July 29, 2019
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Dancers Behind the Wheel
I was in a car accident last night. We were hit on the drivers’ side by a person who ran a red light. By the time I noticed the all-black car at night, it was too late to swerve or…
July 11, 2019
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Asking people who don’t look like they want to dance: the secret payoff
A while ago, I was in a workshop where the instructor told a story. She talked about a girl who spent the whole weekend waiting to be asked to dance. And, the entire weekend, no one asked her. She didn’t know why,…
June 21, 2019
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“Should they be banned?” Making Decisions About Bad Behaviour
Almost every scene has had a bad actor in their midst, ranging from lower-level he-said-she-said harassment to full, witnessed assault. Often, organizers and scene leaders are at a loss for an effective way to handle the issue. The default often…
June 6, 2019
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Are dance artists and event staff paid enough?
There’s a lot of conversations surrounding whether specific staff and artists at events are paid enough. Very often, these stories are either told from the perspective of an individual who (rightly) recognizes that an event isn’t paying the fair market…
May 27, 2019
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Why I’m not a fan of #LadyLead and #FellowFollow
There’s been a trend about celebrating people who dance outside of the traditional roles. Whether it’s male follows, female leads, or ambidextrous dancers, it’s a great thing to see so many people stepping outside of the traditional. I started leading…
April 1, 2019
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5 ways to get into socials for free
Dance is an expensive hobby. We pay for shoes, training, and… socials. But, what a lot of people don’t realize is that there are many ways to get an entire night of dancing for free! Not all of these strategies…
March 28, 2019
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5 things it’s OK to let yourself do as a dancer
For many of us, whether professional or amateur, dance is a passion that we devote a substantial amount of time, energy, and money to. We engage in training, travelling, and practising to make our dance closer to our perceived ‘ideal’. However,…
February 27, 2019
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Why Passive-Aggressive Feedback Doesn’t Work
Have you ever had an unpleasant dance? Maybe your partner squeezed your hand too hard. Maybe they were generally off-time and a bit rough. What did you do? Did you fix your face into an unsatisfied scowl to teach them…
January 21, 2019
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Guest Article: The Importance of Warm-Ups
Beginner-Friendly, Congresses & Travel, Health & Safety, Performance & Competition, Social Dancing, Workshops & Classes
A Note from Laura: Sydney is a lifelong dancer who holds a Masters degree in dance and has substantial experience in both solo and partnered styles. She is currently travelling around the world to better understand the history, culture, and…
December 4, 2018
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Breaking the Dance Monkey and Dance Clique Cycle
A while ago, I wrote an article about the many reasons that professionals don’t always social dance. However, beyond that, there seems to be a fundamental disconnect both in how advanced dancers treat newer dancers, and the way that new…
October 18, 2018
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In Support of Follow Empowerment
Over time, dance communities are moving towards a greater focus on follower empowerment. We are becoming more aware of the value followers bring to a dance, and the need to teach to both followers and leaders. But, some people are still…
August 31, 2018
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Dance Predators
In social dance, we often exist in a bliss bubble. We are used to physical touch and trusting those around us. But, these conditions also make it easy for people who are predators to manipulate or prey on us, our…
July 27, 2018
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Yes, that newer dancer may be “better” than you
For many, a fair dance world would be one in which hard work + time = a better dancer. The person who has taken two classes a week religiously for four years would necessarily be stronger than a dancer who has taken…
June 22, 2018
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The 5-Dance Challenge
Some of us complain that when we go to big events, congresses or festivals, we have a hard time getting dances. This specifically seems to affect solo travelers more than those coming with a large local group. These experiences can…
May 25, 2018
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The Secret to Giving Unoffensive Feedback
In group classes, it can be a struggle to find the line between providing feedback to a partner, asking for what you want, and becoming the teacher. In my opinion, feedback and asking for what you need from a partner…
