As is typical, after a few generally positive days, my mood has sunk a little. I have been spoiled this week with extra lessons and I recruited some new guys to Teacher’s group class, but once I was home awhile after all of that positivity, I still felt a little…unfulfilled, I guess?
Tag: ballroom dance
Ask the Girl!
As I pondered the next nugget of my journey to share with you, I thought I’d open the floor up for questions or topics that you want me to discuss here.
So I’m starting a new series called Ask the Girl! You can ask me about ballroom, writing, dealing with demons, pursuing a passion…anything really, the floor is yours! If there is something that’s been bugging you, chances are it’s bugging someone else too. Let’s start a dialogue and help each other out!
Comment below or send me a message. Depending on the response, I’ll dedicate at least one post per week to addressing your questions, comments, concerns, etc.
I Perform Better in the Dark
Before I get started, I just want to share that I’m on vacation for an entire week! Obviously, I really needed it because my mood improved more and more on Friday as it got closer to quitting time. I’m looking forward to this week of sleeping in, spending time with my puppies, writing, and dancing!
Which brings me to today’s topic:
For the last few weeks, I’ve been going to these Sunday social dances. They are hosted by a friend of Teacher’s, owner/creator of freeballroomlessons.com.
Reblogged: Instead of Perfect, Ask What is Good About Your Dancing
Love the idea of individual color palettes!
“The best is the enemy of the good.” This profound statement by the French writer and philosopher Voltaire was a favorite saying of a great dance mentor and friend. It means, she said, that striving for perfection is not necessarily the path to improvement.
I have learned through personal experience that dancers are very hard on themselves. Sometimes in their attempt to become better dancers students overlook the amazing things they can already do. They bemoan what they see as their physical shortcomings and scrutinize every square inch of themselves with heavy judgment. I know that I have.
With ballet in particular, dancers get sucked into the myth that what they do has to be perfect to be any good. Many students walk away from ballet because of this misconception. Although they understand that it will help their overall dancing, they feel less than perfect in ballet and therefore give…
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Travels of the Girl with the Tree Tattoo
This week I was lucky to be welcomed into not one, but two online homes of other dancers!
Ballroom Bombshell honored me with a “spotlight” post and even dubbed me her ballroom “big sister!” I cannot wait to read how her first competition goes in December!
https://ballroombombshell.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/spotlight-the-girl-with-the-tree-tattoo/
Stance on Dance allowed me to share my experiences in learning ballroom with her wider dance audience. I love the opportunity to share ballroom with the broader dance world.
I don’t think it comes as a surprise that I love connecting with other dancers/writers! Sometimes that means I travel away from my “home” blog for the chance of reaching a different group of people.
I want to show my gratitude for others welcoming me into their “homes” by opening up my own! If you have a story about your passion that you would like to share here, please let me know!
Watching From the Other Side of the Ballroom, Accompanied by My Fears
I spent a lot of time waiting while working as a runner at the Hollywood Dancesport Championships. It gave me a chance to watch people dance, including Teacher with two of his students. I already wrote about the challenges that can come with being a spectator, when I attended the studio’s Halloween team match. Spectating at this comp was the next level up.
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The View From the Other Side of the Ballroom
It has felt strange to not be obligated to write every day. November 1 was probably the strangest day. I went to town scrubbing the kitchen around midday because I had hours to kill before a social dance and I was set on taking a break from writing, but I didn’t know what else to do with myself!
Now I’m ready to get back into it. Time will tell if October’s writing challenge left a lasting impact on me, and if I end up posting more frequently. First thing’s first though: would you like to know what it’s like on the “other side” of the ballroom at a competition?
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Writing About Ballroom for 31 Days: I Claim Top Student! (Write31Days Day 31)
We did it! It’s the 31st day of the 31 Day Writing Challenge! Anyone else exhausted? I read from more than one other 31 dayer that a challenge like this is a marathon, not a sprint. They weren’t kidding! As the ballroom writer, I’m claiming top student.
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Trust and Ballroom Part 2: Trusting Yourself (Write31Days Day 30)
After getting a bit of a mental smackdown courtesy of my demons last night, I considered letting them write today’s post. But I’m going to pull myself together and focus on the productive and the positive.
Another lesson and another repeated mantra from Teacher yesterday led to this extension of yesterday’s post on Trust and Ballroom.
You have to trust your partner in order to dance ballroom. But you also have to trust yourself.
Trust and Ballroom (Write31Days Day 29)
Fun fact: yesterday was my 100th post on the Girl with the Tree Tattoo! I was so tired last night that I didn’t realize it until WordPress sent me a notification. The website has only been up for about 8 months. I’m feeling accomplished!
There are only a few days left of the writing challenge. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed the daily writings, and if you’re new to the site, I hope you’ll stick around after this challenge ends. Don’t expect any new activity on November 1 though! Honestly, I’m ready for a break.
Today I wanted to talk about trust and its critical role in ballroom dancing.
The Girl with the Tree Tattoo 