Swing Dynamite Blog
Thoughts and news about swing dancing in Ottawa
Getting out of your comfort zone
[ 2 Comments ] Posted by Mercedes on Jul 29, 2011 in Getting Good at Swing Dancing, Swing Dancing
In keeping with Byron’s last post about auditioning for a continual advanced class, I thought it would be a good idea to list the benefits of getting out of your comfort zone.
Charleston Dancers, Photo from DanceHeritage.org
Breaking “The Box”
I have experienced, time and time again, that when I push myself (even just a little) to do things that would otherwise intimidate me, I discover that I am capable of accomplishing things that I didn’t suspect I could do. When you try new things with your dancing, you break free from “The Box” and you are exposed to a world of possibilities. Breaking a pattern or “dancing outside the box” will help you improve in more ways than one; it’ll help your creativity, it’ll force you to think about technique and connection and it will help you develop your personal style.
Broadening horizons
When you open your mind to what life has to offer, you experience more of it. The same applies to dance. Try different styles, dance with different partners, travel to a variety of venues, incorporate what you learn into your dancing; it’ll heighten your dance experience.
Facing fears
One of life’s greatest limitation is fear. Fear of ridicule, fear of failure, fear of rejection… the list goes on. I often say, “Fear is a wall between you and your happiness. Recognize it, face it, then get over or around it!” Whatever your fear may be around your dancing – whether it be solo dancing, or aerials – face it! You’ll feel better about yourself for being brave and you’ll become a better dancer overall.
Continue reading “Getting out of your comfort zone” »
New Intermediate/Advanced Lindy Hop Class – Audition Only
[ 1 Comment ] Posted by byron on Jul 26, 2011 in Auditions, Getting Good at Swing Dancing
We’ve got a new pilot project at the Swing Dynamite dance school: the audition-only Intermediate/Advanced Lindy Hop class. Yes, the name is a mouthful and we’re still working on the final title. It was originally the “Advanced” class but that seemed to be scaring off people who should really be auditioning. And if it’s the idea of auditioning itself that scares you, see below for some words of encouragement.
The concept
The concept has been in the works for many years. Long ago we recognized that the most effective way for swing dancers to progress was as a member of a dance troupe. The combination of intense troupe training plus regular social dancing is virtually unbeatable as a way to accelerate the learning process. It’s like a swing dance immersion program. Getting to practice regularly with hand-picked, dedicated partners, and under the watchful eye of attentive coaches, has a powerful effect. The proof is in the pudding, as they say: nearly every one of the top swing dancers in Ottawa or Montreal is or has been a member of a dance troupe. Within Swing Dynamite we’ve repeatedly had dancers achieve their first competition successes after less than a year in a dance troupe.
However troupe membership isn’t a perfect solution: Continue reading “New Intermediate/Advanced Lindy Hop Class – Audition Only” »
Dance outside your city!
[ No Comments ] Posted by Mercedes on Jul 19, 2011 in Getting Good at Swing Dancing, Musicality, Swing Dancing
Jason & Crystal
This past Sunday, Scott and I went dancing in Abbotsford (a suburb, 1h outside of Vancouver). Suburban Swing is run by Jason Warner every Sunday evening throughout the year – no breaks! We then thought it was a fantastic idea to check out the dancing and try to make new connections, seeing as Vancouver dancing dies down during the summer time.
The dance was in a seniors’ centre, with a dance hall, a stage and a sitting area – Jason was DJing. After a few priviledged conversations with Jason, I found out more about the scene; its needs and its dancers. One of the things we noticed is that there was a lot more asking on the girls end (we ask the guys!) otherwise, there’s little chance for you to dance. The reality is, there are – big surprise! – too many girls to the number of guys dancing. Another thing we noticed is that, while playing mainly swing music, a lot of neo-swing and other fusion styles were played to suit different styles of dancers. Namely, a few rockabilly options were heard. Come to think of it, there was an overall fashion statement of either casual or rockabilly dress code.
An area that was surprising to me, was how “East Coast Swing“-influenced the dancing was. Very few of my partners swung out or busted out triples. I distinctly remember a lot of reverse swing outs, actually. A lot of the connection was happening in the arms and less in the body. I managed to follow most moves, but it happened frequently that I found myself wondering what I was doing and where my partner was going. I became ultra-sensitive: I was using my regular connection through my left arm and side (and sort of imposing it on my partner in a way – making it available for him to use) while being receptive to other leads. The upside is that many of these East Coast (or 6 count Lindy) dancers are very musical, as they are use to using “moves” or arms to express themselves.