Jennifer Dances

Sacramento Dance Venues Part Three: The Ballroom of Sacramento

2012-01-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

I will start this post with a reminder that I am an instructor at The Ballroom of Sacramento, lest a reader think I'm trying to hide anything!

The Ballroom of Sacramento at 6009 Folsom Blvd. is one of the oldest ballroom dancing studios in the Sacramento area--they opened in 1996 and a lot of studios have come and gone in that time. It is a very large studio and probably one of the largest in the state, if not the country. The main floor alone is 3,750 square feet--bigger than a competition floor, which makes it a great place to practice. There is tons of seating around it. In addition, there is a smaller, but still very large floor upstairs, plus four more smaller teaching rooms, a couple of which are big enough for group classes. As a result, the studio offers two or three group classes PER HOUR, three hours per night, Monday through Thursday. The full schedule is posted on the website.

The owner/manager is Linda Infante, the celebrated DJ, who makes everyone feel welcome. Many great friendships and marriages, including my own, came about because of The Ballroom. The atmosphere is very friendly, supportive, and encouraging to all.

There is country dancing (including swing, line dancing, couples dances, and partner dances like waltz and two step) with lessons on Friday and a ballroom dance with lessons on Saturday. You can find classes or private lessons here for almost any type of partner dance, including ballroom, country, lindy, west coast swing, and tango. There are classes and teachers who specialize in competition or social dancing, and all levels of students from the very beginner with "two left feet" to the open level competitor. People drop in to take a few lessons for their wedding or to start a lifelong hobby.

The latter is one of the things I love about The Ballroom of Sacramento. There IS something for everyone, but they do it all well. Because each teacher has his or her own specialty, they're good at what they do, and the classes are fun and inviting. Heck, I'm an instructor and from time to time you'll see me in someone else's class just because I enjoy taking them, and I always learn something.

The Friday and Saturday night dances are always fun, with good music that is all danceable, free snacks, and lots of people in attendance. There are mixers to make sure you get out on the floor and maybe meet someone new. I've had some nice surprises in those mixers!

Maybe I'm biased, but I honestly feel The Ballroom of Sacramento is a great place to dance, for lessons and social dancing. Visit their website for more info and schedules. New to dance or have never taken a private lesson? Check out the Introductory Special: just $79 for two private lessons and two passes to a Friday or Saturday night dance. A $126 value! Valid for a limited time only, for beginning dancers.

Dance class review: Tango Technique with Michelle Gorre

2012-01-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

For the past few months, I have been attending Michelle Gorre's Tango Technique class, so I thought I'd share my thoughts. Bear in mind, I am a dance instructor myself and always have my critic's hat on when I attend another teacher's class, plus I'm picky and straightforward and tend not to give praise unless it's truly deserved. Those of you who have taken my classes know I tend to be a pretty straight shooter in that regard!

First, an overview of the class: Michelle runs this almost like an aerobics or Jazzercise type class. She starts with warm ups, then we do individual exercises, each designed to carry over directly into the dance--tondus (or maybe it's spelled tendu--pointing the foot with a straight leg), extensions (taking a step larger than your typically comfortable stride, but in a technically correct manner), turns, collection and balance exercises, ochos, and other things I don't know the name of.

After the warm-up we usually move on to things that require a lot of thought, balance, and coordination, and then end with fun rhythmic exercises that are still challenging, but require a little less thought and control. Sometimes we do partnering exercise to get some practical application for things we've been working on, work on lead and follow skills, etc. We then do a cool-down, and she puts on music to let us dance a couple of songs and put what we just worked on to the test...or just let loose a little.

My thoughts: I find this a VERY beneficial class, not only for my Tango, but for my other dances as well, especially since I've gotten out of the habit of practicing the past couple of years. It has strengthened my core and improved my balance. Certain things, like how I use my feet, are becoming automatic, so I can concentrate on other things (like following). I like the balance of the different exercises, how Michelle explains why we do things the way we do, and rewords her explanations or adjusts the exercises if we're not getting it. She demands excellence of us, which I love, and praises us when it's deserved. Oh, and she's fun, with a positive energy. My style of teacher.

The class is currently held on Tuesdays at 6:30 at the Sierra 2 Center, Studio 1, on 24th Street and 4th Avenue in Sacramento. The price is $12 for a drop-in or $40 for the month. I wish she could do it a little cheaper, but she has to pay rent and make something for herself, so don't hold that against her. Join her facebook group to stay on top of any changes!

Have you made your New Year's Resolution yet?

2011-12-30T12:14:00.001-08:00

Making New Year's Resolutions is a great way to keep you on an uphill path in your dancing. Here is a new article from me with some suggestions: http://j-walker.suite101.com/five-new-years-resolutions-for-ballroom-dancers-a400016

Guest post from Stefanie Lein: Once More With Feeling!

2011-12-18T15:03:00.000-08:00

Today I'm happy to share with you a guest post from Stefanie Lein, whose post You Have a Mental Problem I linked to recently. Her heartfelt post rang true with many dancers, and the post is making the rounds on facebook. Good for her! She was kind enough to share my post Relax While You Dance on her blog, so I am sharing this one on mine. Enjoy!

Once More With Feeling!
by Stefanie Lein

Saturday, December 17, 2011, 10am
Dance Starz Studio
Private lesson with Ivan

I'm thinking about changing the name of this blog to "Ivan Says." Just kidding. But in all sincerity, having Ivan as my instructor and the conversations we have on lessons are changing my life. The things he tells me help me to become a better dancer, partner, and person. So be prepared to read alot about what "Ivan Says" because it's valuable stuff and I think worth sharing.

I arrive to my lesson today and Ivan says, "Let's just dance." I'm amenable (of course!) and we begin to Cha Cha. I'm still working on getting onto my own feet, cleaning up foot work, finding my center, staying on balance. I'm "in my head" trying so hard to do everything right, even while having a good time just being with my friend. But you see, when my attention is in my head with my myriad of thoughts, it can't be elsewhere.

We work on cross-overs, trying to get the arm placement right but something is missing. There's no "pop" or "pizazz" or excitement in the movement. Yawn.

Ivan reminds me to extend in five directions like a star, to stand up straight and lift my spine, and I do this. The picture is prettier but again, the movement empty.

I'm still not doing something.

Oh, I'm not looking at myself in the mirror.

I make no eye contact.

I am avoiding connection.

"Look at yourself in the mirror."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Don't be scary." (Translated this means don't be scared)

"Uh huh, right."

Ivan grabs my hands and says, "When you gonna do it? In a year? No, now!"

He pulls over one of the dummies used to display ballroom gowns in the studio.

"This is Linda Dean, a judge. You gonna see her. Let's get close."

Ivan positions us next to the dummy. It is an inanimate object but I am still feeling timid. I fear getting in the space of strangers. I don't want to be "too much" or up in somebody's grill. You see, I was always told I was "too much" so I've learned to tone it down. No, that's a lie. I've learned to reign in myself so much that I can be invisible when I want to. I've learned to not to be the center of attention. I've learned to dim my light so that everyone else can shine, so that things are "fair."

But this defense mechanism isn't going to work for me in this situation and I really want to become the dancer I sense inside. So I decide that I'm going to act "as if." I'm going to be confident, right here in this moment, and look at the pretend face of the judge. I'm going to direct my energy straight to her, unabashedly, freely, joyfully.

And I do.

We practice it a few times doing a cross-over and Ivan is pleased.

"Okay, now we do it to Marieta." We will know if we are successful if she has some reaction in response to us.

We walk right over to Marieta and bam! She physically jolts. I feel Ivan hugging me in celebration. We nailed it!

So far this is shaping up to be a great lesson. I am feeling more and more comfortable in my own skin, less "scary", and more willing to let it all hang out.

But as we start to move again, my steps are riddled with errors. One of the things I often do is connect then pull away. Ivan may lead a turn and I stay with him to a point but then my arms become noodles. The next minute I'm grasping, pulling, frantically trying to find the connection again. I invade his space rather than maintaining my own area. I'm late. Ivan has moved on to the next step and I'm one fraction of a second behind.

This process is unconscious. I have been advised of it before (many times) but it still continues to haunt me.

So we're working on connection and Ivan is talking about the fact that I'm not staying with him. He demonstrates how it should feel and then how it feels when I pull back and break the connection. He's done this with me before so why am I still doing it? As a kinetic learner, after the demonstration I am able to recreate the connection. We begin to move in unison.

We close our eyes. The world fades away. I have no cues to go on except to feel Ivan inviting me to move through the connection. I'm feeling, not thinking, and things are flowing. My attention has shifted from my head where I "know" everything to my body and heart. They have their own form of wisdom found in the expanse devoid of words. I am in the moment feeling, being connected, and nothing else. I am no longer an "I."

