About Us

Bluesalicious is presented by NewVo Blues.

NewVo Blues is a limited partnership, formed with the vision of supporting blues dancing and blues music in Memphis, TN. Our mission and vision is to create opportunities for dancers from different groups to dance to the live music that is so plentiful here, and combine a love for blues with an appreciation for the interpretation of and connection to the music that is created through dancing to it. We are interested in supporting live blues music, as well as local businesses that we will partner with. 

Organizers

Sarah Beth Larson       

Co-owner and founder, Sarah Beth is the event-planning guru for NewVo Blues. Her love of blues dance springs from pursuing its grandchild, vintage swing. She co-organized the 1st Memphis Blues & Lindy weekend in the Home of the Blues, and hosted the Memphis Blues Instructors' Retreat in 2007. Bluesalicious is the embodiment of her desire to bring dancers some of the true culture of Memphis and Delta Blues.

A fan of the Delta Blues since she was young, Sarah Beth caught the Blues dance bug about 4 years ago. She hasn't quit dancing since. She dances in Memphis to the best live Blues, travels to events like Enter the Blues, Denver Blues Summit, Blues Boot Camp, Friday Night Blues in San Francisco, and has DJ'd at Bluesalicious & Stay Chi.

Her favorite is DJing house parties where people really get down to authentic Blues, like folks did back in the day. Sarah Beth likes to see how fast and how slow dancers can get, always playing the stuff she loves. Her DJing is calculated to provide a variety in tempos and styles, while staying with the true Blues flavor of the Mississippi Delta and its offshoots of Chicago, St Louis, and modern Blues.

One of Sarah Beth's major objectives is to grow the blues dance community in the South, which drove her to collaborate on NewVo Blues. Her passion for blues music ranges from early 20th century traditional acoustic blues to modern blues rock. Some of her favorite musicians include Howlin' Wolf, Billie Holiday, RL Burnside, Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, Bessie Smith, BB King, and Taj Mahal.

Candace Gustine          

Co-owner and founder, her dance organizing and teaching career began in the Spring of ‘05 as co-founder/instructor/graphic designer/etc. of Red Hot Lindy Hop (RHLH) in Memphis, TN. She co-organized the 1st Memphis Blues & Lindy weekend under RHLH held in February ‘07. It was this weekend that her passion for Blues exploded which spawned the desire to bring more Blues dancing to Memphis – and so came the birth of NewVo Blues.

Candace is going into her 10th year as a swinger of Lindy Hop, East Coast, and Charleston with the introduction of Blues, Bal, and Collegiate Shag three years ago. She has taken Blues instruction under Bill Borgida, Mihai Banulescu, Andrew Sutton, Chris Ransdell, Solomon Douglas, Dee Kalick, Mike (the girl) Leget, Dave Madison, Jerry and Kathy Warwick, Damon Stone, Heidi Fite and many more.

Her competition highlights include:

2007
* 1st Place – Blues Jack and Jill – Enter the Blues 2007 (Finalist round with Reuel Reis)

2005/6
* 1st Place – Lindy Hop Jill and Jack – Lindy Focus IV
* Finalist – Lindy Hop Jack and Jill – Lindy Focus IV