Cat Tracks No. 3 | Memphis Sign

Posted on May 10, 2023 by catsballroom

Cat Tracks is an ongoing (and sporadic) series that features the students of Cat’s Ballroom and Memphis art installations. For Cat Tracks No. 3 we headed to the Memphis Sign on Mud Island. The sign was created for the Memphis River Parks Partnership by Tylur French (owner of Youngblood Studio), and the huge letters are clearly visible to anyone coming across the I-40 bridge into Memphis.

The Cat Tracks Crew

I love my students for a lot of reasons, one of which is that they’re usually up for anything. It came as no surprise then, that when I asked them to meet on Mud Island so we could film them dancing in front of the big Memphis sign, quite a few of them showed up ready to rock (or rumba, as the case may be). I also asked them to wear bright colors, which interestingly resulted in all the ladies wearing pink, and all the men ignoring me and opting for earth tones.

Scott & Nancy

Colleen & John

Brian & Kayla

Brandon & Kareem

Jesse & Cat

Generally, the tourists seemed unfazed by us as we were warming up and waiting for late arrivals, but once we spread out and really got going, everyone stayed clear of us. We weren’t there long though, so hopefully we didn’t ruin anyone’s vacation photo op.

One of our regulars was sick that day (We missed you Lulu!), but her partner brought a friend instead, and together with Jesse, they formed a slightly haphazard salsa line. We also rotated all the partners so that every leader got to dance with every follower at least once. Fun!

Tourists don’t care!

A quick salsa lesson for the guys.

The song we used, Beautiful Day by Jonathan Roy, was pretty open to interpretation. In the videos you’ll see rumba, push-pull swing, west coast swing, samba, Argentine tango (ridiculously difficult on grass), and salsa. You’ll also see me running in and out of frame because I forgot I could use the remote.

Cat Tracks No. 3 | Memphis Sign

(The good, the bad, and the ugly!)

Scott & Nancy

John & Colleen

Brian & Kayla

They’re a hot mess, but they’re cute!

Once we wrapped on the filming and pictures, we headed on over to the River Terrace Inn for and “after party”. Indulging in cocktails, nibbles, a glorious sunset, and a lot of good conversation was the perfect way to end Cat Tracks No. 3 (Memphis sign edition), and everyone seemed to have a great time.

My Little Ducklings

The View Didn’t Disappoint

So Relaxing

Accidental Twinsies

We’d love to have you join in the fun, so be sure to check our New & Events page regularly. Better yet, sign up for our newsletter, What’s Happening At Cat’s Ballroom, and get information about special events and classes sent right to your inbox.

And remember, your first lesson with us is free, so why not try one today?

Schedule a Lesson

Cat Tracks No. 2

Posted on December 15, 2021 by catsballroom

With the Cat Tracks series we want to celebrate three things: 1) Memphis places and spaces, 2) our amazing students, and 3) the abundant variety of ballroom dance styles.

Pocket Garden

Tucked in an alley in Overton Square is a magical little world of murals, sculptures, and gardens. John is a car guy, so a mural of a vintage vehicle seemed like the perfect place to leave some Cat Tracks.

Our Hoopty Hoop

Colleen started dancing in college, and now John is happily along for the ride. They are smart, kind, and lovely to work with. At the time of this video, they had been dancing with us for about a year. West coast swing is just one of many dances they enjoy, which goes to show what you can accomplish with a little hard work and practice.

West coast swing is a laid back and playful dance that’s perfect for blues and funk. Danced in a “slot” (like an old mechanical bank), it was supposedly developed in Hollywood in the early days of film.

Showing out in Overton Square

Experienced dancers will notice that this demonstration doesn’t contain any whips (a staple of WCS). That’s because they learned this dance over Zoom during lock-down! Whips are tricky to teach by video, but since we’ve resumed in-person lessons, we’ve definitely added them to their repertoire.

West coast swing (sans whips)

Just in case you’ve never seen an antique mechanical bank

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Visit our Lessons page.

Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Cat Tracks No. 1

Posted on September 5, 2019February 4, 2023 by catsballroom

Josh & Susan leave their “Cat Tracks” in Uptown!

This is the first of a series of videos we’re calling Cat Tracks, because we plan to leave our prints all over town! In them we’ll be celebrating three things: 1) Memphis places and spaces, 2) our amazing students, and 2) the abundant variety of ballroom dance styles.

This gorgeous mural, located at Second and Mill (Uptown), was painted by artist Erin Miller Wray. Want to see more? Check her out on Instagram @erinmillerwray or just wander around town looking for her signature bright colors and uplifting messages.

Between his triathlon training, her community organizing, and a shared love of travel, it’s surprising that this busy couple can fit in anything else. Nevertheless, they’ve been dancing together for about a year now, and they’re really looking good!

The dance they’re doing is the Push-Pull (4-Count Swing), and it is extremely versatile. It can be done to almost any style of up-tempo music (old or new), and is perfect for parties, wedding receptions, and class reunions.

The Way You Do The Things You Do

We’d love to have you join in the fun, so be sure to check our New & Events page regularly. Better yet, sign up for our newsletter, What’s Happening At Cat’s Ballroom, and get information about special events and classes sent right to your inbox.

And remember, your first lesson with us is free, so why not try one today?

Schedule a Lesson

Three Easy Ways to Find Out More About Lessons

Visit our Lessons page.

Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

Schedule Your Consultation

The Cat Tracks Crew

Scott & Nancy

Colleen & John

Brian & Kayla

Brandon & Kareem

Jesse & Cat

Tourists don’t care!

A quick salsa lesson for the guys.

Cat Tracks No. 3 | Memphis Sign

(The good, the bad, and the ugly!)

Scott & Nancy

John & Colleen

Brian & Kayla

They’re a hot mess, but they’re cute!

My Little Ducklings

The View Didn’t Disappoint

So Relaxing

Accidental Twinsies

Schedule a Lesson

With the Cat Tracks series we want to celebrate three things: 1) Memphis places and spaces, 2) our amazing students, and 3) the abundant variety of ballroom dance styles.

Pocket Garden

Our Hoopty Hoop

Showing out in Overton Square

West coast swing (sans whips)

Just in case you’ve never seen an antique mechanical bank

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Three Easy Ways to Find Out More About Lessons

Josh & Susan leave their “Cat Tracks” in Uptown!

This is the first of a series of videos we’re calling Cat Tracks, because we plan to leave our prints all over town! In them we’ll be celebrating three things: 1) Memphis places and spaces, 2) our amazing students, and 2) the abundant variety of ballroom dance styles.

This gorgeous mural, located at Second and Mill (Uptown), was painted by artist Erin Miller Wray. Want to see more? Check her out on Instagram @erinmillerwray or just wander around town looking for her signature bright colors and uplifting messages.

Between his triathlon training, her community organizing, and a shared love of travel, it’s surprising that this busy couple can fit in anything else. Nevertheless, they’ve been dancing together for about a year now, and they’re really looking good!

The dance they’re doing is the Push-Pull (4-Count Swing), and it is extremely versatile. It can be done to almost any style of up-tempo music (old or new), and is perfect for parties, wedding receptions, and class reunions.

The Way You Do The Things You Do

Schedule a Lesson

Three Easy Ways to Find Out More About Lessons