Riot and Frolic

Nonessential

When drama is happening around the studio or the larger dance world, I like to joke that “we’re not curing cancer.”  I mean, we’re not.  And much of the politics of dancing IS trivial. 

But while I don’t perform heart surgery or do life-saving research, I know the service I provide to people is important. 

I could cite the myriad of studies that supports ballroom dancing as an amazing mental, social, and physical activity, but you’ve probably shared a bunch of them on social media already.  (But you could read this one from the National Institute of Health, or this one from the New England Journal of Medicine, or this article from Harvard Medical School, in case you need something to do.)

The fact is I know I’m not an essential business.  In a time of emergency, being able to accurately set the tempo to “Stayin’ Alive” to do chest compressions is about all I got. 

Ballroom dancing is a distraction, an escape, an interruption from our students’ lives.  But I’ve had students deal with all sorts of horrible things over the years and yet they prioritize their time at the studio so they can unplug from their sadness, depression, grief, loneliness, frustration, fear, or anxiety.  And it sounds so trivial when I want to end that sentence with “by getting on the dance floor”, but it’s true.

A lot of dancers have solitary jobs that make their time at the studio their main social gathering of the day, the proverbial water cooler.  Many have sedentary jobs and use dancing as their fun, but effective workout.  Some need a diversion from their high-pressure jobs, or are older and looking for mentally-stimulating, balance-improving exertion.

Whether it’s to see their friends (and make some), get healthy movement in for the day, have some positivity, or just not think about their daily life for an hour, ballroom dancing has provided an essential part to many of our students’ lives. 

Professionals everywhere are worried about their students: their progress, their mental state, their boredom.  Instructors worth more than my salt are giving away virtual lessons left and right.  We’re struggling with ways to keep you dancing without being in front of you in dance frame because we know you need it.  We’re not sitting back with our feet up eating bon-bons living off our savings.  We’re very worried about making rent and bills and payroll and yet for most, that's actually secondary because we know you all want to dance.  NEED to dance. 

I hope you all know we miss you terribly and hope you're doing okay.  

We'll get back to the dance floor together soon.  

And then I'll really  want to earn this mug.

 

What to Expect on a Virtual Lessons

Clearly, virtual/online/remote/video lessons are a popular form of dance education right now.

Obviously, these lessons can’t run like your usual trips to the studio*, so here’s some dos and don’ts for this digital era:

DO pick a specific topic

Now is not the time to say, “Let’s do Cha Cha.  The end.” 

Now is the time to say, “Can we work on forward locks in Cha Cha?” 

There HAS to be a figure or two that has bothered you or that you feel like an idiot doing.  Now is your time to address them. 

Since partnering through connection isn’t really an option to work on through virtual lessons, most of the instruction will be about your own body mechanics working properly, so having a small bit of dancing to work on (I’m thinking at most four counts here) as opposed to [that entire dance] will make the most use of your time.

Also, your space (and most likely your teacher’s) is probably limited, so picking something that will keep your whole body on camera, like very specific movements, will help with “floorcraft”.

Promenade links, any basic figure, twinkles in Smooth, arm styling, how to turn, heel turns, etc, are all good topics that keep space to a minimum and fulfillment to a maximum.

DO expect a lot of repetition

This is your time to dig into particular movements and learn a lot of proprioception (perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body, relative to ones self and through space). 

Expect your instructor to give you the foundational movements, and then add a layer of improvement, and then another, and then another… and then another. 

Remember getting your senior pictures taken?  How the photographer would say, “Sit there,” which was easy. 

And then they’d say, “Turn your head to the left.”  Okay. 

And then, “Turn your chin to the right…  No, just your chin… And don’t squint…  And smile…  But not like that…”

It’ll be like that.

Often, teachers can move on after 2-3 tries of a movement in actual classes and lessons because there are other fish to fry. 

But in virtual lessons, there’s nowhere to hide your bad technique.  MWAHAHAHAHA. And that’s why you’re here, right? JUST SAY YES. 

DO have enough space

It doesn’t have to be a lot.  Eight square feet strikes me as delightful.

You’re probably doing your lesson over your phone or laptop, so #1 you need to be sure your whole person can be seen the majority of the time.  Hands, feet, or heads disappearing off camera are not helpful. 

(If you’re really short on space, you could do a footwork lesson and just put your screen on the ground [keeping your calves down on the screen] and have your instructor build up your foot articulation.)

