Tracking Aerials

I hope people find this document to be a valuable resource. This is a comprehensive spreadsheet of aerials I’ve learned, hope to learn, taught, been enamored by, and whose name I know (or think I do). Aerial names vary by location and person. There are also many more airsteps and tricks out there invented by creative individuals. If you want an aerial listed in this sheet, contact me, and please provide the name, video link, and time marker. Otherwise, scroll down to click the Expanded View or Google Doc with video links.

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Expanded View

Google Doc Spreadsheet with Aerial Links

Sofia Underground Swing

This photo nicely illustrates this post about the Sofia Swing Dance scene. It exists, it’s been going on for a while, but until you dig, you may not know it exists. While this picture shows Roman ruins, Sofia swing scene has not been happening since the days of yore, but it is slightly underground. Several people were surprised I was teaching in Bulgaria, not knowing there was a swing scene. There is and let me tell you more.

Sofia is a unique city. Everywhere you turn, you’ll see a church, mosque or other religious center. Turn around some more and you’ll find the fifth place of worship, McDonald’s. There are so many McDonald’s here! There’s great Bulgarian food, but that’s another post, another blog.

I met the organizer, Yavor Kunchev, via a Facebook friend request in mid-June, 2012. This may have been spurred from a comment I made on a video posted on a Bulgarian swing dance group wall. Who knows? Facebook and YouTube bring people together in unusual ways. We kept in touch and I landed in Bulgaria for a week in late March.

First things first. Yavor knows how to take care of his instructors. I was set in two nice apartments with a great wireless connection (so important), two grocery stores nearby, and the city center within walking distance. Also, I was introduced to so much Bulgarian food. More and more organizers are realizing that I’m a food tourist. I appreciate this very much.

Along with finding the Sofia swing scene very friendly and helpful, they’re also crazy for swing dancing. The Smugglers Collective swing party was packed Saturday night. This is a very cool underground venue. They have so much happening below the streets here. I don’t know how the dancers stayed up so late. (Aside: Porto, Portugal might have competition. I’ll let the Sofia dancers attending the Porto Swing Jam Exchange decide that). I went home much earlier than the hardcore party people. Aerials were on my mind.

That weekend, I worked with two different follows, Stela for lindy and Valentina for aerials. They were great to easy to work with and dedicated to give me two extra hours of their time for training purposes. I even used Yavor for some in-class demonstrations. As a solo teacher, you must be prepared to lead, follow, and switch at any moment. The solo to partner class kept me really busy. There were definite points where I was footwork confused.

If you’re ever in this part of Europe, take the train or plane to Sofia. The airport is close to the city, the food is great, the city is lovely (free English speaking tour), and the dancers enthusiastic. Check it out.

Zagreb – Why Are You Here?

“Why are you here” was asked several times while I was in Zagreb, Croatia. I even had to answer this question before I began teaching Saturday. I think this post is the perfect place to answer the most repeated questions.

Q: Why are you here? A: I enjoy traveling and teaching swing dance. Also, I had a free weekend between two other workshops and wanted to do something en route to Sofia, Bulgaria. A friend from Cork introduced me to his friend in Zagreb and workshop talk started there.

Q: How long have you been dancing? A: For 17 years now.

Q: How long have you been swing dancing? A: About 14 years.

Q: How long have you been dancing lindy hop? A: For about 11-12 years.

This is the thing with questions. Depending on their detail, you will receive different answers. Based on the question asker’s reaction, it always seem they meant to ask the last question. But yes, I’ve been dancing a long time and been through many development stages.

Q: What’s your favorite city? A: London or Barcelona. I like Barcelona for its narrow alleyways with surprising shops, great architecture (Gaudi) and one of my favorite restaurants (Ohla Gastrobar). Unfortunately,  my favorite bartender moved. I’ll live.

Typically, I enjoy a brief mental freeze with this all-encompassing question. I keep expecting more to be added to its end. Since this question is asked in context of my travels, Denver doesn’t ever get mentioned. Why? Because I still live there contrary to others’ opinions.

Q: What city would you revisit? A: Porto. I have many friends there, I like the city’s winding streets, the Ribeira at night, and the Porto dancers are crazy (in a good way, of course). Also, I would revisit London. There’s so much to see there. The city is massive, but feels smaller with each neighborhood having its own vibe. And for foodies, this place is heaven with its amazing restaurants, bars, and markets.

Depending on the question, Berlins gets mentioned for its cool buildings, international cuisine at cheap prices (check out Chén Chè Teehaus), graffiti, and just pure uniqueness. Valencia will get mentioned because I have great hosts that love food and treat me well, there’s a beach, and it’s cool. Just is.

Q: What’s your favorite dance? A: It depends on the dance scene. Currently, it’s lindy hop. It’s what I’m dancing and teaching the most. When I was in Melbourne, west coast swing was my favorite dance. I had a dance partner, taught wcs once every 2-3 weeks, and there were great dancers and a kickass vibe.

