Massage and the Dancer

Sore back? Painful plantar fasciitis? Tired legs? Sounds like you’ve been dancing! These, among many others, are all common issues that dancers of all kinds (professional, amateur and everyone in between) deal with when they spend time in the studio. Whether you want to feed your soul or to get in better shape, your body is sure to feel the effects of your craft. You stretch, you work on core strength, and you take Epsom salt baths, yet some aches and pains persist. So where do you turn to find relief so you can continue to cha cha to your heart’s content? One word: bodywork.

Massage Therapy, while becoming more mainstream in our society as a legitimate tool in self-care, still struggles with the stigma of being frivolous. Many people continue to view massage as a way to “pamper” themselves, rather than as an important way to maintain healthy musculature, manage pain, and improve overall health. You might “indulge” once or twice a year and go to the spa. Perhaps you are having a hard time justifying spending the time and money on regular bodywork. Perhaps you still think of massage simply as a way to relax. Are massages relaxing? Certainly. Do your muscles NEED to be relaxed? Absolutely!!! Being both a long-time dancer and a licensed massage therapist, I have an insider’s perspective on how vital it is that those who dance incorporate massage into their regular health care routine.

Regardless of how cliché as it sounds, as a dancer you know that your body is your instrument. It is the tool with which you express yourself. So, to belabor the metaphor, let’s imagine your body as an actual musical instrument: a guitar. Your strings need to be properly positioned in order to play your tune. If they are in the wrong position you will not be able to produce the sound you desire; the tone will be thin and poor at best and it can even put stress and strain on the wood of the guitar, thus warping the wood (sometimes irreparably). All it takes is some regular realignment and fine-tuning of these strings to get you playing the way you want (and need) to. Naturally, in this scenario, your muscles are your guitar strings; they require constant attention and realignment in order to keep your body functioning at an optimal level. By assuring that your muscles are where they are supposed to be, your body can better cope with the strain that dance can put upon them. And that makes for not only better but more comfortable movement. Want more comfortable and effortless movement? Every dancer does. So be a fool for dancing, but don’t be a dancing fool: get that massage!

To break it down, here is a list of some of the myriad benefits you can expect from regular bodywork:

·        Relief of muscular and myofascial tension and stiffness

·        Improved circulation of blood and the lymphatic system

·        Increase in range of motion and flexibility in joints

·        Promotion of tissue regeneration and reduction of scar tissue

·        Lessening of anxiety, depression and general stress

·        Heightened immune system

·        Release of endorphins (the natural pain reliever of the body) and oxytocin

·        Relief of migraine and tension headaches and fibromyalgia

·        Reduction of swelling

·        Improvement of posture

·        Lowering of blood pressure

·        Enhancement of injury and/or post-operative rehabilitation

In today’s fast-paced society, we want results NOW. And in a perfect world, you could get a massage once and all your aches and pains would be cured. However, our bodies don’t cooperate with this “one-and-done” mentality. Constant stressors on both the mind and body continuously add tension to your muscles and it takes effort to combat the effects. You wouldn’t brush your teeth once every six months and expect to maintain good oral hygiene, right? Of course not! The same is true of your muscular system, especially when you engage in such vigorous use of it like you do when you dance. As a massage therapist, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “How often should I get a massage?” My answer is always the same: “As often as your pocketbook allows!” The truth is, there is no hard and fast answer to this question. Many variables factor into how often you should get bodywork. Do you have any injuries, chronic or acute? How is your nutrition? What is your exercise regime? How is your general health? And yes, the taboo question of your age plays a part in this as well. The hard fact is that the older we get, the more care we need to give our muscles. At the age of 41, my body simply doesn’t respond the way it did when I was in my twenties; I have to work a little harder to do things that came effortlessly when I was younger. I marvel at some of the feats I was capable of in my heyday as a dancer that seem next to impossible these days! However, receiving regular bodywork is one way I make sure that my body is working at maximum capacity so that I can continue to do what I love: dance! There is absolutely no reason I can’t dance my way into my eighties and beyond! It just takes more effort on my part to make that possible. Massage is a vital part of that self-care.

So continue to work on your frame, your footwork and your styling. Take that group class, that private lesson and that workshop. Go to the club, participate in a fun dance outing and sign up for that competition you’ve been dreaming about. Dance to your heart’s content! And then do yourself a favor and book a massage. Your partner, your instructor and (most importantly) your body will thank you. 

