• Dance Discussions

    Community is our Greatest Weapon

    March 17, 2020 - By 

    Right now, most of you are probably reading from a country in quarantine (or, close to it). I am; all of our classes, socials, and parties have been cancelled. I’m staring down the barrel of a potential event cancellation if the virus does not pass quickly. I’m one of the “lucky” dance teachers in this situation. I have a steady job that is not at risk of disappearing, and can easily work from home. I don’t have a studio to pay for (other than a couple per-hour bookings). At maximum, I’m a couple thousand dollars out from cancelled classes (cancelling…

  • Dance Discussions

    Dance in the Time of Corona: An Update

    March 13, 2020 - By 

    Note from TDG: this is the most current information to date from physician Dr. Hsu. The situation is changing rapidly. Do not panic – that helps no one – but please consider this as a serious issue and re-evaluate whether social dancing is really a good idea right now.  Hello everyone This week has vastly changed the nature of the Coronavirus epidemic. I feel compelled to write again now because we now have a lot more information about the virus and its spread. I no longer believe that recommendations made in my previous post are comprehensive enough at this time.…

  • Congresses & Travel - Dance Discussions - Health & Safety

    Dance in the time of Corona: A primer and suggestions on the novel Coronavirus and social dancing

    March 6, 2020 - By 

    A FOLLOW-UP TO THIS ARTICLE IS NOW PUBLISHED WITH REVISED INFORMATION BASED ON THE SITUATION AS OF MARCH 12, 2020 Note from The Dancing Grapevine: The Author, Dr. Hsu, is a physician actively practicing in both community and acute care hospital settings. She has spoken extensively with a Public Health specialist physician about this matter, particularly how the Novel Coronavirus will interact with our dance communities.  Novel Coronavirus: An Unexpected Reality Is this real life? Yes, it is. But, social media posts from your friends are not the best source of information. Instead, you should look for information from the…

  • Dance Discussions

    A Case Against “Good, Clean Basics”

    February 11, 2020 - By 

    You have probably heard (or said) some variation of the phrase “I love beginners! All I care about is that my partner has good, clean basics.” We think that it takes the pressure off of novice dancers who are still getting their feet, and that it discourages pattern junky or rough behaviour. But, I think we may want to reconsider this phrase. The “Clean Beginner” Myth Beginners cannot have clean basics. Some may have cleaner or stronger basics, and some may be weaker. But, they’re not going to be ‘clean.’ Why? Put simply, they haven’t developed them yet. Very few people…

  • Dance Discussions

    Appropriation, Shaming, and Online Discourse

    November 14, 2019 - By 

    Today, I saw a video shared on Facebook. It was a girl dancing to a Bachata song with a guy. She and her partner were clearly having fun. She was also using a fair amount of twerking within the context of the dance. The person who had shared the video did so with the intent to illustrate how “inappropriate” the girl’s dancing was. The insinuation was that how she was dancing was disrespectful to what Bachata really is, and that people shouldn’t be allowed to dance like that. This particular video brings up more than one very difficult issue that we…

  • Beginner-Friendly - Community Building - Dance Discussions - Etiquette - Health & Safety - Inspirational - Inspirational Stories - Social Dancing - Workshops & Classes

    10 Things I Learned in 10 Years of Dance

    September 26, 2019 - By 

    I turn 30 today. I started dancing when I was almost 20 (except for the ballet class I got kicked out of at age 5). That means that I’ve been dancing just over 10 years. From my infancy in Salsa to my current status as a Brazilian Zouk organizer and teacher, it’s been a long journey. In those 10 years, my dancing, my role, and my outlook has changed and evolved. Things I used to think were clear are shades of grey. This blog (started in 2013? 14?) is a living testament to that; my first few posts are very,…

  • Dance Discussions - For Teachers - Workshops & Classes

    5 ways to teach to follows

    September 23, 2019 - By 

    It is very easy for teachers to fall into the leader trap. Very often, it makes the most sense for many movements to teach the leads the structure, and then have the followers just “follow along”. But, this has unintended consequences. For example, the lack of follow-centric teaching in many classes causes followers to feel disillusioned with the learning process because they feel like a prop. It can also reinforce the idea that following is “easy”, and always the result of the leader’s quality. And, it stunts the ability for follows to have a conscious understanding of why, when, and…

