Happy Holidays!!!

This year is a little different......the Advanced Class has been doing 4 weeks of each dance for about 3 years now and really seem to love it.  Guess they have been extolling the virtues of that extra time, because this year for the first time my 2 Intermediate classes are also trying the 4-week format.  By the time you get to these levels you are officially "hooked on dance" and committed to learning.  I think everyone will see the benefit by the end of the year, but we are having to squeeze in classes because of the holidays.  Thanks to everyone for pulling together and getting it done!! 

And since the holidays are fast approaching.......please don't forget that a great gift idea for any dancer is a new pair of dance shoes.  Try Saratoga Dance or you can order shoes online.  I ordered shoes from a company in CA and wasn't pleased.  Try a company a little closer and see if you have better luck.  Tic Tac Toe is always popular, and any dance supply store will carry jazz shoes or character shoes.  This is a good option for anyone buying dance shoes for the first time, since the investment is smaller than from the well-known ballroom dance shoe suppliers. I even have students who have ordered shoes from Old Pueblo Traders and were very pleased.  You'll notice that many of the dancers come in to class with dance sneakers, especially made for ballroom class.  Not too stylish to wear to a dance, but perfect for practicing in class ---- just make sure they have suede on the bottom.  You have many many options.

AND --- for family or friends who would like to try dance for the first time, I have Gift Certificates available.  Beginners Class resumes Friday, January 7th at 7 pm.  Or give them a private hour of instruction......up to you!! 

Other Gift Ideas and Stocking Stuffers:
A new shoe tote, personalized water bottle to bring to class, shoe brush, heel caps for those expensive dance shoes, dance tees, a journal for dance notes, and of course CD's.  Men take note --- we ladies love to twirl and a skirt that flows is always appreciated!!!  The Black Tie Dinner Dance is coming up in a couple months ---- how about a gift certificate for a new dress? With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, sometimes the best thing is a quiet evening at home......how about an IOU for a Romantic Evening of Dinner and Dancing?  Make his favorite meal and serve it by candlelight, roll up the rug, and dance to some of your favorite songs.

Hope this has helped give you ideas for your own special someone.......wishing you the warmest of holidays!!!!   Peace and Joy to all.......Jan

That Ole Rhumba (OR Rumba)

The other day I received a phone call from a couple interested in starting dance lessons.  When I told him we'd be doing Rhumba & Cha Cha, he said the names should be changed because they sound like "old dances".  Well yeah, they've been around for awhile, and I guess to a non-dancer Salsa sounds more contemporary.  Salsa is just Mambo re-worked and is probably the dance everyone thinks of when you say "Latin".  Good, glad that Salsa sounds like fun! 

The Beginners Level-1 Group is finishing up Merengue this week, while everyone else is working on Rhumba.  Merengue is so much fun, and so easy it is a great introduction to Latin, and a great confidence builder for people new to dance.  Absolutely anyone can mange to do Merengue and have fun on the floor with this party dance.  The strong beat of the music is like a march anyone can hear and almost anything goes in Merengue.  Going on a cruise?  This is a great dance to know!

Rhumba is the slower, romantic Latin dance.  It became popular in the US in the late 30's and 40's, but at that time was a faster dance.  Rhumba is related to all kinds of Latin rhythms, like Guaguanco, Bolero, and yes --- Salsa.  Contemporary dancers do Bolero, or the International version of Rhumba called "Rumba-Bolero", or Social Rhumba.  International dancers like their music slow (or else extremely fast --- like Jive & Quickstep), but we Social dancers like a rhumba with a slightly faster tempo or it can feel draggy to us.  We like a Rhumba with a little more kick.  Michael Buble has some pretty rhumbas you can practice to --- or if you're into oldies, try the Drifters. 

Because it's a slower dance, this is the dance that will really help the men to develop good clear Latin leads (like for a 5th position break) and get started using Latin motion.  Latin motion is a personal thing......some people will take to it easily, others will have a difficult time adding this styling.  American men have a harder time with it, but believe me, you'll look sexier on the dance floor and your hips won't overdo it --- you're just not built the same way, Guys!!  Getting used to dancing that "Slow-quick-quick" rhythm consistently will make it easier when you finally start learning Salsa --- which we count "quick-quick-slow". 