Contributed by Rebecca Ash

Cross-Training

A client recently asked me why a group of people take classes in a dance style they very rarely use. Why learn Rumba if you dance primarily Country Western?

Many of us start out dancing for the social aspects. We forget that it is also a sport in that it requires movement, coordination and muscle memory. After gaining experience and training, some students come to appreciate dance for its beauty and welcome the challenge of becoming better dancers but often stick to a favored style.

I explained that the concepts of connection, partnering, and movement technique are universal in dance. There are certainly differences in dance character, rhythm, patterns, etc., but all move in partnership through time and space.

Cross-Training came to mind. I became a better Smooth dancer because I also studied Rhythm and Latin. Cross-training refers to an athlete training in sports other than the one that the athlete competes in, with a goal of improving overall performance. It takes advantage of the particular effectiveness of each training method, while at the same time attempting to negate the shortcomings of that method by combining it with other methods that address its weaknesses. Bottom line – it's about balance. When you are performing the same movements all the time you are using the same muscles. This puts you at risk for a repetitive injury and it also creates an imbalance. Just like incorporating activities into your routine that work different muscle groups (adding a cardio aspect to weight training for example) improve your overall fitness level, incorporating different dance styles improve your overall technique. I feel my partner, I feel the floor more, I have developed an awareness of how my every physical action affects my partner, and vice versa. My proficiency of any particular dance was very much augmented by the training of another dance, and I would encourage students of any dance to follow my lead.

Becoming A Project Of Success

When we move forward, the iliopsoas (a muscle consisting of the iliacus and psoas major muscles) and other hip flexors contract, causing a forward leg swing until the foot hits a surface.  You basically fall on that foot and repeat the action with the other leg creating locomotion, otherwise known as…walking.  Our bodies are designed to be very efficient with this ambulation as we fall forward on our heels and roll through to the toes.

Walking differs from dancing in many ways. There are no accidental steps in dancing. There is an exact foot placement and exact amount of turn. Combined with many more physical actions, one can create graceful movement through time and space in partnership with another. Many muscle groups and work are involved throughout the body to execute dance steps while maintaining a frame and connection with a partner. A student of dance may dutifully show up for instruction and practice dance figures, yet fail to work on the most important aspect of partnering, motion, and balance…themself! 

We can’t change the natural laws of our universe. Gravity and energy are always going to influence our movement. We must, therefore, become aware of our physical weaknesses and then pursue a form of training that generates correction. Sometimes achieving better balance can be as simple as more rotation in the upper torso or a shift of head weight. Sometimes a personal compensatory action is employed or a mental strategy involving analogies might create the desired result. Sometimes there is a limited range of motion, or lack of flexibility, strength, or endurance. If "it" is preventing us from dancing at a higher level, it doesn’t really matter whether it originates from an old injury or some under-developed muscle. As a dance instructor, I teach the patterns and rhythm of a particular dance, the necessary technique, and the lead/follow aspects of partnering.  It is important for me to also identify the physical issues preventing precise movement and balance and coach my students in corrective exercises.

I walk the walk with regular chiropractic care and massage therapy to not only ensure wellness, but to enable me to perform my job of dancing and coaching. I find that I must endure the sometimes painful exercise of foam rolling my iliotibial (IT) bands to maintain muscle elasticity and range of motion and flexibility. I must also perform exercises to maintain my muscle strength, particularly around weakened or injured joints. Essentially, I am a never-ending project so that I can continue to do the job I most enjoy–– instructing dance. I encourage my students to do the same, which will help them achieve better movement in addition to a healthier lifestyle. Fitness is a necessity in dance. Stronger core and leg muscles together with increased flexibility will result in more control of our movement, i.e. better dancing! So the next time you trip off a step or stumble into a room, remember that to dance is not just an accidental walk in the park.

