Anyone else do this? I usually listen to music on my way to the studio, but not on the way home. I find I prefer the quiet while I reflect on the dance lesson I just had.
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Almost Musical
Yesterday’s lesson focused just on rhythm. Teacher wanted to finish going over the choreography for the rumba and cha cha routines and introduce the east coast swing. We didn’t end up getting to the swing, but we rarely get to the last things on Teacher’s list so no matter. Next time!
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The Art of Patience and Skipping Ahead
Now Available on Amazon!
It’s official! Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance: What I Wish I Had Known
is available for sale on Amazon!
Aaaahhh!
Ask the Girl Episode 10: Love And Ballroom
After reading my articles on the pro-am relationship, one of my readers asked if I would write about how the relationship between a student and their ballroom instructor might affect relationships outside of the ballroom. He noted that a lot of the students at his studio came to ballroom after a romantic relationship had ended. Ballroom has helped heal a lot of emotional wounds for them.
It makes sense; a ballroom studio and a good teacher provide a safe arena in which someone can start to trust and connect with another person again.
So what happens when you start looking for a new romantic partner? How does your connection with a dance partner affect your connection with potential life partners? How do your expectations change? How does your approach change?
I took extra time to think about this topic because there are so many different layers to explore. The more I pondered, the more there was to ponder. I reached out to other ballroom dancers to get their insight. And still I am having trouble coming up with a clear outline or angle. So I said screw it, just start writing and see where it goes!
I’ve Got Rhythm
I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before: along with lessons with Teacher, I also take private lessons once a week with Teacher’s friend in exchange for working at a bunch of social dances he ran last year. He is all about social ballroom dancing, so we work on American rhythm dances like rumba, cha cha and east coast swing, plus salsa, samba and occasionally bolero, all with that social focus. There are no specific routines or discussion of technique, it’s all about following and musicality.
Quite different from my lessons with Teacher.
Hip Hop and Ballroom Part 2: Attitude
I owe someone an Ask the Girl episode and I will get to it this week! But first I had to share a little story of personal triumph.
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Hip Hop and Ballroom
Teacher does an excellent job of figuring out different ways to explain ballroom concepts, based on what his students can relate to. Recently, he has focused on my love of hip hop dancing to help me come to a better understanding of…wait for it…
Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance – Coming Soon to an Online Bookstore Near You!
Well, I did it! I submitted my new eBook for publishing last night! If you didn’t see it in social media, this was my face as I hit the submit button:
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Ask the Girl Episode 9 – Choosing a Competition
Happy Tango Tuesday everyone! I’m excited to present another episode of Ask the Girl. This week’s episode is in response to a reader who takes lessons through an Arthur Murray studio. He was wondering how other ballroom circles organized events like competitions and how you would find out about and choose which competitions to attend. And yes, I recognize the amusing timing as this topic comes up right after my article on setting non-competition goals when you can’t afford to compete was published. But that’s the whole point! The readers control the content!
So let’s forget I’m ballroom poor for a minute and pretend I need to decide which competition I’m attending next!
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The Girl with the Tree Tattoo 