DO have a couple things handy.

While you can probably see yourself on your screen, having a mirror nearby for a second (and bigger and possibly clearer) view of your actions is helpful.

A theraband (one of those stretchy loops used in rehab), a couple light hand weights (or cans or bottles), and a long dowel (or broomstick or the like) are all excellent solo practice props.  (Your teacher will most likely tell you if you need these, but even if they don’t and you look even a little bit, you can find some extra credit exercises on the interwebs to do with them.)

DON’T feel stupid.

You’re in your own home.  Nobody’s around.  Your instructor is cool and probably in the most casual wear you’ll ever seen them in. 

Close your curtains and settle in for some self-improvement.  Practice that arm styling with gusto, fall over, maybe swear a little, maybe even have a drink nearby, but embrace your solo time to test your limits.

DON’T expect to learn “moves”.

Sure, there are some magical people that can teach advanced figures over video, but it’s definitely one of the tricker parts of online lessons, especially for those truly going solo (and not with a similarly-confined and inclined housemate to practice with).

Learning the basic movements for any dance is a pretty legit request (and often what you’re using to practice technique anyways). But learning a new 10 measure amalgamation is unlikely. 

Want to improve your Waltz?  Ask for a lesson on how to improve your dance frame. (Surprisingly, there are MANY ways to improve your partnering that don’t involve a partner.)

Want to improve your Salsa?  Ask for a lesson on keeping balance while turning. 

Social leads can get help from online lessons by “leading” their imaginary partner through their repertoire and having their instructor clarify when they’ve dislocated their imaginary partner’s shoulders (as well as fixing any timing issues).

If you don’t want to do a Zoom/FaceTime/Skype/whatever lesson, having your fav teacher do a video review of your most recent comp or performance is a great option (they could either give you written or audio feedback in return).

DON’T miss the opportunity.

Your instructors (hell, any instructors) will be so pleased that you want to learn when physical lessons might not be possible.  It is a fun and weird learning curve for the professional community (both in what-the-hell platform to use and how the hell to teach people from their living rooms), but we’re up for it.  It’s also a great time to get a different kind of feedback and learn some dance self-sufficiency and resilience!

 

I hope you’re all staying safe, healthy, and sane in these times.  Again, if you’re looking for some exercises you can do at home, there are AWESOME ones all over Facebook and Instagram right now.  Of course, you can look for me over on Instagram (@riotandfrolic) for my daily “toothbrush exercises” (little exercises you can do while brushing your teeth), which are starting REALLY EASY, and will get progressively more difficult (and thorough) through the weeks. 

* Most of this can be applied to solo practice at home as well.

Expectations of a Student

A couple weeks back, I wrote about the expectations students should have for their teachers.  Well, now look how the tables have turned!

Here's the expectations for students (complete with bonus, interactive material at the end!):

Be on time. 

Nay, be early, so you can have your shoes on and be ready to go when your lesson time starts. Extra points for a pre-lesson warm-up, whether it be a stretch or a little technique practice or mental review of the last lesson.  BONUS points for having questions that you have come across by:

- going to group class

- having done some practice outside your lesson.

 

Try.

One of my students hates the word “try” and I get it. The idea of “making an effort to do something” underestimates one’s ability to JUST DO IT.  You might feel stupid and you might not be fully aware of what you’re actually doing or you might think you’re doing it wrong, but DO the thing your instructor is telling you to do (your instructor is there to fix whatever might go wrong anyways).

Be respectful of your instructor’s time.

Don’t late-cancel or no-show because “you forgot”.  Please save last-minute cancellations for emergencies.  If you suspect something might come up (your babysitter cancelled and you can’t find a replacement, you’re having a hell-ish day at work, the world is ending), give the studio a call and voice your concerns sooner than later.  The possibility of your rescheduling is much more appealing than your instructor twiddling their thumbs expecting you to show up and then… not.

Get off your phone.  I’ve taught several classes where people actively had their phones out.  I have 6 kids at home that any minute might do something emergency room-worthy and I still have my phone on Do Not Disturb while teaching.  You can wait 45 minutes to text or post or whatever, or you should probably not be in class in the first place.

Ask for permission BEFORE THE LESSON STARTS to video any material covered, so your instructor can plan ahead to leave a few minutes to make a decent video at the end.  (AKA, do not ask after the class has ended and the instructor needs to move on to the next class/lesson. You are essentially asking to make the instructor late for their remaining lessons of the day, or stealing time from the next lesson or class. Ew.) 

