The Hips Don't Lie

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Well, yes, ummm... hips. It's entirely possible (although not really) that the reason I favour Lindy over my ballroom dances is that hip action isn't quite so necessary. I get it - hip action is great in some dances, there's no getting over seeing some ace hip work in a Rumba or a Cha-Cha - but as a traditionally-constructed man I'm not sure I could point out my hips if I saw myself in silhouette. Instead there's a straight line that descends from my armpits to my ankles.

Don't get me wrong - they're in there somewhere. I just think I'm better at a dance where they provide utilitarian rather than decorative function, where to quote Jeffrey Murdock: "Hey, it's just your basic hinge".

For more on male hips, I pass you over to my colleague....

Hey Baby, where are your watermelons now?

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I've figured it out. I *finally* understand why a lot of lindy hopping follows are often lost to The Dark Side (aka blues dancing!) It's because follows are able to dance with leads who know how to use their HIPS! (This is where I'd normally make some sort of smutty remark or at least imply it. I'll leave that to you this week.)

I'll use myself as an example. Picture me as a young teenage spoon, heart still unwounded by the cruelty of this word, eternally optimistic, and being ruthlessly conditioned by the dark cinematic arts into believing that men can be sensational dancers, everything will come good in the end, and life can have a happy ending.

Yes. I'm talking about Dirty Dancing.

The film that has turned generations of young women into puddles the moment *that* Solomon Burke track comes on. It's called 'Cry To Me'. You know, the one where she goes to his cabin, he's all moody and shit, she asks him to dance and they end up gettin' dowwwwwwwwn. Aw yeah. For the guys out there, if you don't know it, get thyself to youtube right now. You're welcome.

This is why I love blues dancing. Not because it makes me feel like a young teenager who hasn't quite cottoned on to what feeling hot-under-the-collar means- it's because I grew up wanting to be able to convey the idea of a deep and earnest emotional connection through the medium of dance.

(Disclaimer: I'm not saying I don't have elements of that in lindy. I'm just saying I find a lot of emotional depth in the blues)

Having also had an amazing all night blues-fest on the Sunday of EBI (a contributing factor in the late arrival of this weeks post, my apologies) I have also come to the conclusion that blues dancers seem to be, for the most part, a whole lot more relaxed about musical genres compared to my hopping brothers and sisters.

I understand this may enrage some of you. I'm sorry. But the fact of the matter is that I have lost count of the times I've heard someone make disparaging remarks about a lindy DJ's particular taste in music. The only thing I have come close to in similarity from a blues dancer was on Sunday when, after an hour of dancing to electro-dub-blues (or blues-step?) he gave up and had a nap. See? Super chilled!

Dance Like Nobody's Watching, Especially You

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Six weeks ago my Balboa partner Nell and I walked into the first class of the five-week course, and the lead-instructor came up to introduce himself.

"Are you together?" he asked.

"Yes," we said.

"Good, so you can practise at home in the kitchen."

"Oh, no," we said, embarrassed, "not like that. Not together-together."

Of course, Nell's embarrassment might well have been 100% over the misunderstanding. Mine was 50% that and 50%: "at home in the kitchen?" The simple fact is that I am a terrible fool to myself for practising outside of class. There are all sorts of things I promise myself I'll practise and then don't. Remember when I said I'd try to learn the Tranky-Doo? Well guess which guy has two thumbs and doesn't know the Tranky-doo.

Actually, it's not quite so bad. I've learnt some things by practising them at home. My trickeration steps are hardly perfect, but they're a lot better than they would have been if I hadn't been trickerating away like crazy while waiting for kettles to boil. I've done Balboa basics in ballroom classes while listening to the teacher explaining Quickstep steps. But it's a difficult thing. I have a feeling that what I'm doing is faintly ridiculous, and that outside of the circumscribed area where dance occurs I should be doing other things. I can't know what I look like when I'm practising, though. To find that out I do actually look faintly ridiculous I have to see it on film.

That's not to say that I'm upset with how I dance, but it's hard to see yourself on film without suddenly spotting that your posture is very different from how you imagine it in your mind - much more upright, in my case, so that I'm practically standing up straight. A move that feels good in my head suddenly appears clunky, but on the other hand I can see why it's clunky. I can see arms that aren't held at the right height, leads that are a beat too early or late. 

