leave your NON-valuable items at your tables overnight. 

Please welcome stray flyers to your table if you have open chairs. We have lots of first-timers to PSWB signed up this year - let’s show them how friendly flamingos are!  

If you are not returning to Flamingo Funday on Sunday, please tidy up your roost and return your chair cover to the check-in area when you leave Palm Springs Winter Break. That way, those flamingos who join us on Flamingo Funday Sunday will easily see the open spots left by the flamingos who are taking early “flights.”  

AIR CONDITIONING

The Pavilion air conditioning is set by City rules (off site) at 68 degrees.  

There will be signs posted to remind everyone, but here’s a heads-up, too - we cannot prop open any doors. That will end up stopping the AC. 

Dress in layers and strip your feathers as needed!!!  Dancers know it can get warm inside.  Hand fans are great :-)

DECORATIONS

Thank you to Terri Slemmons for being the lead flamingo this year on decorations! Terri and her volunteers will be decorating the Pavilion starting Thursday afternoon at 3 PM. 

The gorgeous, precious, handmade chair covers made through a labor of love by Trish Little and Kim Costello will be back! When you come into the Pavilion, after going through registration, you will get one to use for the weekend. We do ask that you return them to registration at the end of your time at PSWB so we can carefully store them and continue to use these beautiful, functional decorations year after year after year! 

Some have asked about bringing your own decorations - of course we encourage free flamingo expression; however, we do ask that you consider tables are to be shared with fellow flamingos, we are not a territorial flock. So be sure any feathery fandangles you fluff out don’t impede friendly flamingling - share the roost!

DANCE SHOES

Marialice Faubel, from Grant Austin’s DANCE CONNECTION https://www.danceconnection.com/, will set up shop at PSWB 2023! How great is this?! Can’t wait to see what fabulous options Marialice will have for our dancing feet!

VIDEO

Global Dance TV will be our event videographer! We plan to have a FREE LIVE feed of the event. Global Dance TV is also offering post-event, on demand viewing of PSWB - watch the lessons and reviews, re-live the flamingo frivolity - all for just $19.95 for one year. Visit the GDTV table at PSWB for more information. 

Please note - since we have an event videographer, please do not use your personal device (phone, tablet, or camera) to videotape inside the Pavilion while GDTV is filming. Thank you for understanding and cooperating with this request.    

FOOD AT EVENT & LUNCH “BREAKS”

You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks (but no alcohol!) into the Pavilion. 

Starting Friday, the very popular "snack" bar will be back where you'll be able to visit with Dorothy & Bob to purchase coffee, sodas, water and a variety of snacks.  Please bring cash for the snack bar, or use Venmo for your purchases.

There are some eateries within walking distance and tons of eateries in close driving proximity (a map will be provided to assist). In past years, some table groups have coordinated food pickup from local restaurants so one person brings lunch back in for their table. With services like UberEats and DoorDash and GrubHub and such - I haven’t heard of anyone using those for food delivery at the Pavilion but that MIGHT be an option, too!

Lunch break will start at 12 noon on Friday and Saturday (11:30 AM on Sunday) with no dancing, no entertainment - simply soothing, serene sounds to give our flockstar staff time to eat and fuel themselves appropriately - for the first 30 minutes of the lunch break.

NEW THIS YEAR - At 30 minutes into the lunch break, in the Pavilion, we will have a hosted Q&A with at least one of your flockstar staff each day. Continue enjoying your delicious bites while finding out more about Niels, Roy, Britt, and Megan. Feel free to email BrackenNCV@gmail.com with suggested questions or discussion topics.

After 30 minutes of getting to know your flockstars a little more, DJ Megan will play open dance requests for another 30 minutes before workshops begin again. 

75/25 AND EVENT PASS PRIZES

As in past years, you will have the opportunity to win a free pass to other events or win 25% of the funds raised in the 75/25 CONTEST. 

Due to California laws, this will be done a bit differently than before. More details at the event, but this way everyone entering will get to have a little fun and excitement, we all stay legal, and you will not need to be present to claim your prize. How flamazing is that?!

Please bring cash (or use Venmo) to make it easy on our volunteers. It will be $5 per entry. Unlimited entries!

