Riot and Frolic

a mostly ballroom dance, but also a bunch of other stuff, blog

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about

I own and rock people’s faces off teaching ballroom dancing at Dancers Studio in St. Paul, MN. My husband and I compete professionally in American style and wrangle eight children in our spare time. I’ve been teaching and competing in ballroom dancing for over 25 years and have lots of opinions on it. I am an expert by any means, but there are quite a few dancers who are better than me and I have a solid knowledge of basic technique, so suck it.

  • June Mixed Tape

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    Big surprise, Grooveshark (the provider of the previous months' installments of R'n'F's Mixed Tapes) was shut down due to copyright infringement.  I've given in to Spotify and am hosting the la nouveau playlists là.

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    French. 

    June Mixed Tape

    I started out with a couple hilarious songs by my favorite ladies (they're funny 'cause they're true! [and you should check out the Lily Allen video if you're not averse to gratuitous everything]), move on to a I-hate-my-ex song that will rival anything Alanis Morissette wrote, added a couple songs about wolves because WHY NOT, threw in some badass songs, and then some tracks that I had serious nostalgia for when they wandered through my shuffled music library.

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  • How To Be Awesome

    Awesome

    Maybe you're awesome enough as it is.  But maaaayyybe you could use a little pick-me-up in the kicking-ass department.  Maybe especially on the dance floor?  It's surprisingly easy.

    Here's my little advice:

    • Fake it until you are it.  This amazing TED talk about body language BLEW MY MIND.  If you don't think I stand around like Wonder Woman and Usain Bolt for 2 minutes every day after watching this, you are wrong.  
    • Do yoga.  It's kind of cheesy and time-consuming, but after you watch that TED talk (do it do it do it do it do it), you'll have a new appreciation for Tree Pose.  Plus, having more balance, flexibility, and strength than usual is a great boost for the psyche.
    • Listen to this song.  It's kind of a family theme song.  Message: you can do anything.  And you can. 
    • Relax.  Watch something funny.  Like this:   Or this:    Or this:  

    Ultimate exercise for the day?  Listen to "Handlebars" by Flobots (or your favorite power song) while doing Tree Pose (or the poses from the video) and watching funny videos for two minutes.  

    Boom.  

    Awesome. 

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  • Happy Bloggy Birthday

    Four years ago, I must have been bored and crazy, so I started this damn thing.  

    Here's my most popular 4 posts of all time:

    4. Garbage Challenge – Winning, besides my usual witty repartee, I think this ranks highly on search engines for the amazing Charlie Sheen image. 

    3. Goldilocks and the Three Floors, because I'm mean in it and people like that?

    2. 18 Signs You're a Ballroom Dancer, where I proudly provide original content that people seem to enjoy.

    1. Bullet Journal 201, which has freakily appeared on Pinterest and Tumblr and other blogs.  

    Here's the anniversary posts from April 27th each year:

    2014: LLLL, when I'm late, but share some funny things.  

    2013: LLLL – Birthday Edition, again, late, but show you my old banner.

    2012: As Usual…, when I'm oblivious to the anniversary.

    2011: Welcome to the Jungle, when I hopefully get that song in your head for the rest of the week.

    In honor of ol' RNF turning 4, I ran four miles today.  

     

    No, I didn't.

    But I have four kids and that's about the same thing.

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    It all started with him?

     

  • Dancing Saved My Life

    I have this story which has the potential to be helpful to some people, or at least cathartic to me (#metime).  The struggle has been trying to make it a linear, witty narrative of a time in my life that seemed pretty non-linear and non-witty. Aaaaand, since it addresses a fairly serious issue, I didn't want to be too melodramatic or trivial (fingers crossed that I accomplish ANY of that), here it goes:

    A bunch of years ago, I was newly out of school, working in a job I saw no future or joy in, and had started ballroom dancing in my limited free time.  

    More importantly to our story, I was pretty depressed, both situationally and probably clinically.  I knew I wasn't going to use my college degree, I hated my job, did I mention "depressed"?, and the only thing I liked doing was dancing.  

    Well, one night I had had enough.  Enough of what, I'm really not sure, but I left my apartment and never planned on coming back.  

    I ended up on the Stone Arch bridge, in the middle of January, looking down at the lock and dam and the swirling water and thinking about how I'd probably go into shock or something once I hit the water if I was still alive after impact or on the other hand hypothermia wouldn't be so bad and that third hand with the drowning bit would suck but in the middle of this really sad and shocking train of thought, I remembered there was swing dancing tomorrow night and I had told my new gang of friendly acquaintances I'd be there.

    Totally reasonable stream of consciousness, I know.

    But that little derailment of extra-sad brooding got me thinking about dancing and thinking about dancing made me think of how dancing made me feel and how dancing (of all the things in the great wide world) made me feel was enough to make me walk off the bridge and towards a hospital.  

