• 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 - 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…

  • Dance Discussions - Social Dancing

    Yes, that newer dancer may be “better” than you

    July 27, 2018 - By 

    For many, a fair dance world would be one in which hard work + time = a better dancer. The person who has taken two classes a week religiously for four years would necessarily be stronger than a dancer who has taken an occasional private or event workshop in the same length of time. In reality, this isn’t how things work. Why certain people get better faster Very often, people excel quicker than their peers for one of a few reasons: Physical conditions (which may include age, flexibility, strength, health, etc) Movement experience How they think Quality of instruction/dances Talent Accepting Progress…

  • Fun Stuff

    The 7 Types of Dance Crushes

    October 31, 2017 - By 

    Dance Crushes: we’ve all had them. They fill us with joy (usually), and are a concept that most non-dancers don’t quite understand. But, have you ever noticed that “Dance Crush” doesn’t always mean the same thing? While it usually refers to someone you love dancing with, it can also be used to talk about others within the dance scene that you have a ‘crush’ on for any reason. Today, we’re going through some of the most common types of “Dance Crushes.” 1. The Gorgeous Crush This dance crush is not always your favourite dancer – but holy crap, they’re beautiful. You…

  • Beginner-Friendly - Etiquette - Social Dancing

    Dance-Touch vs. Non-Dance Touch

    September 14, 2017 - By 

    Touch is necessary for social dancing. Depending on your style of dance, it can be anything from an open handhold to full body contact. Those contact points may also change or evolve, and those connection points may ask for specific physical responses from a partner. These touches are a type of dance-touch. They’re how we communicate with each other, for the purposes of creating an interesting, fun, and safe dance. But, there’s another type: non-dance touch. Non-dance touch is any touch that you don’t feel is part of dancing. It can be sexual, or completely platonic. These are touches that don’t…

  • Dance Discussions - Social Dancing

    What changes when you become an advanced dancer?

    August 21, 2017 - By 

    Social dancers tend to covet the idea of becoming an advanced dancer. When beginners first start out, they ask “how long will it take for me to be an advanced dancer?” (Answer: depends completely on your skills, how seriously you take it, and how willing you are to learn.) Meanwhile, the advanced dancers in the scene are frequently sought out for dances. Depending on the genre, maybe multiple dances. Newcomers look up to them, intermediates want to be them, and fellow advanced dancers treat them with a sense of camradarie. It’s very easy to see that some things change when…

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

    The Ethics of Paying for Dances

    August 1, 2017 - By 

    We are used to paying cover to go social dancing, but for many people the concept of ‘paying for dances’ is both foreign and alarming. It is usually men who are ‘paid’ as a partner, and women who are paying. And, the practice is more frequent at large events than small socials. Paying for dances comes in several forms: taxi dancers, who are paid or given complimentary entrance/discounts to an event in exchange for social dancing; fundraiser dances, where pro’s are ‘tipped’ for a minute of social dance time and profits are donated to charity; dancer ‘rentals,’ where a high-level dancer is…

  • Community Building - Social Dancing

    Advanced dancers: Remember your superpower

    May 29, 2017 - By 

    If you identify as an advanced dancer, remember that with great power comes great responsibility. (Yes, that’s incredibly corny. No, I don’t regret it.) When you become an advanced dancer, the superpower you gain is your awesome dance skills. You can use those skills to further your own pleasure and gain by holding them back from the newer dancers below you. Or, you can give those skills freely to the new dancers waiting to be inspired. “Waiting” to be inspired I say waiting to be inspired for a very specific reason: most newer dancers aren’t actually “inspired” by the dance…

  • Beginner-Friendly - Etiquette - Social Dancing

    The Cologne Problem

    May 10, 2017 - By 

    Recently, a gracious leader asked me to dance. We got into close hold, and the connection was lovely. But, within 3 seconds in close hold, I had to walk away from the dance. He was wearing so much cologne that I could feel my throat swelling and eyes start to water. So, after a few moment, I pulled away from the embrace and told him the problem that I was having. It felt terrible to leave the dance, but for my health, I had to. As someone with a sensitive respiratory system, heavy scents can ruin a night for me. This is ironic, since…

  • Fun Stuff - Social Dancing

    The 7 Deadly Dancer Sins

    April 4, 2017 - By 

    In many Western cultures, the idea of the 7 Deadly Sins is a common way we frame undesirable attributes. They capture habits that are easy to fall into – but may create havoc in our personal or professional lives. In dance, we have our own ‘Sins’ that can sabotage our dance experience. Some of them are primarily interpersonal problems; they affect our relationships and reputation. Others are primarily personal; they affect our own internal experience – and can even cause us to leave dance forever. Lust The dance sin of Lust is using social dancing solely as a mechanism to make…

  • Dance Discussions - Etiquette - Following - Social Dancing

    In Defence of the ‘Hot Girl that Can’t Dance’

    September 19, 2016 - By 

    Have you ever gone to an event, and seen that girl? She’s hot. She’s dressed sexy. Her make-up is all done up. To top it all off, she gets asked to dance by all the desirable leads… all night long. There’s only one issue: She can’t dance. Instead of dancing, what she’s doing is flirting with all those leads and using her looks to get dances. She can’t dance; she just looks sexy. She doesn’t even bother to take classes! If only leads weren’t so shallow in their dance choices, they’d be dancing with a real dancer instead. *** Snap out of it. *** Most people I know who attend events…

  • Inspirational - Social Dancing

    To my older dancers

    May 26, 2016 - By 

    There are some pretty poignant comments from older dancers – particularly older women – about how intimidating it can feel coming into the social dance scene. This is true. It can be scary, and there will be some not-fun moments. And yes, you will likely have a harder time getting ‘into’ the scene than a 21 year old. But, you still belong here. Contrary to what a few anti-social dancers may say or do, you belong as part of this community. You are valuable, and you deserve to engage in this beautiful world as much as any young adult.

  • 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.