The moment I think I know what Ivan will do next because we have done the step 100 times before "I" shows up again, my brain interferes with the flow, and I start to misstep. If I stay connected we move like silk.

Ivan spins me but because my eyes are closed I don't know exactly where his hand is. But I'm reaching for him, seeking the connection and make one by finding his upper arm. The unexpected touch is exhilarating. I've stayed connected and best of all Ivan is excited as well. He was thrilled that we were really connecting and his body reacted as he got goosebumps on his arm from the touch.

"You are like the plug and I am the outlet." He says.

From now on we are to practice first "plugging in" before we take a single step. I don't often do this, and we usually just start moving, but when we do take the time to do this, or rather, create the space with awareness, the dancing is on an entire different level. It transcends steps and figures. It is something authentic and wonderful, more than the sum of its parts.

We practice just making the initial connection with hands as if we are going to start dancing. Once Ivan is satisfied that I am connecting he gets creative.

"Ok, now I have no hands."

I have to connect with his upper arm. But he takes that away from me soon enough. Now I only have his shoulders. He signals me to turn but I'm slow in the uptake. It is more difficult but still possible to respond to his invitation.

"But I not caring I have no arms. I am dancing with a girl and she is responding to me. I feel so good about myself."

He puts my hands on his head. We dance this way feeling the connection.

"See, even with the head!"

Truth be told, no actual touching is required. At the beginning of the lesson Ivan did some Rumba with me using just his body to signal where I should go next. It was trickier to follow to be sure, but so amazing to feel the energy of it. I had to completely tune into Ivan's energy and this left no space for errant thoughts or worries. Just as when I close my eyes, focusing on the connection suddenly makes things crystal clear.

And you know what, I'm dancing better according to Ivan when I do this. No worrying about the steps or my balance or pointing my toes, just feeling.

"We are all forgetting this. We are all forgetting to feeling. Me, you, Marieta, professionals, everybody."

He taps my back and my chest three times with the palms of his hands, "Feel! Feel! Feel!"

Ivan is a wizard breaking the curse.

Didn't I spend a good portion of my life learning how to block feeling? To avoid the difficult emotions like sadness, or grief, or fear, or anger I learned how to numb myself through food and distractions. I've learned how to tune out. I have been practicing how to appear like I am present but my essence, my soul, my consciousness have vacated the premises. My true self is floating in the ethers away from the pain and harsh realities of life.

It works to a point but I miss out on fully feeling my life. Life is flat, devoid of good feelings along with the difficult ones. I don't taste my nourishment. I am living in the future or the past which don't exist. I am disconnected from my surroundings, from my body, and from other people. I am disconnected from myself.

Now the secret to my success is to be present. 100% present in my body. 100% present in my heart. Feeling life. Experiencing it fully. Not analyzing it, labeling it, or judging the experience, just being in it as it is. I can't explain how freeing this is. You'll have to experience it for yourself.

But I think this is why ballroom dancing is so addicting for me. How often in our daily lives are we really 100% present with one another? How many times are we in a conversation but instead of being with the other person, we are thinking about the bills, or doing the dishes, or determining whether what the other person is saying or doing is good or bad, right or wrong?

Metaphorically we are dancing alongside our partner but not with them. We are cheating ourselves and them of the gift of connection.

Ivan was so happy to be dancing with me today because I was being a present partner (for the most part). It is easy to slip back into old habits via my analyzing brain and these are the moments I break connection. But being with another human being, truly just being with another person, is a precious and wonderful experience. I'm so glad I get to share it with Ivan and vicariously with you.

I'm still new at this connection thing so I'm going to begin to consciously practice it. There is a great book by Cheri Huber called What You Practice Is What You Have (actually ALL of her books are excellent and I highly recommend them). I'm going to practice connecting so that I will have more connection in my life. But I need to start small. I'm going to connect with myself first because really, if I can't connect with myself, know my own feelings, hurts, wants, and wishes, how can I ever really connect with someone else?

I've devised a little exercise to jump start the process. I'm going to look into my own eyes in front of the mirror for 3 minutes. I will set a timer. And to keep myself honest about doing this exercise I will post what I discover before the end of the week.

So I now challenge you show up as a bigger player in the game of your life. Together let's create a more present and connected world one person at a time, starting with ourselves. I invite you to join me in practicing awareness and connection, in dancing, in relationships, and in daily business by participating in the same exercise that I've committed to do. I know that only a courageous 1% of you will actually do this, but for those of you who are ready for a breakthrough and do participate, I want to hear about your experience. I know we can do it!

Blessings,

Stefanie

Follow Stefanie and her ballroom dancing journey on her blog at http://bigballroomgirl.blogspot.com/.

Do you have a mental problem?

2011-12-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Many dancers psych themselves out or hold themselves back because of their insecurities. This post so hits the nail on the head, and all dancers need to read it!

http://bigballroomgirl.blogspot.com/2011/12/you-have-mental-problem.html?spref=fb

Relax while you dance!

2011-08-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd talk a little bit about achieving relaxation while you dance. Some people are under the mistaken impression you have to be tense in order to offer "resistance" (which is why I tend not to use that word--people often get the wrong connotation from it). Nothing could be further from the truth! Other people are just naturally tense--heck, I think all of us are much of the time, either because we're learning and maybe a little worried or nervous, or we're concentrating, or it's hard, or whatever.

Being tense while you dance makes it harder to move, harder to lead or follow, harder to feel and flow with the music, it's uncomfortable for your partner and it makes you tired. There really are no redeeming qualities to it. To illustrate, hold your arm so your elbow is at your side and your forearm is parallel to the floor and make a fist with the palm facing up. Flex all of the muscles in your arm and make it as tense as you can. Now, try to hit your shoulder as fast as you can with your fist (same shoulder/same side of the body as the fist). Now, put your hand and fist back in the starting position but relax the muscles until they're engaged enough to hold their shape, but not flexed or tense. Hit your shoulder again. What happened? You had more range of motion and you were faster, right?

The same is true for dancing, and it doesn't matter what kind of dance you're doing. You move more freely and comfortably and can get more speed if your muscles are engaged but relaxed. It can be difficult to achieve this, especially all the time, but practice definitely helps!

I will point out here, lest someone misunderstand me, you can't be a noodle or your partner can't dance with you. You need to keep your core and arm muscles toned and engaged so they can move you, react to your partner, and keep you balanced. But like in the exercise above, toned or engaged is not the same thing as tense. I'll give you another exercise: stand in front of the wall with your toes about a foot away. Put your palms against the wall, somewhere around shoulder height. Feel like you're holding yourself up off the wall. Now, without moving your hands or losing contact with the wall, release those muscles so you fall into the wall. That is too relaxed. Now hold yourself up again. Now your muscles are engaged. Now, tense up your muscles and push against the wall. Tiring, eh? Relax and just go back to holding yourself up. Note the difference between how those three states of being feel.

Here are some tips for relaxing while you dance:

1. The more you dance, the more comfortable you'll feel, physically and mentally. You'll also feel more confident, and all of this will help fight tension.

2. Take a deep breath as soon as you get into your dance hold. This not only helps you relax, but your partner will feel it and usually will unconsciously take a deep breath as well, forcing themselves to relax. Remind yourself to breathe while you're dancing.

3. Stay in tune with your body whlie you're dancing (easier for followers, since we have less to think about, but men can do this too). If you feel yourself getting tense or notice that one muscle (or two, or three) is getting tired because you're pushing against your partner with it, force yourself to relax it. You may have to do this numerous times during a dance (I do, at least in Tango. In ballroom and swing I'm more experienced and conditioned to the dance frame, etc., so I'm less likely to tense up), but it will soon become habit to correct yourself, and eventually to just not tense up in the first place except in particularly stressful situations. As a follower in Tango, this is easy to do with my left arm by lifting it off my partner's shoulders and softly laying it back down, and the leader can do the same with his right arm since our connection is through the body. Other muscles you just have to will them to soften.

4. An exercise you can try off the dance floor that's good for you anyway: one at a time, tense each muscle you can in your body as tight as you can, then release it. This helps you be aware of where your muscles are and how to control the tension, but it also relaxes you at the same time! Practice this a few times, especially if you haven't figured out how to just will your msucles to relax...plus, it's a good way to unwind a little after a stressful day!

5. Finally, give yourself a break. If you are constantly worried about what you are doing, if you're good enough, that it's weird to be this close to someone you don't know, that you look fat in those pants, all that negative energy just leads to more tension. Keep your thoughts positive and just enjoy the experience!

I hope these tips help you to achieve relaxation while you dance, and that you enjoy dancing all the more because of it.

Practice like a pro...