75% of the funds raised in the 75/25 CONTEST will go directly to the MEALS ON WHEELS program at the MIZELL CENTER in Palm Springs, California. Mizell delivers approximately 600 meals each weekday to homebound seniors and communal meal sites that stretch from Whitewater to the Salton Sea. Every meal is delivered by a Mizell driver who is CPR certified, trained in signs of elder abuse, and is able to connect homebound clients to an outreach coordinator for referral to additional services. Mizell relies on financial support from individual contributions, grants, and businesses for 20% of the program cost each year. 

Currently, passes available for winning are:

-        Palm Springs Winter Break       

-        Fort Wayne Dance for All (https://www.ftwaynedanceforall.com/)

-        Sweetheart Jamboree (http://www.sweetheartjamboree.com/registration.html)

-        Pikes Peak Line Dance or Bust! (http://www.pplinedance.org/)

-        Restart – Modern Line Dance Festival (https://www.facebook.com/RestartModernLineDanceFestival/)

-        Line Dancers Spring Break (https://www.facebook.com/people/Line-Dancers-Spring-Break/100053123546118/)

-        New York State of Line (https://newyorkstateofline.com/)

-        Motor City Dance Classic (https://www.mcdcevent.com/)  

SCHEDULE

The schedule for PSWB is posted at www.PalmSpringsWinterBreak.com/Schedule. A two-page printable version has been added to the website. You can print your own in advance, or pick up a copy at the check-in desk. I will also email it out as an attachment in a separate email to the Fla-lingo Flash list.

For a refresher, here’s the sky-level plan:

Thursday, January 19: This is the welcoming evening dance with the flockstar introductions, a quick & fun lesson from Roy Verdonk, dancing of some pre-scripted favorites, and open dancing by request with announced floor splits. 

-        5:30 PM Pavilion lobby opens for packet pick-up only. Main hall is not open yet.

-        7 PM Pavilion doors open

-        7:30 PM Dancing with DJ Megan

-        8:30 PM Flockstar Introductions and Fun Lesson, followed by these pre-scripted dances:

1.      Good as You (easy intermediate) by Michele & Michael

2.      Train Wreck (high improver) by Niels Poulsen

3.      Take Me to the River (intermediate) by Roy Verdonk & Jonas Dahlgren

4.      Can’t Walk Away (improver/intermediate) by Megan Barsuglia & Christopher G

5.      Handclap (phrased intermediate) by Bracken Heidenreich & Brandon Zahorsky

6.   Country in 3 (intermediate) by Michele, Jo, and Maddison

7.   Angel & Corona (improver) by Roy Verdonk, Kate, Darren, and Guylaine

8.   Portland Cha (low advanced) by Niels Poulsen, Amy, Dustin, JP, Jose & Simon

9.   Beautiful Goodbye (easy intermediate) by Michael Barr   

-        After enjoying the pre-scripted dances that highlight our flockstar choreographers, DJ Megan will continue the night with all-request open dancing until 10:45 PM.

-        10:45 PM music ends; all flamingos must exit by 11 PM

Friday, January 20, and Saturday, January 21: Friday and Saturday workshops and quick classic reviews will be improver to high intermediate level dances. The morning lessons will be reviewed just before the lunch break. The afternoon lessons will be reviewed before the last workshop of the day. The last workshop on Friday is a technique class from Roy, and the last workshop on Saturday is focused on stepsheets with Niels.

-        8:15 AM Pavilion Opens

-        9 AM Flamingo Festivities Begin

-        Workshops, Open Dance, with Lunch “Break”

-        5 PM Dinner Break

-        7:30 PM Flockstar Power Hour (Niels on Friday; Roy on Saturday), followed by Dancing with DJ Megan

-        11:45 PM music ends; all flamingos must exit by 12 midnight

Sunday, January 22: Sunday workshops are beginner to improver level dance lessons. Sunday also has the open dance party to finish out the weekend. Flamingo Funday Sunday is a relaxed, easy day for those who like the easier dances.

-        8 AM Pavilion opens

-        8:15 AM Flamingo Funday Sunday Festivities begin

-        Workshops, Open Dance, with Lunch “Break”

-        4:30 PM Event Ends; All Evidence of Flamingling MUST Be Cleared Out of the Pavilion by 6 PM         

QUICK CLASSIC REVIEWS

Quick classic reviews are on the schedule for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  These will be brief walk-throughs of Palm Springs Winter Break classic dances. The classic dances that made it into the quick classic review slots were determined by votes through the Fla-lingo Flash list of pre-registered dancers. 

