Okay, here’s the truth: I didn’t attend my first social dance until 3 months into my swing dance classes. In college, I took an entire semester of salsa classes and never went dancing.
My excuse? I didn’t have anything to wear.
Yeah, I was nervous. I admit it. I was pretty certain I’d look foolish, say the wrong thing, not get asked to dance, or just be totally out of place.
As a newbie, you’re nervous for a good reason. You want to fit in and do things right. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.
But you have to go to a dance sooner or later. Otherwise, why are you learning to dance?
Fortunately, there are a lot of tried-and-true strategies for surviving your first social dance. Whether it’s your first dance ever or your first dance in a new city, use one or more of these for best results: Click to continue »
May 16, 2012
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Cool announcement: Dance World Takeover got a design overhaul! If you’re reading this post, you’re looking at my new website.
Let’s have a little tour, shall we?
First off, you’ll notice the reading experience is better. That’s a huge priority on the blog. When you click on an article you see on Facebook, you’re expecting to be able to read with ease. Now you have more white space, prettier colors, and less clutter. Click to continue »
May 7, 2012
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Imagine there were no more dance halls in your town.
A million things could happen.
Space gets too expensive.
The scene fractures.
Dancers lose interest.
Organizers tire of the work.
Your genre of dance loses popularity.
Dance hall burns down, gets sold, or just doesn’t work out.
Dancing is restricted by the authorities.
This is no post-apocalyptic fantasy. Dancing has been banned in various places around the world. What if the unthinkable happens, and you suddenly lose the ability to gather and connect with your community? Click to continue »
April 25, 2012
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Here’s a scary thought: levels auditions. You’re at the start of a dance workshop. It’s 10am. Instructors are milling around a giant mob of social dancers. And they are judging you.
This process can shred your nerves.
If you’re reading this post, chances are you care about your placement at an audition. We all want to get placed into the appropriate level, and it hurts to be judged as a lower level than you see yourself.
Lucky for me, I’ve always done well at auditions. Below I’ve spelled out 6 action steps you can take to prepare for your auditions. Click to continue »
April 18, 2012
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One reason we learn to lindy hop is for the sex. Cough, I mean to find romantic partners of a higher caliber, thereby increasing the likelihood that you will have stronger offspring.
Attractive people: the non-hidden reason we enjoy lindy hop. Of course, you clicked this post because you subconsciously thought there would be more attractive people. Ah, the old bait and switch! Read on to learn the hidden reason we become lindy hoppers.
Meeting people is a very obvious reason to join the lindy hop social circle. The other obvious reason is “to have fun.” Do you know anyone who doesn’t like to have fun? You know, like that dancer in the corner saying, “If I have any fun tonight, I’m quitting!”?
Everyone likes to be entertained. And there’s so much to feel good about in lindy hop: spinning, jumping, kick-ball-changing; the music, the self-expression, the look of delight on your partner’s face! The list is endless.
But “fun” is not the whole story. There’s something else that makes learning to dance incredibly satisfying. Today I’m going to reveal the hidden reason we become lindy hoppers. Click to continue »
April 9, 2012
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Becoming an advanced dancer takes years of practice. That much is obvious. But what does it mean? How do you know when you’re there?
Do you suck this hard? Find out...
Being an advanced lindy hopper is about so much more than technique or even artistry. Advanced is a mindset, maturity, breadth and depth of study. It takes time and hard work to develop a deep partnership with the music and an intuitive understanding of biomechanics.
It doesn’t mean everyone wants to dance with you, or that you’re winning all the competitions. Those are the fodder of fantasies.
Instead, I’ve compiled a list of 31 Signs You’re Not an Advanced Dancer Yet, drawn mostly from my own experience. Ready for a reality check? Even if one of these applies to you, you’ve got something to work on.
Click to continue »
March 21, 2012
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As a woman, I don’t get creeped out by other women. But lately I’ve been reading some feedback from my creepy leads quiz.
I’ve become verrrry curious what men perceive as ‘creepy’ behaviors in women.
For women, creepiness means we feel uneasy and uncomfortable, sometimes confused or angry, and often powerless to speak up about it. I differentiate between behaviors that are decidedly creepy (boundary violations), and factors that tend to compound the perception of creepiness (poor hygiene, big age difference, awkwardness).
Men can feel all those things, too. Click to continue »
March 15, 2012
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