- posted by Maria

Energy has been on my mind lately! Energy as it applies to dance, and energy flow in particular as it applies to “double axis” partner dances like West Coast Swing, Hustle, Lindy Hop, Salsa, etc.

Energy is often defined as the ability of an object, body, person, etc. to do work. All action requires work/effort/energy. In the dances I listed above, each dancer/body in the partnership contains its own potential energy. In addition, the partnership functions through a constant flow of kinetic energy between the bodies.

• Kinetic energy is used to describe the work required to accelerate an object.
• Potential energy is the work required to be done on an object to change its position.

Energy is transferred between objects and bodies and matter. In fact, that is the reason that dancers raise room temperatures! Our movement (kinetic energy) creates heat and motion in molecules in the air and causes them to heat up (thermal energy).

Energy and Partner Dances

It’s my belief that a number of common problems in partner dancing can be resolved and avoided by better understanding and becoming in tune with the flow of energy between partners. For example:

• When one or the other partner stops the flow of energy, this causes extra work to have to occur (i.e. energy to be generated) to not only restart the energy but also for the two bodies to come to an agreement about where that new energy will be initiated. Dancers often don’t realize that they have stopped the flow of energy. Even when deliberately stopping–say to hit a break in the music–it’s each partner’s responsibility to maintain the flow of energy. The “stop” is an illusion.
• If there is an unequal balance of energy between partners, this causes one or the other to arrive in an unintended position, such as unbalanced, too far away, too close, off the slot, etc.
• Leaders often “over-lead”, not realizing that the other half of the partnership has an equal responsibility (and ABILITY) to resolve, maintain, and even initiate energy.
• Followers often under-participate, not realizing what energy the leader requires to suggest, guide, and create figures and patterns.
• Dancers often expend too much energy and tire quickly, rather than focusing on the minimum energy required–and the most efficient means of manipulating the energy–to get the job done.
• Many struggles between dance partners are also related to having differing opinions about what “lead” and “follow” roles are, about what those terms mean practically within the dance. I’ll be publishing another article in the near future about this topic alone, but for now, I’ll say that turning the focus to energy rather than roles (who is right, who is wrong; who is dominant, who is submissive) can change the conversation–and the dance–for the best.

Coaching to Energy

For the last number of monthsI have been coaching to energy, helping students to become more aware of their potential energy as well as the kinetic energy created and transferred between partners. I enjoy helping leaders and followers to become aware of their own energy and how they transmit it, and of the type/intent of energy being communicated (linear, angular, rotational, propulsive, quiet, accelerating, decelerating, etc.). It’s also fun to work on skills that allow partners to listen to each other in the sense of sending and receiving cues about energy change or transfer.

I’ll close with one last thought, which is that even our INTENTION creates energy that is transferred to our partner (as well as to those around us). If that sounds a bit mystical to you, consider neuroscience. Thinking a thought activates chemical energy in the brain, which is transformed into electrical energy. SO: the way you think about dance (or the song playing, or the dance you’re attending, or the partner you have, or yourself) actually has a real and scientifically measurable impact on the partnership and the dance. And on your life … think about it!

- posted by Maria

Today, I just wanted to share my thoughts about what teaching is all about.

For me, there is only one measure of a teacher’s (or coach’s) success, and it is this: are you helping the student ACHIEVE the goal or result (“the thing”)?

• It doesn’t matter how well you can do the thing yourself (although you should be able to demonstrate it).
• It doesn’t matter how excellent you are at communicating the thing (although you must have a language for it).
• It doesn’t matter if you’re certified to teach it (although training as a teacher, as well as in the subject you are teaching, is essential).

The only thing that really matters is the student’s own achievement. That’s what makes teaching (successful teaching) a process of constant innovation, problem-solving, and learning. As a dance teacher, I am known to go to nearly any length to help a student achieve a movement or concept. I invent tools on the fly, I physically manipulate bodies, I will lie on the floor, I will make a complete fool of myself if I think it will help a student achieve a breakthrough in thinking and/or movement.

Teaching is achieving. Nothing more and nothing less.

- posted by Maria

Dictionary of dance terminology for & by social dancers*:

Ambidancetrous (also bi-dancterous) – adj.: the ability to both lead and follow. – WDODT & Maria Ford

Buying Her a Drink – (for leaders) the act of creating trust and connection with a few basic patterns before breaking out your big moves. - Julie Epplett

Dance Crush – n.:  [A crush that you have on a favourite leader/follower that is] all about the dance connection, [with] little to no regard or relation to availability/interest off the dance floor. – Kay Newhouse

Dance Husband/Wife – n.: A dance partner with whom you have a married-like relationship (without the sex or shared assets) at dances or dance events only (see also: Dance-Married). – Maria Ford 

Dance-Married – adj.: Being in possession of a Dance Husband/Wife. – Daria Mikloukhina

Dan-singer – n. A dancer who sings the lyrics to every single song as they dance. – Taha A.

Danceaholic – n.: A person suffering from compulsive and uncontrollable consumption of dancing. – Maria Ford

Danceibitionist – n., a.k.a. The Poser: A dancer who poses for invisible judges in the middle of late night dancing. – Lee Anne Bradford

Dancenesia – When you can’t remember any of those cool moves you just learned in the workshop. - Stephen Capara

Danceturbation – The act of dancing for your own pleasure, with complete disregard for your partner (if you remember that you have one). - Randolph Peters

Dancetastic – That moment when it all comes together in a single dancing moment. – Marcus Dismas

Dancetasy – That feeling where dream and reality merge on the dance floor. - Marcus Dismas

Dancybody – n. Dancer + busybody: someone who doesn’t know how to mind their own business on or off the dance floor and proceeds to tell you everything you are doing wrong and how to do it right both on and off the floor. – Anne Roher

Drape – v.: The act of forcing someone to dance with you without their consent, typically achieved through dogged persistence, constant harassment, or borderline stalking behavior. E.g.: Samantha: “OMG Rachel’s getting draped!! Someone steal her off  Ian!!” – Ian Lee

Hot Mess - n. that person’s who’s new to a dance, has tons of great movement and potential, and no idea how to harness it. – Maria Ford

Sorrywart – n. Someone who apologizes to you before the dance about how much his/her dancing is about to suck. – Taha A.

Swingcheese: (verb) When your partner breaks dance frame and rhythm to make cheesy poses for the photographer DURING the comp. – Bob Hackney & CJ Henry (WDotD, 03/08/13)

Swung Over -That feeling you have when you have danced to excess and every cell of your body knows it the next day. – Pamela Marshall

Unicorn – n.: An awesome dancer rarely/never seen on the social floor. If discovered on the social floor, unicorns are only around for one song and mysteriously disappear from the floor before the song is over making it impossible to ask them to dance. - Rochelle Hoffler

Triple Klutz: (adj) 1) The all around klutziness dancers have when they aren’t gracefully dancing. (verb) 2) The act of a dancer walking into doors, door frames, walls, all types of furniture, or even tripping over absolutely nothing. CJ Henry & Fabio Beltramini (WDotD, 03/08/13)

Unpaid Teacher’s Aide – n.  A dancer who, when in class, schools his/her partners on what they’re doing wrong. Ummm, no. – Melanie Sturdivant

Do you have others? Please leave your terms & definitions in the Comments area below — I’ll publish the best!

———————————————-

* This post is inspired by a discussion thread on Facebook’s Westie Discussion of the Day group. I have attributed these to whomever posted them on that discussion thread. I have also added some of my own and have edited some for grammar etc. Enjoy!