 

Thanksgiving

The pursuit of any skill or art requires dedication, discipline, and steadfast practice, but the most important element in success is having the right coaches. I’m very grateful for all of the instructors I’ve had in my individual quests towards some goal. One of my greatest lessons is to really respect the knowledge and gift a coach offers as I’ve come to appreciate the value of a teacher more than ever in my own growth. I am humbled and grateful that I can, as a teacher in my field of expertise, be a contributor instead of a consumer. I not only instruct dance, but I motivate and mentor when a student experiences frustration or hits some temporary limitation. I feel an ever-growing appreciation for the influence my guidance may offer as I contribute to the achievement of someone’s goal. I am simultaneously grateful to my students who provide so much joy in my life, allowing me to coach them in their endeavor with a trust that I will guide them with my fullest capabilities. I learn a great deal from my students. They bring me constantly to an awareness of myself and to enjoy all the small, intangible moments I once so easily dismissed.

My quality of life is exponentially improved by both my teachers and my students. I’m thankful for both.

Thanksgiving is a personal holiday for me every day (without all the calories) as I hold myself to not just thinking and feeling gratitude, but showing and expressing it to others each day.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My dance card runneth over!

I’ve had the opportunity to teach at several events the past few weeks. Most recently, I had the pleasure of working a local school district fundraiser. It was hosted in a private home, complete with food, beverages, D.J. and party lights galore. Instructing adults with little or no knowledge of dance deepened my appreciation for the moment. The participants gathered around as the DJ lowered a microphone from the upstairs loft, as if I were a Boxing referee about to announce the contestants. I felt so at ease in that environment as I began to present the concept of partner dancing and introduce the dance of the evening in terms that helped the group understand how to respond. I feel so blessed to do this as a career and share my knowledge with both beginners and more advanced dancers.

I have entered a sweet spot of gratitude as my business transitions into opening a new school of dance. The teachers I’ve been training have become like immediate family and the student body like extended family. The excitement has been building among current students and those anxiously awaiting their first class. I’ve been receiving referrals from a networking group I belong to as well as from a church directory. But the most complimentary source is always word of mouth. After previously being part owner in two studios, I look forward to watching this school unfold as we organically grow to our fullest potential. This Thanksgiving, I am grateful to all of the teachers who will be working with me as we launch this new endeavor; Kelly, Karla, Shawna, Natalie, Jordan, & Juan Carlos.

My dance card runneth over!

Emotional Connection

As a professional instructor, I've focused most of my coaching on the necessary discipline of teaching my students to practice basics and body control, with a constant emphasis on technique and high intensity training on the physics of partnering.

In retrospect, I've come to recognize that emotional partnering skills are as essential as physics in creating a successful connection and chemistry. I've been observing the emotional dynamics between dance partners and how much that influences their progress. Falling in love with dance is one thing. Staying in love with it while training can be difficult at times. The experience runs counter-intuitive to the notion that dancing with someone should be effortless, comfortable and natural. In fact, the experience is more intense because of the more intimate nature of our chosen recreational pursuit and the expectations brought to the dance floor. Both verbal and non-verbal communication become amplified---after all, it does take "two to Tango!"

I find myself being ever more mindful while dancing and teaching, to the reactions and responses of my partners. To get the full experience of dancing with one another, we must surrender to becoming an open book, vulnerable with both goals and fears exposed. I encourage my students to practice not just executing near-perfect movement, but also to dedicate themselves to creating a safe emotional environment around the partnership, successfully striving to reach new milestones with authenticity and openness.

In a dance, there is you, your partner and the music. The rest of the world is just a blur.

ON MINDING MY “P’s”

Strive for Progress—not Perfection! This is my new motto.

I’ve never considered my students as clients. For a long time, however, I have over-emphasized trying to produce something very unlikely—perfection. Teaching is its own delicate form of dance, an intimate balancing act of inviting the student to learn while encouraging them to progress.  While I never want to spoon-feed information, stringing students along for more profit,  I recognize that the long-term value of providing what they are capable of absorbing is key to their success.  Like many things in my life, my teaching style is evolving as I experience a paradigm shift in how I interact with my students.

I have refined my instruction so that student dancers can be more genuine with me both in and outside of our student/teacher relationship. This has required me to develop a more relaxed and authentic bond with those taking instruction from me. The results were clearly demonstrated at the recent competition in late September. 

In just the Pro/Am competitions alone,  four of my attending students garnered 1^st place awards in 30 single dance heats between them in a variety of Country, Smooth, Rhythm and Standard dances—a remarkable accomplishment!