And what about that other old dance, Cha Cha?  You'll get used to dancing to a faster tempo, but be practicing many of the same leads (and follow techniques) that you were using for Rhumba.  Cha Cha puts a lot of footwork into the Latin rhythm because of syncopation.  It's been around since the 50's, but is definitely a dance you can use almost anywhere.  Got a wedding to attend?  Listen to the music and you'll find lots of contemporary artists singing to a Cha Cha rhythm.  Gotta learn to Cha, just gotta.

And once you've learned Rhumba and gotten that Cha Cha syncopation, you'll have a much easier time dealing with the faster Salsa music.  Everyone wants to learn to Salsa, but most people have a hard time keeping up with the music.  That's why it's better to learn some fundamental movements in Rhumba and Cha Cha before you try tackling Salsa. Everything happens faster in Salsa  --- men need to feel comfortable and at home with the leads and understand the timing, while women need to keep tone (resistance) and react to leads that are coming fast and furious.  You want to have fun doing Salsa, not feel overwhelmed or confused. 

Each dance has its own flavor and you will come to love and appreciate each for its unique take on Latin.  Hey, salt and pepper have been around a lot longer and we would all feel deprived if we couldn't grab that shaker!!  So don't limit your dance palate either --- and go out there and shake your bon-bon!!

My Veteran's Day Adventure

Veteran's Day was a beautiful sunny day this year......it was also on a Thursday.  Everyone knows that holidays are celebrated on Mondays so that city, state, and federal employees get the day off and a long weekend.  And that is why on this beautiful sunny day I loaded up the car with my garbage and started driving to the local landfill.

Somewhere along the way I remembered it was a holiday and realized that the landfill was closed.  The workers at the landfill always have a huge sign stating the next upcoming holiday and their next day off ---- like a goal to reach.  But it was a gorgeous day and I was in the mood to be out and about, and I decided to drive to Vermont.  I set off on the hour's drive, happy to be enjoying the sunshine. The garbage was enjoying the sunshine too as it steamed away in the trunk of my car.  It wasn't long before the odor started wafting my way through the open window and finding a place to dump this load became high priority.  I scanned the road looking for a blue dumpster but they were all behind locked fences.  Garbage cans lined the road all the way to Vermont but they were empty, pickup had already happened.  They were taunting me,  laughing at me, as I drove on and on, their flapping lids seemed to say "Nyah nyah".   As the garbage ripened in the sun, I wondered if I would soon smell pretty ripe too.

At last I spotted a Big Blue at a Sunoco!!!  I got out of the car and felt like an idiot explaining my situation to the two cashiers.  No, they said, I couldn't use their dumpster because they pay by the pound.  I would have turned to leave, but the woman was flipping burgers as she told me the bad news.  I am like Wimpy, cannot resist a burger, and was stunned to see a sign saying they have Boar's Head deli meat!!!    Are all Sunoco's like this?  They had salads, and cold sandwiches, it was a real deli in the middle of a gas station.  I ordered a burger and the two cashiers were like a comedy team.  We laughed, we joked, he did a dance for me.  While I waited for the burger I picked up a mac & tuna salad, a chocolate chip cookie, a bottle of water and yes, I went for it, a Butterfinger!  I left with my little picnic lunch and alas...the garbage.

I arrived at last in Bennington and drove to the Bennington Battlefield.  I recalled happy times in the past when I had taken the kids to see the monument, the one my small son called "The Big Penie".  I found an open spot, parked and chowed down.  The burger was delicious, and I swear the salad was the best I had ever bought at a deli.  The cookie was loaded with huge chunks of chocolate, and tasted homemade.  I couldn't finish it all, but I was definitely in hog heaven and had the greasy fingers and face to prove it. 

I drove through downtown Bennington, stopped at a store and picked up a magazine and a free Guide.  I did not see any open dumpsters, and now that my joy from lunch was fading, the reality of driving home with the garbage hit me.  Who would take this smelly problem away?  I drove around for a little while longer but no solution appeared.  Sadly, I knew it was time to head home and face all those empty cans thumbing their lids at me. 

