This week’s lindy hop step is swivels! With an exclamation mark. I’ve got lots of tips for this one, since it’s an integral part of lindy hop as a partnered dance, too.
Have you been procrastinating on learning how to swivel? This video is totally step-by-step. Practice at home, by yourself. You’ll build up muscle memory and increase your confidence. Soon you’ll be able to rock it!
Fun Fact for Men
I relearned how to swivel several years ago at a Nick Williams workshop in Raleigh. Yes, a MAN helped me re-create a foundational lindy hop movement normally associated with women. Men, no excuses! This week’s video was made for you, too. Manly swivels are HOT.
Here’s the video:
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As requested, the Suzie Q! It’s a solo lindy hop step that some of my Facebook fans said they find confusing.
When learning any solo jazz step, always remember to go back and work on the things you find difficult. Successful dancers spend the most time working on things that are frustrating for them. You can do it too!
The Video:
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In this video, you’ll learn the lindy hop step called “Apple Jacks.” Like in last week’s video, I’m teaching you another solo jazz dance move. You don’t need a partner to learn how to move like a lindy hopper.
You’ll learn by layering up, starting with a simple movement, and progressively getting faster and more complex.
Here’s the video:
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Most things beginner dancers do are completely forgivable. Not knowing the steps, losing count with the music, being shy, fumbling dance etiquette. Advanced dancers have ALL been there.
In fact, many of us have even been to the places we’re about to go in this article. The serious problems. The things newbies do that annoy everyone around them, and for very good reason.
These are the things that more experienced dancers get upset about. And we can’t just walk up and to you and tell you fix it. How would you respond if someone stopped you on the road and instructed you on how dangerous it is to speed? Enough people speed that it would be a huge burden on the “good drivers” to police the bad drivers. That’s why we have police.
And that’s why you have a dance instructor. Generally it’s their job to keep you out of trouble. But some newbies don’t get the memo. Hell, some advanced and intermediate dancers fall through the cracks on these.
Take heart if you see yourself here. All of these problems can be fixed. The first step is knowing about it.
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In 2012, I’m questing to make dancing simpler for beginners of the “two left feet” variety. As part of that project, I’m creating a slew of good, short dance lessons on video.
Lindy hop steps don’t have to be frustrating. In this video, I’ll teach you the “Shorty George.” You’ll start with simple movements and layer up from there. If you get stuck, go back to the step before and practice until you feel comfortable.
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As the year draws to a close (and I rush off for the holidays with family), it’s time to get nostalgic. Grab a cup of tea, a fuzzy blanket, a kitten or two, and snuggle in.
2011 was a surprisingly good first year for Dance World Takeover. I published 19 articles and had well over 40,000 hits on the site. More than 1,100 people now subscribe to DWT updates (via email, Twitter, Facebook, etc).
Most importantly, though, I did a lot of things I’m proud of: fostering discussion, helping people learn, making people laugh and think. And I did all this with not even one fart joke.
I’d like to reflect on DWT’s top posts of 2011. These aren’t just the most popular as you see in the sidebar. For funzies, I’ve created five different categories and named the top post in each.
Got your kittens? Let’s start.
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A reader wrote to me recently on the effect of gossip in her community. Gossip is dividing her friends, and she is rightly upset about it.
This could have been any dancer, from anywhere the world. The location may change, but the impact of gossip stays the same.
I hate gossip. I don’t give a crap about people’s personal lives, and neither should you. The following 10-point manifesto is intended to give you the strength to act as you should when it shows up in your social group.
[Click to read Manifesto...]