At least there's a pleasant slice of bread to go onto the stark filling of self-awareness in the sandwich of dance videos, which is seeing how good your partner looks. It seems weird to say that, since you're looking at your partner a lot when you dance (and if you're not, you should be!), but sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees - you can feel how smooth a swing-out is, but until you actually see it side-on....

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 I have a confession. I barely practice at home. Yes I know it will help me with footwork abilites. Yes I know it will help me go from being a good follow to a really good follow. But apart from the odd triple step drill and precious hours snatched with a lead for feedback loops... I ain't got nuffin to show you.

In my defence I haven't really got much time to, mainly becaise I'm always out dancing (!) but that's no excuse. Also I live in a tiny shoebox on the top floor of an old building, and everything creaks when I step on it. Combine that with me being home mostly just long enough to eat and sleep, I would doubtlessly get another snotty note under my door if I dare practice anything after midnight. (My first night in my place was a Sunday night and I was playing tetris with, well, my life, and the person downstairs was pretty indignant about the whole affair...)

That doesn't leave me with much time to go on. I sometimes do the odd step at work but it's not really appropriate or convenient.

I am trying to be a lot more mindful when social dancing though. The documentary maker who followed me around last year has me on film saying something about how I don't have to think about what my feet are doing.... *cringe*! Six months on and I'm of the opposite opinion.

What I'm currently trying to be mindful of while dancing is not fully extending my right elbow, keeping my left arm connection soft, responsive and not too heavy, and keeping my feet under me for everything, particularly swing outs. (It's the '-and-4' bit mainly at the moment)

The other thing I'm trying to work on is responding to those leads who have particularly gentle lead signals. There's two I can think of straight away, both of them awesome dancers. I'm embarrased to admit it but I've almost stopped asking them to dance because I get so upset with myself and then I get tense when we do dance and then I miss signals and then and then and then... and so it continues. I just need to man the flip up!!

It IS important to practice. Having seen myself dancing on film I know that I don't look as awesome as I think I might. I have the opportunity to go and practice with a group in a mirrored studio but it conflicts with prior commitments. Dammit! In the meantime I guess I'll just have to up my game on tube platforms and at bus stops. And practice non-footwork based stuff in the mirror at home when I can.

Don't cut corners, kids. Do your homework!

The Standard Flip (A.K.A Lindy-Love V2.0)

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This week the reverse of  last week - what leads am I impressed by at the moment, and which follows does Spoon have her eye on! This is a tricky subject for me, since I'm generally not spending a lot of time watching leads doing things that are salutory, I'm usually watching leads do things that I'm trying not to do. Still, I can say that there are a few people I have historically stolen / have recently stolen / am about to steal some moves from:

• Mr. Approach: None of this tedious "walking across the floor and asking" business for Mr. Approach. Back when I first learnt Lindy I was always impressed by the fact that he was dancing over to his potential partner, getting in the rhythm in preparation. I stole that.
• Mr. Tweed: His neat, tidy leading style is already half-way to balboa, and it took me about three months to work out how to steal one of his simple lead turns. Now I can hardly go a dance without doing it.
• Mr. Slick: Recently spotted coming out of a jam circle with that move where you step your legs apart and sort of hip-thrust/hop your way out (hard to describe without saying "jerk yourself off to the side", but yeah, no). The minute I think I can do this without looking totally ridiculous, I'm stealing it.
• Ms. Look-out-behind: A good reminder to look over your shoulder a little and be extra aware of where you're swinging into! I don't need to steal this, but I should certainly be remembering it more (also the only person to appear on both this and last week's list).
• Mr. Portfolio: Like a rolodex of moves, when I'm dancing near him I can always rely on him to start doing a move I hadn't thought of and that I can go into in a few phrases time. Handy!

You dance like a boss.... LIKE....A....BOSS!

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I thought of flipping last weeks post on its head after feeling compelled to give a fellow follow some appreciation last night at a social. (And y'all should know by now I'm big into sharing the love and giving compliments where they are due!)

She just looked super-freakin'-smooth in her dancing and I was totally digging on her choice of outfit. It wasn't vintage, it wasn't high maintenence, just sexy but casual and I had to give her a high five. Which went down a treat I must say. What chick doesn't enjoy getting props from other chicks?!