2011-08-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent post that everyone should read. It doesn't matter whether you're a dancer, or a skiier, or a runner...whatever your sport is, the level of commitment you put into it is so important, and many people do not realize that they are putting in a fraction of the commitment they should be. Please read it!

http://www.tangowolf.com/2011/08/practice-like-pro-dance-like-pro.html

What do you learn from your partners?

2011-08-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted here in a while, but I had a thought tonight that I thought I would share. Since we started Tango a few months ago, we haven't had a lot of money for lessons, but I've been very fortunate in that I'm able to learn a lot from my partners on the floor. I think it's a bit harder for leaders to learn this way, and of course there are some things you just have to get from lessons, but it occurred to me tonight that I learn something different from everyone I dance with.

I won't mention names, because I don't want to embarass anyone, but here are some examples. One guy teaches me to not anticipate, because he's very inventive and is always throwing curveballs at me (in a good way!). One guy loves to play with the music in new ways, which teaches me to listen to the music as well as my partner and have a little fun. Another moves back and forth between open and close embrace, so I need to be balanced and make sure I'm on my own feet. Another does a lot of moves, so I learn them. Others just make me feel beatiful and free because they lead so well and get me out of my head so I just enjoy. Or they compliment me, which just makes me feel good. :)

No matter who you dance with, be they a beginner or a seasoned and accomplished veteran, there's something you can learn from the experience. Test the theory--next time you go dancing, try to figure out what you're taking away from each partner.

Sacramento Dance Venues Part Two: Tango Practica at Step 1

2011-03-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday nights, Greg and I really like to attend the Tango practica at Step 1, which is located at 1920 T Street in Sacramento. DJ Mike Bohan plays excellent traditional Tango music (and of course Milonga and Vals) from 9:00 to 10:45, and the cost is just $3.

This is generally a pretty intimate group--between 10 and 20 people each week. The quality of dancing is high, although the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. As is expected at a practica, it is completely acceptable to stop and work on something if you need to, although of course you want to be aware of the people around you so you don't obstruct traffic.

The floor is not large, but there is plenty of room for the size of group we usually have. We have occasionally gotten relatively crowded, but there was still room to dance. The floor is not wood--I think it's some kind of linoleum, so it's a bit hard, but we're only on it for 1:45, so it doesn't bother me. It's pretty smooth and usually clean.

Greg and I try to make this one every week, so I hope to see you there!

Sacramento Dance Venues Part One: The Station

2011-03-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd post a series of quick reviews of the various dance venues in Sacramento. I can only review the places I've experienced, so if I miss your favorite, it's probably because I haven't been there--nothing personal.

Sacramento Dance Venues Part One: Swing Time Tuesday at The Station in Roseville

Start Time: Tuesday NIGHTS at 7:15pm WARM UPS.. CLASS STARTS 7:30, DANCE STARTS 8:15

Cost: $5 for the lesson, $5 for the dance
Location: THE STEEL STATION & DINNER CLUB, 1100 Orlando Ave, Roseville, CA

The West Coast Swing dances have been going on Tuesday nights at The Station for a couple of years now (and were at other locations before that), but Greg and I just started going to them last fall. They are a lot of fun, and they kind of take you back to the roots of the West Coast Swing scene: the bar. It is a nice, clean bar, but a bar nonetheless. There are two dance floors, and the surface is pretty good for dancing. The speed is about right, but the edges of the main floor slope a bit, so you want to stay more toward the middle if you can.

There is a $5 cover to pay the DJ, which is Martin Casillas. He plays a mix of blues and contemporary music, weighted a little more heavily toward the modern stuff. He'll throw in an occasional Night Club or Country Two Step. You are encouraged to purchase something to thank The Station for hosting us--a soda (or something stronger) at the bar, perhaps, or they also have a menu available if you want to eat. You won't get kicked out if you don't, but if the dancers patronize the bar/restaurant, The Station will be encouraged to keep us around.

There is a really nice mix of dance levels at Swing Time Tuesday. The lesson that preceeds the dance is usually a beginner one, but it changes and is sometimes intermediate, so you should check on the website. As a result, there are usually some beginners, some very advanced dancers, and everything in between. Sometimes swing dignitaries will visit from out of town, which is fun to see. Whatever your level, as long as you have a good grasp of all the basics, you should be able to fit in and find someone to dance with. The crowd is pretty friendly, as far as swing dances go.

We don't go every week, just because of scheduling and finances, but Greg and I really enjoy the Tuesday West Coast Swing dances at The Station. Check it out, and ifyou see me there, ask me to dance!

PS: The Station has some kind of music or dancing pretty much every night. Check out their website--I haven't gone any night but Tuesday, but I know a couple who enjoys Fridays, too.

More musings about following

2011-02-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

Although I have been dancing West Coast Swing for about 10 years, I have only had enough lessons in it to make me a pretty competant dancer, as opposed to a seriously advanced one. I have the right basic style, a good connection, and I follow *most* of what I'm led into. Sometimes I miss, mostly when the music is fast and the guy is throwing a lot at me and I can't process it fast enough...I don't have that automatic ability to follow every crazy thing like some followers do. Anyway, the point is, I have fun, most of my partners seem to as well, and I have a good time when I go out swing dancing.

Last night at Swingtime Tuesday at The Station in Roseville, I had a really good night. I didn't dance a ton, but the dances I got were really good. I was also socializing and helping a student who just had his first WCS lesson, so overall it was a good night. Afterward, I got to thinking and had a conversation with Greg that I thought I would summarize here. In some ways, this also applies to Ballroom and Tango, but I think it's especially evident in WCS.

There's an old saying about WCS that goes something like, "Beginning dancers do the basics. Intermediate dancers do a lot of moves. Advanced dancers do the basics." While I have observed that to be largely true, I've also observed that there's a degree of personal style in that. I have danced with some advanced dancers who seem ot have kind of an "agenda" when they get on the floor--they're really good, and they have some great moves, and they want to show them off. When I dance with them, I generally walk away at the end feeling like an idiot, because I didin't "get" half of it.

Then there's the other kind of advanced dancer. This is the kind that knows how to dress up basics so well that they make you want a cigarette afterward (especially if it's a slow song). They have a style that's easy to adapt to and match, and they dance so *with* the follower that you feel like you're the only girl on the floor. When I dance with a leader like this, I feel like a good dancer. Because they keep it simple, I follow everything, and I'm not stressed, and I have time to interpret the music and really dance *with* them instead of fight for my life. Not that they don't throw in a fancy move or two, but those are spaced out between basics so you get a chance to breathe and process in between. Because I'm followoing well, they give me approving smiles and they seem to enjoy it, too, even though they aren't showing off their whole repertoire.

There are some leaders who never ask me to dance, and I imagine it's because I can't keep up with them. That's fine...they're entitled to dance or not dance with whomever they wish. I'm just saying, there are other dancers just as good who seem to really enjoy dancing with me.

Partner dancing is supposed to be about the partnership. The best leaders make their partner feel at ease, no matter what her level, and don't make her feel like an idiot by dancing over her head or becoming annoyed when she misses a lead. In Tango, they say the best leaders will never let the follower know she missed a lead--he adapts and incorporates whatever she did into the dance so it seems natural. I think that can be done to some extent in Ballroom and Swing, although it's more difficult there because those dances have more structure. He can certainly minimize the mistake in many cases.

Of course, if she belligerantly goes on about her own thing and doesn't follow anything because she's following her own agenda, that's a different story...I'm talking about a follower who's trying her best to really follow.

The thing is, is it really the end of the world if the follower missed a lead? Isn't social dancing about having a good time together? Laugh, smile, make it work. Dance *with* your follower instead of *at* her, and maybe you'll be surprised at the results.

Following: Argentine Tango vs. Ballroom

2011-02-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

It's interesting coming to Tango from a Ballroom background. On the one hand, I think having dance experience of any kind gives you the ability to move your body and an understanding of how everything workds, which makes it easier to learn a new dance and be able to just physically do the movements. On the other hand, having that previous experience gives you a sort of prejudice--as a ballroom dancer, my natural inclination is to follow like a ballroom dancer (I'll get into that in a minute). I've seen ballet dancers who come to ballroom who keep their legs a little too straight, turn out too much or at the wrong times, and have difficulty folowing because they're used to dancing on their own. When I started learning West Coast Swing from an actual swing teacher, she told me I had too much body flight...I was used to taking big steps in ballroom, so I'd travel too far for swing. Just some examples.

Here are some observations I've made about the differences between following Ballroom vs. Tango.