  • Congresses & Travel - Dance Discussions

    The Hidden Side Effects of Poor Organization

    August 29, 2019 - By 

    Almost everyone has been to at least one event that could be accurately described as not very organized. On the surface, that lack of organization seems like a minor inconvenience. Maybe the shows start an hour late each night, which cuts into social dance time. Maybe workshops aren’t where they’re supposed to be. But, you deal with it. After all, it’s still totally possible to have a good time at a less organized event. But, there are hidden side effects and impacts that poor organization can have – for the individuals, the event, and the wider community. Poor Organization vs…

  • Congresses & Travel - Dance Discussions - Health & Safety

    Dancers Behind the Wheel

    July 29, 2019 - By 

    I was in a car accident last night. We were hit on the drivers’ side by a person who ran a red light. By the time I noticed the all-black car at night, it was too late to swerve or stop. Both my passenger and I are physically fine, save for a possibly sprained wrist. My beloved Ginger (my first car) gave her life (she’s totalled) to keep us safe. But, this story could have ended very, very differently. If I had been going slightly faster, the impact would have been directly on my door – and it is unlikely…

  • Community Building - Dance Discussions - Health & Safety

    “Should they be banned?” Making Decisions About Bad Behaviour

    June 21, 2019 - By 

    Almost every scene has had a bad actor, ranging from lower-level he-said-she-said harassment to full, witnessed assault. Often, organizers and scene leaders are at a loss for an effective way to handle these issues. The default often goes one of three ways: The organizer does not want to deal with it and does not engage, resulting in no further action; The organizer takes the side of the alleged perpetrator because there isn’t enough “proof”; or, The organizer sides with the alleged victim(s), without careful consideration of the full story. I don’t think any of these directions is the appropriate way…

  • Community Building - Congresses & Travel - Dance Discussions

    Are dance artists and event staff paid enough?

    June 6, 2019 - By 

    There’s a lot of conversations surrounding whether specific staff and artists at events are paid enough. Very often, these stories are either told from the perspective of an individual who (rightly) recognizes that an event isn’t paying the fair market rate for their services (and sometimes hiring a cheap replacement), or from an organizer lamenting the high costs of running an event. I’m both an organizer and an artist, but I also work as a non-artist staff member at Zouk events (running competitions). As a result, I’ve both hired staff and artists, and been hired by events. Regardless of what side of…

  • Dance Discussions - Following - Leading - Social Dancing

    Why I’m not a fan of #LadyLead and #FellowFollow

    May 27, 2019 - By 

    There’s been a trend about celebrating people who dance outside of the traditional roles. Whether it’s male follows, female leads, or ambidextrous dancers, it’s a great thing to see so many people stepping outside of the traditional. I started leading and following my first dance (Salsa) from the very beginning nine years ago. I did the same thing when I started Brazilian Zouk. I worked at both roles, danced in both roles, and (eventually) taught in both roles. I did it in all dances I tried except West Coast Swing and Tango – for which I am forever kicking myself. Therefore, I…

  • Community Building - Congresses & Travel - Dance Discussions - Etiquette - Social Dancing

    Breaking the Dance Monkey and Dance Clique Cycle

    December 4, 2018 - By 

    A while ago, I wrote an article about the many reasons that professionals don’t always social dance. However, beyond that, there seems to be a fundamental disconnect both in how advanced dancers treat newer dancers, and the way that new dancers treat their dance idols. In many places, this has led to a strange dynamic where advanced dancers almost shun newer ones, while new ones create dance queues and demonize advanced dancers who are not super generous in their dances. As a social dancer in some styles and a professional in others, I’ve been on both sides of the divide.…

  • Dance Discussions - Following - Social Dancing

    In Support of Follow Empowerment

    October 18, 2018 - By 

    Over time, dance communities are moving towards a greater focus on follower empowerment. We are becoming more aware of the value followers bring to a dance, and the need to teach to both followers and leaders. But, some people are still a little bit foggy on what follower empowerment is. What follower empowerment is not As we explore what follower empowerment is, we need to remember that it is not about making followers more important than the leader, or insinuating that leaders are the bad guys. Rather, by giving more weight to the responsibilities and importance of the follower role, it actually reduces the…

  • Community Building - Dance Discussions - Health & Safety - Social Dancing

    Dance Predators

    August 31, 2018 - By 

    In social dance, we often exist in a bliss bubble. We are used to physical touch and trusting those around us. But, these conditions also make it easy for people who are predators to manipulate or prey on us, our friends, and community members. More often than not, the first allegation against someone won’t get a lot of traction unless there is substantial proof. But, in most cases, predators don’t commit a one-off assault. Rather, there’s a pattern of behaviour. One person may have experienced dance floor groping; another may have been kissed by force. Then, you may find out…