Practice, Practice, Practice

You hear it all the time...

"Practice Makes Perfect!"

While daily lives limit the ability to devote several hours of practice to your dancing, just 10 minutes a day will work wonders. Take 10 minutes to practice the following Top 10 and you'll soon feel the difference.

Most Common Top 10

1. Spotting Turns - Stand in one place looking in the mirror at yourself. This is a good one to do while brushing your teeth. Keep eye contact as long as possible while turning the feet to the left (itsy-bitsy steps). Once your neck can't possibly stretch any further, snap the head around to the left to regain eye contact while the body finishes the turn.
2. Foot Turn Out - Stand like a duck and take a small step to the left side, then close and repeat (chasses). You should only touch your heels, keeping the toes in a turned out position.
3. Hip Motion - Stand like a duck. Place weight on the right leg and bend the right knee. Your right hip will lower (keep the left leg straight). Now switch. Bend the left knee, place the weight on the left leg (allow your left hip to lower) and straighten the right leg. Switch again. Repeat this action again and again.
4. Rib Cage Isolations - Place your arms out to the side (like an airplane). Stretch to the right without moving the legs or hips. Your goal is only move the rib cage. Then stretch to the left. Imagine there is someone standing on each side of you and they're gently tugging your arms.
5. Rhythm Walks - Stand feet together in turn-out, take one step forward (using the ball of the foot) and then softly rest the heel to the floor. Repeat with the other foot. The key is to keep the turn out, step with the ball of the foot and then ease the heel the the floor while walking forward.
6. Back Walks Keeping Body Forward- Whether you're dancing rhythm or ballroom the back walks can be tricky. With either dance the body needs to remain slightly forward towards your partner. Practice walking backwards while keeping the core muscles flexed so the shoulder weight remains forward. Ease the heels to the floor so the shoulder weight doesn't fall back.
7. Back Walks Rhythm - Stand in turn-out, pull one leg back, touch the toe to the floor, then the ball and ease the heel to the floor. While releasing the front foot, lift the heel and keep the toe connected to the floor so it's the last thing to leave. Then step back and ease that heel to the floor. Repeat several times.
8. Back Walks Ballroom - Stand with the feet and legs together. Pull one leg back, touch the toe to the floor, then the ball. While the toe & ball are on the floor, the front foot should begin to release. Lift the front toe up so now you're balancing on the heel of the front foot and the ball of the back foot. The body should be somewhat in the middle of the two legs. Now pull the center of the body back to get the momentum to release the front foot, pull in the leg and ease down onto the back heel. Wheww! Practice again and again.
   
9. Find the Beat - Listen to music and find the heaviest, full bodied beat you can hear. It's usually a strong bass sound. You may need to stress to ignore other instruments. Once you find it, try tapping to it each time. Now you've found the down beat or the 1. Once you've got that, listen to what happens next. Does it escalate? Does it only happen 3 times, 4 times or to a full 8 before it drops back down? Do you hear the 1 and then it's rather light after? Is is stronger on the 2? Take notes and then bring in your music and compare with your instructor. Find the beat, find the rhythm and then you'll find what dance matches the rhythm.
   
10. Pick One - Pick just one item from your last lesson that you found really difficult. It's usually the least fun but needs the most work. If you just give it a few minutes of practice each day before you know it, you'll be dancing it with ease.

Have fun practicing and I'll see you on the dance floor!

Get To The Core Of Your Dancing

The single most important technique I learned that enhanced my skills as a dancer, was to maintain a strong core. - Allyson Lockhart

Get to the core of your dancing!

Developing a strong core will instantly improve your posture which in turn, will positively affect your dancing ability. It will also decrease your chances of injury because you will be dancing the movements properly.

The majority of your core muscles lie deep within your torso. I've had students ask me how to find them. It's easy! Simply imagine a cable connected to your navel. Take a deep breath (fill up your tummy with air). While you exhale, pull the cable back towards your lower back. Now you've engaged your transverse abdominus (TA) muscle (the main muscles supporting your torso). Your transverse abdominus muscle is located beneath your rectus abdominus (the '6-pack' muscle you see on many dancers). It is also the "pouch area" that most women speak of.

The next question I often hear is, "When do I breathe?" Excellent question! Many people tend to lift the shoulders and inflate the lungs. Remember, take a deep breath all the way down to your tummy. You should see your stomach inflate with air. Now, exhale and pull the cable back at the same time. Keep contracted and keep breathing in and out calmly. Try and hold this for 10 seconds at a time. Practice this often, doing rep's of 10. Through practice, you will begin to feel like your core is engaged and you're still able to breathe. Soon enough, you'll be dancing an entire hour with your core actively engaged.

If you're off balance, activate the TA muscle. It will be the most important thing you can do to better your dancing. It truly is a quick fix miracle.

If your turns are off balance, again activate the TA muscle. Next, lift your head up and try the turn again. You should find that all of your weight is now on one axis which will balance your weight while you turn. Still off balance? Make sure that you're turning on one foot only. For the most part, you can't be split weight while turning.

So go on, get to the CORE of your dancing!

Dancer - Ingredients

Dancer

Vision

Spirit

Passion

Courage

Dedication

Determination

Confidence

Training

Poise

Positivity

Energy

Dough

First take a minute to soak the Vision. You need to be able to foresee what it is you want to look like. After the Vision becomes clear, mix in the Spirit and Passion (aka "the desire within"). Mix well until Vision, Spirit & Passion become solid. Knead in the Courage until firm. Make some dough to obtain proper training. Brush on Dedication & Determination to achieve the next steps toward progress. Mix all ingredients together and bake. It takes a while to rise up however, it is important to remain Confident and Positive. Otherwise, you may find a deflated dancer in your oven. "Oh no!" :0 Keep your poise on hand and remember the more energy you put into this, the more you'll get out of it.

Caution: Hot Dancer!!!

Dance Class Etiquette

Hygine (breath, body & clothes)
Meet & Greet
Smile
Have Fun
Refrain from pointing out other's mistakes
Help others if you're certain of what needs to be done
The lead should walk the follow back to the starting place to assist in the rotation
If unclear of something, politely ask
If you're ill, skip class and take a make-up session to catch up
If you're late, stand to the side until you've caught up on the steps
If you're coughing, take a moment to wash up
Most of all simply enjoy the dance...

Quickstep Combo - Advanced Level

1. Natural Turn
   
2. Hesitation Change
   
3. Reverse Change
   
4. Reverse Pivot
   
5. Cross Chasse
   
6. Lock
   

Samba Class

You have one more chance to be a part of an exhilerating experience.  Join the Samba class this Wednesday to participate!  

Those who have enrolled have special access to an online, detailed view of each class from week to week.

Viennese Waltz Class

1. Bow & Curtsey
2. Fifth position breaks
   
3. Left cross turn
4. Left cross turn
   
5. Change step
6. Natural turn
7. Natural turn
   
8. Change step
   

Bolero Class

1. Basic
2. New Yorkers
3. Pivot Turn
4. Basic
5. Right Side Pass
6. Open Break to Bolero Walks & Left Turn Release