Ballroom goes by a fairly consistent set of rules. Individuals might have their own styling and their own theories on how to make things work, but it all comes down to the same basic thing. In Tango, there are different ways just of doing the dance: open vs. close embrace, how much the partners lean on each other, a quiet, small lead for small, intimate steps vs. a more definite (louder, in a sense) lead with bigger moves. The lady has to learn to adapt to all these styles. As a beginner, I often get schooled in the "correct" way to dance Tango...and then I go dance with the next man, who corrects me and shows his "correct" way. It can be frustrating, but on the other hand, I am learning a lot and it's fun to get so much variety.
In Ballroom, the steps are pretty standardized, so a follower with a decent amount of experience can dance with any man and have a pretty good idea of what he's going to do and how he's going to do it. There are some standards in Tango, like ochos and molinettes (excuse any spelling errors, please), but the follower really has to wait for him to lead every single step, because he might have his own twist on it. This makes for a more intimate, connected experience than Ballroom, where the lady can go on autopilot and get away with it...although she still has to wait and follow.
In Ballroom, probably the most fundamental rule of following is that the lady is to continue moving forward or backward until the leader tells her otherwise. She is constantly in motion--even when standing still, she is either stretching into the frame or doing some kind of body action. Her momentum often makes a pattern possible. In Tango, she should take just one step at a time and let the leader tell her where the next one will be. There may be several moments of just silence, where the partners will stand perfectly still and just connect. I like that.
In Ballroom, the lady needs to feel every single weight change the leader makes, so she can stay on the same foot. It's a very subtle thing, and I've heard from Tango dancers that they have a hard time following Ballroom because of that. Because, in Tango, the man often does weight changes, or even just embellishments with his free foot/leg, that mean nothing to the follower. She stays on the same foot until she is told to change it. The lead comes from the man's chest, and the movement may be very subtle, but he will literally lead her to make that change. I sometimes still change feet when I feel the man do it, out of habit. I know it's wrong, but it's an ingrained habit that I have to get past.
Like in West Coast Swing but perhaps not as much, the lady has a few opportunities in Tango to hijack the lead. This is something I don't know a lot about yet, but I know one place where the man sweeps her foot, and if he allows her, she can sweep him back. She can also take her time to do little embellishments and express the music the way she feels it when he leads certain moves. Not all the time, of course--he's still in charge--but there are those opportunities. In Ballroom, the beat keeps marching on and there really isn't much opportunity for those things...nor is it encouraged.

That's all I can think of for now, but those were some thoughts I wanted to share. Of course, there are a lot of other differences, like how the music is interpreted, the frame, and how you carry yourselves, but here I wanted to focus on the differences in following technique. Feel free to comment with your own thoughts!

Tango musings: The problem of the cabeceo solved

2011-01-29T14:24:00.000-08:00

The problem with the cabeceo is that if there is a line of girls sitting together, it's hard for them to tell who the man is looking at. My brilliant DH came up with the perfect solution. Follow these easy steps:

1. Walk down the line of ladies.

2. Place your hand on each lady's head. If you are not asking her to dance, say "duck".

3. When you get to the one you want to dance with, say, "Goose" and do the cabeceo.

This will leave no doubt in anyone's mind who you are addressing.

Seriously, though, it is an issue. When you use the cabeceo, even though you think you have a good eyelock with the person you're inviting, the girls on either side of her might think you're looking at them. If there's any doubt, extend a hand or walk closer so the wrong girl doesn't jump up to dance with you and faces embarrassment when she realizes she's wrong! Please...the followers of the world will thank you.

I have to say, I'm divided on whether I like the cabeceo or not. I think it has its uses, but there is the problem I described above. Additionally, if a girl isn't paying attention or is just too shy to stare at every man in sight, she might miss out on some good dances. On the other hand, it's a good way to avoid being asked to dance by someone you don't want to dance with, because you can just studiously not look at them. For people who insist that it's the only way to invite someone to dance because it's traditional...well, I think that's a little silly. If it works for you and the situation, use it. But if you prefer to just say, "Hey, wanna dance?" I say go for it.

Of course, I've only been dancing Tango for two months, so you can pshaw if you like, but in 15 years of ballroom and swing dancing where most people just ask, I just don't see why some people are so rabid about using cabeceo. Some people in those circles use it without knowing it has a name or tradition. Perhaps in Argentina it's a vital part of the way men and women relate to each other in all situations, but America is different.

Plus, I'm at the point where if I decide to be brave and ask a man to dance, unless he's a friend I feel very awkward using the cabeceo. It implies a level of competence...like, "surely, you want to dance with me, and now I am allowing you to." This is not something I can comfortably do with men I dance with often, but I can't bring myself to do it with a stranger or someone better than me.

To follow is to surrender

2011-01-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

I had a great conversation with a couple of my Tango friends last night, and I thought I'd talk about it a little bit here.

In our 21st Century world, women tend to be in charge of things. Whether it's their own home or a department full of people at work or even keeping our boss in line because he can't keep his head screwed on straight, we're used to running the show and doing a lot of thinking. When we step on the dance floor, that habit tends to carry over. The leader can't possibly know how to interpret the music as well as he can, or perhaps he's struggling and we want to help....or maybe we're just off in our own world, doing our own thing. Whatever our reasons for subverting the lead from the man, a lot of us do it. Some of us don't realize we do it, because we dance blithely along, unaware of how annoyed the man is because he's trying to lead us but can't. Others, like myself, sometimes realize just a fraction of a second too late that we did something we weren't led to do or missed a lead. Oh, sure, I TRY to follow and let the man be in charge, but I slip from time to time.

So, why can't we just relax and let the man be in charge? For some women, it might be belligerance or ignorance. For those of us who are truly trying, it's a matter of learning to trust the man to be in complete control and surrendering yourself to him. This is true in Tango even more than Ballroom or Swing, because there is even less standardization than West Coast Swing and way less than Ballroom. The man is interpreting hte music in his own way, and even if he uses steps he learned in a workshop with 20 other leaders, he's still doing it in his own fashion. In order for the lady to be truly with him, she has to surrender and let him take her through every single step.

How do you learn that trust and surrender? Saying "just relax and surrender" is like saying "just go to sleep." personally, I can't just close my eyes and go to sleep, and most people can't just relax and surrender. However, unlike learning how to sleep (which may be a possibility, but I kind of don't think so), you CAN learn how to give over and just let the man lead you. However, it's not as simple as just deciding to do it (for most of us, anyway...there are some people who are natural followers who have never struggled with it, and never will).

What it takes is hours and hours of floor time. Lessons are good and helpful, but a combination of lessons and going to dances/practicas/milongas is best. You need the instruction from class, but you also need the practice of just going out there and dancing and not knowing what the leader will do until he leads you into it. You have to keep telling yourself to relax and let him drive. Take deep breaths and will yourself to relax every time you can remember.With Tango, because it's new to me and that makes me tense, I have to do this numerous times in every single song.

They say the leaders have the hardest job, because they have so much to learn and balance. However, learning how to truly follow is just about as difficult, in my opinion, because of the natural habits we have to overcome. However, it can be done with a lot of practice and will--just make sure you remain open to following instead of doing whatever you feel like doing while the poor leader struggles along.

Opening tonight for private lesson

2011-01-24T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have an opening tonight for a private lesson at 7:30 at the Dance Corner on Fulton Ave. in Sacramento. Just $50 for one or two couples. Give me a call if you're interested! 916-671-9637

New article posted: Why you should change partners in class

2011-01-22T16:44:00.001-08:00

I posted a new article today, this one about changing partners in dance class. Give it a read!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6207066/why_dancers_should_change_partners.html?cat=2

How do you view beginner dancers?

2010-12-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

As someone who's been around dancing for a long time (15 years), I have seen a lot of different people in my time. Of course, a lot of these have been beginners to the world of dance. One thing that many people will agree with is that we always need to bring new people into our sport. We need to keep the studios alive, the dances fun, and we can always use more partners...especially men. Therefore, how we treat our beginners is very, very important.

Most people are very welcoming of beginners and try to help them out as much as they can. As an example, Greg and I recently took up Argentine Tango. The community has been extraordinarily welcoming of us, even though we go to practica after practica with just one (now two, after last night) lesson under our belt. For the most part, the people who have danced with us have been very encouraging and very kind in offering us helpful advice, without being overbearing or rude. This attitude is part of what has gotten us addicted to this very fun and challenging dance!

Other people are not so great. I once had a student who came to a ballroom dance after a couple of classes. He was pretty solid on the few basic steps he knew, but he didn't know anything fancy yet. I encouraged him to ask women to dance, because he needed the practice and most women would rather do basics than sit and not dance. Also, personally (and I know other women who have the same viewpoint), I would rather do basics reasonably well with someone who is pretty comfortable to dance with than advanced stuff crappily with someone who wrenches me around because he didn't learn to lead proerly. Anyway, I digress. So, this very nice man goes to ask a woman to dance. She accepted and stood up, and he said, "By the way, I'm a beginner." She actually said "never mind" and sat down again. I was blown away by her rudeness. Really...you can't give 2.5 minutes of your life to dance with a beginner?