-        Rain Against My Window

-        Hey Soul Sister

-        I’m Free

-        Crazy Foot Mambo

-        Cry to Me

-        Askin’ Questions

-        Midnight Rendezvous

-        Bad Bad Leroy Brown

-        Triple J

Quick classic reviews are not full-length lessons, so be prepared to either summon previous muscle memories through your pink flamingo brain or have your flamingo flappers friskly pick up the steps. The stepsheets are included in the PSWB 2023 stepsheet packet (on the website), and you can visitCopperKnob - PSWB 2023 Quick Classic Reviews - Line Dance List (https://www.copperknob.co.uk/lists/21877/pswb-2023-quick-classic-reviews) for stepsheets and video links to refresh in advance.

POWER HOURS

NEW THIS YEAR - The Friday and Saturday night dances this year will start with POWER HOURS hosted by Niels Poulsen (Friday) and Roy Verdonk (Saturday). Each one has been given full control of the power hour with the only direction of: “involve participation from the flamingo flamboyance!” 

This means for the first hour of the nighttime open dance, your headlining flockstars decide what we do to party! 

Flockstar Niels Poulsen would like our flamboyance of flamingos to join him during his power hour on Friday night to dance a selection of his top USA hits! Check out  CopperKnob - PSWB 2023 Power Hour Niels Poulsen - Line Dance List (https://www.copperknob.co.uk/lists/21705/pswb-2023-power-hour-niels-poulsen) for the stepsheets to refresh (Ticket to the blues!, Portland cha, 1+1, Blinded by beauty, Train wreck, Out out, Blood on a rose, Standing with you tonight, Shouting to the monsters, Lifeline, Secrets we keep, Vampire city, Something in the water, Still got the blues, I hope you find it!, 1-2-3-4, Extreme love, Lady luck!, Italiano, and I held your hand).

If you want to dance any of those Niels Poulsen hits on Friday night, be sure you’re on time for the Power Hour at 7:30! After the power hour, DJ Megan is back in control, playing your requests until 11:45 PM.

Flockstar Roy Verdonk has a super fun experience for all levels for Saturday’s power hour - it will be great to see how everyone’s Light Up My Dance Life outfits and paraphernalia look doing it!!!!

djFEED @ PSWB

NEW THIS YEAR – PSWB has a DJFEED! for everyone to use. http://www.djfeed.net/pswb/

You don’t have to remember the website address. The QR code on your 2023 PSWB event wristband will take you directly to the djFeed that Marcus Lindfors (Sweden) has set up for Palm Springs Winter Break.

djFeed is open and running NOW if you would like to get familiar with it before the 2023 PSWB.

djFeed is a website that everyone can view from their own devices (phone, tablet, computer…. but who brings a computer to a dance event???). 

djFeed shows what’s coming up in the Pavilion and lets dancers submit dance requests through the djFeed. 

Yes, you can still walk up to our DJ Megan to write your request. 

Yes, you can still look at the projector screen in the Pavilion to see the upcoming playlist. 

Do you sometimes forget the dance you want to request by the time you walk to the dj? Use djFeed on your phone or tablet to evade the amnesia zone between the dance floor and the dj table. 

Is the projector screen not at the best angle or lighting for you to read clearly (or are you so nearsighted that it’s just too far away)? View djFeed from your phone or tablet, or your neighbor’s phone or tablet.

Lots of dancers have seen and used djFeed at other events. This is the first year we will have it at Palm Springs Winter Break. I’m confident it will be a great addition to an already flocktastic event!

Please note - djFeed will be used for dance requests DURING the event. It is only open now to let people try it out and get familiar before the event. No PRE-event requests are to be put on djFeed.

DANCE FLOOR SPLITS

During open dance, some dances will have floor splits. We have the djFeed (web page you can view on your phone or tablet all day/all evening) and a projection screen during the evening dances that will post the upcoming dances and floor splits.  

The main dance called for a song will be on the side of the dance floor farthest from the check-in table. The floor split called for a song will be on the side of the dance floor closest to the check-in table. 

You are also encouraged to do your own floor splits in open areas of the floor.  The word for the weekend is "inclusion."  Let's include everyone on the dance floor.    

DANCE REQUESTS

On or before January 17, please continue to send your pre-event dance requests in through this form (https://questionpro.com/t/AV0YzZvmw6). Your pre-event requests will help us plan floor splits and help your fellow flamingos see which dances need to be fluffed out and reviewed before the event.