Now it was later in the day and the sun was even warmer than before.  And suddenly I saw it!!!  A big blue dumpster calling me, its lid wide open and beckoning, singing its siren song "Fill Me Up, Buttercup".  It was in the parking lot of a little drive-in coffee shack.  I drove up to the window and told the girl my sad story, steeling myself for the rejection.  Imagine my joy when she said Sure, go ahead and put your garbage in our dumpster!!!!!  I was thrilled, elated, and joyfully hopped out of the car and opened the trunk.  In the open dumpster went the two bags!!!  I was so happy and relieved, and couldn't believe my good fortune as I stood in the sun and tried to wave the fumes away.  What a happy ride home!!  This must be the way Santa feels when he leaves his goodies!!!

At home, flipping through the Vermont Guide I worried a little.....is it illegal to transport homemade garbage across state lines?  But mostly I was thankful ---- because if I had gotten to Bennington an hour earlier me and my garbage would have been in the parade!!!   

TAKING DANCE NOTES

Anyone who is really serious about learning to dance should eventually begin taking notes on patterns or techniques learned in class.  The more you get into dancing, the more patterns floating around in your head and the more necessary it becomes to jot something down.  I know most of you would love for me to write out the patterns for you --- but there's a reason why teachers assign homework!!  Just making an attempt to write something down helps to cement it in your mind and makes it easier to remember.  So here are some hints as to how to take notes!

1.  Use the tracking sheets that I supply.  They give you the names of the patterns and provide space to make little notes to jog your memory.  But you will at some point want to take more elaborate notes as you progress in your dancing.

2.  Do the notes from the Man's point of view --- if he doesn't remember the pattern, ladies, it's not happening!    Any special notes about the Lady's part can be noted as well.

3. Start with the timing --- every dance has its own timing.  DO NOT make up your own count.  Believe me, you are just adding to your own confusion and making it harder on yourself and your partner.  Add the footwork.  I suggest using abbreviations because as you get practice at writing things down you'll notice you use the same things pretty often.  It's like a recipe for dance - we all know the meaning of 1 C vs 2 tsp

4.  Know the big Basic Components!!!  Like a 5h Position Break, an Open Break, a Box.  You need to have these components straight in your mind as you advance through the levels.

Let's try an easy one:   Box Step in Waltz

1              LF (left foot)               forward
2              RF (right foot)            side
3              LF                               tog (bring feet together)
1              RF                              back
2              LF                              side
3              RF                              tog

You might also make a note to turn the pattern counter-clockwise - just note <--

Now that wasn't hard, was it?  So let's try a more complicated pattern in Waltz:

Parallel Hesitations ---  start DW (start facing at a diagonal angle to the wall)

1              LF                                forward, OP (outside partner)
2             ----                                hold position -- Lady does leg lift
3             ----                                continue holding position
1             RF                                forward OP
2             LF                                side, turn 1/4 (90 degrees) to R (clockwise)
3             RF                                tog.  End with back facing DC (at a diagonal angle to center)
1             LF                                 back OP
2-3         ----                                 hold (Lady = leg lift)
1             RF                                back OP
2             LF                                side, turn 1/4 L
3             RF                                tog - end facing DW


If you know your Basic Components you can use those as shortcut parts of the notes --- here's another way to write up the same pattern:

Parallel Hesitations (like ZZ in FT) - start DW

1-2-3                                           fwd hes OP- Lady leg lift (LF)
1-2-3                                           fwd 1/2 box, 1/4 R
1-2-3                                           bk hes OP- Lady leg lift (LF)
1-2-3                                           bk 1/2 box, 1/4 L- end DW


Here's a gift to anyone who knows their components:  Changing Grapevines in Fox Trot

SQQ SQQ      par. twink
S                      bk OP
QQQQ             rev GV
QQ                  end in twink
S                     across in PP
QQQQ            fallaway GV
QQ                  end in Cl or Open

That is a complicated pattern that takes 6 measures to complete......but the notes are easy to jot down if I know my components.  Good Luck!!