I've seen others who will accept the dance, or dance with a beginner in class, but their bad attitude about it shows on their face. How do you think that makes the poor beginner feel?

I should add: not all Tango people are welcoming and helpful, and not all Ballroom dancers are rude. There are both types of people no matter where you go, whether it's Tango, Swing, Ballroom, Country or whatever.

Think of dancing with beginners as an investment. If you are kind and encouraging to them, they are more likely to stick with it. NICELY encourage them to take lessons if they aren't already and explain the benefits so they know how important it is. Eventually, that beginner will get better and better and will grow into a good dancer. They are likely to remember who was kind to them and who wasn't when they can be pickier about their dance partners because they're so in demand. And, because of your encouragement, the dance world will have one more great dancer! Besides, if you take a chance and dance with a beginner, they may not turn out to be as bad as you think.

Sure, it can be a little uncomfortable and maybe even a little boring to dance with someone who only knows the very basic step of the dance. However, if you adjust your attitude about it and find the fun in dancing with someone new who is making an effort, you'll find it much more enjoyable. It's just a couple of minutes, and far better than sitting in a chair and watching everyone else have fun. And don't forget...your investment now may pay great dividends later.

As for my readers who are themselves beginners, I encourage you to get out there! The more practice you get, the better you will become, faster. I can't overstate the importance of taking lessons, either. You really do need to learn to dance properly in order to be the best dancer you can be, even if you never set foot on a competition floor. You can learn a lot just by getting out there with experienced dancers and doing it, but there is a lot to learn. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't start going to dances as soon as possible. The practice and encouragement will help you improve, and you'll meet some great people! Just ignore the rude ones. :)

Don't forget: Club dances every Friday night at The Dance Corner!

2010-11-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

I will be DJing again this friday at the Dance Corner, so come on out! The dance normally starts at 8, but this week we will start at 8:30 due to some Argentine Tango workshops happening today. I will stay late to keep the party going! The Dance Corner is on Fulton near Marconi, across from Town & Country. Just $5 per person or $8 per couple...what a deal!

Foxtrot Class Thursday nights in November! Club Dance 11/5

2010-11-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

It's a new month, and that means a new class on Thursday nights, 8:30 at Mission Oaks! This month, the dance is Intermediate Foxtrot. The cost is only $15 for the whole month--where else can you get a deal like this? You can sign up at the front desk.

Also, I will be DJing my club dance at The Dance Corner on Fulton this Friday from 8:00 to 10:30. Please come, and bring all your friends! Although the emphasis is on club music, I also mix in some ballroom and latin.

Are you a bottom-up dancer or a top-down dancer?

2010-10-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

Greg and I had a great conversation the other day about learning to dance and adding styling. This applies to, as far as I can tell, every type of dancing there is: if you learn to dance well, and that means learning proper technique, you will look good even without learning fancy styling. In fact, this applies to learning to do lots of other things, as well.

I liken it to a bottom-up or top-down approach. If you start from the bottom, i.e., concentrate on learning fundamentals like good footwork, lead and follow, timing, body flight, being smooth, proper turning and all the other things that make for good, solid, basic dancing, you are going to look good even if you never learn a lick of styling. In fact, if you take the time to learn all of that, you will probably pick up a little styling along the way whether you think about it or not, and then when you are a good technical dancer, it's much easier to pick up more styling and make yourself look even better.

The other approach is to start from the top and work your way down: maybe learn the basic steps, but concentrate more on styling from the very beginning. Those who take this approach do so because they want to interpret the music and be more dancerly right away, rather than dancing like an automaton. I can appreciate this--I can. However, from what I have seen MOST of the time (not always--some people learn this way and end up being good dancers), people who learn this way lack the fundamentals and therefore do not look as good as people who learned the basics first. In fact, and please don't take this as a personal insult, but some of them are laughably bad, because their styling is disconnected and their technique is awful. Really...it doesn't do any good to swing your hips or fling your arms around if you're doing it at the wrong time, in the wrong way, you're not leading/following and you're not with the music. I'm sorry. It's harsh, I know, but it's true. I'm telling you this for your own good (unless I'm not talking to you at all).

There are exceptions to every rule. Some people learn to dance the "right" way and never, ever become good dancers. Others learn the "wrong" way and turn out great. It has a lot to do with your natural level of grace and talent. I'm just saying, this is an observation I've made from watching a lot of people dance.

I've had people come to me for lessons who want to learn some styling so they look better. My advice is almost always to improve their technique first, and then worry about style. They usually follow my advice, and it works out great. That is not to say they don't get to learn any styling at all--I'll show them things they can do with their free arms, etc., but they soon learn that good basics are the best way to look like a good dancer.

How Ballroom Dancing has shaped my life

2010-10-06T02:51:00.000-07:00

My ballroom dancing journey began in the spring of 1995. I was living at home with my mother and one of my brothers, Bill. He had been taking ballroom dance lessons for a year, which I thought was an odd thing at the time, but when he informed me one afternoon that I would be going with him that evening, I decided I didn’t have anything better to do—so I went.
Bill and another brother (I have three) and I had spent several years roller dancing, so in some ways ballroom dancing was a natural progression. I had thought I would take right to it—after all, how hard can it be? That first night I was the very picture of awkwardness. I didn’t know what to do with my feet, I was off balance, and I just didn’t “get” it.

Naturally, I was immediately hooked! Despite my complete incompetence, there was something alluring about ballroom dancing. The music and lead-and-follow nature of the dance was so different from roller dancing, which is usually a set pattern done to boring organ music. I was intrigued and determined to learn more. I insisted on going back the next night, and before I knew it, I was dancing three to five times per week between classes and social dances.

In the 15 years since that first attempt, I have gone from absolute beginner to a competitor, performer and teacher. I have met many wonderful people, some of which have come and gone, and others I have known for years. One of the people Bill and I met through one of our performance opportunities is now his girlfriend, Sharon, and she is a good friend of mine as well.

Most importantly, it was through ballroom dancing that I met my husband, Greg. I was actually dating someone else at the time that we met, but that relationship had been going downhill for some time and I had just not gotten around to leaving yet. Greg was good friends with the DJ and would come in to visit with her, although he only danced West Coast Swing.

One night after surveying the room to see who to ask to dance a swing with, Greg decided that I was the only vaguely competent dancer there (…but actually, I was pretty poor at West Coast Swing then. I just happen to be less poor than the other choices), so he asked. After that, we danced all of the West Coast Swings together.

This went on for several months, and then my relationship finally fell apart for good (unrelated to my dancing with Greg—at ballroom dances, everyone generally dances with several partners during the night). I swore off men for a year to “find myself”, but it turned out to be only a month before I started dating Greg, and we’ve been together ever since. That was the year 2000.

I cannot imagine where I would be now if it were not for dancing. It’s a wonderful way to bond with one person or meet new friends. It’s therapeutic—no matter how bad I’m feeling, physically or emotionally, a night of dancing lifts me up and makes me feel better. It’s great exercise, burning about 300 calories per hour, on average, and working every muscle in your body. Finally, it keeps you young. I once met a 96-year-old woman who looked like she was in her 60s, and she attributed her youthful outlook and appearance to years of dancing.

Ballroom dancing has been a major part of my life for 15 wonderful years, and I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. I plan to continue for as long as my legs will carry me.

Ballroom Dance Classes in September near Sacramento

2010-08-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Starting in September, I will be teaching ballroom dance classes on Wednesdays at Roseville Dance and Thursdays at Mission Oaks Community Center in Carmichael. Click the fliers below for more information!

Viennese Waltz Workshop 8/21/10

2010-08-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

I will be teaching a beginning Viennese Waltz workshop on Saturday, August 21st. Click the image below for details.

New Dance! Night Club Styles at The Dance Corner

2010-08-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Dance Corner, which is run by Sergey and Eleni Malko of Roseville Dance, started a new dance this last Friday: the Night Club Styles dance, which runs on Fridays from 8-10:30. The dance features West Coast Swing, Hustle, Salsa, Night Club Two Step and more. The DJs will rotate, and I am one of them! I will be playing this Friday, August 6th. I've been spending hours coming up with great music to play for you, so come on down and be sure to ask me to dance.

The Dance Corner is at 2937 Fulton Avenue in Sacramento, near the corner of Fulton and Marconi.

Sacramento Ballroom, Tango, Country and Swing Network

2010-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I was lamenting how difficult it is to get the word out about dance events in the Sacramento area. There have been so many times people told me after the fact (or have said it myself), "I wish I'd known about it!" I can talk about things here or on facebook, but I can only reach so many people, and I know there are hundreds of dancers in and near Sacramento. So, in a blinding flash of brilliance, I searched on facebook to see if there is a group for all of us to connect easily. To my surprise, there was nothing of the sort, so I created it myself.