But I digress. Please find below a short list of follows who I totally admire:

Ms Unshakeable: Always looking calm and in control no matter who leads you, with an amazing repertoire of moves and under-the-radar style (which I love!)... If I'm not dancing I'm probably watching you and trying to absorb!

Ms Technique: If I could dance half as fast as you can and with the same level of technique I would be a very happy follow. It's simple- you kick ass.

Ms Mellow: Oh lady, you have such a mellow style! If I'm not having a good night sometimes all it takes is for me to watch you have a good dance and I'm in the zone. Low key but stylish in all the right places- you remind me to have fun when it's getting a bit too serious :)

Ms Studious: How, how HOW are you always dancing in heels? Seriously! You make a girl want to ignore the aching feet and get her wiggle on. (FYI for those of you not in the know, that's a pleasant side effect of dancing in heels- smaller steps and increased levels of twist-twist ;) )

Ms Wave: I don't think we've ever spoken (and it's unlikely that you read this, but still!) Your posture and poise when dancing is fantastic. I feel like a hunchback by comparison. I try and stand and a little straighter and dance a little taller whenever you're in the room.

I hope you've all enjoyed the last fortnight of lindy-love. I just think it's wonderful when a fellow dancer says something complimentary to you about your dancing- whether it's someone you regularly bounce with, someone you've just danced with for the first time, or someone you've only ever watched and admired. (not in a stalky way, obv!) Please don't be afraid to give a little love. You never know, you might just make someone's day

:-D

10 Things I Lindy-Love About You

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Today a tricky challenge from Spoon - writing about some of our favourite dance partners at the moment, without naming names

I'm blessed with a great abundance of amazing follows, and cursed with a short memory and a chronic inability to focus on details, so more than one person may see themselves in any given item on my list. It's all good, though, so if you think you're in there, I agree! (Although for the sake of an even distribution of love, I won't add my longest-running dance partner into the list - she gets a special list of her own)

In alphabetical order:

• Ms. Above And Beyond: takes a simple lead for a free turn and adds in another as a bonus! I love being surprised.
• Ms. Air: It takes a lot of trust to let someone lead you upside-down, and she adds on to that trust a deceptive lightness of step and a keen attitude.
• Ms. Class Clown: It's nice to laugh with your dance partner, even better to be able to laugh with them while we're doing our steps on opposite sides of the room.
• Ms. Crazy Moves: is right - you can't take Lindy too seriously. Crazy shimmies, some mad-as-hell dance moves, and a laugh for any occasion.
• Ms. Dance Geek: As a ballroom dancer, it's nice to discuss other dances even when the only overlap is swing, and to be able to sometimes put those discussions into immediate practise with new twists on old dance moves.
• Ms. Passion: "I would like to die dancing". What can one add to that? Except to say that she's a quick study on the dance floor, too. 
• Ms. Queen of the Scene: I would say she's probably forgotten more about swing dancing than I've ever learnt, but I get the impression from her dancing that she hasn't forgotten anything. Another great one for cheeky insolence in response to leads!
• Ms. Solo Charleston: We've only danced together a few times, but I could understand immediately how she could feel the music enough to lead a 50 people at once. 
• Ms. Swing-out: There's no sense in implying that any of my current favourites don't swing out like bosses, but there are some swing-outs that are so clean that they're a single bold stroke drawn on a canvas.
• Ms. Touchstone: Knows my moves like the back of her hand! Quick to follow a dodgy lead, quick to laugh when it all goes wrong. Lightning!

The problem with a list like this is not just saying the same thing over and over again! It's enjoying the dance. Follows who love to dance are the greatest follows, and I am lucky enough to know so many of them. Keep it up, all of you, you're all wonderful, and thank you for the dances!

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I just thought it might be nice to focus on the people we dance with rather than the dance itself for a change! I certainly feel super lucky to be able to dance with so many amazing leads.

So this week, for you my dear gentlemen of lindy hop, a short list of what I'm particularly enjoying about the way we dance together.

(I was going to give you all Reservoir Dog names but I had too many leads to appreciate- see, spoilt!)