Waltz with Rise and Fall

Waltz is the dance that makes us all feel graceful and elegant.  But part of the reason we feel that way is the "rise and fall" of Waltz.  Our job as dancers is always to translate, respond, and reflect whatever the musicians are playing.  Listen to a waltz and you will hear how the 1 beat is emphasized.  Remember the song "Oom-Pah-Pah" from Oliver?  Down goes the 1-beat and up goes the 2, up a little higher goes the 3.  And that's what we do as dancers.

Doing the Box Step with Rise and Fall:

1 -  Extend your left leg completely, and step forward on the heel.  As your weight transfers to the foot, soften your knee - "the fall"

2 - Extend your right leg to the side and transfer the weight to the ball of the foot, keeping your heel off the floor.  You are beginning "the rise" on the 2-beat.

3 - Bring your left foot "together", next to your right, and transfer the weight.  As the left foot is coming closer to the right, you are rising on the toe of the right foot.  By the time your weight is transferred to the left foot you are at your highest "rise" at the beginning of count 3.  Then lower to the heel of the left foot at the end of 3, preparing for the next 1 - the "fall".

1 - Extend your right leg back, taking the step on the toe, then rolling to a flat foot.  Once again you are softening the knee, or lowering, as the weight is transferred to the foot.  Take the next 2 beat the same way as before, the next 3 (together) the same way as before, remembering to lower at the end of 3.

It is important to extend the leg completely before softening the knee.  You can't take a short cut and take the step on a bent knee!!  Remember that your steps should always be larger for slower music.  A Box Step in Waltz should be larger than a Box Step in Fox Trot, and a Box Step in Rhumba is even smaller because of the Latin motion. 

Rise and Fall is easy once you get the hang of it, and it definitely adds that lovely feeling of grace and ease that has made Waltz the dance we traditionally turn to for all major life events.  So roll up the rug and practice.......Down Up Up, Down Up Up!!! 

Ode to Dancing Men

Oh Ladies!  Let us sing and praise
That hero of our modern days,
The man who braves despite his fears
And risks the gauntlet of cohorts jeers,
So afraid of looking like an ass---
Yet still he takes a ballroom class!!!

Romantic hero, each and every one
(Made fun of by his own dear son)
He does this just to show his wife
She's still his love and light of his life.
He wants a beer, to take a pass,
But still he stands in ballroom class!!!

With time he learns to hold his frame,
An unsung hero, not seeking fame,
He struggles on, knowing all the while,
The big reward is to see her smile.
He makes mistakes, he makes her laugh!
He's in ballroom --- for his "better half".

Romantic Hero wearing dancing shoes
Like a knight of old, his lady woos
Each dance he tries and eventually learns...
He rhumbas! He swings! Just watch those turns!!
No longer feeling like an ass
Now he has fun in ballroom class!!! 

Oh Ladies!  Let us heap with praise
That lump on the sofa who changed his ways,
That dashing man with the twinkling eye
Romancing his lady as he waltzes by.
Let us honor him! Surround with flowers
That hero who spent those many hours
Learning to dance with skill and grace ---
Simply to see the delight on her face.

Oh Brave Man!!  We women salute you!!
We  want to kiss your dancing shoe!!
You've learned to lead, and how to dip!
To ChaCha --- watch him move that hip!!
All ladies thank him, now, en masse
The Man in his first ballroom class!!!

 

You Just Gotta Swing!!!!

Swing is as American as apple pie!!  It's one of those dances that you can use almost anywhere, whether attending a wedding, a party, or just enjoying a beer at your favorite bar with a jukebox.  Swing began in NYC in the Lucky Lindy era and has lasted all these years because it is an expression of fun and that well-known American optimism, no matter the decade. 

It was originally known as Lindy, named after the famous pilot, and the dancers who frequented the Savoy Ballroom were known as Jitterbugs because their feet moved so fast.  Then came the music of Count Basie and Benny Goodman, and later Tommy Dorsey and the big bands. The music of that era was known as Swing because of the way the musicians played it. Listen to the music of the late 30's and 40's and you can hear how the musicians kind of "swing into it" or slide into the beat,  that infusion of jazz technique into popular dance tunes.  Totally different from today's strong emphasized beats of techno. 

