A Few Thoughts on Dancing:                                                          
Dancing from the Heart
Cynthia Hively, 

A few weeks ago, I facetiously told a friend of mine who was struggling to understand the appeal of Argentine tango, that dancing (especially tango) is all about using your body in conjunction with your partner’s and dancing what you feel. Though I’m pretty sure I may have scared the poor guy into possibly never dancing again, I thought many of you would appreciate the concept.  

Partner dancing is exactly that: dancing with a partner. In order to do so, you both have to be tuned into each other and paying attention, not just to the footwork, but to the mood of the dance overall and to what your partner is doing. Too often we get hung up on steps and not making mistakes, to the point where we’re plowing right through our partner to get the step finished correctly. Yes, you want to dance the step properly, but you also have to dance it with your partner. Sometimes you just have to fudge your footwork and fake it to make it work together. It's not about doing individual steps, it's about dancing together. To do that, you have to connect with your partner and dance what you feel - physically. 

Once you’ve tuned into your partner and synced up your movement, then dance from the heart; dance what you feel - emotionally. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be romantically inclined to dance well with your partner, it simply means put some feeling in the dance. Don’t just dance the steps, put some sparkle in your twinkle as you move around the dance floor. Get sassy when you swing. Feel sexy when you rumba or tango. No matter who you're dancing with, listen to the mood of the music and put some emotion into it.  Believe it or not (and trust me, you should believe it), it will go a long way towards making you a better dancer, getting all those steps right, and creating lots more fun for both you and your partner. 

I’ve had a few dances in my life that I would consider to be absolutely exquisite. None of them were while I was performing at a show or in a competition, or dancing with a highly accomplished “gold level” dance partner. The dances I’ve most enjoyed in my life were the ones I danced when I was simply relaxed and having a really good time. So the next time you’re dancing, whatever the dance, think about using your body in conjunction with your partner’s and dancing what you feel. Always have fun and dance from the heart.

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THINKING KILLS DANCING!
Cynthia Hively, 

I see it happen time and again when I’m teaching a new step to a couple or a group:  most will typically dance it really well the first time, mimicking exactly what I just showed them. Then, when they try to repeat the action, it slowly goes downhill and gets worse with each attempt. That’s because one or both partners are thinking too much.

Anyone who has ever had a class or a lesson with me has heard me say it: thinking kills dancing. In the time it takes you to analyze and dance the movement, you’re behind the beat. There are just too many things (especially for the lead) to think about - there is no way you can think about the footwork, the lead/follow, the musicality, and the technique all at the same time, and dance it with your partner. Your body just has to know it. 

So, rather than just tell you to stop thinking so much, here are some tips to help you develop the strong skills you need so you can relax and have fun on the dance floor. 

Feet First. Every step has a specific foot pattern that guides the rest of your body through the movement. Learn the footwork first. Your feet have to know where they are going in order to do the step. That means learn the pattern and repeat it, over and over again. In class, or on a lesson, rather than think about all the nuances required to make the step happen, tackle the feet first. Both of you dance through your part of the pattern several times over, without worrying about how to lead it, or necessarily be right on the beat. Once you’ve got the pattern down, you can start to work on the other elements.  

Strong Connection and Framework. If you have a solid frame and are connected to your partner, you have a good portion of the lead/follow already tackled. The lead for most dance steps is actually very subtle, provided you have the foundation well laid for a solid connection. This allows you to lead/follow with your body, rather than manipulate, or be manipulated, with the arms and hands. You can’t just be touching your partner, you have to be joined together and have just enough pressure between you that you can tell where your partner’s body is going. Good framework is essential, and a solid connection is a must.

