Side note: I love coming up with just the right title for my articles. But sometimes I draw a blank. So I resort to the “insert clever title here” style. Hence, the title of this post. Can you guess what I’m writing about today?

I had my official introduction to the silver level of American Smooth last week! I specify “official” because I’ve had exposure to silver in group classes and dancing at practice parties. But last week’s lessons were the first private lessons where Teacher and I actually talked and danced silver. He even put together a silver waltz routine for me to practice. *happy dance!*

The plan is to compete in bronze and silver at the US Dance Championships. You’re allowed to dance so many consecutive levels at a comp, and they don’t have to stay within the major levels. You can do full bronze, open bronze, and pre silver, for example. And to make the cross-country trip as worthwhile as possible, I plan on entering both the closed bronze and closed silver smooth scholarships. Show me the money!  Don’t get too excited, even if I won first place in both, the prize money won’t even cover all of my entries.  But anything helps.

As expected, I’m excited and nervous to be moving up. The biggest difference right off the bat between bronze and silver smooth is the passing of the feet. In bronze, you close your feet together on the 3 count (in waltz), and in silver, you pass them. So you’re continuously moving in silver, which makes it feel faster and more flowing. Also means less time to make technique corrections as I’m dancing. Look at me, already setting the stage to put more pressure on myself. So sneaky!

My initial impression is silver is fun! I like being able to move more and feel like I’m flying across the floor. Already, Teacher has given me choreography with cool moves like this outside spin into these pivots that make you feel like you’re whipping around each other.  I think those are the right names, I’m bad with vocabulary, ironic me being a writer. I just pick up the moves a lot faster than I pick up the names of the moves. Anyways…

I’m also feeling a little intimidated because I’ve seen other students in my age group that dance silver and they just seem like they are worlds better than me. Another expected response I guess. I’m going from the top of one group to the bottom of another. I wish I had the funds to test out my silver abilities at a more local comp before USDC. It’s ok, I think I need to tell myself it’s just another comp and I’m going to dance my best just like I always do. And there is still time, almost four months to get a handle on silver and not make a fool of myself. I got this!

Maybe.

Stay tuned!

Question for my fellow dancers! 

I always picked up choreography a lot faster than the other aspects of dance.  What part of dance do you find easiest to pick up?  Choreography?  Technique?  Performance/styling?  Let me know in the comments!