The Dance Primer

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 […]

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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 […]

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Every dance scene has its organizers; the folks who book the dance hall, hire the DJs, book the bands, promote the instructors, bring in workshops, etc. There are two main types of organizers: for profit and not-for-profit. Now, I’m not saying one is bad and one is good, but they are different and impact the […]

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I’ve seen it in so many places. Open embrace vs. close embrace, classic vs. alternative, “Savoy” vs. “Hollywood.” Several years ago, in the swing world, it was pretty bad. There were strict “Savoy” folks, and strict “Hollywood” folks, and they didn’t get along very well.
So what am I talking about and why does it matter […]

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Swing Dancing. Aerials on the social dance floor. Is this subject really touchy? Well, if you’re getting tossed around without your consent, or if you’re getting kicked in the face by someone trying out their new aerials on the social floor, than it yes, it is.
The short answer is: don’t. Even little ones you want […]

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This November, I will cover several “touchy subjects” that come up as you get more familiar with your dance scene. You may start to notice a few things about your dance scene that you probably have some opinions about. Today I want to talk about cliques.
Let’s look at an a situation with a girl named […]

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