    And now?  After a few years of climbing out of that hole, while dancing as much as I could (like therapy, but way more fun)?  I am a generally happy, mildly energetic, reasonably well-adjusted grown-up.  

    So.

    I'm just another person telling you all that those really shitty moments, days, weeks, months, or years can be turned around (albeit usually slowly, but hey! turn around) by the tiniest glimmer of something you enjoy.

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    Happy Friday, yo.

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  • 9 Reasons that Furious 7 is the Best Movie Ever Made

    *WARNING – SPOILER ALERT*  [Get it? Huh? Huh?  "Spoiler"?  Cars?  HA!]

    1. The 2015 Dodge Challenger.  I'm not into cars past knowing I would definitely take an Aston Martin or a 1960s MG if someone offered me one for free.  But the Challenger is fairly attainable as sexy cars go and it is So. Damn. Sexy.  Listen to it. 
    2. rrrrrrrrracING!  (Watch this amazing recap of the franchise and get the joke.)
    3. The stunt from the movie preview which is TOTALLY WORTH THE PRICE OF THE TICKET. 
    4. When Agent Hobbs (played by The Rock… errrr, Dwayne Johnson) gets up from his hospital bed, tells his daughter "Daddy's gotta go to work", and FLEXES THE CAST OFF HIS ARM.  Tumblr_nfmtrkRCM21r55h1ho1_1280.0.0
    5. The line where [my favorite character] Hobbs says, "summa bitch" or something like that (The G says I use too many syllables) which I really hope was written phonetically like that in the script.  
    6. Gratuitous booty shots.  I mean, how can there ever be too many shots of thong-wearing rears and barely-bikini-clad boobs?  Especially if these lovely ladies are also wearing ridiculous shoes and not anywhere near a pool?
    7. The soundtrack.  I mean, "Turn Down For What"?  BEST SONG EVER! (And weirdest, funnest video ever.) 
    8.  Jason Statham clocking in as the best actor in a movie.  Sincere love for Jason, but he was THE BEST ACTOR in the movie.  Images-1
    9. The pretty adorable homage to Paul Walker, which seemed out of left field continuity-wise and that would make absolutely no sense if you didn't know Paul Walker had died in a tragically-ironic car crash, but had every dude in the theater a bit teary-eyed.   

    Buy your tickets now, people.  

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  • Why People Think I’m Nice

    I nod and smile a lot.  

    Like, A LOT.  

    I heard people think I'm nice (some people probably think I'm vapid, but they don't tell me that), but maybe they don't know why I'm grinning like an idiot at them.

    There are seven main reasons I do this action:

    1. I didn't hear what they were saying.  Admittedly, this happens a lot.  Like, A LOT.  I don't know if it's because I'm operating in a busy dance studio most of the time, or I'm used to tuning out many vocal noises since I'm around toddlers a lot, or because I have a short attention span (see previous excuses), but I can't hear shit. [nod and smile]
    2. You just said something really obvious with no irony intended.  This happens in group classes every once in awhile.  An attendee (AKA, student) raises their hand and points out how ladies aren't using connection or something… in my newcomers class.  "Indeed!  And the men aren't using CBM and the no one is doing rise and fall and no one even knows what rise and fall is and SHUT UP," goes my internal monologue.  I mean, it also happens in daily conversation, but the dance example is funnier. [nod and smile]
    3. You just told me how to parent my children.  I don't care who you are talking to and what your relationship is to them, this is not going to go over well.  I'm not apt to throw down the confrontational gauntlet, so [nod and smile].
    4. I'm having a moment.  I walked into a store this week, with no children yet a coffee in my hand, and I was a little beside myself with the glory of it.  The really friendly, yet not annoying saleswoman was trying to make conversation with me and I, just, couldn't.  [nod and smile]  Maybe she thought I didn't speak the language.  
    5. I have the distinct idea that you don't care what I'm talking about.  Maybe you're twiddling your thumbs while I'm telling a story, or wandering away from the action during a class, or interrupt me to get your two cents in, but [nod and smile].
    6. You think I know what you're talking about.  My science-y friends, my non-context-giving friends, my children… Often I don't know what the hell you're going on about.  [nod and smile]
    7. I can't think of a clever retort fast enough. Gah!  Surprisingly, while my mouth often outruns my brain, the reverse does not apply.  I am quite clever on paper, but my verbal skills are laaaaaaacking.  [nod and smile]

    [can't think of segue]

    [nod and smile]

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  • Not Quite Facebook Statuses

    Otherwise known as "TMI with Kate Bratt".

    Or "Useless Facts".

