Join us for an upcoming workshop! Your date with the arts.
Workshops are special, one-time experiences of music and dance with master teachers at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Low in time commitment but high in artistry, workshops are timely, engaging, and dynamic sessions targeted to serve participants with varied interests and goals.
The typical duration of a one-day workshop is an hour and a half to two hours, but we also offer intensives and multi-day or multi-week options. Workshops costs are dependent on length, specialty, and teaching artist, and some are funded by grants to make them low-cost to you. Each week we host something or someone new, so check back often!
This month we’ll play songs from the Rolling Thunder Revue an epic tour from the mid seventies. New recording have been released as well as a Netflix film by Martin Scorsese. The time is ripe... [more info]
Join Typhanie Monique as she guides female singers who wish to hone their craft and experiment in the development of their voice.f [more info]
An ideal workshop for guitar players looking for pathways to expanding their knowledge and sounds on the guitar. [more info]
We’ll open up with some fun exercises, then explore all of the elements of great storytelling, while honing our own personal narratives. [more info]
Join the legendary Paul Kaye as he guides you through a few Blind Boy Fuller’s tunes exploring the techniques of his style, such as: chord voicings, and right hand fingerpicking, [more info]
A Saturday afternoon designed for total mindbody relaxation and renewal to launch you into the start of a new week. We’ll begin with a brief gentle restorative movement segment, followed by a systematic guided relaxation session, and ending with a harmonic crystal singing bowl soundbath. A Soundbath is an experience in which instruments are played in a manner meant to relax the body, calm the mind and ignite the inner experience. Individual responses to soundbaths vary and every soundbath itself varies. Please arrive with a sense of curiosity and receptivity. [more info]
It’s like a beach campfire sing-a-long without the sand & fire. Participants take home a generous packet of songs! [more info]
The internationally renown guitarist, Bobby Broom shares his insights and methods for learning a jazz standard. [more info]
Cameron DeWhitt is the innovator behind pitchfork banjo, a three-finger clawhammer technique that allows the player unprecedented access to melody, harmony, and rhythms typically roped off from clawhammer players. http://www.camerondewhitt.com/ [more info]
Join Cameron DeWhitt with special guest Genevieve Koester for a live taping of the podcast Get Up In The Cool. Listen as Cameron interviews Genevieve about her playing, her repertoire, and her musical background. They will share stories, play tunes, and delve into the music they both love. Pull up a chair and listen in and then join in a Q & A discussion following. http://www.camerondewhitt.com/ [more info]
This workshop will focus on the three different Jigs played in Irish Music - the Jig, the Slide Jig and the Slip Jig. [more info]
Join Chicago-area drag queens for this fun Sunday morning! Stories, games, songs and, of course, a fabulous dance party! One registration is needed per family. A nationwide organization, Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH) is just what it sounds like—drag queens reading stories to children. DQSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, where dress up is real. WHY INTRODUCE KIDS TO DRAG What Drag does is point out the silliness, the thrill, and the powerful feelings of questioning societal expectations. Drag questions the authority of gender norms, which can be very empowering for kids, especially for kids who don’t necessarily fit into rigid or prescribed gender roles where they may frequently find themselves. [more info]
Want to get a little of that Louisiana sound in your fiddle playing? In this workshop you will learn two or three easy Cajun and Creole fiddle tunes. Hear a little history and learn some of the bowing and ornamentation that gives the music its characteristic sound. Stick around for the jam afterward and play your new tunes with other musicians including a Cajun accordion player! [more info]
More fun than grammar school maps! And more useful, too. [more info]
All instruments are welcome to join in on this special free jam exploring Cajun and Creole music! [more info]
For those who want an active yoga practice, coupled with an equal amount of relaxation, this one's for you! This class incorporates 30 minutes of Vinyasa flow, followed by 30 minutes of guided relaxation. All levels are welcome. If you own your own yoga mat, please bring it. If not, we will be more than happy to provide one for you. [more info]
Join Brazilian Dancer Dill Costa for this fitness focused dance class. Explore Brazilian music and styles while getting your sweat on! [more info]
Come meet our newest Kids Dance Faculty member, Nichola Goss, for an evening class focusing on ballet technique. Nichola is a member of the Cecchetti Council and has taught for Evanston Dance Center, Joffrey School, et al. [more info]
Come learn the basic steps of baroque dance through the popular Folie d’Espagne, a dance from 1700. You will pas de courante, contretemps, and coupé while learning the specific musicality and geometric figures of baroque dance. The Folie d’Espagne pour femme was published as a dance notation in Raoul-Auger Feuillet’s Recueil de Dances (1700) and was choreographed by Louis-Guillaume Pécour. The theme and variations of the Folie d’Espagne were visited throughout the eighteenth century in the works of composers such as Jean-Baptiste de Lully, Arcangelo Corelli, Marin Marais, Antonio VIvialdi, and C.P.E. Bach. [more info]
The $10 fee will cover the cost of the strings and a peg winding tool. [more info]
The $10 fee will cover the cost of the strings and a peg winding tool. [more info]
You will learn the standard chord shapes used in this tuning to create the unique blend of fretted strings and open strings that produces such a resonant sound, whether played on a 6 string or 12 string guitar. [more info]
Join Brazilian Dancer Dill Costa for this fitness focused dance class. Explore Brazilian music and styles while getting your sweat on! [more info]
Brush up on your Swing in this low-commitment, one-day workshop! Stop by on a Saturday afternoon to work with Louie on your swing turns, plus pick up a few new ones to liven up your dancing - you'll add turns like the "Charleston," "Texas Tommy" and "Slingshot." Sign up with or without a partner, we’ll figure it out! [more info]
Learn what works and what doesn’t work for other musicians, and learn how to set achievable goals. [more info]
Join Brazilian Dancer Dill Costa for this fitness focused dance class. Explore Brazilian music and styles while getting your sweat on! [more info]
Swing and sway to the blues, rockabilly, and the sounds of the big bands. Learn to be comfortable with fundamental moves on the dance floor. In this two-hour workshop, Louie will cover the one-step, the fox-trot, and the six-count swing. Emphasis will also be given to the basics of coupling, floorwork, and turns. This class is ideal for couples who are either preparing for their own wedding or those wanting to dance with ease at any party or occasion. Spend some time with your honey, get moving, and have fun! [more info]
Let the good times roll! Learn to partner dance like the Cajuns have since 1721 in southwest Louisiana. In this workshop, you will learn the traditional Cajun two-step and waltz, plus the more contemporary Cajun jitterbug step. As a bonus, you'll be introduced to the faster, looser Zydeco two-step! Celebrate Mardi Gras by getting onto the dance floor! No partner necessary to register. [more info]
Swing and sway to the blues, rockabilly, and the sounds of the big bands. Learn to be comfortable with fundamental moves on the dance floor. In this two-hour workshop, Louie will cover the one-step, the fox-trot, and the six-count swing. Emphasis will also be given to the basics of coupling, floorwork, and turns. This class is ideal for couples who are either preparing for their own wedding or those wanting to dance with ease at any party or occasion. Spend some time with your honey, get moving, and have fun! [more info]
Learn some fun country dances with Louie Stallone, starting with the basic two-step, which you can dance in pairs or by yourself. We’ll then break down a few classic line dances, and maybe one or two you’ve never seen before. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and there’s no need for a partner, but bring ‘em if you got ‘em! [more info]