I've had the benefit of working for myself as a dance teacher for several years. I love that I’m not just some instructor randomly paired with a new student and instead sought out by students, who place their trust in me to guide them. As they progress towards their dance goals, I honor their trust with great responsibility and take my teaching more seriously than ever before. My job is to train them in developing their skills, while allowing them to simultaneously experience the joy of our common passion—another “p” word I now prefer to “perfection!”

Leadership is helping others succeed through influence! This is my personal mission statement.

Youthful Inspiration

At the end of March, I participated in the Texas Challenge Dancesport Championships with some of my competitive ballroom dance team.  Among the group who competed in the event were two amateur Rhythm dance partners who I have been coaching for about 4 months; they are a great partnership of two young adults.  As I reviewed some of the terrific photographs of their performance, I felt inspired and excited as I realized the great fulfillment I gain from the role of coach.  This feeling is never more true than when I am working with youth, junior, and collegiate level dancers.  Like the young amateur couple that I have been training, young dancers bring an enthusiasm to ballroom dance that is contagious!

Whether I am leading a youth ballroom class in the studio, coaching my competitive youth and junior dancers, or participating as a judge at the Austin Open Ballroom Dance Competition at the University of Texas at Austin, I am thrilled to see a younger generation embrace ballroom dance. 

As I have watched these amazing young dancers grow as artists, I have also watched them gain self-confidence, social grace, knowledge, communication and performance skills that will stay with them throughout their school years and well into their adult career paths.  What an advantage each of these young people will have when they discover all the ways to apply the subtle nuances of this training in real life. 

Dance builds grace in young people on many levels.

Like many of us who find a path to dance in adulthood, I envy the opportunity that early ballroom dance training provides youth.   The younger dancers have physical ability to grasp the technicality of dance in the early stages of training, they possess a limitless creativity that becomes a part of their artistic expression, and their minds are sponges soaking up the language, skills, and many lessons taught through ballroom dance.



What these young dancers will one day learn is that ballroom is gift that can be applied throughout a lifetime!  While most ballerinas enjoy only short-term careers, ballroom dancers have an unlimited potential to find their passion on the dance floor at any age!

Coaching these amazing young people brings me the greatest joy as a teacher.

What I Learned in Church: The Benefit of Dance Lessons

This past Sunday, I was invited to participate in a unique and wonderful ballroom dance experience at my church.  Our Pastor has been presenting a series on love and relationships leading up to Valentine’s Day.  As part of his sermon relating ballroom dance to the dance of life, the dance of marriage partners, and our dance with God, he invited me to perform a short Foxtrot with one of my students (Kathy Dupuy) during the Sunday service.  As a result, he and his wife also came to me for a private ballroom dance lesson.

It was one of the most fun and rewarding performances that I have given!  The dancers on stage, including our Pastor and his wife, inspired the entire congregation to take their own partners into the aisles and dance.

After the service, so many church friends approached me with the comment, “I loved dancing with my wife (or my husband) this morning.  We had so much fun but, we want to learn how to dance the way you do!”

This thought has lingered in my mind since Sunday. 

The truth is there is a vast divide between partners swaying to the music in an embrace and the movement of trained ballroom dancers.  Even the most novice social dancers can greatly benefit from private ballroom dance lessons.

Not every student will become a top competitive ballroom dancer.  But, EVERY student can improve the fun of dancing by learning a few basics:

o   The technique of basic figures in a favorite dance style

o   Foot placement

o   Connection with your partner

o   Lead and follow

o   Rhythm and musicality

Knowledge is power!  A fundamental knowledge and understanding of ballroom dance can open up a whole new world of pleasure and fun, especially for a couple! And, private dance lessons are the fastest, most effective way to reach a higher level of fun – fast!

This Valentine’s Day, give your sweetheart a gift that will last a lifetime – the gift of dance!

Thankful for Dance

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, I am sure many of you have been reflecting the blessings in your lives that you are grateful for, as I have been.

I am sincerely thankful for this great nation, our freedom, and the military which shaped my life.  More, I am thankful for all the brave men and women who serve and sacrifice, as I did, to protect American life and liberty.

I am thankful for my precious family, friends, and students.

And, I am thankful for one of the greatest of these many blessings – the gift of dance.

Dance has brought richness to my life.

Dance healed my body after suffering war injuries.

Dance ignited a new passion and purpose within me when I had lost my inspiration.