Rhythm is Gonna Get You. I hear all the time from various students how they have no rhythm. Everyone has rhythm. It just takes practice. For those of you who don’t have a natural inclination towards hearing the beat, the best way to find your rhythm is to listen to lots of music – especially music with a heavy bass sound. Most of the time the rhythm section of the band (the bass and drums) is driving the beat. So, rather than try and practice your foot pattern and figure out musical beats at the same time, listen to music in your car and pay attention to the heavy sound of the bass. Try tapping the rhythm with your hand on the steering wheel while you’re cruising down the road or sitting at the light. Learn to hear the rhythm and then it will be easier to dance the various tempos and cadences for the different dances.  

Leads Lead and Follows Follow.  Okay, I’ve harped on this subject of letting the Lead’s be in control on the dance floor over and over again. And I will continue to say it over and over again. Ladies, let the men be in charge - even if you think they are wrong. Don’t move till he moves, don’t step till he puts his foot down, allow him to guide you around the floor. 

Practice Always Makes Better. Dancing is all muscle memory and this is especially true for your feet. Most steps don’t require you to have a partner to practice the basic school figure.  Practice it on your own so you don’t have to think about it when you dance it with your partner.  

All of that said, I do realize that, of course, you will have to think while you are dancing. Just don't over-think it.  Remember to have fun first and always dance from the heart!
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HAVING A HARD TIME REMEMBERING STEPS? TRY AMALGAMATING
Cynthia Hively, 

When I first learned how to social dance, I was part of a training class that was learning how to do both the Lead and the Follow at the same time. There was this constant swirl of steps and patterns that were running through my head in no particular order, mixing together in a mess of footwork with absolutely no technique or style. At times it was very frustrating. However, I kept my eye on the end goal: becoming a good dancer and instructor. I powered through.  

I was fortunate enough to have some very talented coaches and instructors. One of them suggested that in order to keep the steps straight, I put the various steps into a specific pattern, an amalgamation. 

I wasn’t thrilled with the idea. Part of the reason I got into social and ballroom dancing was to get away from dancing steps in a specific routine. Isn’t the idea of social dancing to be able to lead and follow the steps? Will I actually be leading if I’m just doing a pattern? If I put them all in a pattern that I dance the same way over and over again, am I not taking away from the true nature of social dancing – to dance for the moment? 

After years of instructing, I have a much better appreciation for the idea of amalgamating steps. I understand how difficult it is, as a lead, to remember all the various steps. I did discover how much simpler it was to put together and practice an amalgamation of steps to create the muscle memory needed to flow from one step to the next. Then, on the dance floor with other dancers, I was able to concentrate on traffic and negotiating my way around the dance floor, rather than be hung up on wondering what steps I know.  

So here are my tips for both Leads and Follows on how to use amalgamations to improve your dancing:

START WITH THE ORDER YOU LEARNED. Most people are likely to remember steps in the order they learn them. Keep a running list of the variations you are working on as you learn them. Dance them in that order. I typically teach beginning steps in a certain order so that they purposely flow from one step to the next.

INTERMEDIATE DANCERS, FIND THE BLEND. If you have a bunch of steps you’ve learned over the years, take time figure out which step easily blends into the next. Some steps lend themselves to blending since the ending of one step naturally sets up the beginning of the next. For instance, the outside underarm turn that completes a number of variations, is an easy transition to change hands if you need a right hand connection for the next step.  

REMEMBER THE AMALGAMATION IS A SUGGESTION. Practice your amalgamation as much as you can to get it into your muscle memory, but keep in mind, on the dance floor with other dancers, you may have to adjust your plan and find a Plan B if someone gets in your way. 

YOU STILL HAVE TO LEAD AND FOLLOW: The amalgamation is designed to help the Lead remember all the countless variations that are possible. However, Follows especially, avoid memorizing the sequence and dancing the pattern before the Lead has had a chance to actually lead it. He may be trying to direct you somewhere else to avoid a collision on the dance floor!

If you are resistant to the idea of amalgamating, I completely understand. But if you are struggling to remember one step to the next, give it a try.  Once you have the steps down so that they are part of your muscle memory, you can cut loose as much as you want and mix the steps like a seasoned dancer.  
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