Mr Bounce:  Excellent and eloquent dance vocabulary aside, I'm always secretly a little suprised to see you walking normally because you, sir, have the most amazing bounce in your dance! Even at the end of a night when you've been hitting the D-floor hard all night. *approving nod*

Mr Humour: We have an amazing dynamic when we dance- I really feel like we're having a conversation. Mostly with you doing all the talking (always with the talking!) but I'm able to chip my two pence in. *beaming smile*

Mr Not-London: From our very first dance you were instantly one of my favourites. Your playful flirty humour and musicality levels are awesome. That look on your face when I suprise you with something or you lead something I've not done but still follow it- adorable.  And you're cute as hell. Keep it up! *winks* 

Mr Whip: Without a doubt, you lead one of the best swingouts I've ever had the pleasure to be on the receiving end of. And you say nice things to me when we dance. What more does a girl need?! *thumbs up*

Mr Boss: One of the most plentiful sources of mid-dance banter! I think we've really grown into our dynamic and developed a lot in the last year. I've gone from being slightly nervous when we dance to feeling super confident with you- and you can take my teasing. *High five!*

Mr Shoes: After a few months of us not really dancing so much I feel like we've reconnected- and not wanting to sound like a patronising cow- I really feel a change in your leading, in a good way. It's much clearer and firmer. You feel more confident and I respond to that. And you love to discuss the nitty gritty at the end of a night. *Swing Spouse!*

Mr Fan: It's only recently we've started dancing more regularly on the social scene, but I'm really struck by how smooth and mellow your tone is. You've also got this cool side by side charleston variation that I just love. Even when lead by others, I think of it as one of your signature moves. A good dance with you makes me feel super fly. And you're also cute as hell. *win!*

Mr Anytime: You're a hoot! You give me a lot of eye contact and you are not afraid of scaring the hell out of me! The turn variations (oh my god the spinning and the turning), murmurs of encouragement, and general banter levels are excellent. *big grin*

Mr Hat: Our dance conversations are awesome, and have been so from the very beginning. I really feel like you read me, and that I can read you. I have absolute trust in everything you lead. Not dancing two in a row has never been an option and never will be! *hugs*

Mr Coiled Spring: When we have a kick-ass dance I feel like I've genuinely achieved something important. Your energy levels an tone can be pretty full on and I expect a challenge whenever we dance. You push me and give me great feedback, which makes me feel like a great dancer! *high ten*

Getting to the end of the 10 and there are still so many I could mention! I'm so thankful to have you all, whether you are someone I only see socially or someone I'm friends with (or becoming friends with) too. Suffice to say, if we've danced together more than once in this lifetime then I am a big fan of your work!

Ok, gushing love fest over for now :)

LSF; Ninjas In London

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That feeling when you're doing something else all weekend, but your facebook feed is full of cryptic references to dances, competitions, and workshops that you're not at. All your friends are coming home late or watching amazing routines.

Oh well - I'm getting old. I can't go to every dance event. I just have to accept that.

...or do I?

Keith gets to work on his cloning machine...

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FOMO- it's actually a squirrel. It sneaks up on you, watching, head tilted. Then the nibbling starts. 'Oh, I wish I was at <insert desirable dance event here>'... Then nibbling becomes munching. 'I WISH I'd gone to <insert desirable dance event> Ah man!'... And before you know it, munching becomes full on chomping and it consumes you. 'WHY am I not there, WHY didn't I make space in my calendar/bank account to go, I'm missing out on seeing X, dancing with Y and hearing Z. Wahhhh!'

Your Facebook feed becomes a source of irresistible envy of the car crash variety; you want to know but you don't want to know! No I don't want to see pictures or YouTube clips... Ok just this one... (Etc etc)

LSF was a mixed bag for me, I must admit. Friday night I was torn between kicking myself for not entering any of the comps (enhanced by people exclaiming surprise that I hadn't- flattering yet infuriating!) and being so full of pride for all my friends who entered. I could have burst with joy.

I was chomping at the bit to dance on Saturday to make up for the lack of social dancing the precious night. However as I had a friend taken ill that evening I was quite distracted for the first part of it, and it took me a while to settle in once I'd got her packed off in a cab home.

I had some lovely dances though- and I got to dance with a swing rock star. Y'all know Kevin, right? ;) It was smooth and fun and I'm happy that I didn't embarrass myself! 

