Learning Lessons

I’m reminded of Mike Faltesek and Thomas Blacharz‘s solo critique class at Stompology. Two dancers would solo dance for 60-90 seconds and then Mike and Thomas would provide constructive criticism. Nerve racking! Sometimes that criticism wasn’t directed at the individuals but toward the group. Falty was saying, and I will paraphrase, that practice isn’t pretty. Practice shouldn’t be done on the social floor. Practice should involve sweat, tears, and pain. Yeah, I’m probably taking liberties there. The point? You must work to earn your knowledge. Then it’s currency.

A few weeks ago, I taught in Zagreb, Croatia for Streetcar Called Lindy. Besides enjoying teaching the hard working beginner level students, I enjoyed teaching the very last class, Tricks for Lindy.

I asked the students if they wanted to learn the difficult material first or save it for last. They chose the difficult material (yay!) – The Tango Dip as I learned it from Mike Faltesek and Casey Schneider. We spent the entire hour teaching this move and few people actually owned  it at the end. It’s a difficult pattern sequence. I applaud everyone’s effort. People worked hard and it was great to see. There was technique, solo practice, unfamiliar body movement, twisting, and power. Kudos to the students for their dedication. I hope they continue practicing this move and one day use it in a choreography, jam, or while social dancing.

Another classroom experience balances this one, the Surprise Endings class. I started the class by doing a solo warmup with an 8 count rhythm ending 7, 8, 1 Snap 2. The students were doing really well during the warmup, but incorporating this rhythm inside a swingout proved difficult. Sometimes rhythms inside partnerships are harder than solo and vice versa. Therefore, we had to talk about swingout technique, what it means to stretch/release, and making intelligent decisions.

Students were asking “what if I can’t do this?” or “what if we do it at the same time?” If you want something, you have to work hard for it and you have to make intelligent decisions inside the dance framework. I talk about this in the video and went into detail during class. Sometimes rhythm variations are going to take students outside their comfort zone. I, as the teacher, can provide methods and steps toward success, but the students have to take the final step. Though I will do my best to provide you with the right tools, you’re ultimately responsible for your success.

I related a story that was told to me at a 23 Skidoo practice about a pro that would practice  a rhythmic variation 500 times in front of a mirror before trying it on the social floor. I don’t know if it’s true, but it illustrates one person’s successful method. Immediately, a student pointed out that they aren’t a pro. So? It’s not about what you aren’t, it’s about what you can become. This pro had a method. It might not be your method, but you could probably create a way to help yourself.

Be willing to work hard

Be willing to fail and learn from this

Be willing to try again

Be willing to struggle

Be willing to have fun

Learning is tough, but the rewards are priceless.

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!