The Dance Primer

When I learned my first competition cha-cha routine, there was a move I struggled with more than any other. It involved spinning quickly from one side of my partner to the other, back and forth. I had to move fast, keep my feet moving in rhythm, direct my body to the right place, and keep […]

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This “primer” is not really for those getting started in dancing. It’s for those starting out organizing. I love it when people get so passionate about a dance that they go through the effort of organizing dance events themselves. Be it a dance, a workshop, bringing in a band, or creating a group, these people […]

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“People call him up just to put him down, ’cause he ain’t got rhythm!” Many people believe rhythm is something you are born with. You either have it, or you don’t. But I believe that rhythm CAN be learned, and you CAN get your body to move to it.
For those of you who believe you […]

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As a teacher, I often switch around what the first thing I expose new dancers to.
Sometimes, I teach the rhythm in the footwork. Sometimes I teach the feel in the body. Sometimes I teach partner connection. Sometimes, I don’t tell them anything about fundamentals at all and just get them moving; “do what I’m doing” […]

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“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals / that is, goals that do not inspire them.”
- Anthony Robbins
My husband and I felt inspired by some goals last night. The first of which is to actually catalog our HUGE music collection. It’s so large right now that neither of us feel like we […]

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I know you don’t want to hear it. You don’t read blogs to hear the authors whine and complain about how hard it is for them to keep up with giving you good posts to read and the rest of their lives… what with their own dancing to do, and families, friends, illnesses, funerals, etc.
You […]

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Likely the most common new year’s resolution for anyone is to lose weight, which of course includes exercise. For dancers, staying in shape is all the more vital. I have a confession: I am OUT of shape. When I drag myself out onto the dance floor, I end up huffing and puffing before too long. […]

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Technique can be a really easy thing to obsess about as a beginner. It is something concrete to concentrate on. However, it can be confusing when different instructors have different techniques to accomplish the same thing. (I can’t even count the many different ways I’ve been taught to do the basic lindy hop swing out.)
It’s […]

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Have you ever closed your eyes while dancing? I mean while practicing. I find for me, it helps refine my ability to follow. It makes it so I have to trust what my lead is doing, and I can’t anticipate. In a closed embrace dance, I love to close my eyes and feel the subtleties […]

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When I teach beginning partner dancing, I focus on what for me are Three Basic Fundamentals. They are:

rhythm
frame
and fun

Rhythm is what makes it a dance in the first place, connecting your body to the music. Frame takes the musical connection a step further, beyond yourself and to another person. Without good frame you’re missing a […]

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