Tag: ballroom blog

I’ve Got Rhythm

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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.

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Ask the Girl Episode 9 – Choosing a Competition

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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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Non-Competition Dance Goals

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HAPPY FRIDAY!!

I just had to get that out first. This week has been a LONG one! But I made it to Friday and I have fun plans for this weekend (and a surprise!).

I teamed up with Dancesport Place again and wrote an article for anyone in a similar financial boat as me and finding themselves unable to compete.

Click on the image to check it out!

non-comp-dance-goals

Ask the Girl Episode 8 – Following

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Ask the Girl is making a reappearance! Today’s episode is inspired by a reader who asked how you’re supposed to follow when you’re in practice hold and you don’t know what steps are coming up next.

Following in general when you don’t know what’s coming next is challenging, even more so when you are in a looser frame such as practice hold.

Without meaning to brag, I think I follow quite well! I still miss my fair share of leads at social dances, but I can confidently say if you can lead me, I can follow you. Here is what I focus on to help me follow my partner’s leads successfully.

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Debt vs. The Pursuit of Happiness

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After writing the Hermit Weekend post, I recalled a post I had written for the Uphill Factor about two years ago.  Eventually, that site will transform or disappear entirely, so I’ve been spending some time revisiting old posts. The particular one I recalled yesterday was written because I had been involved in a debate about debt and pursuing things that make you happy.

The debate was how much money, more specifically how much debt, is acceptable in the pursuit of a passion?  At what point do you stop being admirable for following your dreams against any and all odds and start being just foolish and irresponsible?

Two years later, my views haven’t changed much despite my constant questioning of myself and my need to take the occasional hermit weekend.

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