All about the "Social" part of Dancing
In two days, I’m leaving for the International Miami Zouk Festival. I’ve already packed, but I know several people who are tearing their hair our trying to figure out how to pack for the weekend. I’ve done this too, and found myself overpacked. Now that airlines frequently charge $25 per direction for a checked bag, knowing how to pack well can be key to a) saving money and b) not being short of something you need. Here’s my guide for ‘how to pack’:
Goal setting in any field is extremely important for progression and growth. Dance is no different. However, a lot of people tend to make the mistake of having only one overarching goal. One of the most valuable skills to learn in dance is how to develop different ‘tiers’ of goals. These different tiers work in a few ways:
We all know at least one dancer who either looks better than they feel, or vice versa. What do we mean by ‘looking’ good vs. ‘feeling’ good? Feeling good is a connection skill based on how you are able to understand and respond to your partner in a co-operative way. The basis for feeling good is found in respect and understanding of your partner’s movement in relation to your own movement. It is an internally directed skill.
I’ve met countless people who believe that they can learn a dance by only going out and social dancing. I used to be one of them. Luckily, I was never of the “I watch YouTube and now I get it!” school, but I was of the “Well, I’m mostly a follow and I think I can pick this well enough on the social floor!”
There are several bad habits or shortcomings on the dance floor. Some – like poor hygiene – you can’t really do anything about at the moment of dance. Sometimes, the primary concern is keeping yourself safe with a dangerous partner. However, we have put together a list of some of the most common dance floor complaints, and ways that you can help make these dances fun for yourself. 1. Off time. There goes the ‘1’ again.
“I dance because dancing is life” – ‘T’ – New York, NY – USA Why do we dance? I dance because there is nothing else that engages me the same way physically, emotionally and socially all at once. It is a journey of perpetual growth alongside people I adore and cherish. But, I’m not the only dancer out there. In a quest to find what drives us dancers in our crazy, colorful, passionate pursuit of dance, I decided to reach out to the community. From solo artists to stage performers and social dancers, some themes seemed consistent across genre and…
Back pain. It sucks. I’ve met a lot of dancers over the years who need to take a day between dance events because their back is so sore. I’ve met people who sleep on floors, get massages, and pop pills to try to prevent the pain. I’ve also met people who have quit dancing because of the level of pain they feel after dancing.
I went to the Dominican with pretty low dance-pectations. I was travelling with my mother (a non-dancer), and I didn’t know anyone in the area. I tried in advance to connect with dance groups, but to no avail. Several friends had warned me that the island was ‘dangerous’, and I probably would not be OK venturing out into the night to find some dancing.
Lead and Follow: two opposite sides of the same coin that are necessary for the perfect partner dance. Historically, these roles were called the “male” and “female” role, but luckily in the modern dance world the two roles hold greater fluidity. So, in lieu of describing the roles with a masculine and feminine narrative, how do we define them?
I have two main dance loves: Brazilian Zouk and West Coast Swing. There are certainly other styles that I adore, but none that quite captured my heart as deeply as these two. Zouk, with its flowing, deeply connected sensuality, creativity and exquisite sense of musicality… West Coast Swing, with its smooth flow unique connection, creativity, and vibrant sense of musicality…
Rhythm and Musicality: the cornerstones of almost every dance style in existence. We put so much emphasis on being ‘On Time’, of ‘Hitting the Break’, ‘Feeling the Music’ and of ‘Expressing the Song’.
When I was three years old, I was in my first play. I was a Christmas Gift. My costume was literally a box with holes for my head, arms, and feet. The idea of having the young kids play Christmas Gifts is that they could hide *in* the boxes if they got stage fright.
I’d estimate most great dancers are, at a max, 1/10th natural talent. The ones who are generation-defining probably max out at about 1/4th natural talent. Of course, that’s just my opinion, but I’m guessing many would agree with me.
Taking classes is the first step in really mastering a dance. However, there are several things that you can do to really improve your retention, understanding, and application of what is being taught. Identify Your Learning Style
I have met very few dancers who feel they dance “Well Enough”. Most of the people who do feel that way are individuals who either: Think they know it all (if you’re this person, go read about DES); or, Really don’t love with a burning passion this thing we call dance, and see it more as a casual pastime.