After January 17, please hold your requests until we are at the Pavilion.  During the event, you can submit requests through the djFeed or writing on the request lists.   

Top pre-event requests right now are:

-        Dim the Lights by Maddison Glover

-        Storm & Stone by Maddison Glover

-        6’s to 9’s (intermediate) by Jo & Scott

-        Gives Me Shivers by Brandon Zahorsky / Give Me Shivers by Julia Wetzel

-        The Sphinx by Simon Ward, Roy Hadisubroto, Fiona Murray & Rebecca Lee

-        Another One Bites the Dust by Ryan Hunt

-        Never Gonna Not Dance by Maddison Glover

-        Till You Can’t by Gary O’Reilly

Others towards the top are Good As You, Raised Like That, Til the Neon’s Gone, Cold Heart, Train Wreck, Soul Shake, Gypsy Queen, and Would Have Loved Her.

STEPSHEETS

For your own PDF file that has most of the lesson and quick review stepsheets, visit this link: https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/_files/ugd/283d70_e3ab0520f2c840acbc578de145056964.pdf (You can also reach it by going to www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/schedule and clicking the link there.)

Printed stepsheet booklets had to be pre-ordered by December 31. For those who did pre-order, your printed stepsheet booklets will be given to you at check-in.  If you can’t remember if you ordered one, check the registration list posted on the website under the Registration tab.

ONLINE REGISTRATION LIST

The list of registered dancers is posted on the website. I’m doing my best to keep it updated more frequently as the event gets closer. 

If you have fellow flamingos who haven’t registered yet, please let them know that online registrations will be accepted until January 17, unless we sell out before then.

NO WALK-INS

This year we will not be able to take any walk-ins. Please be sure anyone you know who wants to come flamingle with the flamboyance has signed up in advance. Online registration will only be accepted until Tuesday, January 17. 

KEY LINKS

Some links for registered flamingos:

Updated waiver: https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/waiver (print this in advance, sign it, and bring it with you to registration to speed up check-in)

Event schedule: https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/schedule (tentative schedule, also includes links to possible floor splits and to the PDF with most of the dances that may be taught, plus link to a print-ready schedule)

Pre-event requests: https://questionpro.com/t/AV0YzZvmw6 (keep them coming! pre-event requests will be taken until Tuesday, January 17)

djFeed: http://www.djfeed.net/pswb/

Playlists: Some CopperKnob playlists I’ve put together just for PSWB 2023:

-        Quick Classics: CopperKnob - PSWB 2023 Quick Classic Reviews - Line Dance List (https://www.copperknob.co.uk/lists/21877/pswb-2023-quick-classic-reviews)

-        Niels Poulsen Power Hour: CopperKnob - PSWB 2023 Power Hour Niels Poulsen - Line Dance List (https://www.copperknob.co.uk/lists/21705/pswb-2023-power-hour-niels-poulsen)

Stepsheet booklet: https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/_files/ugd/283d70_e3ab0520f2c840acbc578de145056964.pdf

Facebook: If you’re on Facebook, join the Palm Springs Winter Break group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/464658321967893

Updates: If you've missed any updates, please check the updates on the website: https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/news

Sunrise Park Information Page: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/parks-facilities/sunrise-park

WHAT TO BRING 

-        Printed and signed waiver https://www.palmspringswinterbreak.com/waiver

-        Smart phone or tablet if you plan to use the djFeed to make requests and view the playlist on your device

-        Sweater or light jacket – the City sets the Pavilion AC to a cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit

-        Hand fan or other personal cooling option – the City sets the Pavilion AC to a warm 68 degrees Fahrenheit

-        Flamingo frocks for fanciful flamingling

-        Things that light up your dance life – illuminated or flashing ring, pin, hat, shirt, etc. The crazier, the better!

-        Cash or check to purchase tasty snacks, drinks, or contest entries

THANK YOU

The saying, “it takes a village” is true when it comes to putting on an event.  This would not have happened without you all registering for the fun, and it would not happen without the generous time and effort of the volunteers and staff.  I feel blessed to have dance friends who graciously stepped up to the plate to help make this happen.  THANK YOU for the man power, woman power, and overall support for continuing Palm Springs Winter Break, where flamingos roost each January.