Today we have many versions under the big umbrella known as Swing.  Lindy is an 8-count version that blends Charleston moves with the triple steps of Swing.  Jive is the International or competition version of East Coast Swing.  West Coast Swing is a blending of East Coast patterns and Lindy rhythm danced in a slot.  East Coast includes triple-time, double-time, and single-time swing----also known as Jitterbug. 

Wow!!!  That seems like a lot of different versions of just one dance, doesn't it?  But remember that the music always comes first----the dancers responded to and translated the music of the day.  In the 40's the music was fast and dancers kept up with single-time swing which is the Slow-Slow-Quick-Quick they were also using for FoxTrot. That's why if you attend a Big Band dance you will see some people doing FoxTrot and others doing Swing to the same music.  In the 50's we had the birth of Rock 'n' Roll and dancers used double-time as they danced to Jailhouse Rock or Wake Up Little Susie.  The 60's and 70's brought a little more sophistication, the infusion of soul, and even poetry to popular music.  Things slowed down and the dancers used triple-time  to Sugar Sugar, Backfield in Motion, Takin' Care of Business, or Your Mama Don't Dance------completely different sounds but all triple time. 

A little movie called Swing Kids helped promote the Retro Swing movement.  Kids on the East and West coasts started renting warehouses so they could swing to the new bands like Brian Setzer and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  Swing was once again the thing!!  And it still is ----- there are Swing Clubs on every major college campus today. There are Swing Competitions across the country, and it is included in Ballroom and Country Western competitions. 

The easiest way to learn Swing is triple-time East Coast because it gives you a feel of the rhythm and gives the man just a little more time to adjust to the timing of the leads.  Swing is one of the best dances to teach hand leads and teaches the ladies to respond quickly and have resistance.  I'll start you out with triple-time and then we'll get into Jitterbug for faster music.  In Beginners Level 2 you'll be introduced to West Coast, and you'll find as you progress that Lindy variations are also included. 

Swing is so very American I feel like it's almost unpatriotic not to know how.  So be proud, put your hand on your heart, grab your partner and get out there and Swing!!

Helpful Hints

You are excited because group classes are starting this week --- me too!!!  But you are wondering which class you should attend.  The first thing you need to understand is that I do not introduce patterns randomly.  You first are introduced to the basics and basic components of each dance; each new pattern introduced builds on what you've already learned and adds to the skillset.  As a newbie in the Beginners class you learn the basics of frame; inside turns vs outside turns; closed position vs outside partner vs promenade position; and the basic rhythms of each different dance.  In BEG-2 we add more basic components:  the difference between an Open Break and a 5th Position Break, for example.  By the time you get to BEG-3 you should be familiar with these terms and be ready to go beyond the basics.

Who should be in the Beginners-1 Class?    If you have never taken dance lessons before you should definitely be in the Friday Beginners Class.  That class is designed to get you and your partner off to a good start.  The class moves along according to the average couple --- sometimes new material is introduced very slowly if the majority of the people attending need time to practice and absorb.  I cannot hold the entire class back if only 1 or 2 couples are having problems, but almost everyone needs to take it slowly at first.  You are not only new to dance, you are also new to the learning process.  The tempo of the music is slow to give you more time to think and give you time to build up "muscle memory".  Trying to move around the floor with other couples can be daunting, so just remember to laugh at your mistakes and that it will all smooth out over time.

How about BEG-2?  If you have taken some lessons from another instructor (or from me) you may be more comfortable in the BEG-2 class on Sunday.  That class is designed for people who have had some experience.  If you were in a beginners class and it seemed to move too slowly for you, then this class would probably be a better fit.  Even if you had gaps between classes and were not able to continue for the entire year, you probably learn faster than someone brand new to dance.  At this stage I expect you to be able to move to a more medium tempo of music so I will use a mix of slow and medium.  However ---- if you were in a beginners class and struggled to keep up with the class OR if you are the kind of person who wants to feel more confident before moving on to new material ---- then you might feel more comfortable sticking with the newbies on Friday.  In fact, taking the BEG-1 class for a second year is never a bad idea.  Ask my dance hosts and they will tell you that the first time through you miss the little finer points.  Very often I explain something but your mind is on something else; or perhaps it doesn't resonate with you until you've had a little more time on the boards. 

