Sorting Through Conflicting Information

Recently, I have had a few people talk to me about not knowing what to do when getting conflicting information from instructors.  It’s always hard to sort through any information given to us; unfortunately, that’s exactly what we need to do.

Most of us do take lessons with more than one instructor; whether it is group classes or privates, we are constantly getting information from different people.  This is a good thing!  Every instructor has strengths and weaknesses.  One instructor cannot be everything to everyone.  Different ways of communicating and different personalities work well together.  The hard part about working with more than one instructor is getting conflicting information.  So how do you decide what is “right” and what is “wrong”??

First, you must find out the theory behind what the instructor is telling you to do.  When I first started partner dancing, I was trying to understand why I was supposed to do something, and when I asked the person training me, they said “that’s just the way you do it.”  That is NOT an explanation!  IF you are not sure – always ask why!  If your instructor cannot explain why or cannot give you an explanation that makes sense, then you can be confident in disregarding that information. 

Next, if you are trying to work through two different ways of doing something, always go with the way that feels more natural, more connected, and more in tune with your partner.  Most of the time a new concept will be hard to execute, but it should make the movement easier and more comfortable. 

The last thing to consider is how it looks.  Which way (especially when it comes to styling) is more aesthetically pleasing to you and fits in with what your style is?   Don’t forget that it is ultimately YOU who has to make the decision as to what you want to do.  Don’t get lost in what is “right” and what is “wrong”; choose what makes sense to you and your body.  We as instructors can only give you help and guidance; we cannot give you all the answers.  You must find your own way on this crazy, fabulous journey!

Advancing Your Dancing

I think that at some point we all get to that plateau…..you know the one where you feel like you’re not getting any better, or the one where you feel like you’ve got nowhere else to go.  You’re stuck in the same level with the same results every time you step on the floor.  Or maybe you feel like you’ve learned it all.  (This is the trap to beware of!!)  You should never feel like there is nowhere else to go.  There is always something you can change, something you can improve, or something you can experiment with.  Just because someone’s reached a high level of skill in one dance, doesn’t mean there is nothing left for them to learn or nothing left for them to improve.

Sometimes it takes going to a different instructor so that you can get a different opinion or hear something in a different way.  Sometimes it means trying out a different type of dance and challenging yourself to do something new, or revisiting a dance style that you used to do to help inspire you.  Sometimes it means not worrying about what level you are at, but just worrying about growing and improving.  Sometimes it’s just the challenge of doing a new routine; everyone is different, so there is no right answer.  In my mind, one of the best ways to improve your dancing is to try something new – whether it’s a new partnership or a totally new style of dancing. 

I know that in the beginning it is sometimes easier to focus on just one dance style, but as you progress, it is important to have other things to draw from.  It may give you a new type of arm styling to add, a new understanding of how to make your weight shifts, it may give you new patterns to try in a different dance, or any number of other things.  I have known many different kinds of dancers in my day, and many of the higher level dancers are reluctant to try something new because they don’t want to look inferior or bad.  I understand completely – no one wants to look bad, but if we never try, we’ll never know what we can do.  If we never do anything new, then we become stagnant.  Our dancing will never evolve.  We should never stop learning…….there is no one who knows everything and can’t learn something.  If we can remember this, then we will never be bored or uninspired!

In my mind, the best dancers are the ones who are able to keep their dancing growing and evolving and are able to excel in more than one dance form.  So keep working, keep growing, and keep dancing!!

Keeping Competition in Perspective

It’s the same scenario at every competition.  There are a lot of amateurs standing in lines waiting to strut their stuff on the dance floor.  There is a group of 5 to 7 pros with clipboards or iPads waiting to give their opinion on what the amateur does.  And at the end of the day or the weekend, someone goes home with the prize and someone is disappointed; disappointed that they didn’t dance their best, that they had a mistake, or that they didn’t place where they should have, or didn’t place at all.  The ams then go back to their pros and ask for an explanation.  All we can do is tell them what we think.  We can’t read the judges minds, and we only know by experience how certain people judge.  We don’t always have the answer. 

There is always judging in any type of dancing that you do – whether it be by the audience, or by reviewers, or by actual judges.  The thing to always remember is that every judgment is subjective.  It’s one person’s opinion.  As much as the judges can look at technique, timing, and (in terms of routines) composition, there will always be the variable judgment of styling and personal taste.  You always have to remember that it’s not just about the winning or the placing.  Competitions should be used to help you reach your goals……”I am going to be able to do x, y, and z before this event.”  “I want to feel like I’m comfortable in a certain level at this event.”  You can use competitions to gauge your progress, but don’t just look at your placements.  You need to compare how you dance at one competition to how you dance at the next.

Does it feel good to win?  Yes.  Do we want to win?  Yes.  Is it ok to be disappointed that you didn’t win or place??  Yes.  The point is not to get wrapped up in it, and not to take it too personally or too seriously.  It is important to use the disappointment to better yourself and your dancing.  Take the opportunity to find out what you can improve upon and make it happen, so there is no question that you are the best one on the floor!  Make sure you listen to those that you trust and admire, and take the advice that you know is right. 