Dance has brought many wonderful friends, colleagues, and students into my life that I would not otherwise have met.

Dance has paved the way for many travels and adventures.

Dance has stretched my mind with continuous learning.

Dance brought me my beautiful wife and amazing stepchildren.

My Thanksgiving wish for all of you is that dance will bless your lives as richly as it has blessed mine.  May this holiday week bring you and abundance of things to grateful be for.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's All the Same Thing

During the Southwestern Invitational Championships in Dallas, I was privileged to attend the final Latin performance danced by Andre and Natalie Paramonov, World Dance Champions, as they announced their debut as Rhythm dancers showcasing their first performance in this new genre during the upcoming Ohio Star Ball.

Reflecting upon this groundbreaking announcement (as most professionals do not change styles of dance in the midst of successful careers), I recall that when I was first learning dance, Smooth Ballroom dances seemed radically different than Rhythm and Latin dances.  The Smooth style, now my favorite, seemed stiff and structured compared to the fun, free, and sexy Rhythm dances.

What I have come to understand over my years as both an amateur and professional dancer is that all require hard work, possess a unique beauty, and each has its own character.  In fact, during the 2012 Blackpool Congress, Gram Oswick proved this by conducting a grand experiment.  He had two couples, World Champions, perform the same choreography – one couple danced a Standard Foxtrot, while the other danced the same figures in a Latin Paso Doble.  It was amazing to watch! 

This demonstration proved that each style of dance possesses its own creative movement, mechanics, and beauty.  Each style requires an equal amount of technique, training, and control.  Yet, each style of dance is distinguished by its signature character, musicality, and beauty within the basic framework of exactly the same figures.

So, to all of the Pro/Am competitors in the audience, particularly my own, I say work hard and have fun in every style you dance!  Standard, Smooth, Rhythm, and Latin all require your focus, commitment and attention to the detail of the dance.  Personally, I love that the theatrical look and feel of Smooth Ballroom dances are comparable to the beautiful arm styling of Rhythm dances.   Hence, the technique, strength, and control you develop dancing Smooth, will only make you a better Rhythm dancer!

As Gram Oswick said, “It is all about articulation.  Your only friend is the floor.”

So keep dancing!

TEAMWORK

I have long admired one well-respected studio from San Antonio, Texas, whose leadership has done an outstanding job of creating team spirit among its competitive students.  The encouragement and uplifting support the female students provide one another emanates joy and love for the art and sport of Ballroom Dance.  I observed this positive energy and teamwork once again at the recent Southwestern Invitational DanceSport Championships (SWI) in Dallas.

I have also been reflecting on what a joy it was to spend the weekend with the wonderful group of students and their families of my Balance Competitive Ballroom Dance Team who accompanied me to SWI, last weekend.  I think the reason that my group of ladies is so pleasurable to be around is the positivity they each possess, the love of dance they share, and the TEAM spirit we all create together!

Over my many years as a dance instructor and studio owner, I have observed at DanceSport competitions the studios that have the most fun and win the most awards are those that work as a team, creating a network of support.

What a contrast this is to the pettiness that can sometimes accompany competition! This is particularly true when students among a single studio or dancing with the same instructor are competing among themselves.  The negative energy created brings everyone down.

Yes, Ballroom Dance at this level is a sport in which there are clear winners and losers.  The cream rises to top revealing the most skilled, naturally talented, experienced, and well-trained amateurs and professionals.  The best dancers are the winners, and rightfully so!

However, competition can be friendly and good sportsmanship only highlights the joy that dance brings to life!  Let’s face it, dancing is fun!  In the end, we are all winners for just having enlightened our bodies and minds through this beautiful art!

My San Antonio friends have mastered this team spirit!  And I am very proud to say that my newly formed Balance Competitive Ballroom Dance Team has, as well!

MANY CONGRATULATIONS to Kathy, Kelly, Shawna, Chloe, Karla, Dawn, Joe and my wonderful wife, Kellie, for their individual achievements at the Southwestern Invitational Championships.  More, congratulations to all for their combined achievement as a team! 

They are all winners!

Continued Education

I recently returned from DVIDA Professional Ballroom Dance Camp in Las Vegas.  It was a unique 4 day opportunity for me to switch roles – I was once again a student and dancer, not just a teacher.

