Brenda Jean Russell

06/21/2025

Happy Solstice Everyone!

How perfect to get rain in Solstice. A reminder to stay chill and enjoy leisure.

On the Summer Solstice we do a Yin practice to connect with the opposite season. Similarly on Winter Solstice we do a Yang practice.

We find balance in the Yin/Yang.

Join us for Qi Gong every Tuesday, or available on replay.

https://www.patreon.com/c/DanceMode

06/18/2025

Me getting my Wonder Woman vibes on for my pre computer session workout.
Wanna join me?

https://www.patreon.com/c/DanceMode

05/31/2025

Upcoming Dance Events with Brenda Jean Russell

Available for private lessons Brenda.DanceMode@Gmail.com, 503-998-7417

June 8 - Sunday Dance Eclectic w/ Lesson by Brenda Russell

10:30 am: All-levels lesson. Brenda will be teaching a playful and thoughtful lesson inspired by a great class Richard Powers once taught called “What’s Wrong with This Music?” He’d play a piece that didn’t point to a clear dance style, have us move to it freely, then guide us in reflecting on what we felt—and why. Then came a bit of music history and suggestions for how it could be danced. Brenda will bring that same spirit, using French-language songs in preparation for an upcoming Bastille Day dance. No one better than Brenda to lead this kind of rich, curious exploration.

11:30 am to 2:30 pm Dance: DJ Dennis Myers. Casual Ballroom Eclectic Playlist with Waltz, Swing, Two Step and Latin.
Dance w/ Lesson: Suggested $20. No one turned away
Dance Only: Suggested $15
No one turned away means you're welcome to pay what you can, while keeping the suggested price in mind.
Norse Hall, 111 11th Ave, Portland, OR

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Live at the Shrine – Jazz Dance Workshop Series
📍 Wilsonville Shriners | 🗓 Sunday, June 8
🕐 Three 50-minute workshops starting at 1:00 PM
Open to all levels – no partner required!

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1:00 PM – Boxes, Boxes, and Boxes
We’re kicking things off with a triple treat of box-step-based jazz dances! You’ll learn three routines that share this foundational pattern but groove to different styles of music. A great way to build rhythm, coordination, and versatility from the ground up.

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2:00 PM – Vernacular Jazz
Time to shake things up! This session brings in the spice with classic jazz breakaway steps and playful rhythms. Learn signature vernacular jazz moves that will breathe personality and improvisation into your dancing.

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3:00 PM – Charleston
We’ll wrap up with the iconic Charleston – high-energy, joyful, and endlessly adaptable. Whether you’re brand new or brushing up, you’ll learn variations that incorporate elements from the previous sessions, tying it all together with flair.

4:00 - 7:00 PM Live Jazz for Dancing

📅 Thursday, June 12 – Portland Lindy Society Lindy Hop Class
📍 Norse Hall | 🕕 6:45–7:45 PM
A fun, welcoming hour of Lindy Hop taught in collaboration with Portland Lindy Society. Come ready to move, learn, and laugh!

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📅 Tuesdays, June 17 & 24 – Blues Lessons at Tuesday Blues
📍 Hoku Events | 🕖 7:00–8:00 PM
Join Brenda for two evenings of Blues instruction focused on musicality, connection, and creative expression – part of Tuesday Blues’ rotating teaching series.

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📅 Friday, June 27 – Barefoot Fusion Presents: Micro Fusion with Brenda Jean Russell
📍 Location TBA | 🕗 8:00–9:00 PM

Micro Fusion refers to the subtle movements that express music in a deeply felt, embodied way between partners. This style moves beyond fixed patterns and replaces default steps with stillness and listening.

In this class, you’ll:
– Explore subtle sensations and impulses within your body
– Practice responding to the music with stillness and organic movement
– Learn how to hold space for a partner in a dance rooted in presence, nuance, and shared exploration

No lead/follow roles, no choreography — just mutual listening and movement.

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Argentine Tango @ the coast - details coming soon...

