Dance around

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

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

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

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

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!