The Dance Primer

I had the opportunity to speak with Dax Hock about his dancing. I was impressed by his intellectual approach to things, as well as how easily he shares what he’s learned. If you get the chance to learn from Dax, I would highly recommend him.
What’s your biggest tip for beginner dancers?
Be persistent in your learning […]

[Read more →]

In my last post, I focused on critics and also mentioned how to deal with them specifically. I think it would also be helpful to take a look at the different ways people react to criticism. Doesn’t it make you cringe when you watch a performer on a reality competition show that gets super defensive […]

[Read more →]

Criticism is a huge part of our lives, and if it hasn’t been there in our dancing yet - it’s very possible it will be soon, especially if you’re serious about improving. The most public example I can think of is American Idol/SYTYCD - where those who have the confidence to audition in the […]

[Read more →]

I know. I’ve had them too. Those nights where you plan on doing everything right but you still end up fighting a difficult internal self-esteem battle. You start to tell yourself things like: ‘I’ve totally got the wrong shoes, when can I afford another pair?’ ‘I’m a better than her… so why is she getting […]

[Read more →]

We’ve looked at motivation before. As you know, I dance because I think it’s fun. Recently though, I’ve posted about some struggles I’ve faced in my dancing. Gretchen Rubin, who authors The Happiness Project, has once again posted an article that I think can relate to us as dancers. She titles the post “Six questions […]

[Read more →]

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 […]

[Read more →]

“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 […]

[Read more →]

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” […]

[Read more →]

“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 […]

[Read more →]

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 […]

[Read more →]