My highlight of the night wasn't actually a dance of my own though. It was watching a friend dance with Evita- he was ermayzingggg! When I watch people dance I look at the dance dialogue between them rather than specific moves- and it was cracking! She's clearly a super fun follow to dance with- she looks so receptive and full of joy- and he was busting out some killer moves. LIKE A BOSS! You know who you are dude. That night actually be my high point of the weekend. 

Sunday was good, but in all honesty I didn't like the venue so much- I found the sprung floor annoying once it got super busy. Plus I'd buggered up my favourite dancing pumps the night before and was sulkily using my others. And I enjoyed the band- but they had zero energy in their performance, which I found to be a let down. Saturday's band had more energy- and they were sat down for a lot of their set! 

The after party met my needs though- I stayed upstairs throughout and got my blues on! Drank wine, had rum shots, ate sweets, and got dipped and swayed. Win. PLUS the last 30 minutes were soul-funk-tastic which was awesome! I finished my weekend dancing to Marvin Gaye with a wonderful lead, and went home smiling.

Squirrel courtesy of Chris Battle. (chrisbattleillustration.blogspot.co.uk)

I Like Surprise, I Like Breaks

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"Sometimes," said my dance partner as we walked back to her bus-stop, "if my lead isn't doing anything with the breaks in the music, I'll just go ahead and do my thing. Not if it's in the middle of a swing-out or something like that, but you know, if he's not going to do anything I'll just do it myself. Is that rude?"

Sadly and happily, there are no coloured belts in Lindy that let you know who's an appropriate "opponent" for you at any given time. It would be useless if there was, anyway, because sometimes a dance couple just doesn't gel - even when they have the same number of hours on the dance floor, go to the same classes, and would be perfect for each other if the world worked that way. So it's pretty rare that you end up dancing with someone who's exactly as good as you. Almost always you're dancing with someone who knows a lot less than you do or someone who knows a lot more, and it's often impossible to tell before the dance, sometimes even during it.

As a lead dancing with someone who isn't as good as you your task is simple: give them a fun dance, work out what they know, maybe lead them into something simple but unexpected if you think you can do it safely. If you're dancing with someone better than you, though - well, you just have to do what you can and enjoy the ride!

I love it when a follow puts in some crazy steps. Sometimes you get a dance with someone who knows the music better than you, and gets the rhythm into her swing-outs or her swivels. Sometimes you get someone who takes your lead and runs away with it - turning a tuck-turn into a double-spin, for instance. Sometimes, if you're paying attention, you get a variation that you can copy, and just once in a blue moon your follow does something that gives you a little insight for a new lead you can do.

I can understand it might be slightly flustering for a new lead if the follow doesn't do something they're expecting, but once your flight feathers have grown in there's no excuse for not being delighted when your follow does something fantastic! We're always being told that our job is to make our follows look good, who can complain when they take the initiative and do it themselves?

It's not rude. It's amazing.

Joanna is surprised by Keith's advanced shoe-study
techniques. (Picture © Michael de Selincourt)

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There comes a time in a follow's life when she becomes more confident in her dancing. She doesn't get The Fear so much when dancing socially (and may not get it at all except with certain leads) and is not only happier with her technique and musicality, but feels as though she's ready to inject some personality into her style.

I say DO IT!

A lead I know once got my heckles up by saying he could tell where a follow had taken lesson by the way she danced. But in some respects he's right. I can see stylistic similarities with certain follows I know who go to certain lessons. It's not painfuly obvious, but I recognise a lift of an arm here, a twist-twist there....

Break out of the box! Take what you've learnt and make it your own. Make your dance a conversation, not a physical reaction to your leads' soliloquy! Show off a bit! It's fun for you, the leads love it, and anyone who happens to watch you at that moment will enjoy it too. Sometimes your lead will respond to what you do by mimicking a movement- and then you have a little in-joke forming mid-dance. I cherish things like that :)

Some leads actively give their follows plenty of space to do their own thing. That can be a little terrifying at first, especially if that's not quite where you are in terms of your own dancing yet. But, stick with it. The simplest move done with a playful enthusiasm looks far better than something complicated done with an air of uncertainty.

And remember, it doesn't necessarily have to be about showing off jazzy steps at the break in the music, basic things like playing with height dynamics, playing with half/double time, keeping your spare hand out and visible, hell, even pulling faces at your lead even counts! (Well, it does in my book...)