I very much enjoyed learning new insights into the instruction of Smooth and Standard dances from former Champions, Michael Mead, Toni Redpath, and Jim and Jenell Maranto.  I received intense coaching in the technical skills of Rhythm and Latin dances from Felipe and Carolina Telona.  And, I learned fun, new patterns in Hustle and West Coast Swing with Toby and Harmony Munroe.

The thought which came to mind a number of times throughout this amazing week of classes was, “The last dance lesson looks just like the first.”  I repeat this often to my students. What I mean to convey is that as a dancer, each of us continuously strives to reach the highest level of mastery and in it is an unattainable goal.  We will each continue to grow, to hone our skills, develop better technique, to dance more beautifully than the day before; however, perfection is always just out of reach.  There will always be room to grow.

Like striving to attain enlightenment, I believe the never ending quest is the force which drives us forward – pushing us to the next level, regardless of the number of years of experience.

For 4 days, I was the student – no different from those I teach – reaching for the brass ring and working hard to emulate, reflect, and embody the amazing professionals I called “teachers.”

The Sum of Our Experiences

Often, I have had students walk into my studio frustrated by the belief that they have reached a plateau in their development as dancers.  I have heard statements such as, "I am working hard but, I am just not getting it." Or, "I just don't think I am making progress anymore."
To the students feeling discouraged because they are not meeting their own expectations in dance, my advice is this:

Your body is such an interesting and wise vehicle that it is constantly learning to dance, but your realization of this comes with experience.

This idea was expressed beautifully by one of the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing.  Adrianne Haslet-Davis, a ballroom dance instructor and runner in the race, was injured and required amputation below the left knee.  In a interview, she stated, "Ballroom dancers tend to roll and pivot on the edges of their feet, using a series of muscles and tendons to a achieve a balance and dexterity honed with years of practice.  You can't recreate that in a prosthetic."

She is articulating the way in which our bodies are creating muscle memory, developing strength, advancing through continued practice in dance even when our minds may not be experiencing an earth moving epiphany during a lesson or series of lessons.

Whatever you do, don't stop dancing!  Like the cliche expression, you can't see the forest for the trees, sometimes you don't realize your own growth in dance until you are looking back at this time of frustration from a distance.

As for Adrianne Haslet-Davis, one week after the attacks, she began making plans to get back to teaching the students who have filled her hospital room with flowers.  And, she has already decided to dance the Waltz again.

We are the sum of our experiences, which help to form us and make us who we are today.  Our experiences help us learn, grow, and progress.

Keep dancing!

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/23/us/boston-marathon-amputee/index.html?iref=allsearch

I recently returned from the Southern States DanceSport Championships in New Orleans, an extremely well-organized Ballroom Dance competition hosted by Larry and Diane Dean.  I attended the event with three of my competitive Pro-Am dance students.

What an exciting adventure! 

Upon my return, my thoughts have turned to the great rewards my competitive students receive from this experience versus the financial investment each makes in order to participate.

There is no denying that Pro-Am DanceSport, for all styles of dance from Ballroom to Country, is an expensive form of entertainment.  However, I have repeatedly witnessed how the value of competition, the growth it imparts, and the joy it delivers outweighs the price tag it carries.

So, how much does it cost to compete?  Private lessons to prepare for the event will average $70 – 100 per hour, for qualified professional instruction.  Competition gowns range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars; however, many gorgeous gowns can be found on consignment at very competitive retail prices.  Competitors also need to be prepared for the cost of registration and participation in the event, which will depend upon the number of dances an amateur chooses to compete in. The professional instructor escorting the student will charge a per diem for his or her time. And, there are travel expenses if the event is not in your home town or nearby. 

In return for the investment, a student of dance receives immeasurable reward!   As with all great, memorable experiences in life, it is difficult to quantify the value of one’s rapid growth in the art of dance, the life-long friends that are formed by being a part of a like-minded community, the joy experienced through expression in a beautiful art, and the cherished memories formed through travel.

Think of the Pro-Am competition experience in terms of an investment in entertainment, such as a vacation.  The difference here is that when you travel to an exciting Dance destination, instead of money spent on local tours and souvenirs, the Pro-Am dancer purchases the dance experience.

I encourage all students to invest in at least one Pro-Am DanceSport experience!  It is a unique adventure not to be missed!