Q: Why has it been so long since you competed in west coast swing? A: (inside my head: darn that online points registry). Out loud: It’s a combination of factors. My favorite follows moved away from Denver and my current favorites live in Melbourne and Tel Aviv. Long commute. When you don’t have dance passion in your home scene, motivation is difficult. I still love the dance and stay current the best I can. My last competition was in 2012 at Best of the Best in Sydney, Australia.

Q: You do parkour!? Interlude: This question was asked so often at the Heartland Swing Festival this year. I still don’t know who was telling people about this. I have a feeling when this question is asked with so much enthusiasm (and it was), they expect me to go outside and immediately start jumping around and flipping off things. A: Yes, but I have done most of my training indoors at Apex Movement in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. I haven’t kept up with my training when traveling and training outdoors has its own mental blocks to overcome. If you ever want to train when you visit Denver, let me know and I’ll hook you up.

Q: Why am I in so much pain after aerials? A: It’s intense. You’re using muscles you don’t normally use to this extreme. You’re also coordinating whole body movements. Your body is not used to this. If you want to keep doing aerials, workout more. Get in shape. Train as much as possible and get your repetitions in. Watch DemonDrills.

That’s all. If you have any questions, email me. I’m always happy to give advice, whether it’s for training or you want Denver restaurant recommendations. Also, I’d be glad to teach in your scene. Cheers!

Valencia Recap – Paella, Dips, Tricks, Black Bottom

Valencia, Spain offers a great time especially when I get to work with Miguel and Carla, the proprietors of Black Bottom Lindy Hop. This was my second visit to Valencia and I was looking forward to it. February 1-3 would be my final weekend before I returned to the US. They had a great weekend planned featuring must eat foods and 6 hours of workshops.

That weekend was my last hurrah and seemingly, a coming out party for Black Bottom Lindy Hop. A student made cookies and a lindy sweets train, there were t-shirts and a special inappropriate move – Miguel’s Black Bottom. I attended a Black Bottom (not the jazz step) class where Miguel and Lucia taught a move from Skip Ups and I was inspired.

Most importantly, I had paella for the first time! I’ve been tempted by paella in the past, but the advertisements, the shrimp, restaurant commercialization have been turnoffs. Two years ago or so, I had a dish called paella at Ondo’s Spanish Tapas Bar in Denver. It came out in a cylindrical shape and contained chorizo, bacon, and shrimp for its proteins. I mainly remember the rice tasting and feeling wet, maybe slightly oily. And if you visit Madrid and Barcelona, you will find many restaurants advertising paella. Is it paella? Mmmmmm…. not really.

This is true paella from the Albufera region of Valencia, Spain. Rice, green vegetables, chicken and rabbit served in a large round paella. Delicious, hearty, authentic. Just how I like my swing dancing. Once you get to know the taste of authentic paella, you can’t go back to the cheap substitute. It won’t work, you’ve been spoiled.

This leads into other reasons why I enjoy visiting Valencia so much. The dancers have individual style, Miguel and Carla have great branding, they know what makes food and lindy hop so great (quality ingredients, authenticity, uniqueness), there’s a beach, and it’s cool, quirky, and there’s great architecture. Other dance scenes just have a permeating sameness, not Valencia. So, if you get the chance, visit Valencia, eat some of their fabulous regional cuisine, and say “hi” to Black Bottom Lindy Hop for me.

Rocking Personal Style – Adventures in Porto

You ready? This is Guedes. Sometimes, like tonight, he goes by his pseudonym DJ Joe. He’s rocking the plaid, a bow tie, and fierce facial hair. The music was in good hands after he took over from Abeth and the Mean Swing Machine, carrying the party until 4am.

I was in Porto, Portugal teaching an aerials workshop with Helena Cardia and coordinating with Lindy Hop Portugal for promotions. The aerials workshop was a great success, bringing 40 dancers from Porto and Lisbon. We taught 7 different aerials in 4.5 hours at an amazing acro gymnastic facility.

During my short stay, I was reminded that I miss Porto’s crazy winding streets, riverfront, towering bridges (abandoned and otherwise), and the dancers.

Two things stood out for me at the Saturday night party. I wrote the following in my Notepad: “have good fashion style, solid dancers”. It’s not that they are wearing fashion labels, fancy footwear, or dressing vintage/retro/classic. It’s that the clothes fit their personal style so well, embodying their characteristics as a person and a dancer. They are put together.

They are also put together dancers. Abeth has done a great job developing Portugal’s scene. And a good portion of Portugal’s dancers have really invested themselves into swing dancing. It shows, especially on the dance floor. Just as you have many fashion flavors, you also have many dance flavors and styles reigning on the dance floor. They have a big small scene.

I had a great time dancing with everyone that night. Eventually, my back started stiffening (4.5 hours teaching plus 3.5 hours training) and I had to rest. Fortunately, Daniel was making a recovery brunch the next afternoon. Always say yes to a Daniel meal. Trust me.

That wraps up Portugal. Hopefully, I’ll return soon for more adventures.