You can join the Sacramento Ballroom, Tango, Country and Swing Network by clicking on http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=137240269643672. I want this to be a valuable resource for everyone who participates in these kinds of dances in the Sacramento area. Please join and look through the discussions. There are places to post regularly occurring dances and classes in the discussions tab, and you can post special events on the wall. Invite all of your dancing friends!

Bolero Workshop this Saturday, DJing at SBS

2010-07-21T12:15:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that I'm teaching my Bolero workshop this Saturday, the 24th, from 3:00 to 4:30 at the Dance Corner--see flyer below (click on it to see it bigger). That night, I will be DJing at the Sacramento Ballroom Society dance. I don't know how recovered my sprained ankle will be...it will be good enough to teach, but I'll have to take it easy on it still, so I probably won't be dancing much at the dance that night. I hope to see you Saturday!

Teaching/DJing this Saturday and an apology/clarification

2010-07-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

First of all, I will be teaching and DJing this Saturday, the 10th, at Sacramento Ballroom Society. Lesson to be determined and will be posted as soon as that happens...any requests?

Secondly, it was brought to my attention recently that some students in one of my classes were upset with something I said on facebook, supposedly about them. Of course, I got this second-hand, so I'm not privy to all the detail. Since I almost never say anything negative about anyone on there that I wouldn't say to their face, I can only guess they were referring to my blog post here titled "What are you doing when I'm talking?" wherein I ranted about people who talk or practice when I'm trying to teach them something.

None of my blog posts here are directed at any particular person or class. I have been teaching for nine years, and in that time I have encountered some of the same problems over and over again. I also see them in other teachers' classes, too, so they aren't just mine. Sometimes one class or dance will inspire a post, but it's aimed at everyone who does whatever it is I'm talking about. If you felt singled out, I apologize. However, I very specifically did not mention which class I was talking about--it's every class. I admit, by the time I get worked up enough to write a blog post about it, I'm pretty irritated and my tone is blunt (that's putting it nicely--another B word would be more appropriate). I'm sorry if my tone offended you.

It is my hope that my readers will read my posts, determine whether they apply to you, and act accordingly. In grammar school, we had teachers and parents telling us how to behave and learn. As adults, we forget that there is more to learning anything than just showing up to class. By investing yourself in being the best student you can be, you will learn faster and more. If you recognize yourself in my posts, it's OK to laugh sheepishly and move on...we all make mistakes! It's what you do with your mistakes that make all the difference.

If you have a problem with something I've said or done, I invite you to send me an email and let's talk about it. Allow me the opportunity to apologize to you personally or defend myself. I'm actually a really nice person, even if I do lose my patience sometimes. I can admit when I'm bad and can take a licking--feel free to call me out. Sometimes we even have fun in my classes!

Dance classes coming up

2010-06-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

In July, I will be teaching again on Tuesday nights at the Mission Oaks Community Center in Carmichael. From 6:00 to 7:25, we'll cover beginning East Coast Swing and Cha Cha. From 7:30 to 9:00, I'll be teaching intermediate East Coast Swing and Bolero. Bolero will be a new dance for many in the class, so it will start with the basics but should move quickly.

I will also be teaching a Bolero workshop on July 24th from 3:00 to 4:30 at The Dance Corner in Sacramento. We will review the basics while working on technique, but I recommend that yo have some Bolero experience before coming to this workshop. Feel free to contact me for more information!

See the flyers attached below.

What are you doing when I'm talking??

2010-06-08T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my dance class pet peeves: when I'm standing in front of the class giving a mini lecture and someone is doing anything BUT listening to me--talking to their partner, practicing the move (wrong), whatever. First, it's rude. Second, chances are good that if I'm explaining or re-explaining a concept, it's because you're the one who needs it. It disrupts the whole class, because you're going to ask me a question about what I spent five minutes talking about and I'm going to have to explain it AGAIN. I'm also going to have to come over and correct you when you torture your partner by continually doing the pattern wrong because you weren't listening.

When you talk or practice while I'm talking, not only is it disrespectful to me and self-defeating because you're missing something important, you're also affecting your partner, because you're distracting them so they don't hear what I'm saying, either. Now there are two people in the dark.

Dance class is a two way street. I can only teach you if you are willing to learn. That means listening when I talk and watching when I demonstrate. If I say, "Watch me first. Don't do it, just watch," that means don't follow along with me. Just watch. I don't know how many different ways I can say that. The reason I don't want you to do it with me is because you won't see the whole thing, and it will be harder for you to learn (which makes my job harder). I always have you follow along and do the step with me 5-10 times after that, so you will get plenty of chances to practice.

It's important that you focus in class and try to absorb as many of the concepts as possible and not move up to the next level until you have pretty well mastered those concepts. Yes, there is a lot to learn. Sometimes this means taking a class 2-3 times before you move up. Taking notes and practicing between classes will help. However you do it, you need to invest yourself in the class and try so the teacher can teach you. Otherwise, why are you there?

You are paying for the teacher's expertise--this is not just their expertise in dancing, but also in teaching dancing (although some dancers are not as good at teaching as they are at dancing). Trust that they know what they're doing. Follow their instructions. You'll learn so much faster than going along doing your own thing!

/rant

Great website for Sacramento dancers!

2010-06-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

A wonderful lady named Alice has compiled a list of all the classes and lessons she could find in the Sacramento area and lists them on her website, http://www.dancing4friends.com. Check her out to see where you can trip the light fantastic any night of the week.

Don't forget my Tuesday dance classes at Mission Oaks, starting tonight! Beginning Foxtrot and Tango at 6:00, Intermediate Samba and Waltz at 7:30. Only $20 for the whole month--cheap cheap!

Upcoming Dance Class Dates

2010-04-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Hi all, sorry I haven't been keeping up on this blog! I was distracted from dancing and blogging for a bit, but I am trying to keep in touch a little better. Here are some things I have coming up:

Sacramento Ballroom Society, Friday, April 23rd. I will be teaching American Waltz. This class is always a mix of beginning and intermediate dancers, so we start with something basic and then do something more challenging. My partner and brother, Bill Riley, will be the DJ for the evening, and he always plays a great mix! I'll be hanging out to dance a bit, so feel free to ask me to dance!

I am taking over Ted Colbert's classes at Mission Oaks Community Center at 4701 Gibbons Dr. in Carmichael for the month of May and possibly a bit longer. Starting on Tuesday, May 4th, I will be teaching beginning Waltz and Rumba from 6:00 to 7:30 and intermediate Rumba and Tango from 7:30 to 9:00. Cost is $25 for the month, and you need to sign up with Mission Oaks.

I hope to see you there!

Why do you take dance lessons?

2009-06-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

Different people have widely varying reasons for taking dance lessons. Some want to compete, others want to be able to social dance, others just want to have fun and get some exercise. Some students want to learn a lot of patterns, while others want to learn technique.

There is no one right reason to learn to dance, except yours. However, I do have to wonder at something: the people who take group classes all week rarely go to the social dances, and we rarely see people who social dance in group classes. What are the former doing with their knowledge, and where are the latter learning to dance?

Learning any skill without practicing it is, in my opinion, kind of pointless. By going to class every week without practicing in between, you are cheating yourself because you will not learn as well or as quickly. Your body needs repetition, not only for muscle memory, but for building up the strength to do the movements properly. Plus, you are missing out on the whole reason for learning to dance--dancing!

As for the Saturday night only dancers, many of them have had a few lessons here and there, probably primarily the lessons before the dances. They know a few steps, but their lead and follow is weak, they have no style and their technique is poor.

Why learn technique? Having good technique is not about being a competition dancer or even a "serious" dancer. Good technique allows you to do dance more easily and comfortably with your partner and allows you to move around the floor more gracefully. It does not have to be hard and you do not have to spend hours doing change step after change step until they are perfect (although it wouldn't hurt). Just taking some lessons and learning some basics, proper footwork, dance frame and lead/follow will make a huge difference in your dancing.

February happenings

2009-02-20T09:25:00.001-08:00

Wow, I have not been keeping up on this blog!! OK, you can find me this month by coming to my workshop tomorrow, February 21st from 2:30 to 4:00 at The Ballroom of Sacramento. I'll be teaching Cuban motion in Rumba...this class is for everyone, whether you know Rumba or not!

I am also DJing at Sacramento Ballroom Society next Friday, the 27th. Ask me to dance...I don't bite, I promise! Hm, maybe this is a good subject for a blog post...