Trust the instructor of your choice.

Depending on how you started, you might have ended up with your instructor by pure chance.  Many times that turns out GREAT.  But if you don’t trust your instructor, don’t take lessons from that instructor.

Whether it’s your lack of shared communication style, their philosophy of dancing/teaching,  or the speed of your progression that gives you the emotional side eye about them, find a different instructor.  The majority of instructors understand when students are not a good fit and WILL NOT take it personally.  Ask around and try some different instructors until you find one that fits. 

Let your instructor evaluate your proficiency and tell you which classes to take.

Don’t go to classes that are over your proficiency level unless recommended by your teacher. (You’ll get frustrated, or they’ll get frustrated because you’ll have “learned” some material that is off your learning curve and if you’re trying to apply it before mastering some other fundamentals, you could make things harder on yourself [and your teacher], or the other students in class will get frustrated because you’re slowing down the class or making it hard for them to practice their part correctly.  STOP IT.)

Let them tell you when you’re ready for things (performances, competitions, etc.)

WE WOULDN’T WANT YOU TO DO IT IF YOU’RE NOT READY.  My first coach used to have a saying : Do not bring shame on the house of Nathan.  As much as I tried to heed his warning (there was a $10 fine for bad feet or looking down in photos!), he also didn’t give me the opportunity to screw it up.  Most pros don’t want you to do a public exhibition if you’re going to be anything less than an advertisement for their awesome teaching. 

 

Take care of yourself

While dancing is fun, dancing can also supply a social outlet, a workout, a weight loss program, a physical challenge, a mental challenge, meditation, self-confidence, and beauty. We want you to experience these things as much as possible and to do that, you have to stay healthy.  Eating well, sleeping enough, drinking water, and practicing good personal hygiene habits will help you stay on the dance floor as much as possible.  (If you’re not familiar with the CDC guidelines for hand-washing at this point, here’s another link: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html#:~:text=Wet%20your%20hands%20with%20clean,for%20at%20least%2020%20seconds.)

 

Practice

I put this one last, not because it’s the least important or the most important, but because students are often baffled by practicing, especially if they come in for lessons alone.  I mean, we are partner dancing, and to practice without a partner often feels silly or unproductive to people, especially when they are greatly successfully people outside the dance world.

But there are many little, VERY HELPFUL things you can practice without a partner, or really without even dancing. 

I like to call these exercises “toothbrush exercises” although a co-worker recently referred to them as “microwave exercises”, which I also liked, but I don’t have a microwave and BY GOD I BRUSH MY TEETH, so there.  These tiny movements are things you can easily (and sometimes inconspicuously) do in small spaces for a short amount of time that have a bigger payoff than expected. 

[I cannot more highly recommend the book, Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, if you want to learn about how to come about big changes by doing ridiculously small things to start with.]

I’ll be posting one of my favorite tiny/microwave/toothbrush exercises a day on my Instagram in a tiny community service effort while most dance classes are shut down.  Join me over there for mini-daily practices! (Expect around a new post around noon.)

 

Have fun.

While there’s always some plateau to overcome or challenge to conquer in your dancing progression, mostly it should be a good time.  Let your teacher know if you’ve lost your groove.  Maybe you need to take a break from Rhythm technique for a week and do a West Coast Swing and Hustle intensive to get your groove back, but ballrooming has tons of options to keep you entertained and happy for years to come.

 

Go forth and conquer.

 

Dancing Out of Category

A word from my favorite podcast on dancing the allowable steps for the proficiency level you’ve entered… or not…

Insanity Jane [some dancers]: I do know the law states that ignorance of the law means it don’t apply. 

Sparks [many officials]: Okay that’s exactly how it does not work. 

When you dance out of category (meaning: dancing steps that are in a higher level syllabus than the one in which you are currently competing*) at a competition, there could be three things happening:

1. you don’t know what the allowable steps are in your current proficiency level
2. you are misinterpreting the language of the rules and regulations listed for the proficiency levels
3. you don’t care about dancing the appropriate steps for the level at which you are competing

* Dancing steps that are at a LOWER level syllabus than the one you are currently competing in is ALWAYS OKAY.  ie, dancing Bronze steps in Silver, dancing Silver in Gold, etc. [LINK TO YOUR OWN ARTICLE]

Let’s take a look at these three circumstances, in reverse (or to the left HAHAHAHAHAHA)

3) You don’t care about dancing the appropriate steps for the level at which you are competing.