Always remember, that not placing in a competition is not the end of the world.  A good placement can be a sign that you are getting better, it can be a confidence booster, it can be something to be proud of, but never forget, the important thing is to improve and love what you are doing!!  It’s about the dancing, the music, and the fun!!

Social vs. Competitive Hustle Dancing

In partner dancing, there are different aspects to how we can dance.  The two main styles and places we will dance are socially and competitively.  We always have to remember when we are dancing on the social floor there are certain things that we should and shouldn’t do.  On the flip side there are things that you should do on the competitive floor that will make your dancing stand out – things that we are not able to do on the social floor.

Let’s first look at the social floor, since that is where Hustle first started.  On the social floor, there are usually quite a few more people than on the competitive floor.  That means that you need to be more compact in your movements and in the steps that you choose to do.  Traveling will obviously be at a minimum depending on how people are moving and how many people are on the floor.  First, it is the leader’s responsibility to lead the appropriate steps for the space that is available.  It is also the leader’s responsibility to be aware of all of the people and space around the couple, and to be able to maneuver around them.  Also, if someone comes into the open space into which you send your partner, you must be able to stop her from running into them.  It must be remembered that as much as Hustle is an extended dance, it is important for the follower to extend, but the leader can shorten his arm slightly to keep her closer.

Some things NOT to lead on the social floor: samba shadows, traveling steps (i.e., traveling full cross body leads, waltz step, Fred & Gingers, etc.), anything that takes up more space than is available to you.

For followers, it is also important to be aware of who is around you at all times.  It is not just the leader’s job to keep you from running into someone, but also the follower’s job to stop yourself if you know someone is there.  You need to make sure that you only move enough to get a good connection with your partner.  Pay attention to how far the leader is letting you out – don’t out run the connection.  It is also our job to use space-appropriate arm styling.  We all “know” this, but we have to be aware of it on the dance floor.  You can always take the arm higher; up by bringing it past your ear, or put your hand on your hip.  Or you can always do what I do………touch yourself – it keeps the arm close to you and (usually) looks sexy!  

For both partners, one of the most important things on the social floor is eye contact.  You must always be looking at your partner!  Yes, leaders may need to quickly look to check for space when performing moves, but as much as possible this dance is about you and your partner – not who’s watching you. 

On the flip side, a competitive dance, while still being a partnership, should also include the audiences and judges.  There are appropriate times to look at the audience and make eye contact with them to include them in your dance.  There are also obviously more pattern options, and usually more space on the competitive floor, but it is still important to be aware of who is around you.  Floor craft is an important thing that judges look at.  Leaders can lead pretty much any step, and of course you want to have a variety of moves.  There are also more options for followers as there is more room for arm styling as well as expansion.  PLEASE remember that in a competition it is still about following your partner and about the couple.  Do not get so involved with playing to the audience that you forget about your partner.  One of the things I look for is a dynamic couple with good communication and connection. 

So next time you set foot on the dance floor, be aware of where you are and dance accordingly!!  Everyone around you will appreciate it!!

Dance Floor Etiquette

I know almost everyone has done an article, blog post, letter, facebook post, etc. on etiquette on the dance floor, but a few of my experiences lately have prompted me to comment on what has already been addressed many times. 

I’d like to think that even the most beginner leader knows that they need to pay attention to where they are sending their partner and  to where they are travelling.  One of the major things that we need to remember is that there is a difference between how we dance on a social setting and how we dance on the competitive floor.  We all (leaders and followers alike) need to think about the fact that there is less space on a social floor as well as more people.  A social dance is about you and your partner and the music, whereas in a competitive dance, we also have to remember that there is an audience, in addition to the fact that we have to perform certain moves and include a little bit of all types of moves.

Other than just the styling, there are a couple of other things that we need to remember.  In Hustle, not only are we sending our follower out, but often we, as leaders, are moving out as well.  So we need to be aware of what is behind us as well as what is in front of us.  We also need to make sure that the arm styling that we use (this is for leaders as well as followers!!) needs to be contained.  It cannot slice outward from the body, but it must always come into the body and then out where there is space.   If there is no space for the arm, then we must keep it closer to us!!!  Please, please, please remember that what you do with your free arm is not just about making you look good, but about putting it where there is space. 

In my experience, many leaders pay attention to where they are sending the girl and the amount of space that they have, but many followers do not.  As followers, we have to be just as aware as leaders, not only about where we are putting our arms, but also about where we are travelling.  The first defense is always the leader paying attention to where he is sending us, but things happen quickly and someone may come into that space while he is sending you.  It is then up to the follower to hold back and avoid the collision.  Followers - we know the leaders who pay attention and the ones who do not, so be extra aware when you are dancing with those who don’t pay attention. 

One last note, always remember that no matter how careful we are, things happen.  You may bump into someone, or accidentally hit them; it is how we respond that matters.   Always make sure you apologize and make sure no one got hurt.  DO NOT ignore it!!!  And if your partner has hit someone and they ignore it, please take the responsibility to make sure that everyone is ok, and apologize.  This will reflect well on you.  No one likes a bully, and if you are one of those who run into people constantly and never apologizes – you are a bully!!  Just remember, a simple “I’m sorry” or “Are you ok?” goes a long way!!!