If you see a teacher at a social dance, and they're standing or sitting around instead of hiding or clinging to their date, chances are they're there to dance. When I go social dancing, I do actually want to dance. Don't be afraid to ask us! Don't be nervous or feel like you have to impress us. Just dance as well as you know how (as you always do, right?) and have fun. You don't even have to apologize for your perceived lack of skills.

However, please do not take this as an opportunity to get a free dance lesson. Just because I'm at the dance doesn't mean I'm there to teach. If you have a quick question about something I taught in class (that night or a previous occasion), that's not a problem at all. However, asking me to critique you, teach you new steps or how to do Cuban motion is a bit much. If I were a doctor, would you ask me for a diagnosis? I would hope not. Would you ask a mechanic to fix your car for free?

You might say the good will could bring me in lessons some day. Well, not likely. Most people who ask for free advice rarely bother spending money on lessons. I'm sorry if that sounds rude, but that has been my experience. If you want to see how I am as a teacher, I have references and teach group classes about every other month that you can try out.

Whew, that's a whole lot of negative right there. It's sort of a sore spot with me! Let me just reiterate that I do enjoy social dancing and want to just relax and enjoy myself--no matter who I'm dancing with. Next time you see me, come on up and ask me! Just don't ask me for Viennese or Quickstep, because I prefer not to do those socially.

Hope to see you out on the floor!

Jennifer's Dancing Antics in January

2009-01-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

I'll be out and about and teaching a bit this month, so I hope you'll join me! Tomorrow night, Friday the 9th, I'll be social dancing at Sac Ballroom Society. Chad & Marie Burson will be teaching Foxtrot and Charles Bridges will DJ

On Friday the 23rd, I'll be teaching Bolero at Sac Ballroom Society, and Bill Riley will be DJing.

The next day, the 24th, I'll be teaching a Picture Lines in Bolero workshop at The Ballroom of Sacramento from 2:30 to 4:00. You should at least know some basics in Bolero.

Hope to see you there!

Funny Dance Experience

2009-01-07T07:32:00.001-08:00

I had a funny dance experience recently I thought I'd share. There's a lesson at the end, so stay with me.

I gave Bill and Sharon a lesson one Saturday afternoon at The Ballroom. We finished at 7:00 and saw that Deborah, the dance director, was giving a lesson in Bolero that night, our favorite. We decided to hop into the lesson and see if she taught something we'd like to add to our repertoire.

Things were going swimmingly, and I was rotating from partner to partner. There was the usual collection of non-leaders and bad leaders and leaders who thought they were great dancers and leaders who knew they weren't but were trying hard. I came to one gentleman, who immediately started telling me about how Bolero is all about control, etc. etc.

I raised an eyebrow, but tried to keep my face composed. After all, I've never seen this man before, and he has never seen me. I rarely go on Saturday nights anymore, so a lot of people don't know me, and if he's from out of town or something, of course he wouldn't know who I am. I smiled and nodded.

Deb finished talking and told us to try again, so Mr. Bolero proceeds to over-lead me almost to the point of inflicting pain and throwing me off balance, counting for me and telling me what to do next. Had he been paying attention when we first started dancing together, he should have been able to tell the difference in my frame from a non-educated dancer and perhaps held off on the "help" until he could see whether I needed it (I didn't, thank you very much). Most leaders, when they get me in class and don't know who I am, immediately say something like, "oh!" Not to toot my own horn or say I'm a great dancer, but I am an educated one and there's definitely a difference from your typical beginner at dance class.

Anyway, we changed partners again and I moved on. When the dance started and Linda played a Bolero, Mr. Bolero saw me standing by the side of the floor and asked me to dance. I obliged, trying to rein in the smirk. He proceeded to over-lead and count for me for three or four moves before he said, "Oh. You dance Bolero!"

I smiled graciously and said, "Yes, I do. Thank you." I didn't mention I was a teacher. I usually don't at these things, because people invariably want free lessons on the floor.

He asked who my teacher was. I said, "Oh, I've studied under different people over the years."

He said, "Oh."

We finished the dance, he said we should do another some time and I graciously agreed, although I managed to avoid such an event for the rest of the night and haven't seen him since.

The lesson here is not that I am some sort of dancing goddess who should be revered (perhaps I should be, but really, that's not the point!). The point is...this man was so self absorbed that he had no idea what sort of dancer he was dancing with. Had he been CONNECTED to his partner, he would have noticed right away, not after five minutes together in class and several moves into the social dance.

I've posted about this before: connection is everything! In closed position, you can't necessarily look at your partner and are often told specifically not to...but that doesn't mean you are not fully aware of where your partner is, what their frame is like, and what they are doing. You can feel it all through your body contact and dance frame.

When you dance Rhythm/Latin/Swing, you are encouraged to look at your partner, especially in open position (open positions in American Smooth, too). You have much less contact with your partner, so having that visual not only helps with your connection, but with your three-minute dance relationship. Otherwise, you might as well be dancing with a mop.

Teaching Tuesday Night

2008-10-20T23:06:00.001-07:00

Just a quick FYI that I will be teaching Deborah's classes at The Ballroom tomorrow, Tuesday the 21st. I will also be DJing at Sac Ballroom Society on Friday.

Belly dancing!

2008-10-13T23:22:00.001-07:00

OK, I am a dance nut. It's kind of silly, really. Some people have a fierce loyalty to their chosen discipline and have no interest whatsoever in doing or watching other styles. I, however, wish I could learn every style that's out there! If I were 15 years younger, 70 pounds lighter, way more flexible and 200% more talented, I'd totally love to be on So You Think You Can Dance. However, I'm not. Nor do I have the time or the money too pursue all the dance styles I'd like to! My experience is pretty much limited to Ballroom. I have done a tiny bit of ballet and belly dancing.

Every time I read about or watch a new style of dance, I want to do it. Although, I have to say that some of the "contemporary" stuff they do on SYTYCD is pretty weird and doesn't float my boat. Recently, I wrote an article about Highland dance and wanted to do that. The other night, Greg took me to Marrakech (a Moroccan restaurant in Sacramento) for my birthday. One of our favorite features about that place is the fact that they have a belly dancer on Friday and Saturday nights. Watching her got me all excited about belly dancing again, as she did when I first saw her (assuming it was the same one) there a few years ago.

I did get to learn a little belly dancing a couple of years ago for a variety show I was in, and I really loved it. I think it's time to do some more! My friend Ally said she wants to go with me, and we want Ashley to go with us, but I think they'll chicken out. Either way, I'm doing it! There's a lady who teaches in Folsom, where I live, so I've contacted her for info. yay!

Bolero workshop today, and a discussion of technique

2008-10-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I don't think to announce these things sooner, but I am giving a Bolero workshop today from 2:30 to 4:00 at The Ballroom of Sacramento. We will be working on styling and technique and applying those to a couple of patterns.

Technique is good for everyone, whether you compete or not. Most people, in my experience, would like to look better on the dance floor and lead/follow better. However, these same people don't want to take the time to work on their technique! They think they just need to learn some "styling" to look better. However, while learning where to put your free arm in a cross-over break will help you look a little better, using proper technique will take you much further! It also helps you to interact better with your partner, because you are both using your bodies properly.

Technique does not have to be hard, and you do not have to spend hours on drills. Simple things like using correct footwork, rise and fall, moving your body correctly over your feet and improving your frame are things that are easy to learn and improve, but go a long way toward improving your dancing--for you and your partner.

DJing this weekend

2008-09-06T00:33:00.001-07:00

Attention dance fans, I will be DJing this Saturday night at The Ballroom of Sacramento, 6009 Folsom Blvd in Sacramento. Hope to see you there! Maybe I'll come back with some new material to talk about, since I haven't updated this blog in a while.

What is dance all about?

2008-08-08T23:37:00.001-07:00

If you ask five people what dancing is about, you will probably get five different answers. However, I will tell you the real answer: dancing is about connection. Connection to the music, to your partner, and within yourself.

When you dance, what are you thinking about? The steps, how to wiggle your hips? You should be thinking about relating to your partner and to the music. Yes, steps are important, but they are only part of the connection.

I watch dancers who are technically pretty good, but they have no connection to each other or the music. They are just going through the motions. Or, they are so busy trying to do cuban motion, they are ignoring each other (I mentioned this in an earlier post). Their arms aren't connected to what their bodies or legs are doing. None of it is expressing the music, although they might be on the music.

When you see the top professionals dancing, they put together all the pieces. The team is working together as one, every part of both bodies are working together, telling the same story--the story the music is telling. Although their technique is very, very good (and, truly, that technique is a foundation that helps the rest of it), but what gives them the extra edge is all the other stuff.

Dancing is connection.

Teaching tomorrow

2008-07-28T23:35:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post that I taught Samba at the Sac Ballroom Society dance last week...now all two of my readers missed it! Ah, well. Tomorrow I'm teaching Deborah's classes at The Ballroom. Hope to see you there!