I respect that.  Sort of.  There are many comps that are unsanctioned by official organizations (namely, NDCA, USADance, WDC, WDSF) where it doesn’t matter which steps you are dancing because no one is concerned with the content of choreography at the event.  There are many delightful regional weekend events, studio showcases, and performances where the most important aspect of the event is that dancers get to dance.  Whether it’s for newbies or college kids or just some extra floor time for any level of dancer, these events are meant to be fun community builders and not about cracking down on NO NEW STEPS (if you don’t get that reference, do not pass go, do not collect $200, but do go directly to Netflix and watch the 1992 cult classic Strictly Ballroom, which is more truth than satire).

BUT if you are going to a sanctioned comp where there might be an invigilator (person who watches competitors to make sure they are dancing IN category and to merit out infractions and warnings as needed), you still don’t have to care about the appropriate steps for the level at which you are dancing, but you SHOULD take advantage of the categories where which steps you do DON’T MATTER.

If one enters an “open” category, SYLLABI BE DAMNED. You can do whatever doohickeys you want to, and judges can just deal with it.  (Opinions on giving them something substantial to deal with is another topic.)

For example, in NDCA competitions, there are “Open Bronze” categories you may enter.  That means you can do whatever dips, tricks, spins, and syncopations you’d like, but you’ll be judged at a Bronze level.  (Mostly, is your posture all right and you’re dancing on time).  Similarly, there’s an Open Silver category, where you can pivot to your heart’s desire, but are judged on a Silver level (is there some technique on those yonder hills?)

If you’re going the amateur route, USADance has the Novice category, which one can throw themselves into no matter the experience or dance training.  Again, you can dance whatever you’d like, but you’re judged against the other dancers on the floor, who may or may not be doing some syllabus work and/or some made up “yeAH ba duh ba ba BA” moves.

If you DO chose to enter a syllabus event (Bronze, Silver, OR Gold) and you don’t care about which steps you’re dancing, you should also be aware that you can get DQ’ed or marked last (and as the pro in a pro-am situation, you are likely to piss off your client).  PLEASE SKIP THIS OPTION.

2) you are misinterpreting the language of the rules and regulations listed for the proficiency levels.

THIS seems like a big part of the problem when I’ve actually talked to people about “dancing in category”. 

Unfortunately for many amateurs, reading the rules and regulations without a whole lot of knowledge and experience and prior contact with previous iterations of said rules and regulations will lead to some incorrect conclusions about what many of the different terms mean. 

I recently had to explain that “side by side work isn't allowed in Bronze" does not refer to sliding doors (or the passing basic to use the newest parlance) in American Swing where by partners are visually side-by-side with one another (although we could make this argument for MANY Bronze steps… so many that it hurt my brain that this was even a question).  “Side by side work” often means partners are on the same foot (in hand hold or no hold) in either left side or right side position, doing some fancy shit.  If you don’t know what what the previous sentence meant, then you probably shouldn’t be reading and interpreting the rules for yourself or others.

It is also a bummer when students learn a step that used to be “legal” yet no longer is and are CONVINCED that they are in the right because Mr./Miss So-and-so said it was acceptable. 

(Note to pros: please keep up on your craft!)

Lastly, 1) you don’t know what the allowable steps are in your current proficiency level. 

This is pretty legit at many levels FOR STUDENTS. 

In most cases, it is not the students’ responsibility to be quite conscious of where each of their “moves” lands of the proficiency spectrum.  Ideally, they are learning at a reasonable rate from a qualified instructor who is teaching from the foundation and methodically working upwards through the technical and applicable aspects of dance.  When competitions arise, that teacher would advise their students which levels they could compete in based on the content and technical abilities at that time, or time in the near future.

BUT if you are a student who is taking classes at many different levels from many instructors and might be dancing with many different partners, and you are registering yourself for a competition without the supervision of a professional or knowledgable coach, you need to know what you’re signing up for and what’s allowed in those categories.

THAT MEANS, if you are not currently under the watchful eye of a delightful and judgmental professional, you should ask one to check out your routines/steps/moves to make sure you’re not going to get called up to the judges’ podium unawares and have to fix something on the spot that you are not capable of fixing in a moment’s notice.

 

Go forth and conquer.  And wash your hands.