Some great upcoming competitions are:

Austin Swing Dance Championship, Austin, April 19-20

Texas Classic (Country Western competiton), Houston, May 16-19

Sapphire DanceSport Championship (Ballroom competition), Austin, May 30 - June 2

See you on the dance floor,

-Mark

Reward of the Process

2013 is already proving to be an exciting and full year, as I am training many students for upcoming DanceSport competitions.

I want to share a few thoughts with my courageous, committed students who have risen to the challenge of the competition dance floor.

First, this is difficult!  Ballroom dance and partnering are challenging for ALL dancers! So, if you think you are the only one not “getting it” – get over it because you are not alone!  One of my newest students is an excellent, experienced dancer and dance instructor; however, she teaches a variety of styles other than ballroom.  Even this lovely dancer going through the process of learning how to maintain frame and body connection while in motion, as do all new students of standard ballroom dance. Remember – this art is NOT easy but, it is REALLY worth it!   

Next, learning and teaching ballroom dance is a strategic process, which is designed to provide methodic growth.  This is especially true of closed syllabus routines.  Each set of figures progresses in difficulty.  This is what develops us as dancers.  Nothing takes the place of methodical drills designed to develop the necessary skills to dance well.  Therefore, trust the process!

This idea of growth leads to my next thought and morsel of great advice I once received.  One of my instructors used to say that it is better to dance bronze figures and patterns like a gold dancer than to execute gold figures looking like a bronze dancer. This idea has always stuck with me as an example of how to learn and teach.  I observe in both social and competitive venues examples of people dancing figures outside of their skill level.   You will look better and more confident dancing well at your level than executing advanced moves and patterns poorly!  A dancer’s goal should be to exhibit smooth, elegant, refined, and balanced grace – at any level of the ballroom syllabus.

The key to a successful DanceSport competition is: have fun, don’t give up, and dance well at your level!

Our Wonderful Community

After owning my own dance studio in Oak Hill, I am filled with gratitude for the open arms that have welcomed me and my students at Balance Dance Studios in South Austin.

Owning a studio was a fun adventure that introduced me to many new students, colleagues, and helped me to grow a wonderful “dance family” that I wholeheartedly love. 

What a blessing it has been over the past three months to find myself, my students, and the art of partner dancing fully embraced by the warm, wonderful staff at Balance.

Kathy and Kristin, BDS's sharp and savvy studio owners, have a pioneering spirit, astute business sense, as well as a gift for dance.

Danielle, Shelby, Shawna and Trulie make up Balance’s very supportive and helpful staff.  Each has the heart of a servant leader and a love for dance.

Balance Dance Studios has so much to offer the Austin dance community, incorporating classes in a wide-variety of dance styles, along with fitness that supports every dancer’s body and health.  In fact, the scope of classes at Balance is broad enough to even include families and mothers-to-be. 

Personally, I love being a part of a studio that supports the art of dance in all of its forms.

I encourage every member of the Austin dance community to visit Balance.  I know you will find it to be a warm, welcoming addition to your world of dance.

Keep dancing!

 

Welcome 2013!

As we begin this beautiful New Year, I am filled with thoughts of building a stronger, more united dance community in Austin during 2013.

Dancers, instructors, studios, and dance clubs, alike, share a responsibility to each other in building a strong community in a city as small as Austin. 

We need each other! 

We need a spirit of cooperation, support, and mutual promotion in order to grow together, increasing our population of dancers.

Dance is an enriching gift and fulfilling art! 

What a lovely way to express the fun and joy that one experiences in life!  Who would not want to share in this?

On February 2 – Austin is host to a Free Day of Dance!  

If you love the art of dance, or if have not yet learned to dance but have always wanted to, this is a great opportunity to experience dance lessons!  I will at Balance Dance Studios donating my time during this community-wide effort. 

You don’t want to miss it!

http://freedayofdance.com/

 

Here is a great link to a website that advertises Austin dance studios, clubs, events, and instruction throughout the city http://dance.austin.tx.us/places.html#qs. 

 

James Skowbo, host of this terrific resource, publishes a weekly newsletter that will keep you updated on all dance-related activities throughout the city.  James has been a long-time supporter of dance and is committed to keeping our community together and informed.

 

Thank you, James!  You do a great job and you are sincerely appreciated by all!

I hope to see you all on the dance floor in 2013!