Who should be in Beginners-3?   The people in this class have been dancing for 2 years and have covered the basics of 10 dances.  If you were with another instructor and had a number of lessons in a particular dance, you may want to attend this Wednesday class when we are covering that dance.  You have the option of staying in the class --- but may at any time drop to a lower level class for the dances you haven't covered.  For example, if you have had lots of swing or lots of cha cha, then you might easily continue with those dances in BEG-3.  But you've never done samba before ---- the best class would be BEG-2 which includes the introduction to samba.  But you've never done waltz  ---- if you prefer a slow introduction to a dance then drop to the BEG-1 - OR - attend the BEG-2 which will include a review of the basics and then continue. 

I do not assign people to certain classes but I will certainly make a recommendation.  Please feel free to email or call if you would like advice.  Remember that each couple learns at their own pace and a great deal of your personal learning style depends on your mindset and personality.  Learning to dance is only accomplished over time; how much time it takes depends on various factors: personal learning style, amount of practice, amount of time on the dance floor, time spent in class, whether you supplement with private lessons, the quality of instruction, and even stress factors going on in your life.  Take things at your own pace and comfort level.  See you in class!!

Swingin' Summer & September Classes Begin!!

We have one more week of summer classes and then will be gearing up for the start of the new "academic" year.  Most of you have spent the summer learning West Coast Swing --- don't know what it is about this dance but everyone (me too) absolutely loves it!!! 

The ADVANCED CLASS begins the new year on Wednesday, Sept. 8th.  This class is on the 4-weeks per dance format, allowing plenty of time for review and time for the introduction of new material.  It has been suggested to me that I ask each group class if they would like to change to this format, so this year I will explain it more fully to each group and let the class vote.

ALL OTHER CLASSES begin Sept. 15th (Wed), Sept 17th (Fridays), and Sept. 19th (Sundays).  All classes, regardless of level, will be working on FoxTrot and then Swing (East Coast).   Check the schedule (on my website) for class times and levels. 

Please check this blogsite for updates --- this is my forum for information re classes, dances, and any info I think you need.  Also would like to remind you all that if your registration info has changed, i.e., address, phone or email address, you should fill out a new registration form this year. 

I am excited about the new dance season --- let's make it a wonderful year of dance!!!

The Lowly FoxTrot

What's your favorite dance?  The answer is usually "Oh I love the Latin dances!!" or some people say they love swing, or any of the faster dances.  Now and then someone will say that the elegant Waltz is the favorite dance, but almost no one ever names Fox Trot as the favorite. 

I think it's because FoxTrot is usually the first dance that a couple learns and once they build up a little confidence FoxTrot seems a little too easy, a little too "ho-hum".  But ask an advanced dancer, and you will often hear that FoxTrot is the ultimate dance of choice. 

The poor lowly FoxTrot of the beginning student is the dance that first teaches the man to hold his frame (and the woman as well) and to dance on time to the music.  The "Slow Slow Quick Quick" of Fox Trot rhythm comes naturally to us, and we use it in other phases of life --- probably one of the biggest reasons the dance became popular and has lasted all these years.  FoxTrot is the dance that lets the men know they are in charge on the dance floor and gets the ladies to understand they must follow.  It is the "walking to music" dance that introduces closed position, promenade position, and outside partner position.    FoxTrot is the foundational dance that teaches the basics of frame and gets you and your partner working as a team on the dance floor.  Eventually this dance will teach the men how to vary the rhythm, and the women will finally let go of memorizing patterns.  Ho-hum? This is big important stuff!!

The more advanced dancer learns to not only vary the rhythm but the frame as well, and the subtleties of real leading and real following.  Footwork becomes very important at this stage, and the "walking to music" dance suddenly turns into gliding down the floor with elegance and grace.  Although many of the patterns are similar to Waltz, with FoxTrot there is the added challenge of holding that Slow and keeping the timing throughout.  The advanced dancer learns to appreciate the skill, and the control, and the hours of practice it takes to master this beautiful dance.  I find it is often the men who name FoxTrot as the favorite!!

Embrace the lowly FoxTrot --- the dance that teaches the men they are the drivers on the dance floor, and the basics of movement.  Just remember it is this dance that will start you out driving the family car but will eventually put you behind the wheel of that sleek little race car!!