Some guidance on injecting personality on moves you're confident with-

1. Style it out.
2. Look like you know what you're doing at all times.
3. If all else fails see rule 1.

Now go out there, and have some fun!

They Look

Our picture today was taken at yesterday's Sunday Mess-Around by Michael de Selincourt, you can see more here.

Bal Me, Brother, With a Solid 4

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"Goodbye!" says my dance partner to another couple as they leave the classroom. "It was nice meeting you!" Then, sotto voce but in the same sing-song tone she adds: "it was weird rubbing myself against you!"

We've come to learn balboa in the kitchen of a pub in north London, our feet scuffling over the checkerboard tiles - or rather tile, since we're trying to follow the teacher's imperative: "smaller steps, smaller. If you think you're doing small enough steps already, try to make them smaller."

It's a strange dance, balboa - although there's nothing unusual in its parts. I've danced ballroom, I'm used to a more upright hold from waltz, I'm used to a close hold from tango, I'm used to the way in rumba one tries to slide the feet across the floor rather than lifting them. But all of these things together are new to me, and grafting them onto the songs that I already know and the 8-beat phrasing of swing dancing feels odd.

Everyone in the class, as it rotates, asks whether I do lindy, and when I say yes and ask them the same question they nod. Balboa is one of those specialist dances, it seems, that no-one ever comes to first. They hear about it from other swing dancers, or they see a couple pressed in close hold on a crowded dance floor, hardly moving at all as their feet skip to some high-tempo song, and they ask a friend: "what's that?" When I was back in Dublin I used to have a rule - when I saw more than one couple dancing balboa, there was no point in me trying to keep up with the music.

It feels odd being so upright to music that I'm used to dancing to in a more relaxed, bent-legged style (although I admit that when I get lazy I tend to stand upright, but balboa still seems more rigid than that). It feels awkward to me not to be able to automatically adjust the hold to one that I think will be more useful. I wonder, while I'm dancing with my dance partner later on, if the kitchen staff watching us are enjoying the dance or not. I've heard balboa called a dancers' dance, and it's easy to see why - from an observer's point of view there's none of the exuberance of lindy. I can watch balboa and appreciate its cleanness and the precision of the steps, but I can't imagine a crowd ever going mad in the way they would while watching lindy-hoppers doing a lamppost aerial.

To the dancers, though, even those like me who are capable of essentially the basic and perhaps one other move, it does feel like a dance (this may seem strange, but there are dances - Slow Foxtrot is one for me - that just feel like going through the motions, an exam more than a dance). I struggle through the class, but in the practise time afterwards, reunited with my partner, we get it right - so right in fact that the teacher comes over to compliment her on her footwork. I don't think I'll be giving up lindy in its favour, but I can see myself enjoying a few balboa dances a night when prevailing conditions allow...

Rocky: Totally nailed that basic step

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Ah, Balboa. *Stares off into distance in thoughtful manner*

I can be led into it, this foot origami, weight shift trickery, but after a taster lesson I actually found it harder to do! Although I'm not sure if that reflects worse on me or my teachers.

I'm shooting in the dark with this post as it's Keith doing a course without me. Sniff. S'fine. This is what happens when you encourage someone to try something new... They try it with someone new too! But I think the follow he's doing it with has a height advantage on me. Fair play.

I completely agree that it's a dancer's dance. Having a bal-breather mid way through a super fast song can be a life saver! And it's also useful as a styling point. I think. But I think the most useful part of the dance, as a whole, is that it helps you wrap your mind around body leading. There's no scope for sneak peeks at the feet!

It also seems terribly English to look at! 'Ah yes, we are pressed up against each other, ah, yes, ahem, oh lovely following there, yes, la la la, ahem, yes, lovely weather we're meant to be having this weeekend', and so on and so forth. Go on, narrate the next bal dance you watch. 

It doesn't set my heart on fire the way lindy or blues does. There's less scope for 'conversation' (in my experience so far) because you're constantly close hold and so focused on your core and weight that there leaves little else. (Which explains why dancers doing bal look so bloody serious! They're concentrating!)

Keith- can you show me what you've learnt when you come back to our regular night? ;)