Free online dance lessons!

2008-07-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have started posting some dance steps on my Associated Content page. Please check them out! They're just basics, but if you are just learning to ballroom dance, you may find them useful.

Get out on the floor!

2008-07-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

I want to clarify something I said about dancing beyond your ability, and my observations in other people. I analyze dancers because I am a teacher and it is what I am trained to do. Keep in mind that: A. most people don't do this. They watch the good dancers and B. if you are a beginner, most people will glance at you, think "beginners, good for them for getting out there! Looks like they're having a good time!" or something like that. Most people will not stare at or judge beginners who are just trying to get out there and practice. So, don't let shyness stop you from getting out on the dance floor and practicing your dancing!

Ballroom dancing takes a lot of practice, and if you don't practice between lessons it will take you much longer to learn. Besides, what good is taking dance lessons if you never go out and dance? Try to go to your local studio's dances at least once per month to practice, see other dancers and get some inspiration and socialize.

Don't try so hard!

2008-07-05T22:54:00.001-07:00

My rant for today is not to try so hard in your dancing. I don't mean not to try to do your best, or try to get better...but don't try so hard to dance well that you are taking away from the smoothness and rhythm. Dancing can get very stilted and unnatural, and that is no fun to watch or do.

I also see people who dance as if they are better than they actually are. I know that sounds harsh, but it is true. I know a woman who just loves to point her toes and do graceful arm movements, but she does them all at the wrong times, and they don't fit the dance or the music. She's so wrapped up in how pretty she thinks she dances, she's distracted and disconnected from her partner. Therefore, he cannot lead her as well as he would like--and who is that fun for? Well, her. But ballroom dancing is not just about the girl, is it?

Focus first on the lead and follow, then the technique, then arm styling. The focus should always be on the absolute basics. Without the basics, the dance falls apart.

Students I love

2008-07-02T23:06:00.001-07:00

Tonight I started teaching a new couple in private lessons. They have been dancing for a while but want to improve their technique and styling as well as learn steps. These people are my favorite type of student. Not because they are fantastic dancers--they need some work. The reason I like them is because they KNOW they need work. They have made a commitment to improving. They take lessons and practice. They ask good questions and take notes. The man made sure he knew the lady's part so he could help her--but that also helps him to lead her correctly. They were attentive and didn't argue. Perfect! I'm really looking forward to teaching this couple.

Dance around

2008-06-28T00:01:00.001-07:00

My advice for today is to dance with as many different partners as possible. Many people like to stick with the person they came with (usually a significant other). However, if you only dance with each other, you tend to make up for each other's faults, so you both get entrenched in your bad habits. Then, you stop leading and following, or it declines, because you get kind of complacent. Even with each other, it's not as good as if you kept your leading and following skills sharp by dancing with other partners. It also keeps things interesting, and the singles who come to the dance really appreciate it!In class, it can help you learn--if you're a beginner, don't let intimidation keep you with your partner and hinder your learning. Rotate to the other partners, because if they have the step, they can help you learn it. Then, you get back together with your partner and you're both happier because you both got it!

Teaching and dj'ing 6/27

2008-06-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to announce that I'll be teaching American Foxtrot at Sac Ballroom Society on Friday night, June 27th, at 7:30. I will also be plaing the music for the dance. We're having a special mixer: instead of a line dance mixer, we're encouraging everyone to mix on their own! Have your partner sign your dance card, and whoever dances with the most partners wins a prize!

Jennifer steps in

2008-06-14T23:24:00.000-07:00

Well, after my big plug for Bill yesterday, he called me at 5:30 and asked if I would teach for him! He'd spent all day moving about 2,600 pounds of scrap metal out of his side yard and, strangely, didn't feel up to teaching! I'm always up for making an extra buck if I can, so I agreed. I taught Tango, and it was really fun. As always, there were a couple of people who had never done Tango and most of the people had done quite a bit. I started with the basic step, then did Tango Rocks, which is pretty easy but a little more complicated and keeps them moving across the floor. I don't think many of them had done it before, if any. Finally, for the most experienced dancers I taught them a left rock turn, starting with a left promenade and ending with a corte. It was a nice step and gave the opportunity to talk a lot about technique and leading. Everyone got it by the end, even the beginners! It was really a fun class. I stayed and danced for about an hour and a half and had a good time...Bill showed up and we did a couple, plus I danced with a couple of others (including Lon and Mark, two of my favorites).

I'm very pleased that my fitness level is improving. I huffed and puffed after the dances as usual, but not as much, and I danced several in a row without collapsing. This is thanks to my healthy eating habits over the past couple of weeks, several trips on the treadmill, and probably the fact that I've been dancing more lately. In any case, it feels good!

Bill's teaching tomorrow

2008-06-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, my brother/partner Bill is teaching Tango at Sac Ballroom Society. Please go support him! I hope to go, but I absolutely must go see my horse...I wasn't able to go tonight or last night!

The Sac Ballroom Society dances are really nice, low-key dances. Most of the people know how to dance, although there are few advanced dancers. The DJ's rotate (including me), so you get a different sound all the time. The facility is very nice and Robert and Leilani, who run it, put on a very nice snack spread and are really friendly. Check it out!

Teaching

2008-06-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to really enjoy teaching dance again. There was a time a few years ago when I was teaching five, six, even seven days per week. It got very old and I got very tired of it. I got burnt out, bitter about every little annoyance. Since I've had a nice long break from it and am doing more lately, I'm remembering what it is that I like about it. I like sharing my knowledge with people. I like the challenge of finding a new way to explain a concept so every person in the class gets it...or at least comes close. I like it when someone tells me after class "I've never gotten that before, but you explained it so well I understand now!" Every time it happens, I get a charge...it makes my day.

I teach again on June 27th, at Sac Ballroom Society. I'll be teaching American Foxtrot, then dj'ing for the dance. Should be fun...come on out!

Don't take classes above your level!

2008-05-27T22:23:00.000-07:00

My rant for the day is about people who take classes above their level. If you have taken one beginning class and didn't quite get everything, you are not ready for intermediate! Intermediate is not just more steps...the steps get harder. You're doing yourself a disservice, along with everyone else in the class and the teacher, but taking a class you're not ready for. Make sure you have every concept down pat--you might want to take each level twice (or more as you move up) before taking the next level.

Teaching at The Ballroom

2008-05-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

I will be subbing for Deborah for the next two weeks at The Ballroom of Sacramento. Tomorrow is intermediate American Cha Cha at 7:30 and advanced American Bolero at 8:30. Hope to see you there!

A little about me

2008-05-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned that I currently teach ballroom dancing at The Ballroom of Sacramento. I thought I'd talk a little today about my dance history.

I started dancing at the beginning of June in 1995 when my brother Bill informed me I was going to. We'd been ice skating and roller skating most of our lives with varying levels of commitment, but I hadn't skated much in a while. Bill had taken up ballroom dancing with one of his skating partners, but she'd lost interest so he decided I needed to take it up in her place. I didn't have anything else to do that night, so I went. I was immediately hooked! I started going every chance I could get.

At first, I mostly learned by following Bill and by taking the classes that were offered before dances. Soon we started taking group classes and my skills grew. At some point when I'd only been dancing a few months, Ruby Campbell, then owner of The Ballroom Dance Center, offered me a teacher trainee contract, where I'd learn to be a dance teacher through her program and would then have a job. Well, the education didn't turn out to be all it was cracked up to be and I quit. I continued dancing here and there and eventually ended up at The Ballroom of Sacramento.

I took classes and workshops whenever I could, and when Bill needed a partner and would swing for private lessons, I took them. We competed a little bit, but didn't do very well. We found more enjoyment in giving performances, where we didn't have to pay to dance in front of other people! I eventually decided to turn pro and began teaching at The Ballroom. Bill and I did a few pro-am competitions, but eventually I bowed out and let him concentrate on his amateur partners. Bill always has several partners.

When I got my horse three and a half years ago, I started cutting back at The Ballroom and eventually stopped teaching all together unless someone needed a sub or an emergency private lesson. This was fine with me, because I had something new to concentrate on and was kind of burned out on teaching. In the past year, I've started teaching a little more again, several times per year at Sacramento Ballroom Society and subbing more at The Ballroom. I'm hoping to get some more teaching in to supplement my writing career so I can quit my day job! I am available for private lessons and classes/workshops in American-style ballroom through the bronze level, and I DJ if equipment is provided. Contact me at twnkltoz@gmail.com!

Welcome to my dancing blog!

2008-05-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

Since I want to start dancing a bit more, I thought I'd start a blog to post my thoughts. I teach at The Ballroom of Sacramento and Sac Ballroom Society from time to time and am available for private lessons. More later--I need to get to bed!