Riot and Frolic

It's autumn and in Minnesota, that means amateur dancesport season is upon us.  Whether you matriculate at the University of Minnesota or are prepping for Star of the North, the thing that is "Mixed Proficiency" is coming for YOU.

Mixed Proficiency is a bit like social dancing with rules.  Or pro-am, but without the pro.  Simply, a more experienced dancer (MED) will dance with a less experienced dancer (LED).  Each of these couples can enter Mixed Proficiency events at the level of the least experienced dancer.  [Professional opinion: please don't "dance up" to the level of the MED.  Since neither of you are professionals, the results are often… undesirable.]

I've had more than several of the MEDs ask me how to make their LED look good.  I've seen some pro-am students who left some people guessing who the pro was.  And there's some pros that need a reminder.  Here's a couple trade secrets I'll let you in on:

How to Look Like a Pro

1. dance on time.  It might go without saying, BUT IT DOESN'T.  Ladies, if you're the MED and your man isn't dancing on time, MAKE HIM: stop and count it off or back lead like hell, but dancing on time is A #1.  No exceptions.  Men, you just have to.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
2. be calm.  This isn't reeeeeally your show.  (Mixed Proficiency is usually judged on the LED, not the MED, and not even the partnership.)  Since your partner is newer to this than you are, help them out the best you can.  Explain what's going on, point out who's who,  tell them where to go, ask your partner how they're doing, get them some water/space/practice time/paper bag to breathe into.  Be their guide.  
3. smile.  Just smile, dammit.  No matter what the heck is happening underneath your face, put on a nice face.
4. stand up.  Do the best/most proper posture you can, even if your partner is not able to reciprocate.  Your partner will dance better because of it.
5. do as much proper technique as you can.  Once again, not your show.  Dancing Bronze Foxtrot?  Heel leads and toe releases.  How about Newcomer Rumba?  A bit of Latin motion.  Trying that new figure 8 movement in Cha Cha you learned 3 days ago?  No.  
6. make it look good. This one's a little tricky because maybe you don't know how, but fake something.  If your partner gets on the wrong foot, cheat your own steps so you match again.  If you have no idea what's going on, stopping all together and rebooting is ALWAYS A GOOD OPTION.  Refer to #3 & #4 if there's still a question.
7. be the cheerleader.  When you walk off the floor, congratulate them on a good well done, even if it wasn't their best one.  Performing makes people crazy and affects your brain and your body in all sorts of ways.  Really, the first few times anyone even makes it on the dance floor is a miracle.
8. look the part.    Wear black, read this and this and then follow them, do your hair, do your makeup, wear dance shoes.  Don't forget to take off your sweatshirt or legwarmers before getting on the floor.

Now be good and go practice some more.  

One year ago: What I'm Doing Right Now, in which I regress.

It's come to my attention recently that many people consider the ballroom dance repertoire limiting in its ability to "freestyle" a dance.  As in, there are patterns and amalgamations and figures that need to be completed from A to Z before a dancer can move onto the next one.  Waltz was being compared to West Coast Swing and much was said about West Coast's easy improvisation and interpretation with different songs.  

Well.

First of all, there are several ballroom dances that have worlds and moons of their own: West Coast Swing, Salsa, Argentine Tango, and Lindy are the big ones.  Dancers who enjoy these styles are often specialists and don't do (or aren't actively learning) many other dances.  Becoming well-versed in ONE DANCE'S vocabulary is very different than learning 10 or more dances and the basic accompanying movements.  

Those of us who do many dances have the same learning curve, but it is often much MUCH longer since there are so many dances involved.  Don't feel bad if someone is really good at Salsa after a few months when you still can't get through a mediocre Foxtrot, Rumba, or Cha-Cha without panicking at some point.  

Instead of being sad about the overwhelming amount of patterns and levels and dances, I'll make it really really simple:

Elements of Dance

• At its most basic, dancing is walking and turning.  Period.  I know you're testing this and thinking about all your fancy patterns, but that's all it is: walking and turning.
• You must know the basic timing of each dance.  The first thing that makes the walking and the turning look like the dancing is the timing.  Like, in time with music.  If you are not dancing in time with music, you are not dancing.  You are doing dance steps while music is playing.  TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.  

– If you cannot hear the beat in the music, you must learn how.  (We'll talk about how to do that another day.)

– You must make this timing clear through your steps (slows are 2 beats, quicks are 1, etc.). 

– You WILL continue to LISTEN to the music throughout each dance to make sure you are still Dancing.

How To Be Creative

I hope you see the irony in my telling you how to be creative, but here it goes:

• experiment.  With or without a partner, but always with music playing, you can…

– see how many steps you can dance forward before you feel stupid.  Likewise with side steps or back steps.  Rotate them, travel them, march them, make a circle, make a straight line, make a bee line for the bar, whatever.

– try a Rumba pattern in Waltz (using Waltz timing, but Rumba foot patterns).

– try a Waltz pattern in Salsa.

• be confident.  Just because you haven't done something before doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If it works, it's a step.
• ask questions.  

– Did you try something and it failed?

– WHY did it fail?

– Did it almost  work?

– Could you hold a beat, or syncopate a step, or go outside partner to make it work?

• do it again.  No one gets really good at something by thinking about it.  It takes a bajillion times of f-ing it up before you consistently get a high-fiveable moment.  
• brush it off.  Made a mistake?  It's dancing, not brain surgery.  Fun, not life or death.  

Go forth and dance.  

Two years ago: Not Seven, in which I omit the nuts.