• Leading - Social Dancing

    Basics vs. Creative Complexity: What Follows Really Want

    February 29, 2016 - By 

    Many leads I’ve met are frustrated by a paradox they see in the dance world. It can often seem that follows say “I want a guy who leads solid, connected basics – not advanced patterns”. Yet, the same follow is completely smitten by a lead with really, really cool moves that challenge the follower. Obviously, this can lead to a fair amount of frustration. Leads *really really* want to be a great partner dancer and give their follow an amazing time. They want to look good on the floor, and be that lead that the follows can’t wait to dance with.

  • Following - Health & Safety - Social Dancing

    Backleading

    February 22, 2016 - By 

    Every lead has encountered the Backleader. Very much the follow version of a Pinball Lead, the Backleader goes where he or she wants – without regard to the partner. It doesn’t matter if the lead has another idea or if the music has a specific accent to hit – the follow is on autopilot, driving without a map – but convinced that they know where they are going.

  • Leading - Social Dancing

    Are you a Pinball Lead?

    February 16, 2016 - By 

    Pinball Lead: a lead who does not let the follow finish a movement before launching into the next one. I have come across many Pinball Leads in my time. They can be a newer or older dancer, outgoing or shy, kind or snobby, and many other things. The unifying factor: they usually think that they’re doing the movement really well while they are pinballing me around.

  • Social Dancing

    What you can Gain from Every Type of Dance Partner

    February 8, 2016 - By 

    Everyone has their favourite social dance partners – which is awesome. Sometimes we just get those oh-so-sweet, buttery smooth dances that make us feel amazing all over. However, it is important to remember that (almost) every partner you encounter has something very, very valuable to teach you on the dance floor. This can either be from a habit they have, or the level they are dancing at. Today, we endeavor to discern what you stand to gain from every social dance partner.

  • Etiquette - Leading - Social Dancing

    Trevor Copp Guest Article: The Gentle(Hu)Man’s Guide to Social Dancing

    February 2, 2016 - By 

    A Note from Laura Riva: I don’t normally post guest articles on my blog, but for Trevor Copp I make an exception. For those who don’t know, Trevor is one of the people behind the Liquid Lead Dancing Tedx Talk that took place a short time ago. He is also one of the people I met in my early dance days – before I even knew what Zouk was! So, when he said he wanted to write an article for TDG, how could I refuse…

  • Workshops & Classes

    What ‘Mindful Practice’ Means

    February 1, 2016 - By 

    Mindful Practice: the art of practicing while consistently mentally present. In the context of mindfully practicing your dance, it means practicing every movement with mental presence. Mindful practice is a skill that is both critical to becoming a great dancer, and yet one of the most under-used processes.

  • Etiquette - Social Dancing

    Controlling Your Reactions on the Dancefloor

    January 29, 2016 - By 

    Probably every person on this planet has, at one time or another, reacted a little too strongly to something. Usually, it stems from a perfect storm of stress and other factors which just happen to hit that spot where it’s almost impossible for things to go right – and really easy for things to go wrong. The dance floor is not exempt from this – and that’s OK.

  • Inspirational - Social Dancing

    Becoming a Generous Dancer

    January 18, 2016 - By 

    A generous dancer is one who shares their love of dancing with the world – whatever that world may be. The Performer does this through tireless dedication to their craft, resulting in breathtaking performances of (near) perfection. The Teacher does this through thinking about how they will better communicate their craft to their students every single time they teach. The Mentor does this by guiding their mentees through all the stages of dance development.

  • Dance Discussions

    “Liquid Lead Dancing”: A Conversation on Fluid Lead/Follow Gender Roles

    January 8, 2016 - By 

    Can women lead as well as men? Can men follow as well as women? If you haven’t seen this Ted Talk floating around your dance circuits by now, I’d invite you to watch before reading on. Writer’s Note: Trevor used to work as a professor in my university’s drama program. He was positively legendary among the students as one of the best acting professors out there. For years, I was in that program and never met him (my bad luck)… until we met accidentally one night at a Salsa club. Awesome person, and the fact that he is a professional…

  • Fun Stuff

    New Years Resolution: Recognizing Our Dance Inspirations

    December 28, 2015 - By 

    We have a lot of inspirations in the dance scene. Inspirational performers, social dancers, and personalities. People we admire for their dancing, and people we admire for who they are. With the new year approaching, many of us are making new years resolutions. Some we will keep, some we will try to keep, and some are over before they even start. I would put forward one easy new years resolution for every dancer:

  • Following - Health & Safety - Leading - Social Dancing

    Who is Responsible for Floorcraft?

    December 24, 2015 - By 

    Floorcraft: being aware of your surroundings while dancing to maintain safety and comfort for you, your partner, and couples around you. It can include watching for potential collisions, respecting the flow, direction, or slot on the floor, and troubleshooting out of dangerous situations. The general rule preached in many dance communities is that it is the lead’s job to watch the floor during a dance. I would argue that it is actually a shared responsibility: the follow has a great deal of control in managing floorcraft, as does the lead.

  • Dance Discussions

    Going to Fuse? Do It Right – Please!

    December 15, 2015 - By 

    So… about 5 minutes ago I saw a video. It was supposedly ‘Bachata’. What it really was consisted of an out-of-control diamond, a badly executed lateral, a rough chicote, and a couple other things. Basically, it was horridly executed Brazilian Zouk. It was not Bachata in the *slightest*.  This isn’t the first time I’ve seen a video like this.