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📅 July 5–6 – Portland Blues Experience
🎶 Live Music · Dance Lessons · Community Magic

Friday, July 5
📍 Portland Dance Studios | 🕖 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM

Saturday, July 6
📍 Director Park | 🕙 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

A full weekend of blues dancing, live bands, and lessons in the heart of Portland! More details coming soon.

05/17/2025

This weekend!
Fri May 16th Bachata Lesson
Teaching & DJing Barefoot (we do not actually dance barefoot)
https://www.facebook.com/events/29296215486659667/

Saturday May 17th West Coast Swing Lesson
Teaching Beginning WCS At Dance w/ Joy (Int Lesson w/Trina)
https://www.facebook.com/events/282914738211089/

Sunday May 18th
Come dance with me to Ne Plus Ultra Jass Orchestra at Milwaukie Elks
https://www.facebook.com/PortlandDixielandJazzSociety/posts/pfbid02BtoAAxrS7SXj2q7uNzuzqh2aqgeTSysWaShvCnUMwfyhfqJZsJMsVrPoUAsLHTxRl

04/29/2025

Spring/Summer Training Special
I will be around the West Coast working on summer festivals May - September.

If you would like to take a series of sessions in person or online, I have a limited number of packages available.

$1000 for ten 80-minute sessions (can make two payments)
$300 for four 45-minute sessions

Looking forward to working with some of you this summer!
DM me or email brenda.dancemode@gmail.com

12/21/2024

02/28/2024

https://www.thetappingsolution.com/2024event/

I'm so thankful that the tapping world summit is this week, and I have time to focus on the practices.

I just finished the session with Claire Hayes and there were so many aha's/reminders.

- the the things that helped you as a child don't always work as a child.
As a child hiding was a go to. this kept me safe. As an adult hiding makes me hard to find, hard to remember, hard to access, which is not good for connecting with clients/students.

- being "good", or being sneaky enough to appear to be good, excelling at things to raise the status of the family (hero syndrome), saying yes, working hard, creating a facade to hide family secrets and shame.

All of these things lead to exhaustion. When I'm tired, hungry, worn out I can't give my best, I run on adrenalin and negatively effect my health.

- helping others to feel better, trying to help others when I couldn't help people I care about.

this can lead to codependency, taking care of others to the neglect or detriment of myself and my family.

- doing things to feel good, like washing hands, brushing teeth, eating sugar, aren't always good for you. I used to wash my hands so much I now get allergic reactions because my skin's protection became weak. I brushed the enamel off my gemlike and have ongoing dental issues from that. Eating sugar spikes my heart rate and exacerbates my hyper thyroid.

One of her suggestions was to feel bad, to allow yourself to notice when you feel bad or guilty for not doing something and work with that feeling rather than fixing it in an unhealthy way.

In the past I've done a lot of work around feeling bad about feeling bad. I've learned to be ok with sleeping in, sleeping ;one, taking naps, taking time for myself.

This next layer is about being ok with feeling guilty.
That I can't be there for someone because I need to be there for myself. That I can't get something done, or help with a project, or do all of the things that I am capable of doing were there infinite time. I am continually learning to accept that each day once I've taken care of the basic needs of myself and my family I may not have time to handle additional responsibilities.

07/19/2023

DanceMode returns to Berlin for our 13th year of Blues Retreats in Berlin!
Movement Immersion https://fb.me/e/65newVx7Z
Blues Party Weekend https://fb.me/e/4REPr2V9F
Blues Immersion https://fb.me/e/oxadq8PbX

You can fill out the registration form now!!!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefo2NmlERveXYvGHqwTps_ojUYLe8W8z5NsmEhP8f7HZ_4CQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Welcome to registration for this year's Berlin Movement Immersion, Berlin Blues Immersion, and Berlin Blues Experience! You can attend one, two, or all. Sept 28 - Oct 3 Berlin Movement Immersion 525€ October 6 - 8 Berlin Blues Experience 125€ October 10-15 Berlin Blues Immersion 525€ Movement ...

06/23/2023

Field trip to buy shoes turned into a sunny afternoon lunch on Alberta at Papi Chulo’s. Yumm Delightful