    • more than coffee, I need to blow my nose to feel like the day is really starting.  And by "blow my nose", I mean I need to use at least three Kleenex and feel like there's no mucus left in my head before I leave the house.
    • "leftover bacon" is a myth.
    • if you go to France, have a cold, and ask for a "Kleenex", they will look at you like you're crazy, and not just because you're a rude American.  It's called a tissue, people.  Kleenex is a brand name for TISSUES… An American brand name for Kleenex.
    • I really, truly believe the reason I'm not a National Champion (in Smooth or Rhythm, not underwater basketweaving) is because I love short nails. Large
    • 3.  3 is the perfect number of diapers to have in your purse.  I knew you were wondering.
    • if you think continually and only "shushing" a 4 year old kid is actually going to make that language-bearing, misbehaving child "shush" [aka, sit the f down and be quiet], then you need to sign up for my parenting class.  
    • I do not have a parenting class.  Put your credit cards away.
    • running continues to be fantastically horrible.  It will be a long, slow (literally) road to that marathon.  
    • I've always wanted to learn how to skateboard.  Lately, I've been having dreams where I've been skateboarding, but only sitting or laying on it.  I interpret this as "give up the skateboarding thing and learn how to surf".  What's your take?

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  • Choose Your Own Adventure: Practice

    People often mention how they "don't want to practice wrong" and while that is a noble and virtuous and heart-warming idea, it is also insane.  

    To slay the dragon, and learn about your insane behavior choices, click here.

    To continue on towards the castle, and read my ramble about practice, click here.

     

  • Slay the Dragon: Practice

    Because here’s the truth: no matter what you’re practicing, you’re going to be doing it “wrong”.

    You’re a brand new dancer and you’re practicing your Waltz box.  You’re all proud of yourself as you walk into the studio for your next lesson because you can totally do your box step to music.  Your teacher is happy to hear, see, and feel that you practiced, but guess what?  Now you learn there’s a thing called “rise and fall”.  

    Because you didn’t know about rise and fall last week, you were practicing that Waltz incorrectly.  

    Was your practice a waste of time?  

    HELL NO!  

    Even if you practiced your Waltz box ass backward, you were still moving and thinking about your dancing, which is HUGE.  And if you have a consistent practice schedule, you’ll be able to fix any actual wrongness in no time (like those heel leads on 3 [btw, stop it]).  

    [And in the above example, you are doing an actual step, just not one you know yet.]

    Do you think it would be better if you sat on the couch and didn’t try a step?  Some of you do!  

    Stop the insanity!  

    Please stop worrying about doing things wrong, and just do them.  

    Your teacher and your skill level will thank you.

    Want to continue on to the castle?  Click here.

     

  • Continue on to the Castle: Practice

    There’s only so many things you can actually be doing wrong and, unless you are practicing 7 hours a day, ANY amount of conscious practice is a good thing.

    Oh wait, conscious practice, you say?

    Similar to how slovenly leaning over the Stairmaster handles while reading a book and simultaneously watching the damn Kardashians is not really a workout, mindlessly running through the paces of your hobby’s necessary techniques is not really practice.

    Take, for instance, ballroom dancing.  I know, it’s a stretch.

    You can “practice” your whole routine for hours and not know anything more than when you started.  Or you can take 2 measures of that routine, methodically figure out your timing OR alignments OR sway [OR hip motion], and then dance it slowly a few times over 10 minutes.  

    10 minutes, yo.  

    But, like, every day.

    Granted, if you have more time than that, and an attention span longer than an average TMZ fan, GREAT.  Please continue your practice for 11, 12, or even 13 minutes.  

    It’s the every day business that’s the business.

    Take, for example, my kid (which IS a stretch, but stay with me)…

    My oldest takes violin lessons from a ridiculously under-priced, overly-talented, amazing music teacher.  The first few weeks, I didn’t think to make V practice much.  We even “crammed” a couple times.  

    I’d notice at the lessons after those practice-free weeks, her teacher would be more or less repeating the previous lessons, albeit with slightly different exercises and whatnot. 

    DUH.

    It’s exactly what I do when my students haven’t practiced (whether they admit it or not… we always know).  Repeat and repeat and repeat again until it’s known.  

    Good teachers won’t let you progress just for progress’s sake.   There has to be mastery and awesomeness.   

    But then I carved out a few minutes every morning to lead her practice.  It’s 10 minutes at least, more if The G gets involved (because MUSIC!).  

    And dude, the difference?  Astonishing!  She’s moving right along through her song books and can even pick out a song or two on her own.  

    So go practice your damn twinkles and fan positions and impetuses (impeti?) and open breaks during the commercials of your favorite shows, or while you wait for the bus (it’s not that weird), or while you’re waiting for your coffeemaker to put out.  

    Your teacher and your skill level will thank you.

    Want to go back and slay the dragon?  Click here.