Happy Saturday everyone! Did you all have a good week? Mine was rough, but I ended it with dancing, so it’s ok. I worked at a monthly social dance held by the local USA Dance chapter Friday night. I met one of the officers at a different social dance last year, which I was also working at, and he asked if I’d be interested in volunteering at his parties. I don’t do a lot, basically just help set up a few decorations at the beginning, audit the group class, and then hang out until the end to help clean up. Of course, I also dance.
Tag: ballroom
Book Giveaway!
Dear Readers,
Starting on Monday, May 9, Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance will be available to download FOR FREE for three weeks!
I’m promoting it on Story Cartel; you’ll be able to go to my book’s page on the website and download a free copy. The catch? The only thing you’ll need to do is provide an honest review. That’s right. I’m giving away my book just to find out what you really think about it!
When I hear that something I wrote helped or spoke to a reader, it makes my day. I love being able to share my experiences in hopes that they will be useful to someone else. I published the first Dance Diaries book and I’m writing a second one for that very reason.
Getting messages from readers helps confirm that I am indeed being helpful! That’s why I’m asking for reviews in this book giveaway. I want to know if you find the book useful or not.
So stay tuned. I’ll post the direct link after the launch on Monday. Once it’s live, you’ll have three weeks (until May 30) to download it and four weeks (until June 6) to submit a review.
Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
The Girl with the Tree Tattoo
Remembering Bronze
During lunch yesterday, I was going through videos and pictures stored on my phone, deleting stuff I didn’t want or need to free up space. I came across a video of Teacher and me dancing a round of bronze smooth, and I realized that it was recorded just a couple weeks before we were supposed to leave for the United States Dance Championships, a.k.a. Nationals. A couple weeks before Teacher broke his wrist.
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Nine Days
It’s been nine days since my last lesson with Teacher. It feels like it’s been weeks. Maybe months. I’m pretty confident that I forgot the bulk of my dance knowledge. It’s my fault though; I haven’t been practicing. I review stuff in my head and try to remember to walk with my sternum lifted around the office, but not as much as I should and I haven’t actually gone through my figures.
I think I’m in a rut.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I came across this video on Facebook this morning and felt compelled to share it. It is an advertisement for some kind of drink, but that just comes at the end. The message in the video is beautiful. A guy meets a bunch of different people, all adults, in a restaurant and asks them what they want to be when they grow up.
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Driving Home
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!
